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The sun sinking cast a radiant golden orange in the sky, matching the serene atmosphere between the two lovers sitting at a dinner table. The restaurant’s low, warm lighting fueling an intimately cozy ambiance. Bobby could not quite believe that he was here with the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips as he looked at her, eyes sparkling, speaking about something that he got distracted from moments ago.
His eyes wandered from her perfectly pinned curls, to her warm, sparkly brown marble eyes, to her daringly red-stained lips begging to meet with hers. They’ve been dating for some time now.
Four months, 3 days, and 13 hours to be exact.
Four months of pure bliss. Four months of stolen kisses. Four months of touches that left his body filled with flaming blazes of heat. Four months of his heart beating in an overwhelmingly yet safe rhythm set by the intrusion of Athena Grant.
Four months of sneaking winks and kisses against fire engines on scenes. Four months of sneaking around and avoiding their friends. Because none of them knew of the feelings that have been brewing between them.
They weren’t ready to pull the world into their bubble yet.
Well, Athena wasn’t.
Bobby, on the other hand, was more than ready to stand on top of the tallest building in Los Angeles, the U.S Bank Tower, and shout and profess his love for the beautiful sergeant. It didn’t bother him – most of the time – that Athena still wanted to keep things under wraps for now. He understood. He really did. It’s a conversation they’d already had many a time, so he was patient.
During moments like this one, it was so easy to put aside all of that inner turmoil because nothing brought him more joy and peace than being with her.
He looked on as she laughed softly at something she had just said, her eyes catching the dancing light of the crystal chandelier hanging above them.
“Bobby, baby, where did you go?” Her warm voice cut through his thoughts.
His soft, dimpled smile melted Athena as his voice came out as equally soft, “I am here, baby.”
“I am sorry, I got a little distracted,” he breathed, his hand capturing hers across the table.
“Hmm, by what?” she asked, her lips pouting.
“Well, have you seen yourself, ‘Thena? You are so beautiful,” he answered earnestly. His fingers absentmindedly rubbing her knuckles.
“Oh,” she said, his genuine words rendering her speechless. A warmth spread from her chest and coursed through her entire body.
She could feel herself blushing. An unrestrained smile took over her face as she brought her wine glass up to her lips and took a sip.
“Thank you, though I am pretty sure that you have said that at least a hundred times since the minute you picked me up tonight,” she smiled, squeezing his hand gently.
“And I won’t get tired of telling you until I leave you at your doorstep – or for the rest of our lives,” he told her, tone warm and deep.
Athena couldn’t think she could love him any more than she did, despite the newness of their relationship, but Bobby kept proving her wrong.
“Bobby, you can’t keep saying things like that if you don’t mean them,” she countered softly.
“I mean every word, Athena. I could spend forever with you, and I’d still find you as beautiful as I did the first time I saw you, if not more. And I would certainly not mind telling you till the end of time,” his eyes met hers.
Her breath hitched as she saw the sincerity and surety that filled his eyes.
Nodding, she brought their joint hands up to her lips, gently kissing his knuckles. The action saying a lot more than she had words for.
The waiter came at that moment to check on them if they needed anything else. Leaving shortly after they both affirmed that all was still well.
The conversation turned back to their high-paced jobs. Both having had a few hard shifts this week, this date was the only thing that they had looked forward to all week. Days and hours spent counting down the days and hours till they were together again, uninterrupted.
They exchanged stories of scenes they’d not shared: a structure fire that claimed more lives than it should have that still haunted Bobby, a missing child case that Athena solved but had her hugging her kids a little extra all week, and a non-fatal car pile-up on the 710 that they both responded to.
The conversation flowed, both comfortable with one another and enjoying each other’s company. Athena was convinced that this was what everything was about. Nothing could ruin this moment. It was so perfect and just –
A movement in her peripheral caught her attention.
Oh no.
No no no, NO!
This absolutely could not be happening!
Athena immediately tensed as it registered in her mind who the individuals speaking to the hostess by the door were. Bobby, sensing the shift in her demeanor, his eyes followed hers.
He, too, tensed as his eyes grew wide at who was being walked by the waiter, clearly being led to their table. Though he was pretty sure that his reasons for being tense were different from Athena’s.
Maybe they wouldn’t see them. Was that even possible, though? How was it even possible that the night they decided to go out after spending months having indoor dates, they’d run into people they knew? Not just anyone, for that matter.
Their friends.
The very same friends they did not share this recent development with.
Bobby had to convince Athena for three weeks straight to have a date that didn’t include takeout, trashy television, or meals cooked by either one of them.
And this is what happens when they finally agreed on it. They had picked this fancy fine dining restaurant because they did not think anyone from the 118 or their spouses would enter through that door.
Well, they were clearly wrong about that. Otherwise, this would not be happening right now.
Quickly sharing panicked glances, and before they could both recover and school their features, the crust of the earth shattered even further as a small gasp and a surprised, “Athena?!” cut through their table.
Hen clearly surprised to see her friend. Here, of all places.
The last time they’d spoken, she’d told her that she was having a quiet Friday night in because she wanted to relax and take advantage of the kids being away at Michael’s this weekend.
Well, she was relaxed all right, just not where she’d said she’d be.
Hen’s surprised facial expression further deepened as her eyes landed on who was sharing the table with Athena.
The last person she expected to be with Athena. The last person she expected to be on what seems to be a date with Athena.
Her captain.
“Bobby?!” her surprise pouring out of her as her eyes moved between the two.
Bobby and Athena? Together?
Her eyes narrowed at her friend as she asked, “What are you doing here? I thought you were having a quiet night in?”
Athena quickly recovered, an invisible defensive mask sliding into her face, and mirrored the question to her friend, “Hen? Karen? What are YOU doing here?” Her tone was surprisingly firm compared to the hammering she felt in her chest.
“It’s our date night,” Hen answered, noting how her friend avoided answering her question. Her eyes took in the setting on the table.
The two plates of their finished meals, the bouquet of flowers that lay next to the table centerpiece, and the small lit candles on the table, the setting romantic and intimate.
Her eyes scanned their conjoined hands on top of the table with a raised eyebrow. Athena, quickly noticing what Hen was looking at, untangled her hand from Bobby’s, bringing her hands to her chest. Crossing them defensively.
She quickly took note of how visibly deflated Bobby looked at her action. She knew that he wanted them to tell their friends. He’d wanted them to rip the band-aid off for quite some time now, but she just wasn’t ready. Not now.
She knew that what she has with Bobby was real, but her fears still, unfortunately, rang louder than his affirmations. Her heart sank at the idea of what must be rampaging in Bobby’s mind.
Because of her.
But she still couldn't bring herself to fix it right now. She looked at Hen, who was still waiting expectantly for a response.
“I thought you were home tonight?” she repeated.
“We ran into each other. I had a date, and he didn’t show. Bobby here was just comforting me,” the lie falling easily from Athena’s lips.
Hen is anything but a fool. Athena has been her best friend for years. She knew that she knew that she smelled a rat, and that rat was coming from Athena’s mouth.
“Hmm…”Hen hummed, eyes still roaming, noting everything.
Athena in her favourite black bodycon low-cut dress. Bobby in smart casual attire. She wasn’t sure that she had ever seen her captain wearing anything remotely close to a suit. They looked good. Too good.
“Well, okay, we’ll leave you guys to it,” Karen cut in, clearly sensing that her friends were uncomfortable, pulling her wife’s hand.
“Talk to you later, ‘Thena? Bobby,” she nodded at her captain and friend, who had not uttered a single word since they came to their table.
They carried on towards the direction of the waiter. Hen took one last glance at them before turning the corner to where their table was, mind racing.
Athena let out a breath that she didn’t even know that she was holding.
“Bobby, I -” Athena started, her hands quickly uncrossing.
“It’s fine, Athena. I think we should call it a night, huh?” Bobby didn’t wait for her response as he signaled for the waiter to bring the bill.
The tension looming thick, and the air between them icy cold.
They made their way out into the night. Silence filled the parking lot as they stepped out.
Cold air hit Athena’s skin, causing her to shiver unexpectedly. Bobby shook his blazer jacket off his shoulders. His fingers brushed on Athena’s bare arms, causing a warmth to envelope her skin as he wrapped his jacket around her.
Athena gave him a soft grateful, “Thank you.”
They walked a bit further into the parking lot, where Bobby’s truck was parked.
Bobby opened the door for her, helping her get settled inside. Athena’s eyes softened as she took in his face. He was mad. Hurt. But he was still caring for her.
Something cracked inside her as his hands drew out the seatbelt and buckled her in softly.
With the seatbelt secured, closing the door, he walked over to the driver’s side and climbed in.
The ride home was uncomfortably silent in contrast to their earlier ride.
Athena’s phone buzzed and lit up on her lap, indicating a text message.
It was from Hen.
“You okay? I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier, but girl, we need to talk. Later? x”
She sighed as she read the text. Instead of replying, she quickly sent goodnight texts to May and Harry.
Placing her phone back on her lap, she started to make small talk as an attempt to salvage what was left of the evening.
“That was Hen checking in,” she started with a sigh.
“I suppose it’s better that it was she who saw us instead of the entire 118? At least I can handle Hen,” she tried slipping a teasing tone. Tried.
Bobby grunted in response, his eyes still on the road. Athena knew that she messed up.
They were turning onto her street when she reached out her hand and placed it on top of his on the console. He didn’t move his hand away. That was a good sign.
Silence still filled the car as he parked in her driveway. He turned his hand so they locked hands.
He sighed, turning to look at her.
“Athena, are you ashamed of me?” his voice came out quiet; Athena almost did not hear him.
She felt like the wind was knocked out of her lungs as the question registered to her.
She visibly flinched as she answered, “No! God, Bobby, no.”
“It’s just… complicated,” she added softly.
She hated this conversation. She hated it even more that Bobby felt like that because of her actions.
“Well, uncomplicate it for me then. We have been in a relationship for four months, and I still need to beg you to eat out with me. You don’t want us to tell our friends about us, so we can stop lying to them and sneaking around like teenagers going out after curfew. Athena, I don’t mean to put pressure on you. God knows that’s not it, but I just can’t help but feel and think that maybe I am not what you want,” he said, voice steady, his heart, not so much.
He hated the idea of even having this conversation and the potential of it being the end, but he had to know.
“Bobby,” her voice came out small and shaky.
“Athena, just tell me straight out. I need to know if I am wasting my time building this with you,” his tone firmer than intended, gesturing between them.
“Yes, dammit! I am ashamed of us! That’s what you want to hear, right?!” Athena snapped, throwing her hands in the air.
Bobby took a sharp breath, his eyes widening, feeling knocked out of his wits. He had probed and hounded her for an answer, but the sharp words coming out of her mouth still made him feel like a bucket of cold water had just been poured on his head.
He opened and closed his mouth, no words coming out. But Athena was already on a roll.
A dam of caged emotions, insecurities, and fears pouring out, smashing and crashing through everything in its way.
“You don’t know a thing about divorce, Bobby! Your loss is not like mine! You don’t know the stigma I carry around because I am a 50-year-old black woman who failed to keep her man! The first in the Carter family to bring such sh-sh-shame to the family name! What do you know about that, Bobby?!” A bitter laugh escaped her lips.
Athena’s hands shook with pent-up emotion. Tears clouding her vision as she continued bitterly, “I walk around here knowing every single thing people say behind my back. I hear every whisper even at the precinct: “Athena Grant, decorated police sergeant, who turned her husband gay!” I hear everything, Bobby!” her voice broke as soft, violent sobs threatened to take over her body.
Bobby knew that the divorce had affected Athena; he just didn’t know its extent. Hearing all the feelings Athena’s been carrying inside, his anger evaporated, quickly being replaced by a need to comfort her and hold her.
“Now, you want me to parade around town showing you off like a peacock, like nothing ever happened? How is that going to make me look like?!” Her voice cut through sharply into the night.
“Like a survivor,” Bobby countered softly.
“Like a tramp, that’s what!” she argued.
“Come on, Athena, no one would ever think that!” he argued back.
“How do you know that, huh? Bobby, you don’t know that!” she said sharply.
“Athena, even if they do, who cares?!”
“You have the luxury of not caring – I do care!” she confessed, fresh tears spilling down her face.
Bobby could not help himself anymore; he wrapped his hands around her. Athena sank into him, chest heaving with sobs.
He has never wanted to completely carry someone else’s pain as much as he did in that moment. Her sobs tore him apart.
Athena was a strong woman, in every sense of the word, but she also carried a lot of pain. Pain that he lowkey resented Michael for inflicting on her.
Athena wrapped her arms tightly around Bobby’s torso, wet tears soaking through his chest where her face nestled. She had never felt safer than she did in that moment.
This was the first time she was crying unrestrictedly in someone else’s presence. Even with Hen, she had never released this much. That’s what it felt like. A release.
As her sobs continued to grow quieter, Athena felt like she was pulling in a fresh dose of oxygen into her lungs. It felt like it was the first time she was breathing again, after being underwater for a very long time.
Bobby held her tighter, repeatedly kissing her hair softly, almost cradling her despite the restricted space of his truck.
It felt like an eternity before her sobs completely subsided, small wet hiccups replacing them. Quietness enveloped them, a long moment passing before Bobby started quietly moving. Gently untangling himself from her arms, Bobby opened the door and climbed out of his truck. Swiftly moving to Athena’s side. Opening the door and unbuckling her seatbelt, Athena sat quietly as she watched Bobby’s hands work.
A small sound of surprise left her throat when Bobby scooped her up in his arms, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck. Using his elbow to close and lock the truck, he walked with her still in his arms to her front door. Athena took out the key from her purse, and somehow Bobby managed to take it from her and then unlock the door. Using his foot to kick it open and to close it, he descended the stairs and went straight to her bedroom.
He gently laid her on top of the covers, her head resting against the pillow. Athena watched as he unfastened her heels and gently placed them by her closet. He quietly walked into her bathroom without turning on the light, the moonlight strickling in from the window serving as enough light to guide him where he found what he was looking for.
He came out with what he gathered from the bathroom on her bedside table. Sitting gently next to her, he took out the makeup wipes first. He brought her face closer using his fingers, tucked under her chin, before he started to swipe the wet wipe all over her face.
Once her makeup was completely removed. He quickly disposed of the dirty wipes and left the bedroom, coming back a minute later with a glass of water. He gave her the painkillers he brought from her bathroom cabinet.
“Here. Take these,” he instructed.
Athena raised an eyebrow in question. “For the headache that’s creeping in on you,” he casually answered.
“Bobby, how did you know that my head was starting to pound lightly?” she asked, her voice still hoarse from crying, taken aback, accepting the painkillers and water.
She downed them instantly.
“Because you were starting to squint your eyes and not out of exhaustion,” he answered, shrugging his shoulders as if it was the most logical answer. Like anyone could’ve easily picked that up.
She nodded quietly.
“Bobby, I am sorry, I am really, really sorry,” Athena spoke quietly after a moment passed of complete silence.
“It’s okay, ‘Thena, I und-” Bobby started.
“No, it’s not. I hurt your feelings tonight, and I want you to know that it wasn’t my intention,” she cut in quietly.
“I could have communicated better with you, and not just push back hard because I felt cornered,” she added.
Bobby nodding, responded, “I won’t lie, Athena, you hurt me tonight, but I do know that it wasn’t intentional, baby. I wasn’t holding it against you.” He tucked in a strand of her curls behind her ear, looking straight into her brown eyes. She melted into his touch.
“I also want to clarify what I meant when I said that I was ashamed of us. I just meant that I am ashamed of how happy you make me feel, of how happy we are. That’s why I said that it was complicated,” she began.
“Bobby, I just recently got divorced, and when I got divorced, it didn’t take me too long to fall for someone else. And with already so much chatter surrounding my marriage’s demise, the last thing I want is for you to be roped in on that. I don’t want my drama touching you. I am trying to look out for you – do right by you,” she continued, her eyes dropping to her clasped hands on her lap.
“Hey, hey, Athena, I don’t need all of that from you. All I need from you is to love me, and I love you,” he said softly, his calloused hand brushing her cheek gently. She looked up at him, eyes meeting and dancing with each other.
“I just don’t want to lose you, Bobby, I don’t want to lose us because of my baggage,” she said, softly planting a kiss on his palm.
“You won’t lose me, Athena. Not even for that, least of all because you have a little baggage. Athena, I own the entire baggage claim department, at this point,” he added reassuringly, laughing softly.
She let out a soft laugh before they both fell into a silence, wrapping their hands around each other.
Athena tucked her face under his, hands tightly wrapping around his hard exterior.
“I just need a little more time. I will talk to Hen tomorrow and just explain everything to her. I am not ready for the others to know yet, but I get less scared by the day,” she spoke against his skin.
“I know. I don’t think you have anything to fear, though, Athena, especially the 118. I think everyone will be happy for us. But my priority is you. Your comfort is most important to me,” he spoke against her hair.
She nodded, melting further into him.
Tonight took an unexpected toll on her. Events from the evening played out in her head. How quickly the evening went from being so romantic and intimate to them being caught out by Hen, who she was sure would be probing her for answers all day tomorrow, to her outburst earlier. She let out a sigh that felt like it came from the depths of her soul.
The last thing she’d wanted to do was hurt Bobby, or even push him away. He has been the best thing to happen to her. She couldn’t help but feel herself falling deeper in love with him with every passing moment. She had never had anyone care for her or love her the way he did. Despite not having said those three words to her yet, she was still pretty sure that he loved her.
Every single touch, every look, every effort, and every action tells her so. She didn’t doubt it one bit. He loved her, and she loved him.
It was the easiest and most natural thing for her to feel. It scared her for the first few weeks when she realized her feelings, but that quickly evaporated because Bobby wasn’t Michael.
Her heart was safe with him.
And his with her.
She thought back to how, even when she was hurting his feelings tonight, he still handled her with so much grace. Prioritizing her well-being and caring for her even in the moment. He was one of a kind. She’d be a fool to mess things up with him.
Ever since Bobby came into her life, her days have never been brighter. He brought colour into her life. He has, every day since, been healing and mending every scar, every bruise. He deserved more from her. She silently promised herself to be that for Bobby, too. He, too, deserved what he gives her.
Bobby kissed her temple softly, inhaling her scent. His favourite scent in the entire world. Floral, fruity, and woody notes with her favourite coconut oil.
Reluctantly pulling away from her embrace, locking eyes, he started, “I should go.”
She shook her head softly.
“Please stay,” she said softly, arms still wrapped around him.
“Are you sure?”
“I am. I want you to,” her tone steady and sure.
“Okay,” he smiled, revealing a soft dimple.
She scooted over in the bed so he could lie next to her. She couldn’t help the smile that took over her face. Tonight had been a lot, but he was still here. With her.
After taking off his shoes and lying down next to her, she immediately scooted back closer to him, faces level and facing each other.
Bobby’s fingers traced her face, as though memorizing every feature. Her alluring eyes, her high cheekbones, her lips. He had the strong urge to kiss her.
God knows he’d been wanting to do that all night.
“Can I kiss you?” he whispered, gently.
“Please,” her reply instant.
Bobby’s lips captured hers softly. Lips parting and dancing together in a dance that imprinted their very souls. His arms circling her, fingers moving in an up and down motion on her bare back, causing a shiver to bolt through her toes to the tip of her hair.
Her hands snaked around his neck, her fingers curling softly on the hairs on his nape, an imperceptible hum coming from the back of her throat. The kiss deepened, only slowing down and moving their lips apart naturally as the need for oxygen burned both.
“I’m sorry about tonight. About everything,” she said softly, still feeling guilty.
“Stop apologizing, Athena. Everything was a lot, I know I also contributed to exerting all of that pressure on you, so, for that, I am sorry.” Bobby apologized earnestly.
She shook her head, “No, Bobby, you did not. I just allowed my fears to take over for a while.”
“Which were valid. I care for you, Athena, deeply. And I love you just as deeply,” he confessed.
“And I love you, just as deeply as you love me, if not more, Bobby Nash,” she reiterated, her voice light, joy seeping through it.
She leaned in again, intending for the kiss to be soft and short. He deepened it again.
Pouring all of their confessions and love into this one kiss.
“I love you,” he whispered against her lips, feeling like once he started saying that to her, he could never stop.
“I love you, too, baby,” she smiled against his lips.
“I don’t think I will ever get tired of hearing those three words from your mouth,” she added, planting another soft peck on his soft lips.
“Good thing that I have an unlimited supply then,” he teased, though his tone indicated a truth that beautifully wrecked Athena.
“Thank you for being you,” she said, a soft sigh rippling through her.
Athena did not doubt that the only way from here would be up. She could not wait to discover more of what the future had in store for them. The excitement that filled her heart at the thought left an illuminous smile on her face.
Bobby kissed her before assuring her, “Always.”