Page 92 of Truth or More Truth
I spin him to face me. “He just needs some guidance.” I smooth down his tie. Leave it to Bobby Jacobs to wear a suit to a football game. “It seems like he hasn’t had much of that in his life. I’m glad he has you to help him.”
Bobby’s face softens. “Yeah?”
“Uh-huh. He’s just a kid, Bobby—barely old enough to legally drink but not old enough to make wise decisions without some good people helping him. Just pretend you’re his dad or his coach and think about what kind of support he’d need from you in that role.” I pat his chest. “Now, let’s get some food. I’m starving.”
“How are you starving? We just ate lunch two hours ago!”
“Yeah, but it was the first meal of our day, so it was actually breakfast.” I shimmy my shoulders to remind him why we didn’t eat breakfast at a normal time.
His cheeks pink, which I absolutely love. Not much flusters this man, but somehow I’ve managed to mess with his equilibrium.
“Thisis lunch,” I declare. “Bring on the hotdogs and nachos!”
“You are good for Bobby.”
“Yeah?” I say to Carmela, one of the foundation employees, as my eyes search out my boyfriend, who’s chatting with one of his baseball clients. “What makes you say that?”
“He smiles every time he looks at you, which is every ten seconds. I don’t know that I have ever seen him smile. Not that I’ve spent a lot of time with him, but when he has been in the office with Diego or Ash, he is all business all the time.”
I nod, knowing exactly what she means, because he’s the same when he’s in my office.
Carmela fans her face. “But that dimple …” She blows out a breath. “Good for you. Keep hold of him. He is not only handsome but a good man. I have always known this because Diego wouldn’t have anything to do with him otherwise. Even though he can be frowny for no apparent reason, he is always kind to everyone in our office. And you cannot tell him I told you this, but when Isaac’s dad passed last month,” she surreptitiously points toward her co-worker Isaac across the room, “Bobby paid for his funeral and for Isaac and his family to fly home to Mexico for it. They wouldn’t have been able to go otherwise. Well, I think Diego would have covered it, but Bobby jumped in first.”
Tears fill my eyes at her words. “That’s really sweet, but I didn’t have anything to do with that. We didn’t get together until a few weeks ago.”
“I know. I was just making sure you know the kind of man Bobby is, though I think you already knew that. But the other reason I know you’re good for Bobby is he has been patient with that young hockey player throughout this game, even though the kid has been obnoxious and over the top about … well, everything. I overheard you talking to Bobby about him when you walked in. Bobby does not realize how much people look up to him and the positive impact he has on them without realizing it, and I’m glad you are helping him see that.”
“What are you two ladies talking about?” Diego asks as he saunters up to us with a souvenir cup of beer in one hand and a soft pretzel in the other. I tear off a piece of the pretzel and pop it into my mouth.
“Bobby’s dimple,” Carmela replies without hesitation.
I choke on my pretzel, and she pats me on the back while Diego laughs.
“It is a work of art, is it not?” Diego asks. “Too bad not many people get to see it. But it’s been out and about all day today.” He nudges me with an elbow, since his hands are full. “And I think we all know why.”
“I don’t want you to go.” Bobby’s arms are looped around my back as we say goodbye at the bottom of the stairs outside the plane a few hours later.
“And I don’t want to leave you. But I have to be at work in the morning, and you need to catch the red-eye back to L.A. in a few hours to get back for Nanette’s follow-up appointment tomorrow, so we don’t have a choice.” I give him a quick kiss. “We’ll see each other in a few weeks, though. And in the meantime, we’ll be burning up the phone line.”
“Wrap it up, lovebirds!” Diego calls from the top of the stairs. “It’s almost our turn to take off.”
Bobby kisses me soundly and then reluctantly lets me go. I wave at him from the top of the stairs before ducking inside so the stewardess can close the door.
“You’re over here by me,” Diego calls out and pats the empty spot next to him.
I settle into the cushy leather seat and buckle myself in. “Let me guess, I’m sitting by you so we can talk about Bobby.”
“My favorite topic of conversation.”
I chuckle. “I doubt that, but I’ll let it slide.”
“Good. Now, I don’t need to know about what goes on behind closed doors …” He cocks an eyebrow. “Unless you want to tell me?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Absolutely not.”
“Eh, I had to try. I have to live vicariously through somebody these days. I never dreamed it would be Bobby Jacobs, but here we are.”
“You’re not dating anyone?”
