By: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell
At the bar Bobbie (Reba McEntire) and Emmett (Rex Linn) are getting romantic over a pen while the rest of the group uncomfortably watches. Isabella (Belissa Escobedo) tries to put an end to the exchange by taking the pen away, but Emmett and Bobbie keep making googly eyes at each other until he leaves for the kitchen. Bobbie goes into her office, and Isabella says they’re cute together, but if anyone else is uncomfortable, they can address it. This prompts Takoda (Tokala Black Elk) and Steve (Pablo Castelblanco) to reenact Bobbie and Emmett’s exchange, but Gabby (Melissa Peterman) clocks that Isabella is the one who is uncomfortable. She adds that she’s probably already regretting setting Emmett and Bobbie up. Isabella insists she loves love, but Emmett and Bobbie’s love has been everywhere lately. Emmett, Isabella says, even comes over every night to check on Bobbie, and they talk for hours.
Gabby says she doesn’t feel sorry for Isabella because she warned her not to encourage their relationship. Isabella says she knows Gabby is afraid of what’ll happen to her if they break up, but Gabby says she is thinking about what’ll happen to everybody. Emmett and Bobbie falling out could completely throw Happy’s Place off since Emmett’s the cook, and Gabbie says the bar is special. Isabella agrees, but she really wants Bobbie to be happy, and as grossed out as she’s been these past two weeks, it’s worth it to see her happy.
Bobbie comes out of her office and tells everyone she is heading home. She goes to say goodbye to Emmett and tells him there have been a few burglaries in the area, and to Isabella’s annoyance, Emmett promises to come over later and check on them. When later, Bobbie and Emmett are on the couch, talking about exes over a beer. Then Emmett says he has to get going, but Bobbie doesn’t want him to leave. Isabella; however, is more than ready for him to leave since it has apparently been hours. Once he is gone, Bobbie is giddy, but Isabella can’t hide her annoyance anymore. This confuses Bobbie because Isabella previously encouraged her to invite Emmett over. Isabella says that’s true, but she didn’t realize that Emmett coming over and talking on the couch for hours would become such a constant.
Still, she says she doesn’t want Bobbie and Emmett to get stuck. Isabella says there’s a whole world beyond the couch and suggests that she and Emmett go out on a real date. Isabella says that Bobbie should drop some hints that she wants to go out and if Emmett doesn’t pick up on it she should ask him out. The thought of it makes Bobbie really nervous, but she’s also excited that she finally has a sister to talk about boys with.
Gabby has to talk to Bobbie and is worried about entering her office unannounced because she isn’t sure if Emmett will be there with her. She had a past experience of walking in on her parents and doesn’t want a repeat. After making sure Bobbie is alone, she delivers some paperwork and ask how things are progressing with Emmett. When it becomes clear that all Bobbie and Emmett have done is talk, Gabby wonders how long she needs to hear Emmett’s voice until she sleeps with him. This confuses Bobbie because she knows Gabby isn’t a fan of Emmett and Bobbie being together. That’s true, but since Isabella is pro-Emmett and Bobbie dating Bobbie is looking for the counterargument and asks Gabbie to be honest with her. Gabby notices that Emmett makes her happy and asks her what she knows about sharks. At first Bobbie is confused, but Gabby’s point is that Sharks have to keep moving or they die. Like a shark, Gabby says, relationships have to progress or they die. She tells Bobbie to ask Emmett out, which makes Bobbie panic. Men, Bobbie says, are supposed to do the asking when it comes to romance.
But Gabby says that hasn’t been true since the ‘90s, and Bobbie reminds her she hasn’t dated since the ‘90s. Remembering that Gabby is surprised they’ve been taking things so slow. Then she double checks that Emmett isn’t married and then tells her to put her big girl pants on, change into a different outfit, and then go ask out Emmett.
Later, Gabby tells Steve and Isabella that she encouraged Bobbie to ask out Emmett. This shocks Isabella since Gabby has been so skeptical of the pairing, but Gabby admits that, between what Isabella’s words and seeing Bobbie happy, she’s finally convinced. If the bar doesn’t work out, Gabby says that Isabella has a promising career as a cult leader. Steve says it’s sweet, but gives the two of them agreeing a day. Bobbie heads into the kitchen to ask Emmett out.
At first Bobbie goes into the kitchen and is a little awkward because she didn’t count on Takoda being there. When Takoda does leave, Emmett asks her what is wrong, and after dancing around it a little, she asks him on a date. Emmett seems a little surprised that that’s what her strange behavior is about and says no. When Bobbie dashes out of the kitchen looking upset, Gabby immediately has regrets and says she needs to learn to stop joining cults. Gabby and Isabella deduce that Emmett crushed Bobbie’s heart, but Steve says they shouldn’t be so quick to assume Emmett’s the problem. Gabby and Isabella scoff because Emmett is a man, and they declare they’re #TeamBobbie. Takoda and Steve say that Bobbie has a dark side, and Emmett could be crushed, too. There’s only one way to find out: Ask him. And Bobbie, Takoda, and Gabby deputize Steve to be the one to ask, even though he doesn’t want to, on account of all the knives Emmett has in the kitchen.
When Steve approaches Emmett he’s nervous, but reluctantly Emmett says he turned Bobbie down because he made a promise to Happy (Bobbie’s father). When Steve leaves the kitchen, he confirms that Bobbie asked him out and Emmett turned him down, but he can’t say anything more. Gabby and Isabella try to guess, but Steve says he’s not going to betray Emmett’s confidence. Steve says he can’t reveal anything and tells them that Emmett and Bobbie’s lives aren’t for their entertainment, and they don’t have any right to know what’s going on. Bobbie interrupts and says that she does.
We cut away and Bobbie goes into the kitchen to talk to Emmett. She shuts the window and asks if he rejected her because of a promise made to her father. Emmett doesn’t want to talk about it at first, but when Bobbie pushes, he says he can’t break a promise. Bobbie says that makes him a wonderful man, but it also makes him a moron. Emmett is offended, but Bobbie adds that she promised herself once that she wouldn’t let the memory of her dead husband keep her from finding happiness. Emmett says it’s not the same, and Bobbie agrees because she’s still here and her father isn’t. Emmett doesn’t immediately understand what she’s still saying, and Bobbie says, “Swim or die,” and kisses him.
She looks up and asks her father if he has a problem with the kiss. The bar is closing up and Steve goes to check on Emmett and notices that Bobbie looks happy, but Emmett doesn’t. Steve wonders if Emmett is upset with him for telling everyone about his promise not to date Bobbie. But Emmett tells Steve that wasn’t the promise; he tells Steve he promised Happy he wouldn’t tell anyone about Isabella (affair baby). Emmett adds that Bobbie didn’t learn about her until after the funeral, but Emmett had known about her for years.