Rose called home first to get changed and then rang Alec's doorbell.

"Hi, I'm not too early am I? I thought I'd go get changed first."

"No, it's fine, come in." He picked up the flowers from the table in the hallway. "These are for you."

"Wow, thanks, this bottle of wine is to share, hope you like red?"

"Thanks, I made beef bolognaise, hope you like it, I'm not very adventurous, had about two years when I couldn't eat rich food. I'm just learning again, think I'll have to buy a cookbook."

He took the wine from her and showed her into the living room, which was almost the exact same as hers apart from the bare walls.

"You need some pictures up on the walls, if you like, I can help you choose some and a mirror in the hallway gives extra light and makes it feel bigger."

"Thanks, I was looking in the shop near where you work, they have some nice things in there, bit expensive though. I'm having a car delivered tomorrow so maybe I'll go to Exeter or somewhere and have a look around. Maybe if you're not doing anything next Saturday, you could come with me and go to the supermarket on the way back?"

Rose smiled. "Yeah, maybe."

She had not been expecting to be asked out for a home cooked meal let alone for a shopping trip on her day off. This was going to take some thinking about, she was used to being on her own.

"Well I'll have to find my way to and from Exeter anyway, I'll be travelling there on a regular basis soon, I take up a post teaching at the Police academy there plus I may have a court case to attend."

"Whatcha doing teaching recruits, did you annoy someone?"

Alec placed a plate in front of her and opened the wine bottle. He smiled. "No, that's what I get for not telling my boss I needed major heart surgery. Now I have to wait to go back to work properly so instead of going crazy, I opted for the teaching job plus I'll be on hand if I need to attend court."

"Mmm, this meal is good Alec, thought you weren't much of a cook?"

"I have time on my hands now, have to put it to some good use, I got the recipe online. Aren't you going to ask what was wrong with me?"

"You'll tell me if you want to."

Alec's message tone went, another text from Claire. When he got his car he was going to have to go down and drill it into her she was just being paranoid. What did she want with him? Well he knew what she wanted, she manipulated men in her life and was out to try it with him. Well he was going to tell her she was wasting her time and maybe now he could use his new neighbour as an excuse. There again, that may make Claire even worse.

Maybe he would have had a chance at getting Tess back if he hadn't been engrossed in hiding Claire from her husband, Tess surely thought he was also having an affair as he had done nothing to encourage Tess to go back to him. Claire was part of the reason he had taken the job in Broadchurch but she had been fairly quiet all that time, why start now? She had a good job running a hair salon, not her own like she used to have but it was mostly left to her to run the place, she even used to give him free haircuts on his visits. Now it was growing again, his fringe was getting too long and he needed a shave, well at least his beard trimming.

His neighbour was giving him the eye, that was three women who were potentially vying for his attention and up until now, Rose was already way ahead.

"Sorry, just a friend I'm looking out for, they're just a bit paranoid." The message tone went again. It was already annoying him since this morning, he'd had six messages from her, all ending with him replying to her with 'Get a grip of yourself Claire' the last few times.

"I'm really sorry Rose, I have to reply to this or she'll be doing this all night."

Rose smiled. "Don't worry about it. An old girlfriend, current one?"

That was it, the last he would see of Rose. "No, nothing like that, she was a witness in a case and she thinks her husband is trying to find her, he was the main suspect but it all fell apart."

"Oh, sorry. It's none of my business anyway, answer her, she's probably just scared."

Alec just answered with 'Will call on you tomorrow' to which he got the answer 'Looking forward to your visit.'

He wasn't looking forward to it, seeing a still married woman was not his 'thing' and even though she had so far not tried anything with him, it was only a matter of time before she did, then if her husband did find out it would make things even worse. Then there was the question of Miller, who had been acting very strange lately like going shopping with him, hinting about sharing and divorcing her killer husband. It was not a good sign and now Rose, who was smiling at him would expect him to accept a dinner invitation back for the one he had extended to her.

The meal over, Alec brought out some luxury ice-cream he had bought from her store and made some tea. They sat on the sofa, Alec saying he would clear the dishes later but Rose insisted she would help before she left.

"So what's that court case you may be going to, is it about that woman you were texting?"

"No, the one from Broadchurch a few months back."

"Oh, that one, sorry. I should have recognised you really but I think your beard has grown a bit since then, you look different."

Alec rubbed his chin, she was right. "Well I was ill back then so maybe that had something to do with it. Since I'm getting a car tomorrow, would you like to go out for a drink tomorrow night? I can wait for you to finish work."

"There are pubs on the main street you know," she smiled.

"Well they will all probably know you and I'm new around here, maybe we can go some place else?"

It didn't take long for her to say yes. They talked a while until Rose reminded him about the dishes and they cleared up. Alec decided to put one of the few CD's he owned on and hoped she liked songs from the 1940's. She did and hinted that they danced, not that he'd done much recently, not being able to but as they got up and swayed to the music, he found he hadn't quite forgotten. The evening ended all too soon for his liking but at least she didn't have far to go. She gathered her purse and scribbled her number on the pad in the hallway.

"Call me tomorrow, I finish at six, tell me when you're setting off but I would rather go get changed first."

"Ok, I'll pick you up and give you a ride home, save you walking then call for me when you're ready."

She reached to touch his beard. "Don't take this the wrong way Alec but I would really love to see what you look like under all that. Goodnight, I had a really nice time and keep the wine, you might want to invite me again and maybe next time, I can cook something for you, maybe on Saturday night?"

"I enjoyed the evening and yes, you're invited again. Goodnight Rose, I'll stay here until you get inside."

She reached up and kissed his cheek and was inside before he had chance to give her his number. He just hoped when he called her she would answer. Rose was blushing when she closed the door. She never expected the man who had taken her out for lunch and then spontaneously invited her for dinner was a Policeman but he hadn't said what rank he was though if he was teaching recruits, it had to be at least sergeant, maybe a detective. She hoped she would get to know tomorrow night.

The next morning, Rose was looking forward to being taken out and staff and regulars alike were wondering why she had a smile on her face all day and wondered if she would disappear for lunch again. Alec was not having such as good a day though as his car arrived and he set off to go visit Claire. She greeted him, coming out of the cottage he had rented for her.

"You should be at work Claire."

"Says you, what have you been doing?"

She was referring to his almost non-existent beard that was now back to about two days growth.

"Never mind me, what have you got so worked up about, show me your phone."

"I didn't call the number back and the first two came up with 'number unknown'.''

"They're probably just trying to sell you something. Is it your day off?"

"No, I rang in sick yesterday, I can't work, I panicked. Can't you stay with me Alec?"

He knew what she was up to and it wasn't going to work, not now he was taking his new neighbour out tonight and hoped to get to know her a little better.

"I told you Claire, you know why I can't stay. Just try to go back to work, you still need to pay for this place, I can't pay it for you all the time, we agreed I would just help you out until you were working and now you are but if you keep taking time off, you'll lose your job and this place."

"You vouched for me, it's in your name."

"Well it doesn't mean I'm going to keep on paying, I'm not on full pay any more."

"Why, what happened?"

He wasn't going to tell her. "I moved out of the hotel and I have to pay for my own place now, I took a new job. I had my reasons."

"And you're not going to tell me?"

"Look, why did you get me down here?"

"I told you, I'm sure he's back. Where did you move to Alec, can't I come and stay with you? He'll never find me if you're there."

"No Claire, I'm not telling you where I live so forget it. I'm going to be busy soon, I have that court case coming up. If there's nothing else, I have things to do."

"Leaving so soon? Can't you stay a bit longer?"

"I'm leaving Claire and stop texting me all the time."

"Why, was I disturbing you last night?"

"Yes, you were. I'll call back next week, if you're worried, call Tess or the Broadchurch Police station."

"I'd rather call you Alec, you listen to me." She put her hands on his jacket lapels.

He moved them as fast as she put them there. "Bye Claire."

She huffed as he turned around.

Just before six, he called the number Rose had scribbled on the notepad and waited for her to answer. Rose was having a mini crisis, the night manager's car had broken down and she was waiting for a breakdown service to arrive, five miles up the road. So Rose was pacing up and down the store, much to the night staff's amusement as they usually only saw her for a few minutes before she left and one of them was a cheeky nineteen year old girl called Carly.

"Got a hot date Miss Tyler?" Carly grinned, looking at Ben, who was only just a bit older than the girl but was just as bad.

"Maybe and no, I'm not leaving before Mrs Bates arrives, she'll be here soon."

Just then her phone rang and she didn't recognise the number, forgetting it may be Alec, her new neighbour and rather dishy at that and thought for some reason Andrea Bates was ringing from another phone.

"I hope you're calling to say you'll be here soon, I'm in a hurry."

"Really? How did you know it was me?" came a soft Scottish voice.

Rose retreated into her office and closed the door.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Alec, I thought you were the night manager again, her car broke down and she was waiting for the recovery to get to her, it's busy up on the main road at this time."

"And I thought it was a lucky guess. So I won't set off just yet then?"

"Maybe I should just walk down, it will be easier, there's never anywhere to park around here."

"Well if you call me back and wait a few minutes, I can be there by the time you get out."

"If you insist but I don't want to be any bother."

"You're not any bother. Why don't we get something to eat while we're out, do you know somewhere?"

"There are a few places though I haven't been to any of them, we could try one. Actually, you can set off now, she just walked in."

"Ok, I'm on my way, I'm driving a black Nissan."

"I think I'll be able to spot you."

Rose briefed her replacement and got her jacket, the two night staff were grinning and placing their bets Rose was going to get lucky tonight. She saw a black Nissan pull up a little further down and walked towards it, Alec waving to her.

"Are you sure you want to go get changed? You look fine."

That was easy for him to say in his blue shirt and black casual trousers and jacket, he'd look good in anything Rose thought. So this was not an actual 'date' then? Alec followed the road and turned left when he reached the main road and drove for about twenty minutes, past the roundabout leading off towards Lyme Regis and spotting a white painted pub, he pulled into the car park.

Over their meal, Rose having now put his mobile number into her phone, she told him a bit more about where she came from, omitting the whole ex boyfriend who kept pestering her every so often when he fell out with his current girlfriend and Alec told her about some of his past, not too much.

"You must miss your daughter then?" Rose asked, finishing her drink.

"Well I hope when I get this court case sorted, I can go visit her. So what about you? Do you miss your family?"

"There's only really my mum and a few relatives in London."

"You don't have much of an accent now."

"Oh, it depends on what part of London you come from for the accent. I like yours by the way, I thought you'd be difficult to understand."

"Thanks though my ex colleague says I tend to mumble a lot."

Rose smiled. "Well you're not mumbling now. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What happened to you Alec?"

"I was ill and I did nothing about it, almost left it too late but I finally saw sense and got myself sorted, just over a week ago and here I am. My friend was helping me move and no, there's nothing between us."

He hesitated to say not that Ellie Miller hadn't been hinting lately but so had Claire. All he needed now was Tess back in the picture. He'd had to inform her he had moved recently in case Daisy decided she wanted to contact him but he was hoping she wouldn't care to visit. They finished their drinks and made their way back just after nine, Alec hoping to get invited into her flat tonight. His luck held as she opened the door for him to follow. She had been right, he did need to decorate his place. He was hoping he might at least get to kiss her goodnight this time.

After sitting on the sofa and Alec pouring them some wine Rose had half a bottle of, Rose got up and put on some music. It seemed Alec's dancing skills were not as bad as he had initially thought. As they danced, Rose kicked off her shoes making Alec seem even taller as she put her arms around his neck and leaned into his chest. He was liking this a lot as he put his arms around her waist and moved in time to the music. An hour later, Alec had successfully steered her to the sofa and with his arms still around her waist and hers still around his neck, he was kissing her cheek then slowly made his way onto her neck, just catching her ear and he was driving her crazy.

"You never said you liked my new haircut Rose and I even shaved a bit off my beard for you."

"Mmm, I had noticed and I do like the haircut, it makes you look younger."

She moved her head and unfastened another of his shirt buttons and began kissing his neck. Alec thought finally they were getting somewhere although the last hour or so had been pleasant to say the least. Rose moved to look at him and his gaze met hers. Slowly, she edged herself up until their lips were a fraction apart until Alec closed the gap, taking a chance. It paid off as his lips brushed hers lightly then as she gave way, the kiss deepened and lasted for a few moments. Then Rose moved on him to let him move his head as he angled to kiss her again, this time it lasted longer as Alec tried to get her down the side of the sofa without falling off, their legs now tangled together as Rose slid down the gap.

She reached to undo some more of his buttons as he fumbled with her blouse, revealing her skimpy black bra as she ran her finger across his chest, seeing his scar.

"What happened? You never told me."

"Pacemaker. Don't worry, I'm fine, it hurt for a bit but the pain's gone now. Maybe you could kiss it better for me?"

Rose smiled and leaned over and began kissing around it.

"Now why didn't I meet you before?" he smiled back.

"Maybe because you just moved in next door?" she grinned, looking up at him.

He smiled again, she was too young for him but she made him feel young again, he'd spent far too much time on his own without any female company. She pulled his shirt out of his trousers and finished with the buttons, revealing a splattering of hair as he fumbled to finish unfastening her blouse and on doing so, shuffled around so he was hovering over her and staring at her cleavage. Then without warning he nipped at the exposed skin, Rose gasping and reaching her hands to his hair, ruffling it.

All too soon, Alec insisted that he left before things got too steamy for a first proper date.

"Can I make you dinner again tomorrow night? Only I invested in a recipe book today?"

Rose smiled as she fastened her blouse.

"Ok, tomorrow night then but on Thursday night, I cook though I may have to make something quick so I don't know what you'll end up with."

He leaned down to kiss her, some shirt buttons still undone but he didn't have far to go. Rose ruffled his newly cut hair again and he was glad he'd invested some money earlier when he had got back from visiting Claire and not asked her to do it.

"Goodnight Rose, I'm sure anything you cook will be just fine."

"Goodnight Alec, I had a great time."

"Me too, I'll collect you at six."

Rose kissed him again and Alec crossed the landing. It was after eleven and he was about to go to bed when his doorbell rang. Thinking it was Rose who had changed her mind and wanted to do some more of that brilliant snogging from a while ago, he opened the door to find Ellie Miller standing there, staring at him with his shirt half undone.

"Catch you at a bad time did I?" she asked.

TBC