Chapter 42

Robbie walked away from DC Gray without a care in the world. Jack Cornish might have gotten away for now but he was a wanted man. He didn't like what the man had done to Louise but he thought she was better off without him. As he rounded the corner his mobile rang. "Lewis."

The sound of Jean's voice made him cringe for a moment then he thought about how helpful she had been this week. "Robbie, sorry I missed you before you left the station. I just wanted to tell you good result."

Robbie smiled at her accustomed comment. "Thanks ma'am. And thank you for your help this week."

"That's actually why I'm calling. I know you and James usually go out for a drink after a case. I would like to volunteer for that duty if you wouldn't mind."

Robbie thought briefly about his plans with Laura but one drink with Innocent would only delay things a bit. "That would be nice ma'am. I was just about to walk into the White Horse."

"I can be there in fifteen minutes."

Robbie put his phone back in his pocket and continued walking. He thought about calling Laura to let her know that Jean would be joining them but then decided it would be OK. Besides they would need to tell Jean sooner rather than later. With a smile on his face he strolled the streets of Oxford.

At the pub he ordered drinks and found a table. True to her word, Jean was there in the allotted fifteen minutes. She took a seat and they were just about to toast to a satisfactory result when James appeared through the opening. Robbie looked at him only partially surprised. "Oh, here he is, the boy wonder."

Jean looked up at him, surprise lighting her face, "I thought you had another three days, James?"

Robbie motioned toward James as James set his bag on the floor. "I knew he'd be bored out of his skull without..."

James nodded at Robbie, "Not far wrong sir."

Robbie placed his pint on the table. "Here I'll get you a drink."

James raised his hand in protest, "No, I'll…"

"No, you…sit down." Robbie squeezed James' arm very happy to see him. James smiled at Robbie acknowledging the moment then took his seat.

Jean smiled indulgently at the two. "Well I enjoyed being the inspector's sidekick." She looked over at Robbie and nodded. "It's been alright hasn't it?"

Robbie nodded at her. "Ma'am."

Turning to walk to the bar, he spotted Laura walking into the bar. The same spike of desire from earlier jolted through him. Her impish smile made him wonder what was on his mind. He was just about to point out Jean and James when he found himself surrounded by her strong arms as she pulled him into a deep kiss.

Jean continued her conversation with James, "Don't listen to anything he says, he's been a lonely little soul without you…" At James incredulous expression, she followed his turning gaze.

They watched the couple kiss. Heard Laura breathlessly whisper to Robbie, "Hmm, I've been thinking about doing that all day."

Robbie, slightly breathless after the intensity of the kiss, nodded at her. "Same here." Then he pulled her to him for an even deeper kiss.

Jean and James both wondered how long the kiss would have continued had Robbie not suddenly remembered the audience. Breaking the kiss gently, he nodded to the table where Jean and James were seated.

Jean looked up at Laura with a shocked expression on her face. She could barely contain her glee, "Evening."

Laura pulled her arms from around Robbie's neck, color flooding her cheeks. She stuffed her hands into her back pocket to keep herself from touching Robbie more than she already had and decided to focus on James. "James, gosh you're sunburnt."

James was struggling not to break out into a big smile said, "Thank you."

Robbie nodded to his colleagues. "I'll get the drinks then."

Laura smiled at him. "No, I'll get them."

Robbie nodded at her. "No, we'll both get them." He ushered her to the bar and looked back at James. "You can have that one."

James looked down at the drink. Jean looked at him shaking her head; she had to know if James had known. She shook her head and motioned toward the two lovebirds. "How long?"

James shook his head and picked up his drink. "I turn my back for five minutes."

Robbie and Laura watched James and Jean from the bar. He took her hand as he laughed. She was actually blushing. He leaned over and kissed her lightly. "Well I think they know."

She laughed at the absurdity of the statement. "I'm not sure that's exactly how I wanted them to find out."

Robbie gave their order to the bartender. "What's done is done." He paid the bartender. "Let's go face the music."

Laura looked toward Jean and James. She could see them chatting conspiratorially. "Do you think they would notice if we just left?"

Robbie pulled her to him and kissed her. "They will." He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Come on, let's go take our lumps then we can be alone."

A shiver ran down Laura's spine thinking about being alone with Robbie. She nodded and turned to walk back. "Fine, we'll do it your way."

Together they walked back to the table to face their friends. When they got back to the table Jean had moved to sit next to James leaving the bench for Robbie and Laura. The two settled quickly and faced their friends.

Surprisingly Jean raised her glass to the two of them and smiled. "To happiness."

James raised his glass and added. "At long last."

Robbie and Laura looked at one another a bit perplexed. But seeing the happy expressions on their faces of the pair, they accepted the toasts.

The four friends spent the next hour talking about the case and James' vacation. The only thing they didn't talk about was Robbie and Laura. They all knew there would be time to talk about how this pleasant turn of events had come to pass for now they were simply happy to be together.

Robbie was waiting outside for her smiling. They walked in perfect step away from the pub. After a bit, Robbie looped his arm over her shoulders and she wrapped her arm around his waist. She looked up at him smiling thinking what a difference one week had made. "So now you have me all alone?"

Robbie stumbled at her comment. Their conversation about the bike ride bumbling through his mind. Did she think he meant something more by alone? "Laura, I don't want you to think..."

She stopped walking, "Robbie…"

"It's not that I don't want to…"

She reached for him, stopped his bumbling speech before he embarrassed both of them. "Robbie, I know." At his uncertain glance, she stepped closer, "And, I want to as well. But I know you and I am willing to wait. Remember, patient woman."

"I promise not to test your patience this time. I just don't want the first time to be something we stumble into."

Fighting a smile, she raised her eyebrows at him, "Stumble into?"

"You know what I mean. I want it to be…special, planned."

Her smile blossomed and she stepped even closer, "I find I'm quite comfortable with special. But planned?"

He rolled his eyes at her teasing but pulled her closer. "Saturday night, dinner, my place. I'll cook, you bring a bottle and that's all the planning I will do. Everything past that is completely spontaneous.'

She pushed up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Now that's my kind of planning.