A couple of people asked for a second chapter to this, and, as I enjoyed writing it so much I thought I'd give it a go, only I got a bit carried away so you'll be getting a third chapter too!
"Please Iain" Jack begged.
Iain shook his head, "not tonight Mate, it's just going to be Me and Mummy tonight."
"But I want to come, please let me come Iain."
"Look" Iain crouched down so he was level with the four year old, "tonight I'm taking Mummy out for dinner but I'll make you a deal."
"What deal?" Jack pouted, frustrated that Iain and Rita were going out without him,.
"You let me and Mummy go out tonight with no arguments, and, if Auntie Dixie tells Mummy you've been a good boy when we get back, I'll take Mummy on another date next week and you can come."
"Promise?" Jack asked.
Iain nodded and held out his hand to Jack, "if Auntie Dixie tells us you've been good then I promise you can come out with us next week."
Jack shook Iain's hand, "I'm gonna be real good for Auntie Dixie" he grinned, bounding off to the door when he heard someone knock on it.
"Hello Monkey" Dixie greeted Jack when Iain opened the door, "I've got something special for you to do tonight."
"What is it?" Jack beamed.
"It's a secret" she winked, "I'll tell you when Mummy and Iain have gone."
Rita walked down the stairs 10 minutes after Dixie had arrived, "wow" Iain's face lit up when he saw her.
"Do I look alright? Rita asked, smoothing out the grey top she wore with a fitted black blazer and dark skinny jeans.
"Alright?" Iain stood from the sofa and smiled, "you look amazing."
Jack sighed, "can you go now please? Auntie Dixie's got a surprise for me but I can't see it until you've gone."
Rita laughed and picked Jack up, "Be good for Auntie Dix" she kissed his cheek, "I love you and I'll see you in the morning."
Jack smiled, "love you Mummy" he kissed Rita's cheek before holding his arms out to Iain.
"You alright mate?"
Jack nodded, "you look after Mummy" he told Iain.
"I will Mate, don't worry about that."
"You gots to hold her hand when you cross the roads."
Iain looked at Rita and smiled, "I promise I'll hold her hand."
Jack nodded, satisfied Iain would look after his Mummy, "have fun" he grinned, wriggling to be put down before he walked over to Auntie Dixie, "I'll be good" he promised.
"So" Iain smiled once they'd said their goodbyes and left the house, "Jack said I had to hold your hand."
"Only when we crossed the road."
Iain shrugged and slipped his fingers into Rita's, "you never know when we might suddenly have to cross a road."
Rita and Iain spent the evening in a cosy corner of an Italian restaurant by the beach whilst Jack made chocolate cornflake buns with his Auntie Dixie. He was desperate to not miss out on the next date night so he was in his best behaviour and, when Dixie told Rita how well behaved Jack had been, Iain had no option but to tell Rita the deal he'd made with the boy.
Iain had never been one to go back on his promises, so, a week after his first date with Rita, Iain spent his day off looking after Jack before changing them both into something smarter than the clothes they'd been playing in all day and making his way to the hospital to meet Rita after her shift.
"Alright Kidda" Dixie smiled when she saw Jack walk into the ambulance station holding Iain's hand, her smile growing when she noticed both males were wearing similar outfits and Jack's hair had been spiked up at the front in a similar style to Iain's, "are you waiting for Mummy?"
"Yep" he grinned as Iain helped him into the driver's seat of an ambulance, "we're going on a date."
"Little Man wanted to come out with us last week, I told him if he behaved for you he could come on a date with us this week" Iain explained.
"Wow" Dixie smiled, "what are you doing on your date?"
"We're having dinner and then we're going bowling" Jack smiled as Dixie got into the passenger seat of the ambulance, "can I make the sirens go?"
When Rita walked into the ambulance station after her shift she couldn't help but smile, Jack was sat on a first responder's motorbike loudly making siren noises, Iain holding it upright as he pushed it around the ambulance bay making accompanying engine noises.
"He loves him y'know" Dixie said as she approached Rita.
"I know" Rita nodded, "Jack loves him too."
Dixie smiled, she hadn't needed to tell Rita which of the males she'd been referring to, "you and him" she nodded towards Iain, "is it serious?"
"It's only been a week" Rita laughed, "give it chance."
"It's only been a week since your date" Dixie corrected her, "you've been falling for him for months though haven't you?"
Rita nodded, she couldn't lie to Dixie "yeah I have."
"I think he feels the same way, you and Jack are the only things he talks about sometimes, I don't think he realises he's doing it" Rita felt her cheeks blush and Dixie decided to change the subject, "you never told me how your date went."
"It was nice" Rita nodded, "nice to be able to relax and enjoy myself without having to try and work out if Jack would like him, if they'd get on, if he'd stick around. I erm, I offered to let him stay over that night, he said he didn't want to confuse Jack by staying over so soon."
Dixie smiled, "I don't think he's going anywhere Darl' he and Jack adore each other, Jack wants you to be happy just as much as you want him to be happy. I think Iain will be good for you both." she told Rita as Iain and Jack walked over, the motorbike safely back where it belonged.
"Mummy" Jack grinned, "are you ready for our date?"
"I am" Rita smiled, "and don't you two boys look handsome?"
"We've got to look nice for our date Mummy" Jack smiled as Rita lifted him to her hip.
"Mummy looks good too doesn't she Jack?" Iain smiled as he pecked Rita's cheek.
Jack nodded, "pretty Mummy" he agreed.
They said goodbye to Dixie and began walking down the street, Jack walking between Rita and Iain, holding hands with both of them as he chatted happily to Rita about his day.
They ended up at a pizza restaurant so Jack would be happy and Iain and Jack were sat together, colouring in a picture on the children's menu when the food was brought over, "he's like his dad isn't he" the waitress smiled as she put Jack's pizza in front of him.
Rita froze momentarily before she realised the waitress meant Iain, "yeah" she nodded and smiled "he is" she said softly, wondering if Jack would ever call Iain dad. Mark had no rights to the boy, not any more, once he'd been convicted as a paedophile she'd made sure of that. She wondered if one day Iain would adopt Jack, if they'd ever complete their perfect family with a baby of their own.
"Reet" he nudged her arm, "you gonna eat?"
She smiled and nodded, "yeah, sorry."
"It's okay" he winked before taking his phone out, texting Rita so Jack didn't overhear their conversation, 'Are you okay? You looked like you were miles away.'
Rita pulled her phone out, resting it on her lap so she could reply as she ate, 'yeah, just thinking.'
'Am I allowed to ask what about?'
'You' Rita text back, 'is it too soon for me to talk to Jack about you stopping over now and again?'
Iain smiled as he read the message, 'Only now and again? If that's what you want then it's fine with me, only do it if you think Jack will be okay with it, I don't want to overwhelm him.'
'He adores you, I think the only problem will be getting him to let sleep in my bed not his.'
'Looks like he's gonna have to have bunkbeds then, bagsy the top one.'
'Yeah? And there was me thinking you might like me on top.' Rita replied, biting her lip, not sure if her last text had crossed a line
Iain choked on his drink as he read Rita's text but luckily Jack was quick to pat him on the back, "be careful" he warned.
"Sorry Mate" Iain took another, more careful, drink before taking a bite of his pizza and replying to the text, 'I think you might need to talk to Jack about having a sleepover at Dixie's!'
Rita smirked as she typed out her reply, 'You're on.'