That morning they left, and Connie drove them back to Holby, having already talked to Rita on the phone to arrange cover for Jacob and herself.

"Did you really mean what you said this morning? About Mia?" His hand rested on her knee as she drove, and every so often his fingers would trail circles on her leg, making her shiver.

"Of course I did." She turned to face him, smiling, and he grinned back before turning to look out of the window.

"You know... I don't think she was joking about the heels."

Connie laughed, and indicated to the left as they switched lanes to come off the motorway.

"I'm sure she wasn't. Don't worry, I expect we can sort something out there too." She turned to look at him again, and the way in which he said nothing, but just looked at her, made her head feel a little fuzzy and light. "Stop that."

"Stop what, Queen Bee?"

"Oh, I think you know what. I'm trying to drive. If you want to end up back at the ED before tomorrow then..."

"Am I distracting you?" He winked at her, trailing his fingers around her thigh once more.

"You always distract me. It's very annoying."

"But-"

"But I wouldn't change it for the world."

"Pull over." Jacob motioned to the service lane.

"I can't!"

"Pull over." Jacob repeated.

Connie glanced at him and then finally pulled over to the side of the road, idling the engine. "Wh-" before she could finish even one word, Jacob's lips were on hers, straining it his seatbelt to get closer. Connie gave a gentle moan when he finally pulled away.

"That's all. You can keep going now." Jacob grinned at her and rested back in his seat.

"I will get you for that, Staff Nurse Masters."

...

Connie was thinking about how she'd left Jacob as she waited for Grace to finish school. She'd dropped him off at his home, and then despite her protestations she found herself inside with him, and then in his bed. When she'd snuck away, crumpled clothes gripped to her chest, Jacob was lying in a shaft of late afternoon sunlight, smiling in his sleep.

"Mum! How's Zoe?" Grace asked, interrupting her mother's thoughts.

Connie glanced at her daughter and gave a smile, offering to take the girls backpack as they walked back towards the car. Instead of answering, she asked, "How was school?" Classic avoidance. However, it worked, and it wasn't until they got back home that Grace remembered that her mother had never actually answered her question.

"Mum, is Zoe okay?" Grace sat with her mother in the living room, partly doing homework but mostly playing on her tablet.

"She's fine, Gracie. What are you doing there?" She glanced over at the work her daughter had laid out in front of her on the table, and on seeing an unnecessarily long page of multiplication questions, she decided she didn't want to get involved. At that moment her phone vibrated next to her, at which Grace looked up sharply.

"Who's that? If it's work then I don't want to go to the hospital, I'll stay here."

"Oh no you won't, madam. Anyway, it's not work so you can stay here and finish that, I'll go and find some tea." She got up from her chair, taking her phone with her into the kitchen, and leant at the counter as she pulled the screen down to see her messages. She read it, smiling and undeniably relieved, he wasn't in the slightest bit angry with her for leaving him this afternoon. Instead, it seemed as though they had set up some sort of "I'll get you back" game.

"Mum?"

"Yes, Grace?"

"Can we have pizza?"

Connie sighed, remembering the night before. She typed a quick reply to Jacob before grabbing her keys and putting her head around the doorframe of the living room.

"Pizza it is. I'll be twenty minutes, stay there, don't answer the door, if you need me then ring, okay?"

"Okay, Mum."

...

Ten minutes later, Connie was stood in line waiting to make her order when a hand suddenly touched her waist. Spinning around and intending to snap at whoever it was, Connie found herself face to face with a grinning Jacob. "What are you doing here?!"

"What am I doing here? There are plenty of pizza places closer to your house, but this is the only one near mine." Jacob responded, his smile widening when Connie tutted and faced forward again. "I just thought maybe seeing the box with the name of the place written in big letters might have-"

"Yes, okay, I thought I might see you here, okay?! Stop embarrassing me."

"Nah, Connie Beauchamp doesn't do embarrassment. Large meat lover's, please."

Connie watched with incredulity as Jacob put in his order before her. "I was in front of you!"

"Alright, what would you like, madam?" Jacob questioned, the usual glint finally back in his eye.

"...I haven't decided yet." Connie was forced to admit, earning a laugh from Jacob.