Alec was about to kiss her when Jack threw a toy on the rug. He laughed and moving Rose, got up to kneel beside the young boy.
"Are you missing out eh?" he asked picking Jack up.
Jack put his hand on Alec's beard.
"Yes, you like that, don't you eh? Rose, are you sure his dad did not have a beard?"
Rose got down beside them, holding her arms out but Jack liked it where he was.
"It's something new to him, like trying to put his foot in his mouth. Are you gonna have a sleep Jack?"
Jack put his fist in his mouth, Alec just knowing his beard was now going to get wet when the boy took it out.
"Miller has one of those chairs that rock, you can start putting him in that. She may have a bath for him and oh, she has the cot but it will need bedding."
"Great, he can make do with the bedding from his other cot, if you can put the new one up. I have a spare sheet for the mattress."
"I have done it before Rose, think of all the advantages if you stay with me, you won't have to show me what to do."
"Then why do you want to do it all again?"
"Honestly? Tess never wanted any more after Daisy, she had a hard time and being in the police, well she decided her career was more important."
"That's not fair on you but are you ready to take someone else's on?"
"Don't make it sound like that Rose. I am not taking this lightly you know, it is a big responsibility and you may not think I am up to the job. Miller asked me how this had all happened so quickly."
"I wondered that myself, it took me and James almost a year but I guess you just know when something's right?"
Alec was now trying to stop Jack putting his wet hand on his chin, Rose smiling as Jack made noises when Alec blew into his hand.
"Why don't we go out for something to eat?" Rose suggested, since it was getting on for five. "We can go sit at one of the stalls and have fish and chips."
"Everyone will see us."
"That was the idea Alec."
"Well if Stevens happens to be passing, let him say something to me. Why don't you go get Jack here some dry clothes and we'll take a walk?"
Ten minutes later, they were walking around the corner and finding a table by the river, Alec ordered their food.
"I used to live there," Alec pointed to the blue chalet by the river.
"Before you went to see your daughter?"
"It was taken when I came back. Good thing really, it is no place for a young baby. Miller and I solved my old case in there. My condition back then was more serious than I let on, I almost left it too late."
"Why did you leave it so long?"
"I wanted to solve Sandbrook. Then I realised that was not going to happen and I would have to leave it to her so I went for the surgery. I think Jack wants some of your chips."
Jack was holding his little hand up and making noises. Rose smiled and got a biscuit out of the bag. Olly was just coming out of the newspaper office, talking to his mother.
"So, where did you get to earlier?" Lucy was asking him but he had spied Rose and Alec sitting at a table overlooking the river.
"Nowhere, I'll catch up with you Mum."
"Is that DI Hardy over there? Who's that woman with him, with a buggy?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out Mum, she won't give her name."
"Then ask your aunt, she's bound to know."
"That's not a bad idea, thanks."
"Go on sunshine but I bet you twenty quid that kid is his. We all know that thing about him and your aunt having an affair was a ruse to get your uncle off. I was right about the vicar and Becca Fisher."
"Yeah but they've split up, after she found out he was visiting uncle Joe. You owe me that money back."
"Forget it, a bet is a bet sunshine. Now stop wasting your time getting anything out of them and call Ellie."
Ellie was getting Tom to help her dig out things from the garage and putting them in the car, starting with the cot.
"Why are you giving them away Mum? I thought they were for Mrs Latimer?"
"Well, someone new just got into town, she's staying with my boss and she has a six month old baby."
"You said he was a grump who lived alone. So who is she?"
"Her name is Rose, that's all I know. Put that chair in the car as well. Do you know where that baby bath is?"
"Sorry, it's in the shed, I used it for storage," Tom pulled a grin, hoping to get away with it.
"Tom, she could have used that. Hold on while I get this. Olly, what do you want?" Ellie answered her phone seeing 'Olly' on the screen.
"Aunt Ellie, do you know who's with DI Hardy?"
"Blonde? Yes, I know who she is."
"Then are you going to tell me?"
"Why would I do that and have him on my back? Geez Olly, can't you find out on your own?"
"I met her earlier, she refused to give her name."
"Then maybe she wants to keep out of the news? I have to go but can you come over for a while?"
"Mum, I can look after Fred," Tom insisted.
"I know you can but I don't know how long I'll be."
"I'll be right over, if you give me a name."
"All I know is she's called Rose."
Rose and Alec had just walked back to the cottage, Alec expecting Ellie to be early but there was no sign of her. Jack was still awake and so Alec went to make him a bottle up while Rose got him into his sleep-suit after taking him upstairs and giving him a quick wash, hoping Ellie would have a baby bath for him or maybe she would try him in the big one.
She took Jack back downstairs and Alec held his arms out to feed him.
"Let me do it Alec, please?"
"Sorry, I did not mean to take over from you, I was only trying to help."
"I know, thanks but he'll get too used to you doing it, let's take turns when you're around? You feed him in the mornings and if we meet for lunch, I'll do the evenings and weekends we'll share."
"Fine, we'll do that then but I want you to know I want to share the responsibilities with you, he needs that."
"Yeah, I know Alec and I'm happy to let you do that but for now, let him get used to you. I wonder where Ellie is?"
"Probably finding the baby bath, she said her eldest may have put his things in it."
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Ellie had escaped Olly's questions about her boss's possible new girlfriend.
"Olly, I told you, I don't know that much, now I have to go, I'm lending her some of Fred's old baby things."
"So she's staying? Where is she?"
"I can't tell you that Olly and you leave her alone or Hardy will come down on you like a ton of bricks. I mean it, back off. If they want to talk, they will do, he's been in the news enough."
"Exactly, this will show a whole new side of him and take the heat off the accusations, if he had a girlfriend all along, while you were investigating Danny's death."
"Forget it Olly, you're not dragging her into that."
So now, Ellie was waiting for someone to answer the door.
"Miller, you're late."
"Nice to see you too. Well come and help me."
A few trips later, Alec was wondering where it was all going to go as he carried the cot upstairs, Ellie had taken Jack and Rose was carrying the mattress, then she went down for the bag of baby clothes to sort out while Alec put the cot up, folding the other one away. The high chair was by the kitchen door and the playpen propped against the wall at the bottom of the stairs,
Ellie was jogging poor Jack up and down trying to keep him amused when Rose came back down, Jack rubbing his eyes.
"Sure he can do that cot?" Ellie smiled, handing over the tired baby.
"He says he can. Thanks for all this stuff Ellie, you'll get it all back, when your friend needs it."
"Don't worry about it, sorry about the bath and the bedding."
"No worries, we can get those tomorrow, his old stuff will do for now and I'll put some pillows around the edge. Beats me why they don't make soft sides."
"They do but they're expensive, trust me. That cot was Tom's, don't know why we never got rid of it, there's ten years between them. Fred was a bit of an accident," Ellie smiled as Rose held her son.
"Rose, the cot is done, you can bring him up," Alec shouted to her.
"Look at you two," Ellie smiled as Rose started walking up the stairs.
Ellie was hoping to get more out of Rose, not that she intended telling her nosy reporter of a nephew, she knew better than to cross Alec Hardy.
Alec had put the mattress in and the clean spare sheet over it, then the baby duvet.
"We will have to get some more bedding tomorrow Rose. Here, let me take him while you put the pillows around, he'll be fine for tonight."
"Alec, I'd rather not put pillows at the side, I'll just put him lower down for now, I'd be worried about him."
"Rose, don't worry so much love. Here you put him in the cot and I will work this baby monitor out. I'm not sure I have any batteries for the handset though, this unit plugs in."
"We can do without it for tonight Alec. Can you reach his toys?"
Ellie had wandered upstairs and was watching them, convinced they had done this before, who were they trying to fool?
"Ellie, did you want something?" Rose asked, realising Ellie was behind them as she reached down to kiss Jack goodnight, Alec's arm around her.
Alec let go quickly then thought why should he? "Get a good look Miller but keep this from your nephew. I told you earlier."
"Just wanted to see for myself. Sorry, I told him your name was Rose, he refused to look after the boys while I came over."
"It's ok Ellie, it's just I didn't want to be in the papers until I had chance to tell Jack's father where I was. He knew I was coming down this way but he thought I'd be on my own and the last thing I want is for him to read it first."
"It's a small town paper Rose, not The Herald," Ellie insisted.
"How do we know he won't sell his story to his friend Karen White?" Alec asked as they left the sleeping baby, Rose leaving the door open again. "I will go up to the store and get some batteries for the monitor Rose, then you can relax a little. Want anything else?"
"No thanks. Ellie, thanks again for all this stuff."
"You won't have a lot of space in the room," Ellie hinted.
"The other cot can go in the shed in the morning," Alec told her, getting his jacket on.
"Want a ride to the mini-market?" Ellie asked, hoping to ask him a few more questions about his relationship with Rose, to satisfy her own curiosity.
"Why not? I can walk back, won't be long Rose."
Alec got into Ellie's car for the short ride but she wasted no time.
"So, come on then, had you two met before?"
"No, we had not. Why do you find it so hard to believe I can pick up a woman and have her move in with me?"
"It's so out of character for you, given that Becca Fisher turned you down."
"I hate small town gossip. Not a word about this to your nephew."
"Yes Sir," Ellie smiled as she pulled in front of the mini-market.
Once Alec got back and fitted the batteries into the baby monitor, they were able to relax on the sofa.
"So, I will get up if he wakes up early, since I am usually awake."
"Thanks but I can do mornings."
"Yes but it will give me time to spend with him before I go to work. I don't know what arrangements you had with James but I am not like that. You have to tell me Rose, what I can do to make life easier for you. Now, you have seen the laundry, just use the machine then when I come back, we can go over and get everything dry."
"I can take Jack with me, in the morning, it won't take long. Do you have to go to work?" she asked, putting her arm around his back as they lay on the sofa that was too small for Alec but he didn't mind.
"Just for a few hours then I will take the weekends off. I took it on, I will have to find a replacement, one of the other DS's can do it. If you do the laundry, then we will go down to the superstore and get the bedding for the cot. Jack should be able to sit in the bath now."
"Yeah, I was thinking that too. He'll be seven months next Thursday."
"Well he seems very happy and healthy but you should go find a clinic on Monday and get him registered and both of you at the health centre, promise me."
"Yeah, I will but maybe I'll wait until I get my car back, since I don't know where the clinic is."
"Fine, now come here, time for some grown-up conversation. When was the last time you really relaxed?"
"I told you Alec, James lost interest and I never bothered after I left him. I do need to go to health centre, I don't take precautions, if that's what you're getting at?"
"Ah, well I may have been presuming things but my trip to the store was not just for batteries."
Rose went for a cushion and threw it at him. "Cheat, you are presuming a lot Alec Hardy. It's a good thing you're so cute."
"You think I am cute eh? Everyone thought I was a grizzly bear a while back."
"Maybe a teddy bear? I can't imagine you being grumpy," she assured him, laying into his shoulder.
"Well just ask Miller what I was like."
"Does she think we already knew each other?" Rose asked, daring to go for one of his shirt buttons, his arms around her.
"Aye, she came out and asked me. I think she may tell her nephew something."
"Then I'd better tell James where I am, he deserves to know before reading about it."
"I can get it stopped love, don't worry so much."
"No, it's best we tell our story, that you rescued me and I decided I wanted to stay with you."
"You took a bit of persuading you know. Rose, don't take this the wrong way but when I stopped to help you, that was all I was going to do, make sure the breakdown service came out to you but as I watched you with Jack, I felt I wanted to get to know you."
"You regret having no more kids?" Rose asked, another two buttons undone and Alec putting his hand under her t-shirt and going for her neck.
"I never had a say in it and I thought I would never get another chance. I am not trying to take Jack's father's place but I would like him to get to know me, to be there for him."
"Yeah? I'd like that too Alec but I don't know how James will react. I could tell him I'm on my own but when he comes to visit, he'll find out anyway. I'd rather just be honest with him."
"Well call him tomorrow eh and get it over with. You should let your mother know where you are as well."
"I know, I will. Now can we stop talking 'cos I really want to snog your face off right now."
The last button had come undone and Alec lifted her t-shirt. She went to lay on him, his long legs over the arm of the sofa but he didn't really care as they kissed and he unfastened her bra strap. It was soon getting dark, just the light from the TV that had been left on as they carefully changed places and he pulled at her bra.
"Rose, we should take this upstairs love. Maybe you can find something other than pyjamas to wear? Why don't you go get ready for bed?"
"Yeah, I will and I won't hesitate to come in your room tonight."
"It can be our room, if you want? I can take the other bed down tomorrow, make more room for the cot."
"We'll see, this is all happening so fast Alec."
"I know love, it took me by surprise you stayed with me last night. I thought you had changed your mind."
"I almost did but hey, I've been on my own too long, I figured I deserved a little attention."
"Yes, you do. You go upstairs while I turn off the TV. I promise I won't use what I bought unless you say so."
"I can tell you're a man of your word Alec, see you upstairs."
Rose had unpacked the rest of her things earlier and as she looked at her sleeping son, Alec saying he would bring the baby monitor up to his room, she found a nightdress and got changed, then went into the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. She'd mostly got her figure back after having Jack but she thought she could maybe do better and hoped Alec wasn't choosy with his women but she had laid on him earlier, her bra halfway off and he'd not said anything, he'd just kissed her exposed skin gently.
She wished now she hadn't been so reluctant last night but he'd not forced her into anything. He'd been so kind, gentle and considerate so far and he was obviously taken with her, saying he wanted to pursue her and now she had more or less given him permission to do so. If he wanted to use what he'd bought earlier, she wasn't going to object, why waste time? She'd not been with anyone since James on New Years Eve, she was way past thinking they would ever get back together again.
Alec had got into bed, leaving his t-shirt on in case Rose would be scared off by him assuming she would prefer he didn't wear one. He lay with his arms above him, waiting for her after leaving the door open. He heard the bathroom door and waited to see if she came straight in. She did, standing in the doorway in a pink, low cut nightdress that he didn't mind she would have worn it for another man and he hoped to relieve her of it sooner rather than later.
"Come here Rose, don't be shy. Please, consider this as your room. Here, let me help you?"
He pulled the duvet back and Rose sat on the bed, turning around to face him and seeing the small packet on the bedside table. She wasted no time climbing onto him, going for his t-shirt, Alec now wishing he'd taken it off. He slid the straps of her nightdress down and kissed her shoulders as they changed places.
"Alec, you can use what you bought, it you want?"
"Then who am I to argue?"
He leaned over to retrieve the packet, Rose going for the waistband of his shorts and playfully pulled on them at the back, showing his rear for a few seconds as he just as playfully pulled them back up.
"Just you wait a moment unless you want to help?"
Rose got onto her knees and put her arms around his waist, kissing his back and going for his shorts again.
"I'm a bit out of practice."
"Then let me guide you through it, here."
He turned around and reached for her nightdress, helping her out of it and leaving her just in her underwear as Rose went for the back of his shorts. Alec fumbled with the packet, wishing he dared put his specs on but he shouldn't need them to complete a simple enough task, since Rose was willing to help him.
She surprised him again by pushing him on his back and lying on him as he just finished the job in time before the sensation of her wriggling out of her underwear and them both touching hit him like a hurricane.
"Oh, you want to be on top do you now?" was all he could manage to say.
Rose giggled and began kissing her way across his chest and whispered in his ear, "Is that a problem?"
"No, no problem, just make sure you can keep up with me."
Now was his chance to see how good a job they'd done on his pacemaker as she eased onto him and he just hoped the item he was now wearing, which was one of the new thinner types would stand up to the test.
Rose was getting herself worked up as the sensations hit her and if she thought sex with James had been good at the beginning, it was nothing like what she was feeling right now as wave after wave crashed over her, Alec feeling the same as he held onto her hips and they both cried out at the same time, Rose collapsing into his waiting arms. They began kissing soon after, Alec holding her tightly as he explored where she liked to be touched.