On the run

Chapter 18

Alec set her cases on the bed and left her to unpack, happy she had at least agreed to share a room with him but he was still unsure she would stay. He tried to sit still but when she didn't appear an hour later, he knocked on the bedroom door.

"Rose, are you okay?" he asked, opening the door slightly.

It was enough to see her cases were open and she was sat on the side of the bed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling the curtains over just in case anyone was actually looking.

"It just hit me, that's all," she replied sadly as he sat next to her, putting his arm around her.

Rose let him pull her close and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well you are not alone in this, you know that. I understand what you are going through, I felt bad when I never solved the Sandbrook case, I felt like everyone had turned against me."

"Was that when you were supposed to have met me?"

"That's not a bad idea, we can use that," he smiled. "Come on, I know if you have something to eat you will feel better."

"Not back to that café?"

"No, we can eat just opposite then go for a walk."

"Great, maybe I will feel better when I've eaten?"

He got up and offered her his hand, which she took.

"I thought you wanted people to see us together?" Rose asked, pointing to the curtains.

"You were upset, I did not want anyone thinking we had our first fight."

Rose nudged him, trying to smile.

"I will help you when we get back. Just try to look like you are enjoying my company if anyone who knows me sees us."

"Who says I don't like your company? We should pull the curtains back, give the neighbours something to talk about."

Alec wondered if she was being serious but this was more like the Rose he remembered, though he couldn't let on.

"An amusing thought, maybe another time? We should let people see us together first. So, we walk across the road and eat or we can go up into the town."

"Across the road's fine though what about by the river?"

"There is limited seating there and besides, it overlooks where I just moved from."

"You lived by the river?"

"Yes, until I moved here, when Pete called to say he was bringing you today, I had no time to find another place."

"You could have stayed where you were, I wouldn't have minded. Pull the curtains back, we can hug if you want?"

"You mean I don't have to keep asking you?"

"Nah, I suppose not. Just one thing though, no kissing in public yet."

"Ah, good point, I was only trying to demonstrate earlier but like you said you could pretend you are considering taking me back, if anyone were to ask. A good test would be if you were to meet DS Miller."

"The woman whose husband just got let off? I bet she's a bit upset?"

"You could say that. You will get chance to meet her when I go back to work. For the next few days, we should get out as much as we can and establish you are staying."

"What about when I can go home? Will we have to break up again?"

Alec hadn't thought about that. He soon recovered.