I stood against the door for a few minutes, listening to the seconds tick by from my clock in the room adjacent. This small box and an envelope, unopened in the palm of my hand.
Sighing, I took my shoes off and walked into the lounge, sprawling out on the sofa before taking another look at the box. What could it be?
After what seemed like an eternity, my phone went off with a notification. A message, probably from Ellie.
So? How'd it go with Hardy! Ellie x
As well as it could've gone. I think I may have shouted at him a bit too much. Although he did give me a present, I can't bring myself to open it... A x
I shall have to bang your heads together. Well let me know when you do! See you tomorrow. Ellie x
I put my phone down, turning on my tv to distract myself from the box. I even looked at the card in disbelief, hoping he would just pick up his phone and ring me.
Giving in to some of the temptation, I opened the card to find a print of a watercolour beach hut, quaintly surrounded by typical items you may find at a beach. Inside, a simple message from Alec.
Alice
Happy Birthday. I hope Miller doesn't surprise you too much with her party.
All my best,
Alec x
I stared at the small x after his name, symbolic of a kiss, scanning the card again and again for any kind of hidden signs. My eyes glanced over to the box once more, allowing me to see any similarities in the colour schemes. I was overthinking, but I couldn't allow myself to stop.
"All my best." I repeated, taking a deep breath before popping the card back on the table. The TV faded in and out of my mind, my focus solely on the hand-sized box that he had gotten me. I shook my head, deciding that I needed one more birthday drink before calling it a day. Grabbing my keys, I slipped my boots back on and headed out. I made my way to the Star, the cool summer evening breeze enveloping the street, carried by the sea into the depths of the town.
"I hope you're not here to cause more trouble." Mike stood in front of me. It was only last night I was here after all, and he had called Alec using my phone.
"Not this time, just for one drink." I didn't like to say it was my birthday, it's bad enough the station and half the town now knew today was my birthday.
Mike smiled, shaking his head. "No trouble, Alice." I nodded, thanking my socks that he didn't know I was a police officer. Walking into the small quaint pub, there were a few locals drinking at the bar and having a laugh, and a few tables taken by walkers and their dogs, who had obviously taken full advantage of the summer heat along the cliff side walks.
"What'll it be?" A young barman asked me, smiling cheerfully at me.
"I'll go for a Rattler please." He stood back and nodded, beginning to pour a pint of the sweet Cornish Cider that I was glad they still did up here.
"Sure thing." He disappeared around the corner of the bar, grabbing a pint glass to pour my cider from the tap. It was a moment or two before he returned, cash in one hand and my drink in the other. "The guy around there said he'd get it for you." I raised an eyebrow, never one to turn down a free drink. But who could know I was in here?
"What did he look like?" I said, cautiously taking the cider.
"Err, long black coat and shirt. Scruffy beard." I immediately knew who he was talking about, zoning out as he continued to quietly explain. "Did you want me to take it back?" The barman asked.
"No, no. Thank you." I smiled and took a sip, jumping off the stool and making my way around the main corner of the bar. There, as I suspected, was a grumpy looking Alec with a glass of what I presume was lemonade.
"Hey." I walked up to him, swallowing my pride and standing by the stool next to him. "Do you mind if I join?" He nodded, grunting as he spun around to face, clearly disappointed that I was drinking after the events that transpired the night previous.
"Sure." He twanged with his thicker accent, conforming my theory that he was annoyed at me for being here.
"Didn't take you for the pub type." I chuckled, awkwardly trying to make small talk.
"I'm not." He replied, taking a sip of his drink. Rolling my eyes I took a huge gulp of mine, earning yet more disconcerting eyes from the man to my right.
"So, what did you come here to talk about?" I asked, a bit more sassily than I was planning for.
"To make sure you didn't get too drunk like last night." At least the man was straight to the point.
"I'm fine. I can take care of myself." He turned towards me, this time his knees against my stool so that I couldn't turn and leave.
"I know. But-" he paused, making me look at his expression. There was concern on his face.
"But I still worry." I couldn't help but chuckle, shaking my head at that response.
"Really? You clearly weren't worried when I was still staying in the Traders and when I moved into my own place. Or every night when I come down here to have a few drinks and a dance with the locals."
"Every night?" Of course he would pick up on that.
"Yeah, every night." I stopped talking and finished the rest of my drink, hopping off the stool. "See you tomorrow at work." I was done getting lectured by someone I hadn't properly seen in weeks.
"Alice-" I heard him stop and turned around, Mike holding against his chest.
"Is this man bothering you?" Mike asked, and I shook my head.
"I suggest you let me go." I saw him pull out his badge, immediately Mike took a step back, raising his hands up.
"Woah, sorry." He apologised, and I shook my head, turning away from the pub and walking back home.
"Alice- wait." I heard Hardy on the gravel, his breath slightly wheezy. "Wait." I stopped and faced him, his hands on his knees as he puffed out of breath.
"Jesus Alec." I took my arm around his waist and slowly walked us to the nearest bench, sitting him down to recover. "Is it your heart?" I asked, taking a seat next to him as he recovered.
"I'm fine. It's all fine." He leaned forward, still breathing heavily but slowing the rate down slightly. "You know, sometimes I forget the age difference between us." He looked down and the cliffside below, the vista of ocean surrounding us. Where had that come from?
"Is that why you started ignoring me?" I asked, seeing him face me out of the corner of my eye.
"No. Daisy-" he paused, taking in a deep breath before leaning forward. "Daisy is having a tough time at school. She's struggling to adjust here, and I keep wondering if I made the right decision. I didn't want to bring you into anything, not with what you've been through." I could tell when I saw the mention about increased bullying reports in the local school, but I hadn't pieced two and two together.
"You know I understand that you have to make Daisy a priority. I know it's a selfish request but not ignoring me at work or even in town... that is all I'm asking for. That hurt me, Hardy." I could feel him flinch at the use of the last name.
There was a sudden cool breeze in the air, the wind picking up quite a speed.
"I'm sure you have to go back home, so." I stood up, feeling a sudden warmth on my hand. It was one I hadn't felt in a long while.
"Daisy's out tonight, she's managed to make friends with the Latimer's daughter." I smiled, knowing that having them to support each other would do the both of them the world of good.
"I'll walk you back then." I said, worried that he was keeping a lot more quiet than he was letting on.
I crossed my arms and braced the cold breeze that swept across town as Alec and I walked in silence, my pace starting to tire him out.
"If you're tired we can stop for a bit." I said, well and truly sobered up from any drop of alcohol I had consumed today.
"We're almost there." He pointed. I hadn't been to Hardy's new home, but seeing the large white house on the side of the cliff, one the only houses with the light still on, I wondered how I hadn't noticed it before.
"Ah, ok." I said awkwardly, putting my hands in my hoodie pockets as I shivered slightly, the sound of the crashing waves hitting against Broadchurch's pebble beach almost drowning out the sound of the wind howling through the boats moored in the harbour. I wanted to turn around and say goodbye, now that he was so near his home. Part of me, well, most of me, wanted to do that. There was, however, a small part of me that wouldn't allow myself to.
"Right. Excuse the mess." He said, and like my legs were on autopilot, I stepped inside. I didn't know what mess he was talking about, other than a few stacks of paper on his open plan dining table.
"I-I should get going." I said, standing in the doorway as Alec closed the door behind me.
"Oh, right. Yes. Um-" he opened the door back up, looking at me. We stood there, wind gusting through the house before he slammed the door shut and I walked up to him, burying my head in his chest. I knew Alec wasn't the type to hug, but right now I needed it.
"Like I say, Daisy won't be back until tomorrow evening. Did you want to, er" I pulled away briefly and looked up, nodding.
"Please." I felt Alec's hand push me back into him, his heart pounding through his chest. I tightly shut my eyes, wishing I could just stay here for a moment longer.
"You can borrow one of my T-shirt's." Alec showed me around the house, a lovely size for a dad and his daughter. His room was about the same size as before, bland walls decorated by the odd small scenic picture, brown curtains drawn to shut the moonlight out.
Alec grabbed a T-shirt from one of his drawers, handing it over to me before taking off his coat and unbuttoning his shirt. I looked away, seeing the en-suite door and heading for that. "I'm just going to get changed." I said, not giving myself a chance to look back. Quickly changing, I kept my socks on to keep my feet touching the cold floor, as well as my underwear.
Opening the door I saw Alec already in bed, his glasses on as he was stuck in what looked like a good book. "It's nice and warm in here." He said, pulling the covers of the side he had designated to me back. Pulling my socks off I placed my pile of clothes and my bra on the floor next to the cabinet, and quickly tucked myself in, fully lying down, facing upward. I saw him take his glasses off, placing the book to his right on the bedside table.
"Thank you." I said, feeling him shuffle down the bed, facing up as well. "For everything you've done for me, Alec." We both turned our heads to face each other, our hands briefly touching under the covers. I rolled over onto my right shoulder, my hand close to my chest as I hesitated in putting it against his face. Before I could, he too rolled over towards me, leaning in and briefly planting his lips on mine, moving them softly before pulling back. He proceeded to wrap an arm around my waist, pulling me in to his chest where I slotted my legs in-between his, entangled.
I let out a sigh of relief, clutching lightly at the top he was wearing. This was what I had wanted for weeks. It had been what I had needed. "Thank you, Alec." I nuzzled myself into him and felt his lips lightly peck my forehead, his chin then resting against the top of my head.
"Goodnight, Alice."