Over the next few days, Harry hadn't seen or heard from James. He usually made an appearance a couple of times during the day, if not by the evening but he seemed to have disappeared completely.

Harry didn't have it in him to ask Grace so he decided to go with the next best source.

Rosie.

Dottie and Tilly were having an afternoon nap and Grace was out running some errands so it gave Harry the opportunity to see what he could find out from Rosie.

He could smell something delicious wafting through the house so he ventured down to the kitchen, knowing that's where she most likely was.

"Smells good Rosie," he breezed in, a smile on his face as he rubbed his hands together, "anything I can lick?" he asked.

"You're such a little boy sometimes," Rosie shook her head as Harry sat on one of the stools across the kitchen bench.

But she grinned as she placed a bowl in front of him containing some batter remnants from a cake she had baking in the oven.

"You're too good to me Rosie!" he exclaimed as he took the spoon out of the bowl and proceeded to lick the batter off.

Rosie chuckled as she cut up some slices of freshly baked focaccia and placed it on a plate in front of Harry with some butter to go with it.

"Mmmm..." Harry murmured in appreciation as he started in on the bread, "hey Rosie," he said after he swallowed a bite.

"Yes my love," Rosie replied.

"Can I ask you something?" he continued.

"You ask a lot of questions Harry love," she replied.

Maybe.

But he thought this was a pretty important one to ask.

And if anyone would know, it would be Rosie.

"When we went out for dinner the other night," Harry began, "we, well Grace and James...somebody stopped to say hello at our table..."

"They know a lot of people Harry," Rosie replied, "nothing unusual about that."

"No," Harry shook his head, "this was different."

Rosie said nothing, she continued cleaning up the mess from her cooking as Harry kept talking.

"His name was Aiden and he-" Harry was stopped midsentence as Rosie dropped the bowl she was drying onto the bench with a clang.

Rosie looked at Harry in silence while Harry held his breath.

He knew this was something, judging by the look on Rosie's face.

And now she was probably going to tell him to mind his own business.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

Well.

He wasn't expecting that.

"He came up to the table and said hello," Harry began, "we were just finishing up dessert anyway so Grace took the girls to the car, James paid the bill and then we all came home."

"Did...did he say anything?" Rosie asked.

"Nothing exciting, seemed nice enough," Harry went on.

"Hmmm..." Rosie mused.

Harry decided to press on, spurred on by the fact that Rosie hadn't told him to shut up and was actually taking an interest in what he had to say.

"The car ride home was pretty awkward though," Harry mused.

Rosie said nothing, she merely glanced at Harry, waiting for him to continue.

"Like, Grace was really quiet, only talking to the girls when they spoke to her," he went on, "at times I thought she was going to cry but at other times she looked like she was going to explode."

Rosie nodded thoughtfully before going over to the fridge and taking out a bottle of wine, opening it and pouring herself a third of a glass and downing it in one go before putting the empty glass down on the counter with a thud.

What was it with the women around here and wine?

"And Mr. James?" she finally asked.

"Well..." Harry searched for the right word, "he was kinda...extra happy?"

Rosie frowned in response.

"Like, he was talking with the girls, which was okay," Harry explained, "but when he tried to talk to Grace, it was really forced, like it was fake...the happiness, he was just way over the top...it was weird..." Harry trailed off as he remembered the drive home.

"Grace just didn't want to be there, it was so uncomfortable..." Harry went on, "so who is this Aiden lad?"

Rosie shook her head in anger, her mouth set in a thin line as she did so.

"The Devil," she replied, "that's all I'll say," she said as she placed the lid back onto the bottle and put it into the fridge and walking over to where Harry sat.

"You listen to me love," she put her hand over his and looked him in the eye, "do not listen to a word that comes out of that man's mouth, trust nothing he says, okay?"

Harry nodded in agreement and listened intently, knowing he would trust anything Rosie told him.

"You a good boy Harry," she said, "you stay a good boy yes?"

"Yes," he replied, sighing and looking down at the food in front of him, knowing that was the end of the conversation.

He sat there and ate, still none the wiser but knowing this Aiden lad was nothing but trouble.

He just didn't know how.

And oh how he wanted to know how.

~~~~~~

Harry settled himself onto his bed, his laptop seated on his lap as he brought up the Skype app. He searched for the person he wanted and dialled their number.

It was all quiet in the house, the girls had long been in bed after coaxing Harry for six stories instead of the usual two, Grace was in her room, James was out somewhere and Rosie and had also retreated to her room for the night.

Harry waited patiently for the person to answer his call.

"Harry!" they answered excitedly, "your hair!" she cried.

"Penny!" Harry replied, just as enthusiastically, "oh yeah," he remembered she wouldn't have seen it, "bit of an accident there..."

"Well...I'm so glad you called!" she said, "how is everything going? We all miss you terribly here!" she rambled.

"It's going great," Harry replied, "really great, and yeah, I miss everyone too."

For the next hour, Harry told Penny all about the girls, what his job entailed, how great everyone was and how he came to have short hair.

"Oh the poor lamb!" Penny said, "she must have been beside herself!"

"She was," Harry agreed, "for days..."

Meanwhile, Penny filled Harry in on what had been happening with all their friends, the local town gossip, the new job she'd landed.

It kind of made Harry feel a little homesick.

"So no boyfriend yet?" Harry asked, a smirk on his face.

"Meh," Penny's hand gave a little half wave, "the occasional date here and there...you know..."

"Well whoever you end up with, make sure he treats you well," Harry said, raising his eyebrow to indicate he meant business.

"Oh please!" Penny rolled her eyes, "who are you to say who I see?"

"I just care about you as a friend, that's allowed!" Harry replied.

They both laughed until Penny stopped first.

"I do miss you Harry," she bit her lip, "in all ways..."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "I know what you mean..."

"Have you..." she started, "have you ever...with someone...on Skype?"

Harry leaned forward a little, feeling his jeans tighten slightly around the crotch area.

"Have I ever what with someone on Skype?" he asked, knowing full well what Penny was alluding to but wanting to hear her say it.

"You know," she said quietly, "gotten naked..?"

"And then what?" he replied.

"Harry!" Penny said in exasperation.

"Sorry love," he laughed, "you mean have I ever gotten naked with someone on Skype and wanked myself off for them?"

"Yep..." she replied, blushing.

"Is that what you want to do?" he asked.

"I...well...it's been awhile since you've been gone," she started, "and I do miss seeing you naked..."

Harry thought about it for a minute.

He couldn't hear a thing so he assumed everyone was in bed for the evening.

Why not then?

"Hang on," he said, "I'll just lock my door."

He put his laptop down on the bed and went over to his door. He opened it slightly and cocked his ear to the gap, listening for any sign of life, especially from the girls.

Nothing.

He closed the door quietly and locked it before heading back over to the bed.

"Okay," he said, "what did you have in mind?"

Penny bit her lip as she put her laptop down on the bed, moving back a little to make sure she was in frame.

She then grabbed her jumper and peeled it off over her head, leaving her in just her jeans and a singlet top.

Harry let out a low whistle before he smiled, encouraging Penny on.

"How about we both lose our jeans?" Penny suggested, to which Harry agreed, divesting himself of them as did Penny.

Penny then sat on her knees and took off her singlet, leaving her in just her bra and knickers.

"Nice," Harry complemented her, "haven't seen those ones before."

"They're new," Penny smiled, before she ran her hands up her thighs, over her stomach and up to cup her breasts, rubbing her thumbs over the material covering her nipples, "lose your shirt Harry," she said, biting her lip.

Harry removed his shirt, leaving him clad in only his boxer briefs.

"Now your turn to lose yours," he countered.

Penny reached around and undid the hook on her bra before cupping her breasts again, letting just the straps fall from her shoulders as she held the bra in place.

"Baby..." Harry moaned as his hand moved down over his stomach, and he palmed himself as he watched Penny.

Penny covered her breasts with one arm, pulled the bra out from behind it and threw it to the floor.

"Come on..." Harry whined, "show me those beautiful tits of yours, I wanna see what I've been missing out on..."

Penny bit her lip as she let her free hand wander down and into her knickers.

Harry watched as she moved her hand in a circular motion, her eyes closing as she let out a small whimper.

"Not as good as your fingers Harry," she opened her eyes, "or your mouth..."

"Fuck..." Harry hissed as he pushed his boxers down to his thighs and pulled his cock out, holding it within his palm.

"I wanna see your pretty pussy baby," he whispered, "see how wet it is when you play with it..."

Harry watched as Penny's fingers started to move in and out under her knickers as she fucked herself with them.

"Come on baby," Harry urged, "lose those knickers so I can watch you play..."

Penny groaned and pulled her hand out of her knickers as well as moving the one that hid her breasts, gripping the sides of her knickers ready to pull them down.

"Fuck yes..." Harry said as he slowly pumped his cock with his hand.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

They both froze.

"Harry?" Grace called from the other side of his door, causing his eyes to widen.

"Uh..yeah?" he answered.

"It's about tomorrow's schedule," Grace replied.

Harry held up his hand and motioned for Penny to stop, quickly grabbing his jeans and throwing them on.

He ran over to the door and opened it up just enough so that he could see Grace through the gap.

"Oh I'm sorry," she said, taking in his dishevelled appearance, "were you already asleep?"

"Um...no...no..." he stuttered.

"Well I just wanted to tell you that tomorrow's function has been postponed so you won't-" she started.

"Harry?" a voice called out.

Grace stopped speaking and looked at Harry.

Harry's eye's widened as he looked at Grace.

"Harry?" the hushed whisper came from inside his room again.

"Do you?" Grace whispered, "do you have company?"

"No," Harry shook his head furiously, "I'm just talking to one of my friends on Skype."

"Oh!" Grace replied, "how lovely! I'm sorry for interrupting," she said, "actually do you mind if I say hello? I'd love to meet your friend?" she asked.

"Oh, well...I..." Harry stood there gobsmacked as Grace pushed the door open and walked in the room, straight over to the laptop.

"Hello there!" she chirped, sitting down on the bed, "I'm- OH MY GOD!!"

Grace shot up from the bed as Penny let out a squeal.

"Harry I'm...I'm..." Grace's hands flew to her mouth, "I am so sorry!"

She raced out of the room, slamming Harry's door behind her.

Harry stood there, half a boner in his pants and not sure who he needed to go and speak to first.

Or die of embarrassment from.

~~~~~~

"Knickers, she was only wearing knickers," Grace mumbled as she buried her head in her arms on the bench, "and a smile."

Rosie howled with laughter as she poured Grace another wine and one for herself.

"How the hell am I going to face him after this?" she wailed, "like, I don't care what they were doing but it's so wrong for me to see that! He's going to be so embarrassed! I'm going to be so embarrassed!"

"So what was he wearing?" Rosie asked.

"Huh?" Grace's head shot up.

"If she was in her underwear, what was handsome wearing?" Rosie reiterated.

"I don't bloody know!" Grace hissed, "I ran straight out of the room!" she grabbed her glass and took a rather large gulp.

"Pity," Rosie shrugged, "that image could have kept an old girl going for days!"

"Rosie!" Grace screwed her face up at the thought, "how could you look at him thinking those thoughts?"

"I wasn't talking about me sweetheart," Rosie picked up her glass, "I was referring to you."