"You want to tell me what happened," Cheryl said as she turned the sign to closed. JJ sighed as she lifted her cup of coffee. The room was quiet. The bakers had gone home and it was just the both of them left.

"You have kids. Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Lets say," she said. "You weren't married or you get divorced and started to date a guy. How long would you wait till you tell your children about them?"

"That's a difficult question, hun." Cheryl took a seat beside her. "But I would wait till I knew I was happy with that person. I don't think I could introduce people into my children's lives and let them get that connection only to not see them again, you know?"

JJ groaned, rubbing the back of her neck. She thought back to the conversation she had with Neil and closed her eyes. "I overreacted didn't I?"

"Hun, you've never dated anyone with a kid before. He has to be patient with you and you have to be patient with him. Especially when it comes to things about his kid." She put her hand into her apron pocket. "Lover boy left you a note." JJ opened her eyes. "You go and get your man and I'll close up."

JJ sighed, looking down at the folded piece of paper. With a heavy sigh she opened it up and lay it down flat on the counter.

'Cara,

First things first I want to apologise for hurting you. I am sorry I made you feel unwanted and made you feel like you were never good enough. Truth is Jay, I'm scared. If I tell Lara we're dating then it all becomes official. I was honest when I said I have never felt this way about a woman ever and for it to happen in a short amount of time is unbelievable.

My daughter adores you. I adore you. And I want you in our lives. I've only introduced Lara to one woman who I dated for 6 months and that didn't end well. But my tesero was a lot younger then. She understands now that a family should have a mother and father and I don't want her to get upset.

It has been the two of us for a very, very long time. And I'm afraid if I tell her then she may dislike you for taking me away from her. There's no denying that we'll be spending a lot of time together but I don't want her to hate you for it. I just wanted to sit her down, just me and my daughter, and talk about how things would be changing. I thought it would be best to do it after the first week of school to let her settle down but I promise I'll do it by the end of this week.

I want us to be able to grow. I really like you, Cara. I really want to spend time with you and see what more that intelligent mind of yours can offer.

So if you'll take me back, then come by and we'll talk it out. Remember, Cara, you said we would make it to eight months.

Love Neil.'

With a groan she pushed the stool back and head into her office, grabbing her phone and keys.

The drive back to her flat didn't take too long as there wasn't much traffic, which was surprising to JJ. Nonetheless, she parked up and quickly went inside, shielding from the breeze.

Neil groaned as he lay down on the sofa with Lara following after him. She handed him the bowl of grapes so she could go back and get her milkshake from the kitchen. With a sigh, Neil picked up a grape and put it in his mouth. When he saw Lara walk towards him with a glare, he raised an eyebrow.

"Can I ask why you're giving me the evil eyes?"

"Don't eat my grapes. I put ten of red and ten green."

"Alright your royal highness, I will gift you one red grape. Sit down, daddy wants to talk to you."

Lara frowned as she put the glass down on the table. She watched her father stare at her and then picked up the coaster before putting it under the glass.

"You know you're my Lara banana right?"

"Daddy I'm not a baby anymore," she said as she took the bowl off him and sat on the sofa.

"But you're my little girl!" he cooed as he pinched her cheeks. He heard her groan and chuckled. "I need to talk to you about something okay? And I want you to be one hundred percent honest with me okay? There is no wrong answer and I won't be mad or upset with anything you tell me."

Lara eagerly nodded her head. "I promise daddy."

"Okay," he said with a sigh. "It's been the two of us for a very long time hasn't it? And we play all the time. We have tea parties and we go to the movies. And I know JJ has been around a lot. I just wanted you to know if that's okay with you." Neil chewed on his top lip as he eat watched her put a couple of grapes in her mouth. Her feet dangled down the sofa, not yet reaching the floor.

"I like her," she said after a minute. "She's my friend."

"Okay that's good," he murmured as he exhaled. "But what if JJ was around a lot more? And I was spending time with her?"

"I like playing with JJ."

"But I mean JJ and I spend time together. So that means we won't be able to play all the time. And JJ would be here and we would need grown up time."

Lara looked at her father and furrowed her eyebrows. "Is it because JJ is your girlfriend?" Neil opened his mouth to respond but then frowned. Noticing the confused look on her fathers face, she popped a grape in her mouth. "Grandma told me."

"She what?"

"On Saturday you and JJ were kissing and grandma said because you were dating." Neil groaned, pressing his thumb along his forehead. "I'm sorry Daddy. I didn't mean to look-"

"No, no sweety." Neil straightened up and smiled down at her. "I'm not upset with you. I just wanted to be the one to tell you. Grandma shouldn't have said anything."

"Is she in trouble again?" Lara giggled, finishing off the grapes in her bowl. Neil nodded his head.

"But tesero, you have to make me a promise okay?" She nodded her head. "You have to tell me whenever you feel upset and when you feel like we're not spending a lot of time together okay?"

"Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we still have our daddy and Lara time on Saturday?"

"Of course we can, tesero," he whispered. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I love you." Lara giggled as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I love you too."

They both pulled away when the doorbell rang. With a frown, Neil stood up. "Stay here. I'll go check." He flipped his wrist to check the time and was surprised to see it was already ten. When he got to the door, he looked through the peep hole to see JJ staring down at the floor. "Hey," he whispered as he opened the door. She smiled sadly at him.

"Hi."

"Do you want to -"

"I'm really sorry for being a bitch," she rushed out. "I overreacted a lot and I shouldn't have-"

"Hey, hey, hey," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "You don't have to apologise. I should have sat down with you and explained everything so you didn't think I was embarrassed of you. I'm sorry about that." She didn't say anything but tightened her arms around him.

"I'm sorry. You have a daughter and you're a father. I should never have put you in that place where you were forced to tell her."

"Alright well lets get you inside then." She slowly dropped her arms and stepped in. When he closed the door and tuned around, he found JJ staring up at him with a frown. "What's wrong?"

"I've never done this before," she whispered. "Gone out with a single dad. This is all new to me. It's a lot to ask but can you be patient with me?" Neil smiled as he stepped towards her. She felt her lips twitch up when he placed two hands on her cheeks.

"I think I can do that." He brushed his lips against hers and heard her inhale sharply.

"Lara..."

"I've already told her," he whispered. She felt his chest rise against hers and inhaled sharply again. "Jay, I meant every word of that letter. I want this. I want us."

"Then kiss me."

"As she wishes," he said with a smile before meeting her lips. JJ closed her eyes as she felt his hands move to her hair. She leaned in closer, bringing her arms around his shoulders. "Fuck," he groaned. "You're hot."

"I know. But just one more kiss," she panted against his lips. Neil gave her a soft kiss before chuckling. "Neil-"

"Although you're smoking, I meant you're hot as in body temperature. I really do think you're coming down with something." He sighed as he traced his thumb along her lips. "Have you eaten?" His voice was soft and gentle. JJ shook her head. "Come on then let me feed you."

JJ felt his hand slip through to hers. Giving it a gentle squeeze, he kissed the top of her head. "Neil can you do another favour?"

"Two favours in one night? Lets see what it is."

She smacked his arm with her free hand. "Not funny. But I didn't mean what I said at the bakery. You can call me cara. I would actually love it."

"Alright let me go and feed you then."

"But I-"

"Cara," he said softly. She smiled. "I'm gonna put Lara to bed and then I will give you some food okay?" She nodded her head. Neil gently pulled her arm, circling his arm around her waist. "As much as I love you being here, the rule in the house is to take off your shoes at the door." With a quick peck, he left her standing in the hall and into the sitting room where Lara was finishing her milkshake.

"Who is it?"

"Hey sweety!" JJ called from behind him. He snapped his head back to look at her. With a smile, he leaned down to kiss her cheek.

Lara grinned before jumping off the sofa. "Hey JJ. Did you come to play? I think I have to go to sleep now." She frowned as she looked at her dad. Her bottom lip stuck out a little. JJ watched as Neil sighed.

"Fine only until eleven though. Because daddy needs to got to sleep too and you need to get back to sleeping properly. Okay?" She giggled as she nodded her head. With a smile she turned to JJ.

"Can we do each others hair like last time?"

"Okay let's give you a shower first," Neil said. She groaned, making JJ laugh softly.

* * *

"Cara, I-" Neil stopped when he didn't see her in the sitting room. He then felt her hands at his waist and smiled.

"I'm right here," she whispered.

"Alright well let me get you some food." He turned around, smiling down at her. His fingers grazed her temple as he gently tucked the hair behind her ear. "I can make you some soup if you'd like," he whispered. He watched her frown.

"Neil you don't have to feed me every time I come over. I'm telling you, you're gonna make me fat." Neil chuckled softly before leaning down to kiss her. "It feels so good to be able to kiss you," she murmured against his lips. Before he could reply, she placed her lips back onto his. With a gentle push, she found herself taking a step back until she was flat against the wall. Her fingers curled in his hair as he pulled away. "I'm not finished." She watched him smirk as he stared down at her. Without looking away, his hands slipped up her t-shirt.

"Well you gotta eat first, Cara. When did you eat last?"

She groaned, dropping her hands to behind his neck. Her fingernails ran over the back of his neck. "At like twelve." He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Instead he frowned, turning his head to the side.

"Lara, have you not gone in yet?" A few seconds later she heard the bathroom door open.

"Going in now, daddy. I just had to go toilet."

"Okay. Remember the rule?"

"I know."

JJ giggled softly. "She totally rolled her eyes at you," she said. Neil shrugged his shoulders. "What's the rule?"

"She has to sing throughout the entire time she's in the shower. It was actually something she came up with so I would let her shower alone."

"I mean face it Neil, no one really wants their dad to give them a shower."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah well when you got someone as clumsy as my daughter and the fact that she has fallen twice in the shower, you would understand why I still have to occasionally step in." JJ winced. With a smile, he leaned down at pecked her lips before stepping into the kitchen. "So I can make you some soup or you could have some mashed potato and grilled chicken."

"Neil I mean it about the feeding me-"

"Nope. You haven't eaten since twelve so I'm not going to let you starve yourself. Your choice."

JJ thought for a minute as he played with the inside of her palms. Silence surrounded them. "I'll have the mash." Before he could move away, she froze. "Lara?" A few seconds passed. "Lara?" she called louder.

"Yeah?" Neil frowned.

"Nothing sweety, you just stopped singing."

"She's gonna say she's thinking..." he mumbled. JJ lightly smacked his arm as she stepped out the kitchen to listen better.

"I was just thinking of a new song to sing."

"Didn't I tell you?" he said as he lightly smacked the back of her head.

"Oh funny," she said. Despite the frown on her face, her eyes were still light and joyful. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck.

"Can you please sit down so I can give you some food?"

"If you're good." Neil rolled his eyes as he stepped away from her. "I think I might skip the chicken though. I'm pretty sure that's what made me sick in the first place."

Neil turned around to glare at her. "You ordered from that place didn't you?" When she didn't say anything, he groaned. "Judith I told you not to order from there. The chicken was pink the last time you got it."

"I don't like it when you call me by my first name," she said with a groan.

"I don't care. Eat some potatoes first and I'll make you some soup, with edible chicken." He stepped in front of her, carefully placing his hands on her waist. "It won't take long," he whispered, "You and Lara can do each others hair and then eat something."

He turned around, leaving her standing at the doorway alone. She remained still, watching him glide across the kitchen floor, gathering the ingredients he needed.

"Wakey wakey," he said whilst waving a hand in front of her face. "Your potatoes are on the table. Take a seat." She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "You alright babe?" he whispered. His lips gently kissed her forehead and when he pulled back she saw a small frown on his face. "I don't think it's fold poisoning. I think you're coming down with something."

"Maybe. I mean my ear has been hurting for the last two days." Neil's frown deepened.

"Check it out tomorrow. Go to the walk in or something."

She shrugged her shoulders, making Neil raise his eyebrows at her. Lara stopped singing and a few seconds later, he heard the water turn off. He looked back down at JJ who was playing with the collar of his shirt. His hands reached out for her waist as he leaned in. Her eyes weren't as bright, but he knew she was happy. "Sei bellissima," he whispered. A smile appeared on her face. Slowly, he leaned down to kiss her, gently pulling her closer.

"Daddy," Lara said. Neil bit his lip as he pulled away. He gave JJ an apologetic smile before looking down at his daughter. "I can't find my underwear."

"Lara, I keep telling you to not to stuff everything in your cupboard. I literally just gave you a bunch of clothes two days ago." When JJ looked down at Lara, she suppressed a smile when she saw the uninterested look on Lara's face. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Of course, daddy." JJ started to laugh and Neil looked back with a warning look.

"Lara, go and find yourself some underwear now please." He watched his daughter stomp off, mumbling under her breath. "And you..." JJ covered her smile with her hand.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh yes you do. As funny as she is, you can't laugh every-"

"Daddy!"

JJ leaned closer to give him a kiss. When she pulled away, she saw a small smile on his face. "I'll go help her."

"You do that and I'll get you some soup."