#he was stuck in a rut after his band broke up and his lover left him to go solo

[wild-walking]

Glass Onion prequel where Hugh Grant gets to be the full George Michael he should’ve been from Music & Lyrics, and Benoit Blanc is Drew Barrymore.

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

The Drunken Lie

Hello!  By popular demand, this is a sequel to ‘The Sober Truth’.  T rating.

Thank you for reading!

--

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Ellie rolled her eyes, following Hardy up the path to his front door as they bickered.  She’d entirely lost the thread of the ‘discussion’, more focused on disagreeing with him for the sake of riling him up.  While once it would have been for the enjoyment she got from listening to him rant and rave in that Scottish accent, now it served a...  better purpose.

She licked her lips.

“All I’m saying is,” he snarled, yanking open his sliding door, “don’t make promises I have no intention or interest in keeping!  Just because you’ve got a bleeding heart-”

Hardy cut himself off, staring inside the door at his house, and she frowned.  Leaning to the side she peeked around him, smiling even as her heart fell, their plans evaporating into smoke.  “Daisy!  What’re you doing here?”

Nudging her stunned partner out of the way she bustled inside, greeting the girl with a well-received warm hug.  The teenager had cut and dyed her hair since the last time she’d been back to Broadchurch, and Ellie admired the short, straight, fluorescent pink hair.  “This looks lovely!”

“Thanks, Ellie,” Daisy grinned, raising a curious eyebrow at her father.  “I’m trying not to be insulted by how disappointed you are to see me, Dad.”

“Of course I’m happy to see you,” he recovered, hugging her close and shooting Ellie an apologetic look when his daughter couldn’t see.  “But, erm, why are you here?”

He led her to the couch, Ellie dithering in the doorway, unwilling to interrupt but sorry to lose, among other things, her dinner date.

“I… needed a favor.  From both of you,” Daisy added, when Ellie moved to leave.

“Anything,” she promised, perching on the arm of the chair while Hardy settled next to his daughter.

Hardy shot her an exasperated look of warning, before turning his gaze on the teenager.  “Are you in trouble?  Or… trouble?”

“What?  No!  And, no!  Dad!  Jeez,” Daisy complained, crossing her arms and glaring at him.  “Come on!”

“I just… wasn’t expecting you.  What’s going on?”

The teenager took a deep breath, tucking her hair behind her ears.  “Um, remember how Mum’s getting married?”

“Yes,” he said shortly, and Ellie nodded in agreement, biting her lip to hide a smile.  She honestly couldn’t care less about Tess’s impending wedding, but the initial news had been what had pushed her and Hardy together – for that, she’d like to thank her.  Maybe.

Well, probably not.

“So, I’m supposed to be in the wedding, give her away, whatever.”

“Okay?”

Daisy fidgeted with a ring on her middle finger, turning the band and sliding it off and on.  “Well, I just found out why they’re getting married.”  She gave them both a significant look, one Ellie caught and understood immediately, shaking her head with a soft sigh.  She could hardly judge though; it was the same reason her own marriage had come to be.

“Why’s that?”

Poor, clueless bloke, Ellie snorted, and he glanced between the women, confused, while they shared an eye-roll.

“She’s pregnant.”  Daisy broke it gently, and Ellie watched his expression carefully only to see the confusion clear, with no hint of longing or regret.

“That’s nice,” he said neutrally.

His daughter shook her head, pink hair bouncing with the movement.  “Not really – I sort of flipped out on her.  Turns out it’s made her introspective, wants to ‘heal the wounds of the past’, so this new kid can… I dunno, have a place in my life or something.  That’s what she wants at least.”

A gnawing feeling started low in Ellie’s gut as she realized what the favor was likely to be, and already wondering how she would keep Hardy from losing his mind.

“What d’you need with us, then?  An excuse not to go?”  He didn’t seem to have gotten it yet.

Daisy shook her head slowly.  “I, uh, told her I refused to go if you weren’t there.”

There it is.

“And?”  Hardy’s expression turned thunderous, steam practically coming out of his ears and making Ellie wince.

“She called my bluff,” she said miserably.  “Said ‘fine, whatever, he can come – though he’ll be at the farthest table.’  And I said… well, I told her that you wouldn’t come without your fiancée,” Daisy’s voice trailed off, and she offered her father a tentative smile.

“My fiancée?”

Ellie groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Daisy had the good sense to look ashamed.  “I didn’t think she’d go for it, I was trying to be unreasonable!”

“Well, tell her you’ve thought about it and you’re a big girl, you don’t need Dad there with you.”  Hardy was unsympathetic, though Ellie noticed he steadfastly refused to look at her, focusing on his daughter a bit too intently to be genuine.

“I can’t do that!  Dad, please?”

“Is that how I’m involved?” Ellie asked, trying to divert Daisy’s attention away from her father for a moment so he could rein in his anger.  “You said that I was…”

Daisy nodded.  “Sorry, I know it’s not like that between you, but… it would really mean a lot.  If nothing else, it’s a free night away, and they’re doing it all posh.  You won’t know anyone but us, and you’ll never see any of them again.”

“I know them all!”

She waved dismissively, not even glancing back at him.  “This isn’t about you.  Chloe’ll be there too, but she already knows about the ruse so that’s not a problem.  Please?  Don’t make me go alone.”

Ellie sighed, but was unable to deny pleading eyes.  “All right.  When is it?”

Daisy winced.  “This Saturday.”

It was Thursday evening.  Hardy looked ready to have a stroke.

“Daisy!”

-

In the end, it was easier to sneak away than they'd first feared.  They already had the weekend off, and if her vague explanation led her father to assume it was a work trip, so much the better.

They left the office at three on Friday, Ellie behind the wheel as they headed northeast.  Despite the last time having been a good five years earlier, the drive to Sandbrook was almost like muscle memory.  Of course, she thought, checking on Daisy in the backseat via the rearview mirror, this is a much different trip.

It was funny, how much had changed.  Then, Hardy had been terribly ill and downtrodden, borderline hopeless, and Ellie's rage had been about the only thing she could feel.

Now Hardy was healthy, his daughter's love doing as much for his heart as the pacemaker.  Ellie… she had found peace, had moved on.  Joe rarely plagued her dreams, and she looked forward now, not back.  The man beside her had quite a bit to do with that, even before they had started their relationship a few weeks earlier.

"I know you're not thrilled about this," Ellie said quietly, double checking the mirror to make sure Daisy was distracted with her earbuds and smartphone, "but consider how this is good."

"What good could possibly come from this?" her partner grumbled from the passenger seat, turning his head to do his own check on his daughter.  It hadn’t been discussed, but Ellie was a detective – it was clear enough that he hadn’t shared his new relationship status with the teenager, one who was already upset enough about her mother’s remarriage.

She hummed.  "For one, we actually get to spend the entire night together.  And not just 'cause we're stuck at work.  In a bed and everything."

Hardy's eyebrows rose as he considered that.  "True.  First time."  He swept his eyes over her, sparking a low burn of desire to flood her belly.

"Free cake.  I looked the place they're having it up - easily £150 a plate."

His expression fell to a scowl and he went back to staring out the window.  After a minute he said softly, "You realize basically everyone at this wedding will know who I am, right?"

She did, but tried for levity anyway.  "Someone certainly thinks a lot of himself."

"They'll all know about the case, and the affair, and how clueless I was about both," he ignored her.  "How my incompetence let not one, but two child-killers escape justice."

"We got the Ashworths, and Ricky Gillespie.  They'll all rot in prison for decades."

He smiled sardonically.  "Most of the guests will be friends and co-workers.  They'll all know about- Danny."

Ellie's breath caught - she hadn't even considered that possibility.  Then she rallied. "Well, if they're gossiping about me then they're too busy to talk about you," she shrugged, knowing her would-be casual air wasn't fooling him.

"Miller-"

“We’re a team,” she cut him off firmly.  “Who cares what people you haven’t seen in seven years think of you.  And remember, we’re here for Daisy, to make this easier on her.  So no matter what happens, we will focus on her.  Hang the rest of them.”

When he didn’t answer she glanced in his direction, wondering if she’d somehow over stepped, only to find him gazing lovingly at her.

“What?”

“Sometimes you know exactly the right thing to say,” Hardy murmured, reaching out to brush his fingertips against her cheek and over her ear.  “You’re right – this is for her.”

“And the free hotel room.”

“Aye, and that.”  His expression lightened, turning teasing and a bit naughty.  “You, me, two nights alone… anything can happen.”

Ellie laughed softly.  “I hope you know I have high expectations.”

“Me too.”

They shared a promising grin, and despite his daughter in the backseat not knowing about their deepening relationship she felt free.  Free to be coy and flirty, to bask in her new relationship.  To feel like a woman, instead of just the exhausted mother/daughter/employee rut she’d been in.  To wear a pretty dress, and touch her lover boyfriend significant other in public, be seen together.

She pressed a little heavier on the gas pedal, pushing the car forward.  She couldn’t wait.

-

“Really, Daisy, it’s fine,” Ellie promised, as they stood in the doorway to Ellie and Hardy’s room.  “You should be in your room closer to the rest of the wedding party.  We’ll be fine.”

“But won’t it be awkward sharing a room?” Daisy hissed, keeping her voice low as she looked around for other potential guests.

Hardy let out an annoyed sigh.  “Daiz, we’re adults.  It’s fine.  You have stuff to do with the wedding.  We will see you in the morning, yeah?”

The girl nodded slowly, biting her lip.  “Are you sure?”

“Yes!” they said in chorus, Ellie trying to rein in her delight at being so close to being alone with her boyfriend in a room with a bed.  And a lock.  “I promise,” she said more moderately, hoping she didn’t look at happy as she felt.  “Now, run along.  Your mum’s waiting.”

“Breakfast is until ten.  See you then,” Daisy said reluctantly, trudging back towards the lift.  Her room was a floor up and farther down the hall, near the rest of the wedding party, while Ellie and Hardy’s was as far from Tess and Daisy’s as they could discreetly manage.

They waited until the doors closed on her to enter the room, setting their bags down by the wall and surveying the single king bed.

“Such a shame they couldn’t get us those double beds,” she smirked, crossing her arms and turning to him.  “However will we cope?”

“We’re adults, I’m sure we can share it in an adult manner,” Hardy’s eyes twinkled, and he pulled her close, their arms wrapping around each other.  “Hi.”

“Hello.”

He kissed her leisurely, the promise of the night to come making her blood sing.  “We’re finally alone,” he husked out, hands smoothing along her side.  “What do you want to do?  Dinner?  We could get a drink?”

Ellie was hardly a passive participant, and she hummed, starting on the buttons of his shirt.  “I could use a nap.”

“Oh?”  He moved backwards towards the bed, working on the buttons of her own blouse.  “I could… cuddle you to sleep, if you like.”

She laughed, letting his shirt hang open in favor of opening his belt.  “You can something me to sleep, all right.”

It was a long time before they made it out of the room in search of dinner.

-

Ellie’s eyes snapped open, and she inhaled sharply to find a nose a hair’s breadth away from her own.

“Sorry,” Hardy whispered, thumb drawing soothing arcs on her skin when she automatically tensed.  “Did I wake you?”

She carefully shrugged one shoulder, relaxing into the mattress.  Daylight was starting to peek through gaps in the curtains, offering just enough light to see his face.  He looked peaceful, and happy, and Ellie let a shy smile grow across her face. She was happy too, was happy to wake up next to him, and couldn’t help herself.

“I love you.”

It took a moment for his expression to brighten further, a beaming smile spreading across his face.  “Aye?”

Ellie nodded, chuckling softly.  “Yes.”

Hardy leaned forward, kissing her, and she rolled quite willingly to her back, tugging him atop her.  Though he’d already said the words the day they became a couple, she’d held back, pretended not to be sure.

Of course, it wasn’t so much a pretension as a protection, but when she allowed the walls around her heart to crumble, she had to quietly admit to herself that she did, in fact, love him.

She’d spent the last fortnight trying to figure out how to say it, when to say it.  This hadn’t been what she’d envisioned, had hoped they’d both be dressed at a minimum, but lying there, with him, waking up in his arms…

She couldn’t wait any longer.

“I love you too,” he whispered joyfully, peppering kisses across her face.  “Truly.”

“I love you,” Ellie repeated for the simple pleasure of doing so, running her hands over his back and sides, reveling in the feel of him against her.  “So much.”

They missed breakfast.

-

Ellie nodded, working hard to keep her polite smile as the woman she was talking to wittered on about her children, or her dog, or something – she’d long since tuned her out.  Hardy had left her alone at the table twenty minutes before to fetch drinks from the bar, and within a minute this woman had claimed his seat and started talking her ear off.

“Sorry, how do you know the couple?” she interrupted, mentally willing Hardy to return as quickly as possible.

“Oh, I work with them,” the woman tucked away an errant curl, grinning widely.  “Known them for years. Knew her ex-husband, too, he was our DI.”

“Ah.”  That caught Ellie’s attention, and she narrowed her eyes.  She was certainly used to people insulting Hardy, had said her fair share behind his back during the first investigation, but felt a stronger-than-normal need to defend him.  “Is that so?”

The woman nodded sagely.  “Bit of a wanker.  Well, more than a bit.  Dave’s a much nicer bloke, if you ask me.”

Ellie pursed her lips, trying to choose her words carefully.  “He had an affair with a married woman, while married himself.  Not sure he’d top my list.”  Quite the opposite.

“Well, apparently Hardy’s got quite the type.”  She leaned closer before looking around quite obviously, lowering her voice to whisper, “I heard he moved to a little village on the coast and had an affair with a married DS down there.  From what I’ve heard, he’s even marrying her.  Can you imagine?”

“I’m certain you don’t have all the facts,” Ellie said coolly, reminding herself sternly Don’t embarrass Daisy and Hardy.  Don’t ruin this.

“Apparently he framed the woman’s husband for murder!  I always knew he was an arse, but that’s a bit extreme, don’tcha think?”

Ellie had enough, rising abruptly to her feet and snatching her purse.  “For your information,” she started quietly, meeting the woman’s gaze head on, “Alec Hardy is easily the most noble, caring, principled man I’ve ever met.  He is an excellent detective, entirely dedicated to bringing about justice through the courts.  I am very proud to call myself his partner, and am very much looking forward to the day I call him husband.  Now piss off.”

Spinning around with the intent of stalking away from the table, she walked right into Hardy’s chest.

“Oh, fuck,” she muttered as he steadied her, glancing up at him with wide eyes.  “How much of that did you hear?”

“Eh, basically none of it,” Hardy shrugged, eyes twinkling madly.

“None?”

“Maybe just a bit,” he whispered, one hand settling on her hip as the other cradled her head, mindful of her fancy hairdo she’d spent a solid twenty minutes lecturing him on not messing up.

A small smile spread across her face, as the memory of the woman’s cattiness melted away and she focus on him.  “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He kissed her then, the kind of kiss that leaves no room for interpretation, dipping her slightly.  If she had been capable of thinking in the moment, she’d have thought something along the lines of the newlyweds didn’t kiss like this earlier.

They broke apart, panting slightly, and without another word Hardy took her hand and led her towards the exit.

Daisy stood between them and the doors, eyes so wide she must have seen the kiss, and Ellie flushed.

Hardy, however, barely blinked, just flashing his daughter a smile on the way past.  “See you in the morning.”

They pushed through the doors into the hallway, eyes meeting before they immediately burst into laughter.  Wrapping their arms around each other they headed for the lift, still chuckling.

“So…” he started pseudo-casually as the doors opened, “‘looking forward to the day I call him husband’?  Mrs. Miller I’m positively scandalized.”

Ellie hit the button for their floor, before turning to grin up at him.

“If that scandalizes you, you’re not ready for our wedding night.”