Nick had never before felt like he needed a holiday to get over a holiday. Yet after a long weekend in the seaside resort of Butlins, with too much noise and too many people, Nick was ready for a week of rest and relaxation. But there would be no rest and no relaxation.

Dropping the case to the floor with one hand and keeping Delilah close to his chest with the other, he turned just in time to watch Betsy step through the doorway.

Dark circles were beginning to form under her eyes from three long days of ceaseless activity, her shoulders stooped from weariness. Yet despite her obvious exhaustion, there was a glow about her too. A glow that made him wish that he could close the gap between them, brush away the few loose curls which had escaped her top knot and then steal a kiss from her soft lips.

His eyes were drawn to them in an instant. Nick had never before craved a kiss so much but, after being deprived of her lips, he felt like a starving man whose hunger could only be sated by the taste of her. The taste of Betsy. It's the way the world worked; when you're told you cannot have something, it only make you want it more. And Nick wanted her - even if she was wearing dungarees and an ugly pair of lime green Crocs on her feet.

Betsy's lips twitched up into a smile as she met his gaze before she snuggled Tommy closer to her, resting her cheek on top of his head. Unwilling to let go of him, she used her croc clad foot to gently close the door behind her.

"They're out of it." She murmured, her eyes full of warmth as she peered down at the tired children. "Let's get them up to bed."

"You lead the way," Nick replied softly.

Ever so carefully she made her way up the staircase, her arms gently cradling his son to her chest. He had never seen her look so – peaceful. Betsy was a maternal person. She had a way with children that was natural and easy. It was a beautiful for him to watch. He just hated to see the lingering sadness that, even now, lingered in her eyes. It was dimmer than when they first met, but nothing could completely erase the void of losing a child. He just wished he could wave a magical wand and fix everything for her. Even if he could find a way to give her what she truly wanted, a family of her own, it would feel like he had managed to do some good in the word.

The bedtime routine went a lot smoother than either of them planned. Delilah gave soft little snores even as he placed her down on her bed, removed her shoes, and then pulled the covers up to her chin. Unable to resist, Nick swept some of her auburn hair out of her face before leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Night, Princess."

He received a little snore in response. Straightening up, Nick smiled as Betsy did the same with Tommy. Or at least attempted to. His little fingers had clenched around the fabric of her top and no amount of gentle cajoling would get him to release his hold.

"See, even he doesn't want you to go." Nick murmured, walking up beside her. He was close – too close. If he moved forwards just an inch more he could brush his arm against hers. It would be so easy to do. But there were boundaries. He had to respect her boundaries.

Betsy sucked in a sharp breath and Nick knew it wasn't due to their proximity. His stomach suddenly felt like he had swallowed a stone. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It's just...I haven't had the heart to tell them you're moving out. I guess I still don't want to admit it to myself."

Reaching out, Nick gently wrapped his fingers around his son's clenched fists. Slowly he pried the material free, releasing Betsy from his hold. She stepped away from the bed, backing into his body so that the entire length of her body was pressed against his chest. He could feel her freeze for a moment, and he almost thought that she was going to walk away. But then, with a weary sigh, Betsy melted back into him.

Nothing was spoken in those first few moments. The pair of them simply enjoyed to contact with another human being.

"I don't either." Betsy admitted as Nick slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. "I like living here with you all. I love the kids and I love you. I just think we both need this separation. It is the best thing for both of us. For all of us." She rested her hands on top of his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Unable to find the right words to respond, Nick pressed his lips to the back of her head. There was no denying that there was something between them, something he would fight to keep, but he couldn't risk saying the wrong thing. It would be too easy to ruin everything. He swallowed to try and rid the dryness in his throat. The thought of Betsy moving out and no longer being there in the mornings brought a stabbing pain to his chest. It was a weakness, one he didn't even realise he had acquired until it was too late. And yet, he wouldn't regret it. He couldn't regret it.

"Come on, let's head back downstairs before we wake them up." Nick tugged on her waist as he stepped back towards the door. Betsy followed with a silent nod of her head.

They both ignored the luggage which had been stacked up in the hallway by the driver. Instead they staggered into the lounge and stumbled onto the sofa. Nick allowed a weary sigh to escape his lips. "I've never been so glad to be home."

"You enjoyed yourself. Admit it." Betsy teased, propping her head on the arm of the sofa and then stretching out her legs over his lap.

"I'll do no such thing." Nick grunted, hand stretching out to snag one of the newspapers off of the table.

"You enjoyed yourself, you grump. Don't try to deny it. We all know you really enjoyed Angelina Ballerina's dance class. We all saw those moves."

Nick released his hold on the newspaper, allowing the pages to fall and scatter to the floor, before he grabbed hold of Betsy's feet. Her eyes widened and shook her head as he held them firmly in his grasp. "What dance moves were those?"

Betsy shook her head, her body curling up as she attempted to pull her leg free. And yet, her lips were pressed together to prevent the laugh from escaping her lips. "I don't know." She replied, before a giggle forced its way free. "I think your best move was the tippy toe tumble. I'm sure Lilah would agree."

"That's it!" Before she could snatch her foot away, Nick tickled his fingers along the sole of her foot, laughing as she giggled under his touch. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes but there was no pain.

"Stop it!" Betsy protested weakly, wriggling in his hold. Nick relented, instead using her leg to pull her closer. Once she was at his side, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, holding her close while her legs remained draped over his lap.

Contentment washed over Nick within moments as he enjoyed having her at his side. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

Nick closed his eyes even as the words escaped his lips. He felt her muscles tense under his touch before she released a sigh. "As ready as I can be."

"You'll be great. I know you will."

"I just wish it didn't have to be this way." Betsy murmured, closing her eyes as she leant her head against his chest.

Nick's arms tightened around her. "It was agreed that this was the best way to get ahead of the storm. You told me you were okay with this."

"I know. I know." Betsy blew out a frustrated breath. "I just hate that I have to drag everyone else into this. It feels wrong."

"Your friends and family are supporting you in this. They all understand that this is the best way. Do I need to call Claire?" Nick grunted as a sharp elbow dug into his side.

"That's a low blow. Just because you know my sister does not mean that you can use her as a threat."

"Fine. I won't call Claire."

Betsy turned her head and her eyes slanted as she stared up at him. She watched him for several long moments. "Thank you."

"As long as you go and get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day." Betsy opened her mouth but Nick quickly silenced any argument by pressing his fingers to her lips. "Trust me on this. I've been through this before. Go to bed."

"I would argue with you out of principle but I'm exhausted. And drop that smirk. You haven't won." Betsy said before kissing his fingertips. "Now let me get up."

Reluctantly Nick released his hold on her and allowed her to wriggle her way free. She tugged at her clothing to straighten it before glancing back over her shoulder. "Goodnight Nick."

"Goodnight." He replied softly, watching as she paused in the door for just a moment, glancing back at him just once before she glided away.

**

The morning dawned far too brightly. The sunlight had fought its way through the gap in the curtain, dragging Nick into consciousness whether he wanted it or not. With a groan, he slumped forwards, his hands massaging at his the back of his aching neck.

"Too damn old for this." Nick muttered, straightening up and letting out a weary sigh.

"I was about to say the same thing." Ms Reed said, bustling into the room in a pair of slippers, a yellow dust cloth clutched in her hands. "I thought you had grown out of that habit."

"Me too."

Pushing up from the sofa, Nick reached his arms above his head. There was a delicious ache as his muscles stretched before he turned to face the elderly woman. "Has she gone?"

Mrs Reed nodded her head. "She left several hours ago. It's why I was coming to find you. You've slept most of the morning away and the interview will begin in ten minutes."

"What? Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

Mrs Reed folded her arms over her chest and glared at him. "I am not your mother, Nicky. Though if I were, I would have taught you better on how to respect your elders."

Feeling like a chastened child, Nick strode over to the elderly woman and pressed a kiss to her wrinkled cheek. "I'm sorry." He murmured before pulling away. "You may not be my blood, but you are family."

The elderly woman patted him on his cheek, smiling up at him in a way that made his chest ache. "Get on with you now, boy. Watch the interview and then get yourself cleaned up. I didn't want to say anything, but you need a wash."

Nick laughed in response before turning away. A quick glance at the watch on his wrist revealed that there were just minutes until show time. Picking up the remote control from the arm of the sofa, Nick turned on the television.

The advert break felt like it had dragged on forever but finally the intro music filled the air. And then there she was. The perky dark haired host in a bright blue suit on but his eyes were only for her. She was smiling, but it wasn't one of her real smiles. Nick could see the lines of discomfort around her eyes and the corners of her mouth.

"Now, for several months there has been much speculation about the woman who has captured the heart of one of Britain's most eligible bachelors. And today, I am pleased to announce that I can solve the mystery for you. Please put your hands together and join me in welcoming Elizabeth Jones."

There was a loud smattering of applause at Betsy dutifully waved at the cameras. "Thank you for having me."

"Now, I think many of us here are all wondering the same thing. How did you capture the heart of Nicholas Davenport?"

Betsy's cheeks turned pink even through the ridiculous amount of make-up that had been applied to her skin. "I believe you would have to ask him that."

"I will if I ever get the opportunity." The host tittered before flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Since dating Nicholas you have been thrown into the limelight. I'm sure many of our audience remembers the photos which made their way into the papers a few months ago. How are you coping with it? From anonymity to fame."

"I wouldn't say I am famous. I am still me – the same person I was before all this happened. And truthfully, that's what I am doing. I am coping." Betsy folded her hands on her laps as she drew in steadying breath. "I always knew that there was a risk when I started dating Nicholas. I knew that my life would not remain private and that was a risk I was willing to take. If you're not willing to risk everything then what's the point in pursuing the relationship in the first place?"

"Sounds romantic." The host responded with her fake laugh. It made the hairs on the back of Nick's head stand up.

"Maybe. I think it's just being realistic. If you choose to date someone in the limelight and want to remain out of that same light, you probably won't get very far. But the photos were beyond that. It was an invasion, plain and simple. Would it be acceptable to any of you if someone took a picture of your private moments, though a window nonetheless, and then posted it over the internet?"

Betsy paused, reaching out with hands that trembled to take a sip from the glass in front of her. "It's wrong and it shouldn't be something we accept just because someone is in the public eye. This is wrong no matter whether you are Bob from the corner shop or whether you are Golden Globe winning actress. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home."

"I think we can all agree on that." The host replied, patting a hand on Betsy's shoulder. "Now, you said before you were not a celebrity but you are certainly putting your media attention to good use. I have it stated here that you have recently been named as an ambassador for the SANDS charity. Can you tell us a bit more about it?"

Betsy nodded her head, placing the glass back down. "SANDS is another name for the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society. They're a charity which works closely with persons who have been affected by the death of a baby."

"And how did you come to be involved in this charity. I'm sure there are many which would have appreciated your patronage."

"It's a matter very close to my heart." Betsy paused for several long moments before she pushed those words past her lips. The ones Nick knew tore her apart each and every time she spoke them. "I lost my son."

The screen beside her flickered to life and her eyes were drawn to it without thought. He watched as his little blonde sucked in a sharp breath as her baby boy appeared on the screen. Nick watched the way she blinked rapidly to attempt to stem the tears which were threatening to fall and felt the impotent frustration of not being able to soothe away her pain.

"He was my heart and he was taken far too soon. The loss of a child is not something I would wish upon anyone. Afterwards I pushed away my friends, my family, and even the man I was married to."

"You were married?" The host jumped in, eager to draw out the gossip. Nick clenched his hands even though he knew this would come up. The woman was a goddamned vulture.

"I was. And we are not any longer." Betsy smiled before turning to face the camera. "Unfortunately I was not in a very good place after my son died. We were both grieving and, despite how great and supportive my friends and family were, I couldn't get over it. I'm not sure you ever truly get back to normal after losing a child but I know that finding our way out of the all-consuming grief could have been easier if we'd had additional support. That's why I was honoured to become an ambassador for SANDS. They're a charity dedicated to supporting those who have suffered a bereavement and yet they also work on prevention. They look at trying to reduce the number stillbirths and infant deaths though research and studies."

"An admirable cause." The host stated before turning towards the camera and flashed her porcelain smile. "And that's why we here, at the 'Lady who Lunches' show, have decided to support SANDs. We will be hosting a fundraiser on the 15th September in Hyde Park to generate  funds for this cause. To find out more about the event and how you can support SANDS, visit our website as shown on the bottom of the screen."

The host clasped her hands in front of her before glancing back over at Betsy. "That looks like all we've got time for right now. Thank you so much for joining us." She didn't wait for a response before she was staring at the camera once more. "Coming up after the break. We will be meeting with the finalist of Britain's most talented pets. That's right, Sparkles the dancing dog will be right here in the studio ladies and gentlemen." The woman's smile abruptly faded to black as Nick turned off the television.

It was done. Betsy's past was out there for all to see. Hopefully the saboteur would give up now that their trump card had been taken away from them.

Nick swallowed loudly and rubbed nervously at the back of his neck. Somehow he didn't think they would give up so easily.