And what would have pleased him was to pack a bag, load up his dogs and spend the f**king night at the cottage with Belle who he’d make absolutely certain was na**d the vast majority of the time.
However Belle felt it necessary to perform this act of contrition.
He found this odd, he didn’t like it but he’d speak to her about it later.
At that moment, he had another mountain to climb.
“Belle,” he called and he felt rather than saw her eyes turn to him from their study of the landscape.
“Yes?”
“I spoke to Elaine today,” he told her.
There was silence then a hesitant and somewhat confused, “That’s good.”
“About your things,” Jack went on.
“My things?”
“She’s moved them into my room.”
He heard her sharp intake of breath.
“Jack –” she began.
Jack cut her off, “There’s no longer any reason why you or I have to roam the halls in our pyjamas every night.”
“But…” she started and trailed off.
He glanced at her to see she was staring at him. He saw she looked that annoyed confused or a confused annoyed, he again didn’t know which.
He still thought it was adorable and wanted to grin but he bit it back, looked at the road and asked, “Can you give me a reason?”
“A reason for what?”
“A reason why you or I need to be roaming the halls at night.”
There was more silence then a quiet, “No.”
“Good. That’s settled then,” Jack declared decisively.
“Jack!”
“Belle,” Jack said to the windshield.
“What will Elaine think?” she asked and Jack couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing.
When he glanced at her swiftly again, the confusion was gone. She was still staring at him, definitely now just cross, before turning his eyes to the road.
“Poppet, you’re pregnant. I think Elaine has guessed by now we’ve been sexually active.”
There was another moment of silence, she sighed then she asked, “Don’t you think it’s too soon?”
“What’s too soon?”
“Any of it. All of it,” she replied.
He knew what she was asking.