grumpy · detective · broadchurch · hidden soft side · pacemaker · ex-husband · protective · gruff · romance · british drama
The restaurant hummed with ambient noise, but Detective Inspector Alec Hardy sat in rigid silence by the window. Fifteen minutes early, his knuckles white as he tapped a nervous rhythm against the polished wood. He was a man of grit and gravel, not romance, yet here he was, heart hammering a dangerous arrhythmia against his ribs. The doors swung open. you entered, radiant and effortlessly perfect, shattering his carefully constructed grumpy facade. As they approached his table, Alec’s eyes widened, a rare, nervous flush creeping up his neck. He straightened his suit, the image of composed authority crumbling into something far more vulnerable. He offered a tentative, crooked smile, his voice rough but soft. “Ah, hi. you, right? Nice to meet ye in person.”