Second time lucky

10

Britt pov

Three and a half years later.

I woke up to the sound of giggles and smiles.

"Mama wake up." Emeilia's voice called out.

"Not now sweetie." I groaned as the giggling got louder.

"Now mama it's party day!" Connor added.

"Okay, I'm getting up." I replied as I groggily sat up and looked over at the clock. It was 9am. Barely a lie in like I was hoping for, but considering the twins usually were up by seven it was enough.

I heard the front door open followed by the sound of the alarm being deactivated as the kids quickly jumped off my bed and sprang down the stairs.

I slowly climbed out of bed as they yelled "Uncle Kyle." Followed by Kyle laughing and some clattering of bowls.

I pulled on my little pink robe before walking down the stairs. I could hear the kids in the kitchen but as I walked towards them I was pulled into the living room.

His lips were on mine before I could take a breath. Hot and hungry like a tiger catching its prey. I could feel his tongue asking for permission when the kids started yelling and we both pulled away.

"Good morning sunshine." He smiled.

"Morning to you too." I grinned back as he left me in the living room to tend to the kids.

It had taken me two years after Riley disappeared from my life for the second time for me to accept that he wasn't coming back.

Two long years of waiting for even the smallest hint that we could fix everything, that he would let me explain.

I had left him a dozen messages and voicemails, all of which were left unanswered. Averleigh assured me he was alive though, before telling me that she thought I should consider dating someone else.

"Are you crazy?" I asked her at the coffee shop as the twins slept in their strollers.

"No I'm not. Britt I know you love him but you can't keep waiting for him to come back, it's not fair to you which makes it unfair to them." She had motioned at the sleeping twins. "I noticed you still in wear your promise ring."

"Yeah, it helps me get through the hard days." I sighed.

"Look I'm not saying you should jump into something serious, but go on a date or two."

"Averleigh no one wants to date a single mother of almost two year old twins." I objected.

"You know that's not true, I know you can think of one person." She raised her eyebrows.

"That's complicated." I had stated. "I already lost one person I loved, it would kill me to loose the only non family support I have here."

"Britt you can't be scared to let go sometimes. Maybe Kyle can surprise you."

I took the risk that night and after the twins were asleep I called him and asked him to come over, which he did, along with bringing pizza and beer.

It was nice to have him around and the more time we spent together when the twins were sleeping the more I started to notice the little things I had taken for granted before.

One of those things was the distinct eye crinkle he got when he was genuinely smiling or laughing at something. It's almost as if the small crinkled lines were tour guides, directing me to the destination of his eyes.