Second time lucky

48

Riley's pov

I should have seen it coming. I should have known better. The date had been so perfect, we had reconnected in a way that felt so much deeper than it ever had before.

I expected to come home and say goodbye to Courtney, I knew she would be waiting for me before she left. The plan was to say goodbye and then drive Britt and the kids home and figure out our next step together after one of the best nights of my life.

The problem is that expectations barely relate to reality. We had walked through the door to see Courtney at the bottom of the stairs with her luggage. Guess she is ready to leave.

Britt left us alone, eager to see the kids as I tried to keep the conversation as platonic and friendly as possible.

"I guess it's time to go." I smiled at her.

"Yeah, thanks for letting me stay. It meant more than you know." She smiled before pulling me into a hug. "I'm going to miss you." She squeezed me and I felt slightly uncomfortable by how tightly her body was pressed against mine.

"I'll miss you too." I chuckled.

That's when she did the thing that friends didn't do, the one thing that was off limits. She kissed me. I didn't know what to do. It was as if I had forgotten how to move, the shock overwhelming me for a brief moment.

When I felt her tongue against my lips it finally registered that I needed to get her off of me. I didn't like Courtney in that way and I never would. I pushed her gently away from me, preparing to break it to her easy. I didn't want to upset her but she needed to know it wasn't reciprocated.

To my surprise she seemed to be looking over my shoulder at something else. Someone else.

Britt.

Fuck.

I tried to stop her Britt from leaving but I knew that before I would get the chance, I needed to get rid of Courtney. The pain in Britts eyes told me that she wasn't going to speak to me while Courtney was still here. I can't say I blame her.

Once my mom had left with Britt and the kids, I carried Courtney's luggage to her car.

"Why did you kiss me?" I asked her.

"I like you Riley, a lot." She touched my arm and I carefully pulled it away causing her to frown. "Is it her?"

"Courtney, I like you too. Look you're cool and we joke around, but I've been in love with Britt since I was a kid. There won't ever be someone else for me." I explained as her face suddenly scrunched up and something dark flashed behind her eyes.

She snatched her bag away from me and walked past me before throwing the bag in the car and turning to face me.

"You know what Riley, I pity you. What kind of a pathetic man leaves the woman he supposedly loves and then comes back four years later just to ruin the happy new life she built? Oh wait, that was you! You're not worth the effort and one of these days she's going to realize it too?" She spat before swiftly climbing in her car and speeding down the driveway.

I wish her words made me feel anything at all, but they didn't. I didn't care what she thought of me. I cared what Britt thought of me and I knew I needed to call her, needed to explain.

First I needed to warn Steven. He was right all along about Courtney's intentions and if I knew Courtney as well as I thought I once had, he would be her next stop whenever she got back.

"Steven?"

"Dude I don't really want to- "

"Look I'm sorry. You were right."