Second time lucky

53

Riley's pov.

She was so perfect, so beautiful, even when she was drunk and mumbling random things. I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with how much I loved every single piece of her, the crinkle between her eyebrows, the subtle pout of her lips, or the way her hair fell in its blonde and red waves around her face as she slept.

There wasn't a single woman on this earth that could hold a flame beside her, at least not in my eyes. She was all I had ever wanted since high school and she would forever be all that I wanted.

I carefully took off her shoes, changed her into one of my shirts and tucked her in under the blankets. Then I went downstairs and filled up a glass of water for her for when she woke up.

She had never mentioned that she still drank, or even liked drinking. I mean I had seen her drink a few times, a couple sips here and there, and even in high school she would party, but never get black out wasted - at least not that I remembered.

When I got back upstairs I put the water on the table and slipped into the bed beside her. I just wanted to hold her, hold the woman I love more than anything close to me and feel her breathing steadily beside me.

I wish things were different, that I had stayed with her all those years ago. I wish I had never let Courtney come to stay. We had been in a good place before she showed up, a place I was hoping would put an end to splitting the kids between households. Unfortunately it didn't work that way.

We had moved past the incident with Courtney for the most part, and yet there was still a distance between us, a wedge that I knew was going to be difficult to remove.

"I love you." I whispered as I kissed the back of her head and wrapped my arm around her stomach.

I let the steady sound of her breathing ease me to sleep as the feeling of absolute joy washed over me. One day this would be my daily reality and until then I would keep finding ways to prove just how much I loved her, starting with the surprise I had for her tomorrow.

....

When I woke up it was seven in the morning, which meant I had about an hour until the kids woke up if I was lucky. Britt was still steadily asleep beside me and I had a lot of things to get ready.

I shot a quick text to Brett explaining how to set up the surprise for tonight and made my way downstairs to my parents. Everyone but the blabber mouths- aka my sister Anna, and then Ava, were in on the surprise.

I found my parents in the kitchen with my first surprise guests uncle Luke and Allie as well as their bundle of energy.

"Please tell me everything is going to plan?" I asked as my parents just laughed.

"Yes, everyone is on their way, they all know where to go." My dad smiled amused.

"Good, Brett is going to check on tonight's set up. I'm serious I need this to be perfect." I ran my hand through my hair as my mother put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Stop stressing, she is going to love it. Now, go wake up the minions so we can get them fed and ready."

I rolled my eyes playfully as I walked up stairs. This was the foundation of everything I had ever wanted. Family.

I was used to a larger family, and while Britts was smaller, both our families were merged into one long before we even knew what liking someone else was. I couldn't be more thankful, even if we had our moments.

Once everything was set up and the kids were ready, mom took them into the yard while I did the hardest task known to man, wake her up.

There were two ways to do this. One ended with her being mad at me all day, the other only moderately irritated, and while it was fun to get her mad sometimes today wasn't the day for it.

I straddled her over the blankets and leaned down kissing her cheek and neck as she mumbled for me to get off her.

"Get up Britt." I whispered in her ear.

"I don't wanna." She whined as I moved my mouth to that special spot on her neck by her ear.

Hey eyes shot open as she woke up abruptly.

"What are you doing?" She asked frowning slightly.

"Waking you up. I have a day full of surprises for you!" I announced.

"How did I even end up here?" She seemed confused.

"Brett dropped you off last night. Him and Ava stayed in the guest room and left early this morning."

"Oh god!" She groaned "we didn't .. you know?"

"No." I reassured her, knowing she was asking if we messed around. "You were black out drunk and while I did cuddle with you, I'm not into unconscious women." I teased.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry!" She groaned. "Let me get up and shower and I'll be right down." She replied ... "and Riley?" She added as I stood up and walked to the door.

"Yeah?" I turned to look at her.

"Thanks for taking care of me."

"Don't mention it, now get ready because your day of fun is waiting for you?"

"Can I just do it tomorrow?"

"Nope." 

"Fine." She groaned again before getting up.

Once she had disappeared into the bathroom I set out my surprise outfit for her on the bed and closed the door behind me. Then I called the restaurant to make sure that everything was still good to go for dinner.

With my parents help I had rented out the entire top floor of one of the best places around. It was modern and upper class, something Britt loved to be indulged in even if she would never openly admit it.

But that wasn't the best surprise, no. The kids had been asking me for weeks why there were no family pictures of our whole family together. I didn't have the heart to tell them that we got too busy at their birthday, and that we never got together as a complete family.

Instead I arranged for her entire family to come back, planned a scavenger hunt of activities so she could find each group starting with Luke and Allie and ending with her parents.

Then we would all sit down and eat a nice dinner before I took her and the kids home while everyone else stayed with my parents.

If all went well hopefully I wouldn't need to come back here tonight, but I wasn't going to get my hopes too high. I had only spent the night twice since Courtney had left and the first night I slept in the kids room.

Still maybe if I could show her just how much she meant to me, how much her family meant to me then maybe, just maybe there would be a chance to get us back to where we had been before the universe fucked everything up.

I had to try. She was everything to me. Her and the kids. No one was ever going to come between us again, I would make sure of it.

My happily ever after started and ended with her. I would give my each and every last breath to watch her smile, to see her happy.

The moment was here. As she wandered down the stairs wearing that flowing brown dress with the little brown matching pumps.

If I was honest I hated shopping with my sister but we did a good job between us because Britt looked flawless. Absolutely perfect from her curled hair down to her pale legs that she never could get to tan as dark as everyone else.

As soon as she flashed me that beautiful smile of hers that made me weak at the knees I knew it was time to get the day started.

"Good morning." She smiled.

"Morning, let's get your surprise day started." I grinned taking her hand in mine and pulling her to the door.

I was going to win back my family again. One way or another.