Accidental Night with the Wrong Bartender

Jayden’s POV

I had grown a subconscious dislike for airports. I always felt like I was leaving something important behind.

It started over seven years ago when I lost the love of my life. I thought I had gotten over it, but five years ago, it started again, and I hadn't been able to shake the feeling off. It began that morning five years ago when I woke up and couldn't see the mysterious lady who had found a way into my bed.

I should have looked for her a bit more than I tried to... I knew that.

But I didn't.

She just crashed into my world, tampered with it...and my celibacy and then disappeared.

But then did I regret it?

No.

It had been seven years since I lost the only woman for me... five years another crashed into my life...

Love wasn't meant for me.

I cleared my throat and then shook my head. Anytime I got to an airport, all these memories always rushed in.

Letting out a sigh, I adjusted my cufflinks as I walked through the private terminal, my assistant trailing behind me with a tablet clutched to his chest. The jet was already prepared. I was leaving this country today.

  Nothing else did.

  “Your flight departs in twenty minutes, Mr. Bryes,” Dion said.

  I nodded without slowing.

  That was when something small slammed into my leg.

  Hard.

  I stopped abruptly.

  A sharp gasp followed, then a soft thud as something... no, rather, someone... hit the floor.

  "Mianhaeyo..." a small voice cried pitifully.

  Was that... Korean?

  I looked down, my brows furrowed.

  A boy sat on the polished floor, tears pooling in his eyes, his small hands pressed to his knee. He couldn’t have been more than five years old.

  He was acting as though I had hit him when he had clearly bumped into me.

  Before I could say anything, another child rushed forward, and he immediately went to hug the first, covering his face with his body.

  "Mummy said you should speak English." He scolded which only made the other kid cry even louder.

  “Don’t cry,” the second boy said urgently, crouching beside him. He patted his back, sounding a bit annoyed. “Mama said crying makes it worse.”

  I watched with amusement.

  They were twins.

  Fraternal... but unmistakably so. Same height. Same eyes. Same dark hair. One had dimples when he frowned.

  I never liked children. I had always considered them a distraction, an unnecessary disturbance.

  Even when I was with Jane, I never considered having children and she respected my decision.

  But watching these twins... I felt something tighten in my chest.

  I didn’t know why I reacted the way I did.

  I rarely did.

  But before my assistant could step in... I took a step forward, and then slowly I buckled my knees and knelt in front of the crying kid.

  The boy who had fallen froze when he saw me up close, his crying hitching into small, shaky breaths. His brother stared at me openly, unafraid.

  “Does it hurt?” I asked. My voice sounded unfamiliar to my own ears. It came out softer than I had intended... I didn't even know I was capable of speaking so calmly.

  The boy absentmindedly nodded, his eyes fixed on me.

  I stretched out my hand, and then hesitated midway... I didn't know how to do this, but I wanted to.

  Slowly I placed my hand on his head and parted it. gently

  He stopped crying.

  Just like that and just stared at me.

  Both boys stared at me now, wide-eyed, studying my face as if trying to figure out something important.

  'Jayden what are you doing?' I snapped back to my senses, then I straightened quickly.

  “Where are your parents?” I asked.

  Both turned to look at themselves for a few seconds before returning their gazes to me, and they shook their head.

  "She was on the phone..." The braver one said before pointing at his brother. "He ran, and then I had to chase him. Now I don't know where she is."

  There was something about his accent... It wasn't just a child speaking sloppily; he spoke as though English wasn't his first language.

  But they looked American.

  “Mr. Bryes,” Dion stepped forward and whispered to my ear. “We really should...”

  “I’m not leaving yet.” The words came out cold but final.

  Then I turned back to the boys, I crouched down to their level and asked. “What are your names?”

  “I’m..." The cute one with dimples who had fallen earlier was about to say, but then his brothers nudged him. Forcing him to keep quiet.

  "Mummy said we shouldn't give our names to strangers."

  My chest tightened again.

  I didn’t know why.

  The way the other one spoke, he seemed to be older, but I was certain that they were twins.

  They were... Cute.

  I didn’t have children. I didn’t want them. I was known for avoiding them entirely.

  And yet…

  They looked familiar.

  Uncomfortably so.

  I nodded at the kid, forcing down the urge to pat his head. "You're right. You shouldn't tell your name to strangers."

  He was a smart kid. Just watching them made me wish I had children of my own.

  Maybe if Jane were still alive, that wish would be possible. I would have changed my mind...

  But she wasn't.

  I forced a small smile to my lips. I was about to say something else when I heard someone yell from behind me.

  "Leo? Jake?!" The voice shook a little... As though fearful.

  The cheeky one's eyes lit up, and his lips pulled into a wide grin. "That's mummy!" He pointed behind me.

  Before I could turn around to look, a figure sped past me, walked to the twins, and crouched in front of them.

  "There you guys are!" It was a feminine voice... but somehow, just like the twins, it felt familiar. "You had me worried." She said pulling away from the guy.

  "Don't worry mummy," the other one... the smart one said with a small smile, "...we were with a kind uncle." Then he looked up at me.

  "Thank you so much for..." The mother stood up, turning around to face me.

  As soon as she did, I felt air leave my lungs in shock.

  Her hair was different, it used to be black but now with was light brown and she had bangs covering her forehead, but her eyes... How could I ever forget the look in those hazel eyes of hers?

  The last time it was with pain and lust, the light in her eyes was gone, as though she had given up on life but still wanted this one thing... But now, now there was life in them.

  It made her even more stunning.

  I needed no extra clarification. That was why she felt so familiar... It was... Her.

  The mysterious lady who ignited a fire inside him... She was back.