Because of My Best Friend

BONUS CHAPTER

**Halloween Special**

*KELSEY POV*

“Tell me why we aren’t too old for this again?” my amazing, yet somewhat duller friends asks.  I poke my head out of my bathroom as Justine walks in wearing her short bright red ‘wedding dress’, complete with red lace gloves, looking all kinds of pouty, but she pulls it off the dress well. 

I smile and get excited all over again, turning back to the mirror to straighten my hair.  “Because we are in our prime!  Might as well look as sexy as we can before we get all wrinkly.”  I glance over at her again, seeing her lift up the bottom of the dress at the many layers it took to puff it out.  “I can’t believe he got you to wear that,” I say with a smirk.

“Oh that’s bullshit.  You know very damn well how much he dreaded this thing, but then you give him the idea from his favorite Halloween movie, then BAM!  I had to be Lydia…. There was no telling him no!” she whines. 

It’s true.  After I found out Aidan actually had a favorite Halloween movie, I totally sold her out.  Who knew his inner child wanted to dress up as Beetlejuice?

“Oh well, you look good.  I think he’ll be pleased.”  I finish off a coat of red lipstick and pucker my lips together.  “Now!  Time to get dressed!”

Justine picks up my outfit bag and frowns.  “I thought you and Tanner were going as the Flintstones?”

I lean against the doorway staring at the slutty ‘gangsta’ outfit, trying to ignore the tightening in my stomach.  “Psh, you know that wasn’t serious Just…. That was just a lot of talk,” I say, waving my hand in the air.

“Kels, it's been 4 mont---”

The doorbell rings and I perk up.  Talk about saved by the bell. 

Even though Tanner and I aren’t in a relationship, I can still get excited about seeing him, right?  I tighten up my robe and rush to the door.  I open it up and my stomach drops.

“Babe!!!” Tanner says excitedly.  He picks me up and twirls me around, causing me to laugh.  When he puts me down, he kisses me hard, like he always kisses me.  I melt every single time.

When we finally break apart for breath, he’s all smiles.  That’s the best thing about him.  He’s 100% happy about who he is, what he does, and who he’s with.  I’ve never met a man with as much excitement for life as he does.

Then I really look at him and realize he’s in his Fred Flintstone costume.  I try my best to keep my smile in place.  I glance over to Justine as she’s being embraced by Aidan.  She’s giving me a small smile, knowing what I just realized. 

Not even paying attention, Tanner suddenly drags me to my room, and before I can stop him, he looks at my bed where my costume is and frowns.  “Oh… I, uh… I thought we were going to Fred and Wilma?”  Before I could even get a word in, he leans in, kisses my check and turns around.  “I’ll wait for you out in the living room while you change.” 

When my door shut, my heart breaks.  The tone in his voice did a complete 180, and I hate that I caused it. 

Truth is, I did get the Wilma costume the week he mentioned it, but I didn’t know how serious he was about dressing like a couple, not until I saw him at the door at least.  I didn’t know how serious he is with me.  It’s mostly my fault.  In the beginning, I wanted to keep everything casual, to avoid feelings, and avoid getting hurt.  And we basically never discussed it since. 

Tanner isn’t a man you could just date.  He’s the real deal, and that scares the living s**t out of me.  I would never recover if something happened between us.  

David, the man before Michael…. I thought I loved him.  Then when after a year he didn’t do anything for our anniversary, I asked him where he saw us going, and the man crushed my heart.  He didn’t see me as a wife or mother, and thought we were just dating… but I wanted, and deserved more.  After that break up, I did a lot of things I’m not proud up, resulting in the town’s wariness of my moods after any breakup, and eventually… I lost a piece of myself. 

I wasn’t expecting a guy as great as Tanner to enter my life so soon after my last break-up, and I didn’t handle it well.

“Now tell my why both you and Tanner look like someone bought you a sick puppy that needs to be put down?” 

It’s only my best friend’s words that made me realize I’m standing in front of my mirror with tears glistening in my eyes.

She walks up, rustling dress and all, and hugs me from behind, making a tear fall down my cheek.  “What is it Kels? You know I hate it when you’re sad,” she says unhappily.  Apparently, I’m making everyone sad today.

“I didn’t know how serious he was Justine.  When he saw my costume on the bed… ugh!  You should have seen his face!”  The more I look at it, the more I hate the idea of wearing it.  I walk over and plop my ass down on top of it and put my head in my hands.  “I like him so much Just.”

She comes over and sits next to me, putting an arm around my shoulder.  “He likes you too Kelsey.  Like, a lot.  Anyone with eyes could tell how compatible you are with each other.”

“I’m scared….  What if… what if something happens?”

She squeezes me tighter as another tear rolls down my face.  “Well, for one, he would never, ever cheat on you Kelsey.  Tanner is a good man.  He might be the end game for you, ya know?  You just have to give you both a chance for something good to happen.  I love you, and you deserve happiness Kels.”

I dry my eyes, knowing I messed up my makeup, and hug my best friend.  “I love you too girl.”  I stand up and look and the mirror and laugh at myself.  Looking a complete fool.   “Could you tell him to come get me in 10 minutes?”

*

*

*TANNER POV*

“Well, have you told her how you feel?”  The asshole with a shitty face paint job asks, handing me a beer.  If it wasn’t for his striped suit, no one would know his costume is.  I honestly don’t feel like drinking tonight.  After seeing that Kelsey wasn’t dressing up with me, all the excitement I had for tonight went out the window. 

I’ve never liked a woman so much before.  We instantly clicked, and she’s just as fun, if not more, than I am.  But I want more than that.  I could see us having a real future together, if only she would give me a chance, but we’re just ‘casually’ dating, if you can call it that.  I know she’s scared of getting hurt again, but can’t she see how great we are together?

“I don’t want to push her.” 

My best friends mouth thins.  It’s rare that I get so solemn over anything, and he doesn’t know how to handle it.  Hell, I don’t even know how to get out of this depressing mood.  I can’t fake happiness for s**t.

Justine walks into the kitchen and hugs Aidan from behind, both completely unaware on how much they actually love each other.  They are both disgustingly amazing together, and haven’t even been going out that long.  And all I want to do is tell the whole world Kelsey’s mine and feel complete with her.

“Could you go get Kels, Tanner?   She should be out here by now,” Justine says with a smile.  I look up and realize I’ve been in my own thoughts for awhile now.   

I nod my head absentmindedly while getting up.  It only takes a few steps to get to her door, and I knock while turning the knob to open it.  “Kels.. you re---”  I stop mid-sentence, my heart pausing and beating fast at the same time.  

I see her standing in the middle of her room, in her orange wig, bright red lipstick, and the white dress of a Wilma costume.  She’s wearing a shy smile that she’s never given me before, and I’m pretty sure I fall in love with her at this second.

I shut the door behind me quickly, wanting this moment to myself.  “I thought that you---”

“And I thought that you didn’t,” she whispers out.

“But I do,” I rush out, walking up to her an pulling her body to mine. 

“Do you really?” she says, looking into my eyes with uncertainty.  I know we are talking more than just the costumes right now.  I really want to say ‘I yabba dabba doo’, but I want this to be a serious moment for us, for her.  Her red eyes tell me she’s been crying- possibly worried that I would hurt her.  I’d rather die than to cause her pain.

I cup her face gently and lean in to give her lips a soft kiss, closing my eyes to feel everything that’s her.  “I like you a lot Kelsey.  Possibly be in love with you.  I want us to happen so damn bad.  Will you please date me?”

I finally get the courage to open my eyes, and she’s there, right in front of me, with the biggest smile on her face that lights up my life.  Thank god my confession didn't run her off.  She wraps her arms around my neck and jumps.  I don’t hesitate to grab her legs as they wrap around my body.  She crushes her lips to mine and it feels so right… so damn right. 

I lead us onto the bed, and pull her to be on top- both of our favorite position.  She leans up with a smile still on.  “I like you too Tanner.”  She leans down to kiss me.  “So.” Kiss. “Much.” Kiss. “and I would love to date you baby.”  I hold her tightly to me as we make out like a pair of horny teenagers.  Hearing her giggles and moans are the best part about my day.

“Mmmm, Tanner?”

“Yea baby?”

She kisses my neck and brings her lips to my ear, causing me to shiver.  “I’m not wearing any panties.”

Damn.  This woman is going to be the death of me.

**45 mins later**

“It’s about time you two!  For the ones who are forcing us to go to this party, you sure are running a tad late,” Justine scolds.  But by her flushed face with face paint smudges, and the way Aidan is refusing to look at me, I’d say she’s more pissed about us interrupting their fun.  What can I say, my friend is one kinky bastard.

“Sorry guys, my girlfriend and I had some celebrating to do,” I say with a cheeky grin.  Kelsey hand is laced with mine as she leans on my shoulder looking up at me with nothing but happiness on her face.

“About time!!” both of our friends say. 

We all share a laugh and a drink before heading out to the party.  The whole night, Kelsey and I can’t keep our hands off of each other.  What can I say?  My girl is insatiable, and I love showing the world that she is, indeed, my girl.