Chapter two already, huh? Got some old faces popping back up in this one, some of them welcome, others...well...not so much. But it's Lauren, so there is always going to be drama. That's our girl after all!
Mandy, Sooo glad that you're glad to have them back. I've missed being able to write this crazy couple and I have lots of ideas for them that I'm dying to pour out too. It's just finding time to get them all on the page!
Labinnacslove, Hiya *waves* yep, they're back and just as cute as ever. This story is quite a long one too, so there's going to be lots of cuteness before the end of it, oh and craziness, obviously!
Wolfgirl2013, Awww *blows kiss* thank you!
Rebel8954, Well Seth is definitely going to be featured in this story, because I have plans for Seth which I will hopefully reveal in the next story for these two, but yep, as for right now, Dean definitely wants to kill him!
xXBalorBabeXx, Thank you! I'm so glad you're back on board with this crazy pants couple!
Phoenix lord of rebirth, Oooh yay! I'm so glad you're giving them a shot. Basically, all you need to know at this point is that Lauren is Hunter's daughter (she found him last year and things are now a bit strained between them) and that she finds trouble A LOT! Luckily Dean is (nearly always) there to help though! Hope you enjoy!
Skovko, This one is definitely going to be an adventure. But then again, would you expect anything else?! Got another plot twist to throw in on this chapter, to add to the movie and break-in thing!
Minnie1015, Awww, you always know just what to say! Especially considering all the trouble and doubt I had. Thank you *hugs*. Hopefully I'm going to continue my streak with this chapter too!
Guest, Aww, glad you like them. Here comes the second chapter!
Time for Kelly...
Guess Who
Based on the fact that it was genuinely hailing and I had left my waterproof coat hung up back home, the last thing I wanted as I launched into the coffee shop being hounded by a blast of hot summer monsoon, was to have a roomful of strangers staring at me.
"Here she is everybody, my best friend the movie star."
I looked up in horror,
Huh?
Kelly was standing on the far side of the room with her hands out towards me like the host of a late night talk show, welcoming me out to talk about my new book.
Every last head in the place spun towards me and I paused on the threshold with the rain billowing in and with my hair looking like I had been playing with lightning — since summer humidity had never been my friend — and whereupon people quickly realized I was a no one before returning to their lattes and soya milk.
Oh thank god.
Kelly meanwhile was still waving her manicure, so I cut a hastily path towards her table through the buzz, hoping to get there before she opened her mouth again or —
"Laurie, come tell me about your movie."
Maybe not.
I bit on hard the inside of my cheek to stop from screaming then sped my pace up into a breathless sort of trot, while trying to look super casual about it like I sprinted through my local coffee shop the whole time. My boot snagged on a bag and I made a sort of eep noise before completing the last few meters in a lurch, so that I landed hands first in front of my bestie with my nose in a biscotti slice.
Kelly raised a brow,
"Nice entry sweetie but you screwed up the landing so it's only a nine."
Ugh.
How was she so cool?
Because presumably she had come through the same storm that I had, but as per usual she looked like a million bucks, with literally not a lonely blonde strand out of position, whereas I had a hauled-through-a-hedge thing going on.
I pointed to the biscotti,
"I'm going to be needing that and possibly a hot cocoa."
Kelly pushed the plate my way and then smirked uber smugly as one of the serving girls bustled over holding two mugs of steaming beverage in her hands, which she placed before us as I stripped loose my raincoat and then peered over the brim.
Bingo.
Hot cocoa with cream.
"Kelly I've told you I love you before right? Because sometimes I feel I need to say it more, or possibly organize some sort of parade for you so that everyone can bask in your wonderous best friend glow."
Kelly nodded back,
"Well, I am pretty wondrous and modest too naturally."
"Naturally," I concurred before putting a hand out to say hello to my godson who was parked beside the table in his stroller looking cute. Not to mention that he was trying to eat his own knuckle because — much like his papa — the kid liked his food. Kelly handed over a rusk to keep him happy and then leaned in looking serious.
"Laurie, tell me everything."
I blinked,
"Um, okay. Do you mean about the movie or — ,"
"Duh of course I mean the movie," Kelly shot back with a roll of her eyes, like it should have been obvious to anyone with brain cells, "I mean it's not like my bestie goes off to Hollywood every day."
"So, I feel I should remind you we shot it in Canada."
But in the grand scheme of things that was hardly the point, since the pivotal part was that I had been in a movie, which honestly even I had to pinch myself about, so no wonder my long time best friend was in raptures.
"Laurie, I'm going to need the storyline now."
I paused,
"I'm not sure I'm allowed to — ,"
"Now Laurie."
I held my hands up with a grin then took a breath,
"Um, okay, so I play a woman whose bad guy of a father gets murdered by some cops which, oops, okay kind of might be a spoiler but it happens at the beginning so probably not."
Kelly snorted,
"Huh. Having a bad guy for a father sounds horribly familiar."
I hummed a noise back since I knew she was referring to my real life parent which was basically a sore point no matter where it was brought up, considering that when it came to being a father Hunter Hearst Helmsley was basically the worst. Swallowing down a lump I pushed away my biscotti before returning to the movie which was much safer ground.
Hmm. Now whereabouts had I got to?
Oh, right.
"Um, so basically I head on down to the precinct because I think the police murdered him or something like that and which is where I bump into the handsome lead character who suspects the bad guys too and has evidence."
"Handsome huh?"
"Ridiculously beautiful — criminally really."
Kelly blew a snort out then took a sip of chai tea which I copied by supping my way superior hot cocoa before then grinning like a lunatic because we were talking about Dean.
He'd been stood in the kitchen as I had left to meet Kelly but in his workout clothes looking hot and sweaty from his run, which was probably why I had then tweaked his butt cheeks,
He had lifted a brow,
"M' pretty sure that's sexual assault."
"Even when it comes with this innocent expression?" I had pouted in return, poking my bottom lip out and then fluttering my lashes so hard it had made me woozy and I'd had to brace on the counter for support.
My husband had snickered then pulled me towards him with one of his broads hands lazily hooked over my hip which I had gone with super willingly, breathing his scent in, happy in the knowledge that every bit of it was mine and then shuddering as he loosened his husky tones against me which made me resonate like crazy.
Especially down there.
"Looks like I got me a kinky little wife, huh?"
"I'm innocent I tell you."
"No you're fuckin' not," Dean had grinned before fixing me a kiss so loving and hungry it had sucked the breath clean out of my mouth and then made me tiptoe myself up even higher so I could push myself harder up into his lips. By the time we had parted I'd been so utterly breathless my head had been spinning.
"God I hate you sometimes."
"Why."
"Because I'm supposed to meet Kelly, but now I want sexy time which is totally your fault and — okay I mean, I have a couple of minutes before I need to be leaving the house and besides, she probably knows I'm going to be late anyway so I guess that could work."
"Princess, whoa — ,"
Dean had leaned forward to catch my lips a second time but only to stop me from blabbering on, which was something I could have had a bachelors degree in. But he had a masters in shutting me up. He had turned me towards the hallway then handed me my car keys which I had blinked at in bewilderment.
Wait. No sexy time?
It's possible I may have even pouted a little,
"I knew it, two months in and you're already bored of me. Ugh, this marriage is a nothing but sham."
I had waved my hands melodramatically for emphasis as my husband had prodded me towards the porch of my childhood home, which was our go to base whenever we stopped over, or had time to kill having finished shooting a film.
Everyday stuff.
Dean had pulled me to a halt by the back of my belt loops and I had squeaked then pillowed backwards into his chest. His lips had found my neck as I had reached back to card his tangle,
"Princess,"
"Yes husband?"
"Let's get one thing fuckin' straight, because you are like, the least borin' person in history. I mean honestly? I freakin' love you in spite of that crap. An' secondly. No, you know what, there is no second. I love you like crazy, now go have fuckin' lunch."
How in the world had I gotten so lucky?
Huh?
Loose biscotti crumbs bounced off my head and I started then blinked into a pair of cool blue peepers. Only not the sexy ones belonging to my man, because instead my ever persistent best friend was gazing back at me wearing a knowing smirk.
"Is someone dreaming about their man?"
I blushed into my cocoa mug,
Uh oh. Busted.
"Maybe," I mumbled, "But only because he was wearing his running shorts, which kind of hang way too low off his hip bones which means that his gorgeous butt is just there looking like it sort of wants to be pinched honestly and so earlier I may have, oh — ,"
I broke off with a blink.
Because a tiny little boy had come to stand beside our table and was peering up at me with his thumb in his mouth and a curious little expression on his features, which was troubling because how much had he heard? He had a snort bubble too which billowed large on his out breaths before being sucked back which was fantastically gross.
Kelly leaned towards him smiling maternally,
"Hey kid, get outta here."
"Kelly — ,"
I hissed as the snot bubbly munchkin gasped over his thumb tip then hastily scrambled back towards his chatting mom, who was bouncing an even smaller baby on her kneecap and clearly had no concept that her eldest had even gone.
Pre-empting my horror, Kelly held a brisk hand up,
"Laurie I had to — ,"
"You monster."
"Kid needs to learn and if his own mother won't teach him that random strangers are bad news then I'm sorry but I will and come on besides, that brat was basically a walking biological hazard, which is the last thing I need when I'm trying to conceive."
I instantly choked on a mini marshmallow.
What?
"Did you say — did you say conceive?"
My best friend blushed, which was frankly so unlike her that it told me in a heartbeat how much getting pregnant meant, not to mention how much motherhood had clearly changed her — notwithstanding snotty kids who came to stand beside her seat. Letting out a squeal I practically launched myself towards her and then enveloped her completely in a bone breaking hug while gabbling like a lunatic.
No —
Like the wife of a lunatic.
"Kel, oh my goodness, this is literally the best thing ever, because Roger is going to a kickass big bro — oh — besides which I cross my heart promise I'll be an even better godmother the second time around, because I'm guessing you can be a godmother more than once here. Um, provided you still want me to be one that is?"
Kelly snorted and then rolled her blue eyes at me,
"Dear lord woman, be chill."
"Um, so is that a yes?"
"Laurie of course it's a yes you big moron, I mean for god sakes you've been my best friend since we were three. If I had twenty kids you'd be godmother to all of them," Kelly paused then winced, "Not that I am having twenty kids, because can you imagine the death of my vagina?"
Eww —
Pulling a face I pushed my biscotti back and was about to respond with a cheerful no thanks, when suddenly my sister-from-another um mister, blew a breath out and then snatched up her coat,
"Damn it, time to go."
Huh?
Following her eyeline I found myself blinking at the snot encrusted little boy, who at long last had clearly made his mother remember him but who was pointing at Kelly and blubbering up a storm. Frankly it sounded a lot like hot babble, but it was obviously a babble that his parent was fluent in since she slowly looked over and —
"Laurie get moving."
Kelly was already halfway across the shop, hovering on the threshold and windmilling me towards her like she was calling some sort of Boeing plane in to land. Hurriedly I polished off the rest of my cocoa and then scampered towards her trying to tug on my coat and brushing off the last few remains of biscotti.
"I'm coming, I'm coming."
Back outside the rain had stopped and a hazy summer sun was busting through the washout which put a newly happy little spring into my step, because honestly what was there not for me to smile about?
Husband —
Best friend —
Beloved hometown —
Every last box on my imaginary bingo card was ticked to completion and plus there was a brand new godchild in the mix. Or nearly in the mix, but he or she still counted and so to that end I blew out a happy little breath before turning to try and catch up with my bestie who basically had supermodel long legs while mine were more like stumps.
But instead I crashed into someone as they stepped from a store,
"Ooh god sorry. That was totally my fault and — ,"
"Lauren?"
Crud.
My heart lurched up into my gullet and then stayed there for a while fully stoppering up my lungs, since I would have known the baffled sounding tones nearly anywhere and had spent nearly ten years hearing them moaning before.
Because there, stood before me was my once beloved boyfriend, who it turned out I had never really much loved at all.
Particularly when he had tried to drunkenly grope me.
I squeaked at him,
"Andy?"
But then why was I surprised? Because not only we were standing in our shared childhood hometown — which I presumed was where his very sweet parents still lived — but also because when it came to my life in general, I should have known that there was always a waiting speed bump somewhere, which usually took the form of my stepmother or father.
But why not my ex-boyfriend?
In many ways he looked the same, by which I meant he seemed too rigid to be human or like he was waiting for an interview perhaps, but he had grown a bushy moustache plus a goatee, which I felt the need to tell him,
"You have facial hair."
Ugh.
It was literally the gold standard worst opening ever and I cringed as he blinked back a couple of times, before loosely tapping a hand to his stubble like maybe even he had forgotten it was there, but which in hindsight was probably nervousness. Not that I cared a whole lot about his nerves considering how much I was freaking out inside.
Andy had groped me.
He had broken my elbows.
Both of which were then the reasons I bodily tensed as he stepped in towards me with a look of bewilderment and opened his mouth,
"Lauren — ,"
"I have nothing to say to you."
It came out a little more blurted than I wanted but if nothing else then it summed up my feelings at least, because the last time I had seen him had been nine long months earlier, back when he had let himself into my house and proceeded to make out like the biggest butthole in history while apologizing for being an even bigger butthole before. Dean had kicked him out and since then there had been nothing. So what was there to say?
My best friend seemed to agree,
"Oh hell no."
Having noticed me not beside her she had turned back to find me and then evidently laid eyes on our unwelcome guest, who she had pretty much been hankering to punch in the ballsack ever since the push that had broken my arm and which based on the way she was stalking back towards us, was more than likely going to happen.
"Congratulations."
"Huh?"
"People keep talking about you getting married, so, um, congratulations," Andy offered with a shrug, because in spite of my incoming best friend turned wrecking ball who was fixing to ram her stroller into his knees, my one time sweetheart was pressing on with the conversation like we were old buddies.
Um. Yeah. Not so much.
"Don't you mean congratulations on marrying the meathead?" I fired back, "Because I'm pretty sure that's what you called him last time. In between breaking in and bellowing at me that is — oh and not to mention the whole threatening to sue us thing."
Kelly whooped loudly,
"You tell him sweetie, give him both barrels."
I had no clue what that meant but presumed it meant to keep on being ballsy, which I was more than on board with. Andy blinked back and it hit me that he had probably never seen me being gutsy, since I had spent most of my life being kind of a little mouse. But then that had been before the multiple kidnappings and the never-ending chaos, so no wonder I had changed.
He cleared his throat awkwardly,
"I know — I know I said that, which was wrong of me. I apologize. I take it all back, but I was kind of working through a few issues back then and I made the mistake of thinking alcohol would help. But that's still no excuse, which is why I wanted to thank you."
I blinked in bewilderment.
Um, curveball.
"What? You — did you say you wanted to thank me?"
"For making me realize that I needed to fix my life and become a better person," Andy nodded deeply as I gaped back at him. Because, I mean, he wasn't serious, right ?
Kelly thought not,
"Oh come on. This is pathetic. Did you honestly think we would buy this steaming crap?"
In response to her hostility Andy pulled out his cell phone — which took a beat because it was caught up in his eternal suit folds — before thumbing through some images then holding it towards us. Andy's smiling peeked back out from the screen, with his head pressed in against a blonde person who I couldn't see too well because his thumb was in the way.
I blinked at it,
"Um — ,"
"In case you're wondering," he offered out grandly, "That is Toni, my new partner."
"Partner?" I barked, because even though I had no romantic interest in Andy — none, no make that even less than none — being presented with the fact he had moved on from me was thoroughly weird to say the very least and made my stomach kind of turn over.
Toni?
Andy nodded,
"We've been dating for three months and that is the reason that I wanted to say thank you, because the old me would never have taken the chance. But seeing how mismatched and yet happy you and Dean are made me dare to be different."
I blinked and —
Hold up.
"Wait, did you say mismatched?"
Rolling her eyes Kelly blew a brief huff out and then stepped towards me,
"Come on sweetie, enough. He had his chance to make it up to you a million times now, so screw it and screw him and his new fuck buddy okay? Because I swear if I have to listen to one more word of this, I'm taking off my heels so I can fuck a bitch up."
Andy moved forward to stop us,
"Lauren — ,"
"Uh, buh-bye now," Kelly chirped back, before speeding us past with one hand around the stroller and the other pressed hard into the small of my back, as she cursed and muttered and swore revenge repeatedly. Because what she lacked in eloquence she made up for in spunk.
For a second or two I simply let her propel me — because my brain was a crazily whirring bundle of mush — but then I stopped and turned on the sidewalk, like I needed to check something and sure enough there he was. My one time love looking back at me forlornly, but blankly at the same time and impossible to read.
Maybe he was a good guy now.
Maybe he wasn't.
But either way he would never be Dean and remembering that fact and remembering my husband shot me through with purpose and a sudden burst of fire, because Toni was welcome to keep my ex-boyfriend.
After all, I had prime ribs waiting at home.
Hauling a breath in I pulled myself taller and then prepared to spin away on my heel a final time and possibly even with a confident hair flick of the type I had watched the female wrestlers use, because what better time to become a real diva? But unfortunately however I missed the incoming truck, oh and also the huge massive puddle that it was steaming towards.
Kelly squeaked,
"Laurie look out."
But, nope —
No good. Because as I turned back towards her, I basically turned into the incoming swell, which rose up like a scene from The Perfect Storm or something then enveloped me completely in a freezing cold flood and then made me channel my inner Dean for a second as I loudly and forcefully used his favorite word.
"Fuck."
Yay, Kelly's back! Can't have a new Lauren and Dean story without Kelly. Am I right or am I right (I really hope I'm right!)
Next week Lauren tells Dean about her encounter. I'll give you two guesses about how he takes the news!
