The One She Needed. **complete**

Chapter 15 **Good girls are boring

"What the heck?" Kelsie mumbled under her breath as she watched Eric and Darren looking madder than she'd ever seen either of them. "Hey guys!" She said taking one of each of their hands as she got closer. As soon as they saw her, both boys seemed to make an effort to smooth out their expressions.
"OK, so I have my two favorite fellers,". Kelsie said brightly, "what are we gonna do now?"

"Mom wants me to bring y'all for supper". Eric said, "I need to talk to you both anyway, so why don't we just head to my house?" Kelsie and Darren agreed and they piled into their separate cars to head for Eric's house.

"So to answer your questions", Eric said when they had all settled in his bedroom with plates of tacos. "I'm here on a job and it should last 3 months at least. About two months ago I got a call that made me think I should ask for a stint at home."

"What's up?" Kelsie asked, suddenly concerned. "Is your mom OK?"

"My mom is fine." Eric said, clearly trying to be calm. "The problem was you. When did you become a doormat?" Then he switched his gaze to Darren and added, "and when did you become the kind of asshole who cheats on the best thing that ever happened to him?"

Kelsie's mouth dropped open in shock and Darren said, "who have you been talking to?"

Eric looked at him with disgust and said, "Who doesn't matter. The point is it was somebody who seems to care more about Kelsie than you and he decided it was time to stop the shit and he called me." Kelsie tried to remember where she had heard those words and then her head shot up. Jake. Probably the same night he called her.

"It's all OK now Eric. Really." Kelsie said trying to look happy and completely unhurt. "Really. We're OK."

"Stop trying to protect him, Kelsie." Eric growled, "There's no way you think it's all OK and there is no way you trust him after all that's happened!"

"Of course not!" Kelsie said defensively , "I'm not an idiot Eric!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Now it was Darren's turn to be angry. "So you still don't trust me?"

"Why the hell would she" Eric demanded.

Kelsie held up her hands to calm the boys.
"Darren,". She began calmly, "did you really think one nice date and a promise would undo months of betrayal? You want me to trust you? Be trustworthy. I won't feel bad on this one. You caused it. You have to fix it."

She turned to Eric who looked as shocked at her words as Darren had. "Eric, I love you to pieces, but I don't need you to protect me. I'll get through this. Don't let what's going on with Darren and me effect y'all's friendship." Then she kissed Darren on the nose, kissed Eric on the cheek and went upstairs to help with supper clean up.

After a good visit with Eric's mom, who was still pulling hard for Kelsie as a daughter in law, Kelsie started back down stairs. She stopped at the door because it was clear the boys were arguing, or at least that Eric was mad.

"What the hell?" He yelled. "Are you seriously gonna brag about the sex right after telling me how bad you feel for what you did?"

Darren laughed, but it was a mean laugh that didn't sound like Darren. "Look. You can't blame me for all of this. Kelsie is still putting on that good girl act. She's boring man!! I mean I know you think she's perfect and this sweet little angel, but she's damn boring!! Even in bed. She has so damn many rules! No sex in cars, no sex out side, absolutely no oral..."

"For God sake STOP!" Eric yelled. "I don't want to know this shit. If you're bored, dump her. She'll survive. Hell she'd probably be better off! I promise you there are guys who would be perfectly fine with plain missionary if they were looking down at her!"