Best Friend Next Door (Love Next Door Book 2) *Rough Draft*

Chapter 9

With her laptop on her lap and magazines spread out on her full sized bed she planned a wedding she was praying would defy the odds like the love that it binded.  Melanie had a second career choice if this play thing didn't work out. The down side was, she was planning a wedding she wasn't certain was going to be happening. She had hoped it was. Mr. Abe had always been resourceful and resilient. She was optimistic to say the least. 

A knock on the door drew Melanie's attention to the time. It was almost dinner time, she had lost track of time on pintrest. Filling a board with do-it-yourself garden wedding ideas. 

"Come in." She called out, kicking herself for not showering before dinner. Her eyes didn't leave the computer screen. "I'll be down in a minute." she said to what she thought was one of her sisters.

Her eyes traced upward to find a pair of icy blue orbs that caused her to catch her breath, her lips instantly quirked at her best friend in the entire world. "Hey."

She giggled, "Hey." She said softly. 

"Don't worry, I came early to check on you."

She rolled her eyes, "Sure you did Shaggs."

He closed the door, and  sat on the edge of the foot of her bed pining her legs a little but even touching him under the covers was comforting. It was as if she was seeing her best friend for the first time. "Wow! You look...like you need a break."

She leaned her head against the headboard, "and a shower," she laughed, "I think I lost track of time." Her eyes trailed into his again and lowered down to his lips and then his chest that had buffed up considerably since she had last seen him. She shook it off. "You better not let Valerie catch you in my room." She teased. 

His eyebrow quirked and she had almost regretted blurting it out, "I could always call my dad to give us another birds and bees lecture, you know in case you forgot how everything worked." He chuckled.

Melanie rolled her eyes remembering the first day she'd met her best friend. She giggled. 

He placed his hands on each side of her legs and leaned in, "You already know I'd never force myself on you, but I can't be held responsible of what you do. Like our first kiss."

She crossed her arms with a smile feeling the heat rise on her neck.

"Funny, I remembered someone else initiating that kiss, but someone told her dad that I forced myself on her." He teased. 

She bit her lip with a smile, "I plead the fifth."

"Come on, you kissed me and you know it, and I stood by and took the blame."

"You had to take the blame." She giggled, "My dad made you so nervous you couldn't get a word out."

He sighed rolling his eyes. Melanie knew his stutter was a sensitive subject. She always thought it was cute. "Touche." He said, "But I still took the fall, and even had another long lecture from my dad about forcing myself on a girl. Maybe that's why he laughed at me when I told him you kicked me in the nuts."

Melanie covered her mouth and giggled. "I'm sorry, but my dad gave me a lecture too about getting pregnant too early and ruining my life."

"Bubbles, you were nine."

"You proposed to me and you were ten. What did you think that meant to be married?"

"I didn't know, I was just happy to be able to live with you in my tree house and kiss you all day long." He smiled. 

Melanie rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the fluttering in her belly. Why had that still made her crazy? Why had he still made her crazy? "Yeah, and then you found out about sex."