Kourtney Kardashian ‘Didn’t Expect’ Travis Barker Relationship to ‘Turn Romantic’

Kourtney Kardashian never expected her longtime friendship with Travis Barker to turn romantic, but love finds a way, a source told PEOPLE following the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star’s confirmation Tuesday of her new relationship with the Blink-182 drummer. Kardashian is “very happy,” according to the insider, and wanted to make things Instagram official “because it’s something positive.”

“She was single for a while and didn’t expect that their relationship would turn romantic,” the source added of the Poosh founder. “She feels very fortunate. She loves spending time with Travis.” Kardashian and Barker have been friends and neighbors for a long time, living in the same Calabasas, California, community and even bringing in the musician for periodic cameos on the Kardashian family’s E! show.

In January, a source shared with PEOPLE that the two had been dating for around two months after their friendship shifted into something less platonic. “Travis has liked her for a while,” an insider shared. “He’s liked her for a long time and she just got more open to the idea. He’s a good guy and a really great dad,” said a source. “Her family and friends all really like him. Their kids all get along too, which is sweet.”

Kardashian co-parents sons Mason, 11, and Reign, 6, and 8-year-old daughter Penelope with ex-boyfriend Scott Disick, from whom she split after nine years in July 2015. She would then go on to date model Younes Bendjima on and off from 2017 to the summer of 2018 before calling things off for good, and fans thought she might reunite with Disick this summer after the two shared photos from a family vacation, but it turned out to simply be friendly co-parenting. Barker, meanwhile, shares stepdaughter Atiana, 21, daughter Alabama, 15, and son Landon, 17, with his ex-wife, Shanna Moakler, to whom he was married from 2004 to 2008.

Celebrating their first Valentine’s Day together Sunday, Kardashian would go on to make their relationship public two days later. The reality star shared a photo of her hand intertwined with Barker’s on Instagram, and while she didn’t add a caption announcing the romance with her drummer beau, he reposted the image on his Instagram Story and commented a heart emoji just to make things clear. Longtime Kardashian family friend Khadijah Haqq commented on the image, “When friends become lovers,” and TikTok star Addison Rae, who has become close with Kardashian over the past several months, commented simply, “THIS.”