Effortless (Thoughtless #2)(62)
Author: S.C. Stephens

Chuckling, he told me he loved me too, then hung up the phone. I set it down on my nightstand and stretched out under my covers, remembering him moaning my name. For the time being, I felt completely content and relaxed, and I hoped that it would last.

It surprisingly lasted for a while. I felt on cloud nine as I floated throughout my days. Cheyenne noticed it, asking me if it had anything to do with the rose that I was twirling in my fingers during poetry class. I smiled and nodded at the perky woman. I had no idea how Kellan had managed to pull it off, but every day since our heated moment on the phone, I’d been approached by complete strangers and handed a single red rose. Sometimes it happened here at school, sometimes at work. Once at Starbucks. It was almost like Kellan wanted to make sure that he didn’t miss me again.

It was only the Wednesday after our phone call, and I already had a vase of fourteen at home. If he kept up at this pace, I’d have to buy more vases. And I’d probably have to move out. My sister was being a bear lately and rolled her eyes at every romantic gesture Kellan made. She’d even snipped that the flowers were making the apartment stink. Really? How is that even possible?

I tried not to gloat about it, since she seemed pretty irritated at Griffin’s lack of…everything, but I hoped her mood improved soon. Maybe if it didn’t, I’d go shack up with Denny?

He’d finally found a place to live and it was…impressive. It was a house in a secluded residential area on Queen Anne hill. The places up there were pretty nice, and Denny had an amazing view of the city. My jaw dropped when he’d shown me around.

After class today, I was going to go help him pick out furniture. He had a pretty good eye when it came to decorating, since it sort of went hand-in-hand with marketing, and I think he just invited me along to make sure I was okay.

He hadn’t said anything about my mood improvement since the night I’d cried in his arms, the night he’d found Kellan’s love letter, but Denny watched me like a hawk, waiting for me to breakdown again. I felt bad that I’d caved in front of him, admitted my fears to him, so I think I overcompensated my joyfulness around him, probably making it seem disingenuous. As a result, he called me a lot and invited me out a lot.

I didn’t mind. I enjoyed spending time with Denny…I always had.

As winter quarter was ending, today was the last day of my poetry class. I gave Cheyenne a hug and thanked her for helping me through it. I was sure I’d never have gotten through the flowery language without her help.

"No problem, Kiera. Maybe for our last quarter, we can still get together and study over coffee?"

Knowing my spring quarter was equally just as challenging as this last one had been, I exhaled with a long sigh. "Yeah, definitely." As I waved goodbye to the boisterous blonde, she gave me a warm smile. It was an overly warm smile and it made me frown. The smile had seemed…a little too fond.

Waving goodbye to other friends I had made in the class, I hoped that Cheyenne hadn’t taken a liking to me. I wasn’t sure if she was interested in boys or girls, things like that don’t usually come up in candid conversations. Although, when we talked about Kellan, she often mentioned an ex she’d had, years ago in high school. I was pretty sure that had been a guy. At any rate, I didn’t want to hurt yet another person in my life.

But, then again, maybe I was reading too much into it. Cheyenne was friends with just about everybody in the class. And I wasn’t exactly a drop-dead beauty that everybody lusted after. No, that was Kellan…not me.

Laughing at myself, I headed out to the parking area where Denny was picking me up. Knowing we were shopping together today, I’d left Kellan’s "baby" safely parked at my apartment, with firm instructions to my sister for her to not take it for a test drive. Looking sullen and tired, she’d only shrugged and muttered, "Whatever."

Stepping out of his car as I arrived, Denny cocked his head at me. "What’s so funny?"

Realizing I was still giggling over the idea of yet another person being enamored with me, I shook my head. "Just realizing that I think way too much of myself."

Pursing his lips, Denny shook his head and rolled his eyes. It was an adorable expression and I grinned. "Right, your self-esteem is just…obnoxious." He gave me his charming, goofy grin. "You should really work on your modesty."

I smacked his shoulder, laughing as I opened his car door. Sliding into his creamy, luxurious seats, eagerly anticipating the warming sensation of the heater installed in them, I looked over at Denny as he got in his side. He eyed the flower in my hand as he started the car. "That from Kellan?"

He raised a dark eyebrow at me as I set the flower on the dash. "Yeah," I said, a little dreamily.

"Everything…all right then?"

Hearing the concern in his question, I looked back at him, his dark eyes now concentrating on the road. "I guess. I mean, we haven’t talked yet, but I feel like we’ve taken a step closer together."

Not looking me, Denny said, "But you haven’t talked yet, so nothing’s really changed."

I sighed, twisting to look out the window. "No, no I guess it hasn’t. I don’t really want to talk about it though, Denny."

He sighed a little, then softly said, "Okay, Kiera. It’s your relationship, not mine."

Looking back over at him, I tilted my head. "Speaking of yours…any word on Abby coming over?"

He visibly brightened as he looked back at me. "Yeah, her assignment is wrapping up soon. She thinks she could make it out here by the end of April."

Denny’s eyes filled with a warmth that I was only used to seeing in reference to me. It hurt a little, seeing it in connection to another woman, but it also made me feel good too, in a strange way. Denny was a part of my life, and I loved him. I wanted him happy and she seemed to make him that way. Placing my hand on his knee, I gave him a soft smile. "I’m glad, Denny, I’m sure you’ve missed her."

I instantly wondered if he’d had heated conversations on the phone with her, then thought probably not. That wasn’t Denny’s style. Then again, it wasn’t my style either…and I’d done it. If Abby was anything like Kellan, I supposed she could have opened Denny up to all sorts of new things. In some ways, Denny and I were too alike. The two of us being with people different than us was probably a good thing. Opposites attract and all.

Denny looked down at my hand on his knee, then up to me. He gave me a quick smile but minutely pulled his leg away. I understood and immediately removed my hand. Some things felt too familiar. Some lines shouldn’t be crossed anymore. And being so alike, we both understood that.

Walking through every furniture store downtown, we finally picked out the perfect living room and dining room set. We even picked out a bedroom set. And yes, picking out a bed with your ex boyfriend, knowing that he’ll be using it with his current girlfriend…is weird.

We both had uncomfortable expressions on our faces when the salesman made us sit on a mattress together. But then, when we were lying on our backs, pondering the weird situation we were in, we both looked at each other at the same time and started laughing. It was so weird, it had gone into the realm of amusing.

Laughing on that plastic-coated mattress with Denny, I couldn’t help but wonder what Kellan would say, if he knew where I was and what I was doing. If he could see us, see how there was mainly just friendship between us, he might be okay with it. But me telling him about it over the phone…with no visual to go with the explanation, it just sounded bad, especially since Denny had been here for a few months now. The longer he was here, the harder it was to explain.

Settling on a relatively firm Queen-sized mattress, we picked out the furniture to go with it. It was beautiful, and I was sure Abby was going to love the sleigh bed he’d decided on. Running his hand over the back of it, Denny told me that Abby had this romantic notion of going on a sleigh ride in the dead of winter. Bundling up together under heavy blankets, while a couple of beautiful horses pulled you through banks of pristine snow, light flakes of it dropping on your hair, sounded pretty amazing to me too. I hoped that she thought of that when she saw this bed…and having that thought was weird too.

It was starting to get late when I finally got back to my apartment. After making the preparations for all his new stuff to be delivered, Denny had taken me out for a celebratory dinner. His topic of conversation had all been around Abby, and how excited he was to show her their new place.

I’d smiled politely, happy that he was happy, but a small twinge had gone through me at his home being called "theirs." It didn’t bother me as much as I’d have once thought, though. Probably because Kellan sometimes called his place "ours," and that always brought a smile to my face. I wanted Abby to have the same good feelings, even if I’d never met her.

But walking through my door around ten o’clock that night, I was pretty surprised to find my sister pacing the living room. For one, she didn’t usually get upset enough to pace, and two, I was pretty sure she should have been at work.

Pointing at her as I set my bag on the table, I started to ask why she wasn’t at Hooters. She didn’t even let me get the first word of my question out though. Twisting to me, hands on her hips, she spat out, "There you are. Where have you been? I’ve been calling you forever."

Glancing at my bag, I realized my phone must have died. I hope Kellan hadn’t tried to call. "Uh, I was out with Denny. Why?"

When I looked back at her she was glaring at me. "I don’t know why you hang out with him." I started to defend him when she shook her head and raised her hands, interrupting me. "Look, I don’t really care about you and Denny." Stepping up to me, she grabbed my forearms. Eyes wide, she frantically sputtered, "I’m late, Kiera."

Furrowing my brows, I shook my head. "Okay, well the Honda is here…you could have left for work anytime?" I kept shaking my head, confused. Anna and I hadn’t fought over the car since Kellan had left the Chevelle for me. And honestly, that was here too, if she’d really needed to leave.

Dropping her head back, she gave me an exasperated groan. "God, Kiera, not that kind of late!" Her head snapped back up as her eyes widened. Voice trembling, she slowly repeated, "I’m l-a-t-e."

She glanced at her stomach and my eyes grew to saucers. "Oh my God, you’re pregnant!"

Shushing me, she looked around our completely empty apartment. Like she didn’t want the dust bunnies to hear, she murmured, "I don’t know…but I’m freaking out."

Shock dropping my mouth wide open, I asked her all the questions floating around my head. "How late? When was your last period? How far along are you? Who was the last guy you were with?" Pausing a second, I raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you know who the father is?"

Glaring at me, she dropped my arms and started smacking me. "Yes! I know who the father is…bitch."

Attempting to block her hits, I backed up a step. "Sorry. Jesus, Anna." Successfully stepping out of her range, I held my hands up. "Don’t kill me for saying this, but you don’t always stick to just one guy."

Her lip trembled and her perfectly green eyes filled with tears. Dropping her head into her hands, she started to cry. Feeling bad, I quickly put my arms around her and held her to me. Between sobs she got out, "I know…but I’ve…only been with one lately…and…oh God, Kiera…"