Effortless (Thoughtless #2)(7)
Author: S.C. Stephens

Parking in the stall that his Chevelle frequented so often that it was unofficially known as "Kellan’s Spot," he shut off his mechanical baby. If only he could turn me off so easily. I still felt a little worked up. Not the best way to start my shift, and that was probably the real reason why Kellan had done it. He may call me a tease, but that boy enjoyed making me squirm.

I stepped out of his car right as he walked around to open my door. He frowned that I hadn’t waited, then he held his hand out for me. I took it, like I always did, and we walked hand-in-hand to the large, rectangular building where Kellan found peace.

While Pete’s was comforting and familiar to me, it was sort of solace for Kellan. He came here to play, to get away, to socialize, to, at one time, pick up girls, and I think to shut off his mind for a while. I’d disrupted that peace for him when I was working here while we’d been suffering through figuring out our relationship, but the serenity was back now and the lazy smile that curled around his lips as we stepped through the door clearly showed that.

Holding one set of the double doors open for me, he gallantly led me in, kissing my hand as it extended away from him. He generally did something physical when we walked through the door. Sometimes it was a peck on the cheek, sometimes his hand snuck around my waist, but there was always something. Some sort of announcement to the room- I was his.

He’d wanted that when our relationship was secret, and now that it wasn’t, he let everybody know it. Including the sulking bartender who was watching us.

Rita had been here since Kellan first arrived, when he’d come back from L.A. She’d had her sights set on him immediately and, husband-be-damned, sometime in the past few years, she’d successfully had him. It made me a little nauseous. She was at least twice his age, over-tanned leathery skin, over-bleached blonde hair, and a sense of fashion that left nothing to the imagination. I’d never asked Kellan about their hookup. Honestly, I didn’t want to know…ever.

Her lips twisted up when Kellan shifted his head to acknowledge her. All he gave her was a slight incline of a greeting, but you’d think he’d just walked up and licked her by her reaction. All sultry smiles and hooded eyes that were, I’m sure, mentally undressing him, she leaned over the aged bar that ran the length of the wall beside the front doors.

Practically purring, she murmured, "Hey there, Kellan…Kiera." My name was clearly an afterthought.

I smirked at her and twisted to face Kellan. "I have to go put my stuff away. Usual?"

I tilted my head and he ran a finger back through my hair, tucking a lock behind my ear as he bit his lip. It was charmingly attractive. "Yeah, thanks, Kiera."

Smiling at him, I leaned up to kiss his cheek. Not satisfied with a peck, he twisted and found my lips. My face heated, knowing Rita, and a good portion of the rest of the room, was staring, but I let myself indulge in a small moment of PDA. I immediately stopped the moment when I felt his free hand come around to squeeze my backside. Kellan didn’t always do subtle PDA.

Pushing his shoulder back, I pointed at him in warning. Laughing, he shrugged and gave me an I’m innocent smile. It was a complete and total lie, he was nothing near innocent, but it was adorable and I rolled my eyes and laughed as I turned away from him.

As I made my way to the hallway, I passed about five sets of tables that all had their eyes glued on where we’d been by the bar. The women at those tables alternated between him and me as he made his way to the far back corner of the room near the stage where the guys traditionally sat. I could feel myself being appraised with every step I took. Self conscious, I kept my head down and walked a little faster. It was one thing for him to be admired by so many people, it was quite another to be judged if you were worthy of him or not. And by the leers and twisted lips I saw, it was clear I was falling short of their expectations. Again, I tried to not let it bother me, but the ego is a frail, tender thing.

Exhaling in relief when I was through Kellan’s admirers, I made my way to the back room, where the employees kept their stuff. Jenny and Kate were coming out of it as I approached. Kate, a tall, graceful girl with the world’s bounciest, most perfectly put together ponytail, beamed at me. I’d seen her work a double shift two nights in a row, and her hair had still looked liked she’d just done it five minutes ago. I don’t know what she used on it, but she should look into endorsing the product.

"Hey, Kiera. I hear the show rocked yesterday!" A long, auburn strand curled around her neck as she spoke, a neck so slim and elegant, it was practically begging to be draped in diamonds.

I nodded eagerly as I worked past them in the doorframe. "It was. They were incredible!" I sighed, thinking how perfect Kellan looked on stage. They say some people are just born to be on one, and Kellan was one of those people. Idly, I wondered what that meant for us…long term.

Jenny tilted her head at me curiously, her red Pete’s shirt emphasizing every curve that the men here swooned over. She was the sweetest person, though, and completely loyal to Evan. "You okay, Kiera?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Yeah, just nervous about school starting up." And Kellan becoming a bone fide, across-the-globe rock star. It was weird to both want a future for someone, and desperately not want it at the same time. I wished him all the success in the world, but only if I didn’t have to share him. Man, one more thing I needed to work on. Good thing college is all about self discovery.

Jenny smiled and patted my arm. "Don’t worry. You’re super smart. You’ll do great."

I nodded, feeling silly again for even worrying about school. Jenny was right. Kellan was right. I knew the grounds. I knew a lot of people there. I knew a lot of the professors. And I had a scholarship that practically paid for the whole thing. I had nothing to worry about. Nothing to fear but fear, right?

Kate nodded with Jenny, her light brown, almost topaz eyes wistful. "Yeah, you’re so much smarter than me. I gave up after one semester." I frowned sympathetically, but then she swished her head to look down the hall. "Hey, is Kellan here? I want to ask him about the show."

Shifting to a smile as I pictured Kellan leaning back in his chair, people watching while he waited for me to bring him his "usual," I nodded. "Yeah, he’s here."

I couldn’t keep the dorky grin from my face and they both giggled at me before shuffling off together. What? My boyfriend was a super-hot musician with fabulous hair, a rock-hard body, and my name tattooed over his chest. Who wouldn’t grin about that?

I shoved my stuff in a locker and hastily threw my hair up in a ponytail that was nowhere near as perfect as Kate’s. Sunday nights weren’t too terribly busy, since the band didn’t play, but there was still a lot of moving around and not having my hair flopping all over my face was a good thing.

When I stepped back out to the main part of the bar, I saw that my D-bag boyfriend wasn’t alone anymore. Leaning back in his chair, a foot casually propped on a knee, he was chatting amicably with Sam, the bouncer here.

Sam was a big guy, burly and muscular. He finished off the intimidating scowl he kept on his face by completely shaving his head. It just made him seem all the more menacing. He’d been friends with Denny when Denny had gone to high school here for a year. He’d taken Denny in, after we’d broken up, when Denny just couldn’t live with Kellan anymore. Understandable, given the circumstances. From what I heard, Sam and Denny still talked occasionally.

Kellan had also gone to school with Sam and Denny. It was how they all knew each other. Even though Kellan was a couple of years younger than them, he’d formed tight bonds with Sam and my ex. And Kellan still talked to Denny too. A fact that never ceased to amaze me.

But now the pair was going over more pleasant topics than last year’s drama. Kellan had a huge smile on his face as he spoke to Sam, occasionally flicking his hands in the air, gesturing. Sam listened with a small grin on his usually imposing features. I figured Kellan was talking about the show.

Shaking my head, I went about getting Kellan the beer he’d wanted. I just couldn’t get over the fact that my boyfriend had played a major venue. Even if his band didn’t go anywhere else, that would be something that he could tell his grandkids about. I smiled even wider as I approached Rita. Kellan with kids…even the thought gave me goose bumps.

A couple of hours into my shift, the rest of the band strolled in. Kellan was at the front of the bar when they burst through it. He’d finally been cornered down by Kate, who wanted to know everything about yesterday. I heard Kellan try and play it off like it was nothing, but Kate wouldn’t let it go and asked him question after question, most of them along the lines of-"Weren’t you nervous? Didn’t you feel like peeing your pants?" Kellan always laughed at her and told her no, but I don’t think she bought his answer.

After being hounded by her for a while, Kellan almost looked relived when he twisted around to acknowledge his band mates strolling in. Once they were all four together, the bar broke into applause and ear-splitting whistles.

I joined in with the merriment; I was just as proud of them as the other patrons. Evan smiled as he looked around, his warm eyes grateful and appreciative. Matt seemed horribly embarrassed. His face flushed with color and he quickly looked back at the door, like he wanted to run through it. Kellan chuckled and shook his head as he put his hand up in acknowledgment. They all seemed a little thrown by the attention.

Except Griffin, of course. He was throwing kisses with his hands in-between deep, dramatic bows. If Kellan hadn’t clapped him on the back to make him stop it, I think he would have started in on an Oscar-worthy speech once all the noise died down.

Still shaking his head, Kellan said a polite thank you to the crowd once it was quiet enough to hear him. Matt immediately darted to their table, thankful to disappear. Laughing at the guitarist, Evan walked over to Jenny, lifting her into a mammoth embrace. Kellan shoved Griffin forward, but not before the bassist loudly exclaimed, "My Johnson is gladly accepting all forms of praise…if anyone wants to congratulate me privately."

I rolled my eyes and looked away as Kellan smacked him across the back of the head. Seriously, my sister must have a screw loose to date that man. If what they were doing could even be considered dating.

A few minutes after the guys were seated, Pete, the middle-aged, weary owner of the bar came out to congratulate them. With a thin smile on his lips, he shook hands with each band member. While Pete looked far from unhappy, he didn’t seem thrilled either. Kellan had told me once that Pete had no talent in finding bands to put on his stage. It was the main reason the D-bags played here so much. Pete and his business partner, Sal, had made a deal with Kellan and the guys, not too long after the boys moved up here. The two men agreed to let the boys have the exclusive rights to the stage every weekend, if they wanted. It gave the boys a home base to play from, and a safe spot to store their instruments. And for Pete and Sal, it allowed them to stop searching for gigs that would bring in the customers. It was a win-win; the band brought in a lot of customers.

With a slight frown on Pete’s brow as he shook Kellan’s hand, I figured he was starting to believe that his act might outgrow him…and then he’d have to start looking for talent again.

Once Pete left the guys to their drinking, clapping Evan on the back as he left, the bar subdued back to normalcy. Most of the people started engaging in their own conversations, only a few going up to congratulate the boys personally. Thankfully, none of those few were women congratulating Griffin in the way that he wanted.