Effortless (Thoughtless #2)(80)
Author: S.C. Stephens

Kellan watched her impassively as she approached us. Candy lowered her eyes and looked a little glum. Before I could say anything to her, she started speaking to me. "Hey, I just wanted to apologize…for all the crap I used to give to you about Kellan."

She peeked up at me, then over at him. Her freckled cheeks flushed with color as Kellan bunched his brows. Shaking her head, she shrugged. "I guess I wanted attention." She looked down again. "I was pretty ignored in my high school, and being with you, gave me a certain amount of…clout…here." Her sad eyes looked back up at him. "Sorry. That was pretty shallow of me."

Kellan gave her a half smile and shook his head. "It doesn’t matter." His eyes drifted down her belly, then over to me. "We’re not those people anymore, Candy." He looked back at her. "Don’t worry about it."

I smiled that he finally remembered her name. Candy nodded, then, rubbing her stomach, walked away. I was curious over who the father was, but didn’t ask. Rumor had it that it was our ethics professor. Our married ethics professor. But, as I knew, rumors could be wrong. Then again, they could also be right.

Shaking off the drama that, for once, didn’t involve me, I clutched Kellan’s hand and went to find the one girl I did want to introduce him to. Cheyenne was just coming out of the bathroom when she spotted me. She squealed and gave me a huge hug, forcefully yanking me from Kellan.

"Kiera, can you believe it! We did it!" Her slight southern drawl thickened in her excitement. Then her pale eyes seemed to notice that I wasn’t alone. She eyed Kellan, then gave him a cute smile that made her eyes sparkle. "You must be the boyfriend?"

Kellan nodded and extended his hand. "Kellan."

Shaking his hand, she muttered to me, "Now I can see why you’re straight. I think he’d make any person reconsider their orientation."

Hearing her, Kellan raised an eyebrow. Then he got a devilish smile and locked gazes with me. I knew he’d figured it out then, that Cheyenne had been the girl at school who’d kissed me. Rolling my eyes at the hopelessly attractive smile on his face, I shoved his shoulder back. "Why don’t you go have a seat with my parents."

Grinning, Kellan looked between Cheyenne and me. "You sure? Are you…good…here?"

He chuckled a little, his lips curving seductively. Rolling my eyes again, I forcefully turned him around and made him walk away from us. He looked back at us before disappearing around a corner-the grin there was decidedly inappropriate. Men.

Cheyenne laughed a little as she turned back to me. "Kellan seems…nice."

I shook my head. "Nice…really isn’t the best word to describe him." Amazing, hot, sexy, soulful, talented, deep, playful, moody, loving, and at times, considerate, yes…but nice? Well, okay, maybe it did suit him.

The actual ceremony was a blur to me. I was so energized and emotional, I only recalled bits and pieces. Seeing my family in the stands-my mom crying, my dad secretly wiping his eyes, Anna whistling around her fingers, and Denny and Kellan beaming at me as they sat side by side. I vaguely remembered the speeches and music. I recalled my name being announced and the ear-splitting noise from my cheering section. And then it was over and we were back in Kellan’s car, driving off to Pete’s.

My mom, dad, and Anna piled out of the car once Kellan parked it, eager to start on the celebration. I watched my sister hug Jenny and Kate in the parking lot, Cheyenne meeting up with them a couple of seconds later. Once my parents and my friends disappeared through the front doors, I unfastened my seat belt and prepared to join them.

"Coming?" I asked, cracking the car door.

Kellan hadn’t moved since stopping the car; his hands were still fixed on the steering wheel. His eyes glued to the image of the bar in his rearview mirror, he muttered, "I’ll be there in a sec."

Pale, he looked like he might start the car and drive off once I left. Closing my door, I twisted back around to him. "Hey, you okay?"

He reluctantly pulled his gaze from the mirror to look at me. Eyes wide, he whispered, "I don’t think I can do this, Kiera."

I put my hand on his cheek and held his gaze. "Yes, you can. You can do anything." He shook his head and I pressed my lips to his. He didn’t kiss me back at first. Too scared or freaked out about facing his biological father, his lips were rigid against mine. Using everything he’d taught me over the years, I teased, licked and sucked his mouth into submission. Within moments, he was kissing me back heartily, his earlier trepidation gone.

When he clutched my cheek and looked about ready to lay me down on his front seat, I pushed his chest away from me. Eyes burning into mine, he breathed raggedly. I bit my lip at the sight of this insanely erotic, yet deeply sensitive man. "Come on, people are waiting for us. Let’s go say hello."

He shook his head a little as I opened my door. His eyes clearer, he frowned at me. "You turned me on…that’s cheating."

Laughing, I got out of the car. When he popped up on the other side of it, I shook my head. "When do I ever not turn you on?"

Smiling at me acknowledging my attractiveness, he closed his door. "Well, finally you understand the problem that has plagued me from day one."

Holding my hand out to him, I waited for him to join me. "Yes, I do." When our hands met up, I leaned over to nibble on his ear. "And I’ll fix your little problem later, I promise."

He gave me a devilish grin as he pulled me towards the bar. "Let’s get this over with then."

Kellan tensed and held his breath as he stepped through the double doors. Only seeing the usual suspects, and not an older version of himself, he instantly relaxed. As the crowd assembled near the doors cheered for me, my cheeks blossomed with heat. I held my head high, though, proud of my accomplishment, and accepted the praise from my friends, family and coworkers.

As it was a Saturday afternoon, the day crew was on shift. Troy smiled at Kellan as we walked past the bar, and Kellan smiled back. As long as the person who fancied him was respectful to me, Kellan was always cordial with them, even the guys. Hun and Sweetie, the gray-haired ancient waitresses that owed this place during daylight hours shuffled around, bringing everyone sodas and water. And Sal, Pete’s business partner and the daytime cook, stepped out with plates and plates of food. Everybody was celebrating.

I looked around the sea of familiar faces in the warm, familiar bar. The cream-colored walls were just as cheery as when I’d first stepped inside here. The oak floor just as worn. A few more bar signs dotted the walls and windows, but overall, it looked exactly the same. Although, the instruments that now held a place of honor on the darkened stage were a bright pink, a deep purple and an electric teal. One even had Hello Kitty stickers on it. But Jenny’s portrait of our boys was behind the feminine instruments, keeping the boys place in the bar, even if it was a smaller place now.

Friends and study mates came up to me, giving me warm, congratulatory hugs. I returned them and gave the graduates my own well wishes. Cheyenne gave me a hug, followed by Meadow. The uniquely named woman was playing the bar later tonight with her band, but by the way she was holding Cheyenne’s hand, it was clear that she was here for her. I grinned at the schoolmate, that had saved my butt on numerous occasions when it came to poetry, and her lyrical girlfriend. Meadow had hair the color of a deep sunset, and eyes as dark as Denny’s, but the small smile on her lips exactly matched Cheyenne’s, and I was thrilled that the sweet woman had found love after all.

As Kellan hopped up to the bar to get our table some drinks, Denny and Abby stepped through the doors. Kellan greeted them first, clapping Denny on the shoulder as he pointed back at me. Making sure my parents were comfortably seated, I jumped up to toss my arms around Denny.

He was all grins as I pulled away. "I did it, Denny!"

Tilting his dark head, he gave me a lopsided grin. "Did you ever think you wouldn’t?"

My grin matching his, I nodded. "Yeah, there were times when school was just about the last thing on my mind."

Denny and I both turned to look over at Kellan talking to Troy at the bar. Smirking, Denny twisted back to me. "Yeah, I know." Just when I was feeling a bit of guilt seep into me, he laughed. "It’s a miracle you graduated."

His humor cooling my feelings, I thumped him on the chest. "Quiet, you."

Laughing at me, he slung his arms around Abby and kissed her head. Then Abby gave me a brief hug and congratulated me. I shook my head at the warm…forgiving…pair and made room for them at the table with my parents. My mom looked between Denny, Kellan, and me with a very confused face. She must have pieced together what had really happened between the three of us, and was probably wondering how we could all still be friends. I wondered that too sometimes… I was very blessed.

As Kellan brought the table sodas, I tried to make sure my sister was as comfortable as could be. I even found a pillow in the back room for her to lean against, since bar chairs aren’t notorious for being comfortable.

Just as she was giggling and thanking me, the doors burst open with loud fanfare.

Jaw dropping, I spun to watch Griffin and the rest of the D-Bags step inside. I hadn’t realized that they’d come up with Kellan. I was touched that they’d come back, then I remembered that they had just as much reason to come up as Kellan did.

Evan’s eyes locked onto Jenny a split-second before she jumped into his arms and showered him with kisses. Matt shook his head at Evan and looked back at Rachel walking through the door behind him. The Latin-Asian beauty tenderly grabbed the blond guitarist’s hand as they quietly screamed their affection in one, simple glance. All of the D-Bags’ hearts resided in Seattle. Even Griffin…if he ever stopped to think about it.

As it was, he was looking around the packed bar for someone…for Anna. She stiffened in her chair and her face went sheet white. She still hadn’t told him she was pregnant. She hadn’t told Matt or Evan either, and had made every person who saw her condition promise to not tell anyone who might tell Griffin. She’d made everyone promise that she could be the one to tell him, even though that terrified her.

And now…the time was upon her. He was here, she was here, and with her tight, clingy, outfit, even Griffin wouldn’t miss the fact that she was clearly expecting.

She stood up quicker than I’d seen her move in ages, since she liked to play up the helpless pregnant role. Breathing faster than normal, her eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape. Kellan walked up to greet his band mates as I grabbed Anna’s arms, holding her in place.

"Let me go, Kiera," she snarled.

I shook my head. "No, you have to tell him, Anna. He has a right to know."

She grit her jaw and glared at me, but it was too late for her to escape-Kellan was bringing the boys to the table. With my parents watching the exchange between Anna and me curiously, I let her go. She started shaking as Griffin approached her.

At first, Griffin didn’t notice. A crooked grin on his face, he walked up to her and nonchalantly shoved his tongue down her throat. Anna made a slight noise and her knees seemed to buckle a little. My stomach turned at the sight. Dad looked about ready to clock Griffin.

Evan and Matt behind Griffin were staring at Anna wide-eyed. Clearly, they’d noticed what Griffin hadn’t. They both looked up at me. I waved a greeting, then nodded at their unasked questions. Yes, she was really pregnant. Yes, the jackass kissing her was the father. Both of their mouths dropped open as they looked back at Griffin.