Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(107)

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Feeling another hand touch me, I opened my eyes at Jenny. Biting her lip, she shook her head. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly logical explanation, Kiera. I’m sure that was nothing…really.”

I felt my eyes sting as I nodded at her. Sure, it may have been nothing, we really didn’t know. But it was enough of something for every single one of them to wonder about it. And that made my stomach start to churn.

Jenny went back to work, excitedly telling Kate all about Evan’s performance, while I watched the clip again. Denny stayed by my side, not saying anything, but not making any move to walk away. I shook my head as I watched Kellan lean into the beauty again. Seeing it was riling up my stomach. I really should stop myself. I really shouldn’t watch. But I felt frozen in place, staring at the screen over Rachel’s shoulder.

After playing it again, Rachel tried to move to a different area of the website, maybe to get my mind off it, but I was too deep in my jealous fit to just let it slide off me. I was as patient as I could be, and I’d grown a lot in the last year, but I still had a lot of room for growth. I grabbed the mouse from her and clicked the video again.

Sighing, she stood up, inching her way between Denny and I. “I’ll just…give you a moment,” she murmured, walking away from the table.

Biting my nails as I watched the clip again and again, I wondered what it all meant. He seemed to be very comfortable with a person that I didn’t know. A person that I was sure I’d never heard him mention in all of his phone conversations. Just as I was rewinding the moment where Kellan leans into her for about the twentieth time, the laptop was snapped shut in my face.

Blinking, I looked up at Denny. Still standing behind me, he crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re going to give yourself an ulcer, worrying about something that you have no proof to support.” He raised his eyebrows. “Trust me…I know.”

I flushed and started to look away but Denny quickly added, “And besides, you promised me dinner, and I’m starving.” Peeking up at him, I managed to smile a little. Seeing my mood lift, he shook his head. “Do 299



you think you could get me one of those world-famous burgers that you guys have?”

Biting my lip, I glanced at the closed laptop. I wanted to watch it again, but Denny was right, I had no proof that Kellan was doing anything wrong. I couldn’t do anything but make myself angry as I watched a brief moment that I was probably taking out of context…hopefully. I’d have to wait and ask Kellan later, and I’d have to ask him in a way that didn’t make it obvious that I wasn’t flat-out asking him if he was sleeping with her. I’d have to bring it up subtly…and subtleness wasn’t my strong point.

Letting the video go for now, I stood and placed my hand on his shoulder. “Of course.” I sighed. “I’m sorry it took so long.

Denny glanced down at the computer on the table. “Not a problem, Kiera…I understand,” he whispered.

I’d like to say that I let the video go after that moment. I’d like to say it, but it wouldn’t be true. I snagged the laptop from Rachel, telling her that I’d give it back tomorrow. Denny shook his head at me as he ate his dinner, but he gave me a sympathetic smile too, like he understood. He told me he’d call me tomorrow and see how I was doing. I marveled that he was still my caretaker, even after everything. Even after being physically separated from me for a year. Giving him a swift hug, a hug that made a swirl of whispers flash around the bar, I told him to tell Abby hi for me.

The smile on his face was the largest I’d seen all night and I noticed him pulling his phone out of his pocket as he headed out to the parking lot. I figured he was going to call her right then and there.

After my shift, I went home and watched every clip available on the band’s website. While I enjoyed seeing Kellan in action again, I also saw that woman two more times. From what I could make out by the background, all three videos that had glimpses of her were shot in three different locations, like she really was following them around as they’d headed from town to town.

It burned my blood and I couldn’t sleep that night. I watched the videos over and over, cell phone in hand, barely stopping myself from calling and demanding an answer. My sister plodded into my room near 300



dawn, crashing into the bed with me. Like Denny, she slammed shut the laptop, letting out an annoyed grunt.

I sighed, leaning back on the pillows, my hand tight around my phone. “What are you doing up?” I muttered.

Removing the computer from my lap, she laid her head there and glared up at me. “I could practically hear you fuming through the walls.

What’s going on?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.” It had to be nothing…he’d promised.

Seeing my face, she sat up. “No it’s not…what happened?” She glanced over to the computer, picking it up and opening it. “Something in here?” she asked, her silky locks falling over her shoulder.

I bit my lip and nodded, then shook my head. “Just a girl that keeps popping up in some fan footage of the band.” I sighed as Anna navig-ated to the page I’d been staring at all night. “I just…don’t know what it means.”

When Anna looked up at me with furrowed brows, I sighed and showed her which video to play. She silently watched the video, then looked up at me and shook her head. “I don’t know, Kiera.” Glancing at the cell in my hand, she shrugged. “Why don’t you just call and ask?” A wistful sound escaped me as I stared at my phone. “I wish I could…but I don’t want to be that girl.” Sitting up, I locked my arms around my legs. “Plus, what would I say? I saw you touch a girl in a video…care to explain?”