Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(15)

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 41



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 earsplitting 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 42



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.

A few female fans did eye Kellan, but nothing more than the I-want-you eyes I was used to him getting. None of them seemed quite brave enough, or drunk enough, to approach his table, though, and I was just fine with that.

Throughout the course of the evening, the D-bags eventually left their bar. Matt left by himself an hour or two after arriving, a shy smile on his face as he said that he had plans with Rachel. Griffin rolled his eyes as 43



his cousin left, gesturing obscenely with his hand in the air over his naughty parts. Thankfully, he left about an hour later, some blonde bimbo on his arm. She gave him sultry, seductive eyes as they left, and I was pretty sure she’d give him the praise he’d wanted earlier. I shook my head and ignored the sight of Griffin leaving with another woman. It happened all the time. I’d asked Anna about it once, but she’d only shrugged and said she didn’t care. He was free to do whatever he wanted. Her too.