Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(54)
When the band’s long set finally ended, the crowd erupted into applause and cat calls. Kellan grinned as he took it all in, looking a little more sober after his couple of hours onstage. Evan beamed as he clicked his sticks together. Matt looked down at the floor as he unstrung his guitar from around his neck, and Griffin raised his chin up and surveyed his Kingdom with the air of someone who felt entitled to it.
Grabbing the neck of his guitar, Kellan raised his hand for quiet. The bar hushed almost instantly, the opening and shutting front doors the only sound for a moment. Smiling warmly, Kellan said, “The band and I would like to thank you all again. You’re the best fans that we ever could have asked for and we’re going to miss playing for you every weekend…”
He paused, absorbing the sight of everyone enraptured by him, then, grinning wickedly, he pointed over to Matt. “Now let’s all go over to Matt’s place and get royally f*cked up!”
There was an earsplitting noise of agreeance by the crowd as Matt frowned over at Kellan. Griffin patted him on the back as the group hopped off the stage. Kellan put his guitar back in its case and slung it over his shoulder; he was the only one that didn’t just leave his instrument at the bar. I thought that maybe Matt and Griffin might grab their instruments this time, too, since they weren’t coming back, at least, not for a really long time. But then I remembered what the girls and I were doing tomorrow afternoon once the boys had left town. We were packing up their stuff, Evan’s drums, the guitars, and all of the sound equipment that was theirs. We were closing up shop for them, so the guys didn’t have to do it after the bar closed tonight, so they could relax and enjoy their last night in Seattle.
As I was dwelling on that, Kellan pushed his way through the people to get to me. It was a process; he was stopped and fondled at every step.
He even had to brush past I’ve-slept-with-you-girl that we’d run into at school earlier. Her and her friends had taken his invitation and come out to see the show. Glancing up at me, he quickly disengaged himself from 151
her. I couldn’t stop the small grin on my face at the disappointment in hers.
When he finally made it to me, he threw his arm around my shoulders. Sighing in my ear as he hugged me, he muttered, “I can’t believe that was our last show here.” Pulling back, he shrugged. “This place is home to me.”
Shaking my head, I ran my knuckle over his cheek. “You’ll be back.” I said it matter-of-factly and Kellan raised an edge of his lip. We really didn’t know if and when the band would be back. Touring could lead to all sorts of possibilities, and all of them were bigger than playing at the same small bar every weekend.
Not wanting to think about it, I pointed to his guitar. “Why don’t you go put that in the car and go with Matt to his place?” Sighing, I shook my head. “I’m sure you’re eager to get to your after party.” Noticing my sister behind him, I briefly waved at her as she darted out of the doors with Griffin.
Smiling, Kellan moved his arm around my shoulder down to my waist. “No, I thought I’d help you clean up here before we headed out…together.”
Inwardly touched, I frowned. “It’s your party…don’t you want to go?” I looked around at the mass of people leaving the bar and the mess they’d left behind. “I might be stuck here another hour?” Chuckling, Kellan darted back into my vision. “Not if I stay to help.” Smiling, he shook his head. “Besides, I want to spend my evening with you…not a bunch of drunk people I barely know.” Grinning, I leaned up to kiss him. “Okay, good. Then come back here after you put that away.” He nodded against my lips and laughing a little, I added, “And don’t forget to give me your keys.” Pulling back, he raised an eyebrow at me. “I sobered up on stage. I’m completely fine to drive.”
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Furrowing my brow, I narrowed my eyes. “You remember telling Denny earlier tonight that I don’t hang out ‘down there’?” Kellan’s eyes widened as he remembered that horribly embarrassing conversation that he’d drunkenly had earlier. Biting his lip as he backed away from me, looking for all the world that he was worried that I’d slap him again, he mumbled, “Oh, right…yeah, I’ll get those keys to you.” I smiled knowingly and nodded. Yes, letting me drive his buzzed butt was the least he could do for me after that little comment.
Kellan ended up chatting with some of the longtime regulars instead of actually helping me, but that was all right; he was still with me, throwing me smiles whenever he looked my way. That was preferable to him at a party with a bunch of women who’d love to give him a farewell present, a very intimate farewell present. And they’d probably have no qualms about hanging out “down there.”
When every customer had finally gone and the place was clean enough that the day crew wouldn’t cuss us out too bad, Kellan and I finally headed out to his car. Kate, Jenny and even Rita, all followed us as I led the way to Matt and Griffin’s place. Sulking the entire time I drove, Kellan told me to head to the outskirts of the city. Oddly enough, Matt and Griffin shared a townhouse in suburbia. It was an odd thought in conjunction with Griffin. Honestly, I’d always pictured him living above a brothel or something. I suppose he would, if they were legal here.
Parking about a half mile away from the house, our group walked up to the bustling home. As Kate and Jenny relayed funnier memories to Rita, making her laugh, I looked around the cramped neighborhood and wondered how much longer it was going to be before one of the homeowners called the cops on the noisy rock stars in their midst.