Reckless (Thoughtless, #3)(118)

I’d never seen Matt angry before. It was a distressing sight. His cheeks were splotched with color, his temperament as prickly as his hair. I suppose part of his fiery behavior was being fueled by concern for his cousin. Even if they bickered like an old married couple, they still loved each other. Matt had to be just as worried as I was.

Stopping his friend from wearing a hole in the carpet, Kellan calmly told Matt, “Relax, he’ll be here.”

Matt tightened his grip on his cell phone, clearly blaming that inanimate object for Griffin’s disappearance. “And what if he’s not, Kellan? Do we bail on the show, or go up there without a bassist?”

Scratching his closely cropped head, Evan pointed in the direction of the stage, where Holeshot was finishing up their act. “David said he would play with us if Griffin didn’t show.”

Matt snapped his head to Evan. “Does he know any of our songs?”

Evan shrugged. “He said he’d fake it.”

Matt threw his hands into the air. “Fake it? Wonderful!” Unfurling his fist, Matt took his aggression out on the touch screen of his cell phone while he flicked to Griffin’s number. I was sure Matt was damaging the sensitive device and was about to offer to call Griffin for him when Griffin finally walked into the room. Seeing his cousin, Matt lost the final hold on his temper. He chucked his cell phone at him, almost hitting Griffin in the cheek. “Where the f*ck have you been!”

Griffin managed to dodge and catch Matt’s phone at the same time. Juggling it for a second, he exclaimed, “Jesus, Matt! You almost nailed me in the face!”

Anna walked in right after Griffin. There was an aura about her that I’d never seen before. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say my wanderlust sister was completely and totally at peace. Seeing her alive and well made me completely at peace. Shoving my phone in my pocket, I rushed over to engulf her still-with-child frame. “I was worried sick. Where were you?”

Pulling away from me, Anna bit her perfectly plump lip. “Well, don’t be mad, but I sort of . . .”

She looked over at Griffin and he smirked back at her. That’s when I noticed Griffin’s fingers around Matt’s phone. One of them was adorned with a very shiny gold ring. I immediately grabbed my sister’s hands. Sure enough, she had a freshly placed ring as well. “Oh my God! You got married?”

Anna started giggling while Griffin put his arm around her shoulder. “We did!” Letting out a squeal, she lifted her hand to show all the guys in the room.

Everyone was too shocked to comment. Except me. I was too shocked to say anything other than, “You got married?” again.

Not getting the reaction she wanted, Anna pouted. “Yes.”

I pointed at her new husband. “To him?”

Anna put her hands on her hips, her pout now a hard, angry line. “Yes.”

As I struggled to not shake her and scream, Why on earth would you do that? Kellan came over and gave her a hug. “Congratulations, Anna.”

Anna’s frosty mood melted into excited giggles. “Thank you!”

Shaking his head, Kellan patted Griffin’s shoulder. “You too, I guess.”

Griffin raised his chin, pride on his face. “Thanks.” Leaning over, he added, “The bachelor party is at the next stop.”

Recovering, Matt and Evan finally offered their congratulations. Then Matt grabbed Griffin’s elbow. “We have to go.”

All of the boys left the room. When the dull thud of the background rock music was our only noise, I turned to my sister and again asked, “You married . . . Griffin?” She smacked my arm so hard I felt it in my teeth.

While Anna told me all about her romantic day of hanging out at City Hall, trying to get married in one afternoon, I contemplated the fact that Griffin was now officially my brother-in-law. Holidays, birthdays, family reunions . . . he would be there for all of it, cursing like a sailor. And, oh God, if Kellan and I ever had kids, he would be their uncle. Uncle Griffin. Just the thought sent a chill up my spine.

I watched the show in a daze. My sister married Griffin. On a whim. Because he said he loved her. And even more shocking, Griffin, the biggest player I’d ever met, married my sister. I never thought I would see the day. It was like the world had screeched to a stop and started spinning in the opposite direction. How had Anna beaten me to the altar? Our parents were going to flip. Or maybe not. Things like this tended to happen with Anna; they’d both learned to go with the flow years ago.

Needing to share my utter disbelief with someone, I texted Denny. Guess who decided to throw logic out the window this afternoon and officially become Mrs. Griffin I’m-a-God Hancock.

Denny’s response was fast in coming. Anna married Griffin? Really? Wow. Your dad is going to lose his mind. I laughed at Denny’s reaction. We really were a lot alike.





Chapter 21


Party Time





A few days after my sister’s impromptu marriage, the tour was in Washington, D.C. Kellan and I had spent a good chunk of the morning exploring the city with everyone and were resting up a bit before the show tonight. I could not believe how much heritage was crammed into our nation’s capital. Everywhere we’d turned there had been some amazing historical artifact or monument that I’d just had to see. It was like a School House Rock video come to life. Kellan and I were definitely coming back here when we had more time to explore.