Reckless (Thoughtless, #3)(19)

Standing, I wrapped my arms around his waist. “Of course he loves you. You’re his son.”

The small smile slipping off of his face, he whispered, “That doesn’t mean anything.”

My heart breaking, I brushed a damp strand of hair off of his forehead. Leaning up, I murmured into his ear, “I will always love you, Kellan. Your heart is safe with me.”

Kellan pulled me into a hug and let out a long, shaky breath as he held me. “Promise?” he whispered.

I squeezed him just a little bit tighter. “I promise.” Pulling back, I rested my forehead against his. “Not loving you isn’t possible. Trust me, I tried.” Kellan smirked, then gave me a soft kiss. Our tender moment was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Kellan and I both glanced over at my dad standing in the doorway, watching us.

“Something going on?” he asked, trying to keep his voice casual. But I could hear an undertone of disgruntlement.

Kellan let go of me and shook his head. Answering Dad, he locked gazes with me; the midnight blue depths were warm and untroubled. “Everything’s fine . . . just getting ready to leave.”

Dad brightened and clapped him on the back. “Well then, anything I can help you with?”

Kellan chuckled at his answer as he kissed my head. “No, I’m good, thank you.”

He clapped Dad’s shoulder as he walked around him and back into our room. I raised my hands at my father in disbelief. Seemingly perplexed, Dad glanced back at Mom. “What? I can’t offer to help my future son-in-law?”

Sooner than I would have liked, the four of us were driving to Pete’s bar. The band was meeting there for their send-off. Kellan refused to let me see him off at the airport anymore. He said watching the plane pull away with him inside was too dramatic.

Kellan sighed as he shut off the engine to his beloved Chevelle. He even gave the steering wheel a loving caress before glancing up at me. Eyes narrowing, he handed me the keys with clear reluctance on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it. “I know. Be good to her, use the best gas, go slow. I got it.” I snatched the keys out of his fingers, and Kellan frowned.

He cracked open his door. “We’ll have to see about garaging her when you come join me. I don’t want to leave her alone in the driveway for that long.”

I cringed at his comment and looked back at my dad. I hadn’t told him I was leaving Seattle. Dad’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “Join him? Join him where?” he asked me.

I quickly opened my door. “I’ll fill you in later, Dad.”

“Wait, Kiera . . .”

I shut the door on Dad’s argument. Kellan gave me an apologetic shrug over the top of the car as Dad popped out of the back. “For how long, Kiera?”

I sighed, really not wanting to discuss it with my parents right at that very moment. Luckily, an excellent distraction pulled up. Griffin’s Vanagon parked in the spot right next to the Chevelle. Anna climbed out of the passenger’s side. She held on to the doorframe like she was going to explode if she moved too fast. The rear door slid open, and Matt hopped out. He waved at us, then extended his hand back into the vehicle and helped his girlfriend, Rachel, out of the van.

I still found it hard to believe that Matt and Griffin were related. Matt was more like me: quiet, reserved. Griffin was more like . . . a genuine d-bag. I sometimes wished my sister had hooked up with Matt instead of Griffin. Okay, I often wished that. But Matt was happy with Rachel.

Matt greeted me with a courteous nod, then clapped Kellan on the shoulder. Griffin walked around the van to join where our group was congregating behind the vehicles. He sidled up behind Anna, grabbed her hips, and pulled her into him with an unmistakable thrusting motion. Dad’s face turned an unflattering shade of red, and he immediately forgot all about the conversation he’d been trying to have with me.

As he walked over to stop Griffin from dry humping his eldest daughter, Evan’s car pulled up. The engine shut off, and both doors opened simultaneously. Hand in hand, Evan and Jenny walked over to where we were gathered.

Evan and Jenny were Kellan’s and my best friends. Kellan loved all of his band members, even Griffin in an odd way, but Evan was the one he opened up to the most. The tatted, pierced, and buzz-cut rocker was one of the sweetest men I knew. We’d bonded from the very beginning. Jenny was my closest friend and confidant. She was cute as a button, blond, and perky, the kind of girl men noticed. She also had the biggest heart; her sweetness rivaled her boyfriend’s. Out of all of the couples I knew, Evan and Jenny were the ones I didn’t have to worry about. They were going to make it together; they were too perfect not to.

I told Jenny everything, even things I probably shouldn’t tell her. But she’d always accepted me, good and bad, and she’d stuck by my side through all of the ups and downs in my life since I’d moved to Seattle. I was going to really miss Jenny when I was on the road with Kellan.

As she approached me, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t told her the good news yet. I was beaming as she and Evan joined us. Her lips compressed when she noticed my elated expression. I usually wasn’t peppy when Kellan left me. I was usually sullen, downcast, depressed . . . a real buzz kill. And I was a little sad about him leaving soon, but my news was too exciting to keep me melancholy. I was bursting at the seams with joy.

I didn’t say anything to Jenny, just held up my left hand. She saw my ring and understood immediately. She squealed, startling my parents, and left Evan’s side to wrap her arms around me. We were both hopping up and down while the men looked at us like we had suddenly lost our minds. Curious, Rachel peeked her head over. The girl was shyer than even I was, but she gasped and hugged me too when she figured out what all of the fuss was about. Anna joined our circle, and they all examined my wedding ring. It sparkled in the sunlight, its glimmer matching my cheery disposition.