Reckless (Thoughtless, #3)(53)

For some reason, everyone was excited about this imaginary blossoming romance. And everyone was eager to hear what sound these two impossibly attractive people would produce, which instantly made me think that the label was the one that leaked Kellan’s name. Hell, it wouldn’t surprise me if they’d been the ones to tell the photographers where we’d been going to dinner that night. Anything to drive up interest.

Kellan had tried his best to squelch the rumors. After the photo shoot, he’d called Sienna on the drive home. It floored me that Kellan had Sienna Sexton’s number in his cell phone. Weird. Even weirder, Sienna had Kellan’s name in her phone; she instantly knew who he was when he called her.

“Hi, Sienna, this is Kell—” He paused. “Yeah, it’s me. Hi.” While he laughed, I tried in vain to hear her side of the conversation. All I got was Kellan’s, though. “Have you seen that photo of us? Yeah, that one. Have you said anything yet? Made a statement or something?” He frowned as he listened. “People are linking us . . . romantically.” His brows drew together. “Well, I think it’s a big deal.” He splayed his hand like she was in front of him. “Because I’m married, and I don’t want this perception out there that you and I are—”

Kellan glanced over at me and shook his head. “No, not officially, but we still consider ourselves husband and—” His frown returning, he swung his eyes back to the road. “Look, can you just say that we’re only working together, and our relationship is purely professional?” He smiled. “Okay, thank you.”

Once he hung up, he told me, “She said she’d take care of it.”

“And you think that she will?”

He looked over at me, his sunglasses hiding his expression. “Of course. Why wouldn’t she?”

I didn’t want to tell him, but we’d agreed to honesty, so, sighing, I did. “Because I think she’s interested in you. Because I think she wants the two of you to be linked. Because I think it creates a stronger buzz for the single if the two of you are together. And because I think she is very good at manipulating public perception to get what she wants.”

Kellan was silent after I said that, which made me think he, at least in part, agreed. After a long moment he said, “And you think what she wants . . . is me?”

Leaning my head back on the seat, I closed my eyes. Who wouldn’t want you?

Surprising me, Sienna did release a statement shortly after Kellan’s phone call, explaining that she was currently single and loving it, and that the man in question was “Merely a close friend who is working on a project with me that the fans are going to love!”

While she’d done what Kellan asked, I wasn’t sure if that explanation helped anything or not. No one seemed to believe that “close friend” really meant “close friend.” They all assumed it was code for “we don’t want to announce our relationship yet.” It certainly fueled the hype for the single. I’d known Kellan’s first album would be exciting, but I had no idea there’d be so much energy around the release, energy fueled by rumors and speculation about Kellan and Sienna’s personal life.

Jenny, Kate, and Cheyenne listened to my concerns with sympathetic ears. My sister told me not to worry about it. When I’d asked her if she’d seen the photo yet, she told me, “That? Oh, yeah, I saw it a week or so after I got back. Kellan looks superhot in that pic, by the way!” She sighed. “Too bad he’s not turned more toward the camera. They really should have waited to get an exit shot.”

Remembering that Thing 1 had cleared the sidewalk before we left the restaurant, I snapped, “Why didn’t you tell me the minute you saw it?”

Anna let out a long, low exhale. “Because I knew you’d freak out, and I knew the picture was nothing.”

“They’re linking them as a couple, Anna.” Lying on my bed, I stared at the chandelier above my head. “That’s not nothing.”

“Yes, it is. What do you care what the public thinks? You and I both know that he’s not with her. Hell, I was there the entire time that she was there, and I know for a fact that nothing happened between them. This isn’t a big deal, Kiera.”

“It’s weird.” Seeing a rose petal on Kellan’s pillow, I held it up and rubbed the silky petal between my fingers. This one was a coral color, from a fresh bouquet the maid had placed in the hallway yesterday. Kellan had gone for a run earlier, and left the petal in bed for me. He’d written the words Back soon on it.

Anna sighed again, but more compassionately. “It’s only weird if you let it be weird. Don’t get yourself tied up in knots over one harmless photograph. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?”

My sister was right, of course. But still, having the world at large hope for your husband to hook up with someone else was a little . . . heartbreaking.

A few weeks before the album dropped, the boys were slated to set off on a whirlwind promotional tour. They were hitting all of the biggest cities in almost every state in the continental U.S. Looking at their schedule was mind-boggling. It was a nonstop jumble of plane rides, radio interviews, and private performances. There were times when they were booked for appearances in three different cities in one day. I was exhausted just staring at the itinerary. If we could get through this, touring should be easy.