Reckless (Thoughtless, #3)(73)
Now seated on my right, Denny and I clinked glasses and toasted each other. We took a moment to catch up on our time apart while the boys at the table bragged about the success of their album. Flicking a quick glance at Kellan, Denny leaned over to me and asked, “You guys still okay?” His tone was laced with concern.
Knowing he’d probably seen the video too, I contained a sigh. “You mean because of the music video, don’t you? Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You’ve seen it?” he asked, his voice hesitant.
“Not the final version . . . but I watched the boys film it.” The memory of seeing Kellan grinding with Sienna threatened to overtake the present, but I pushed it back. We had a lot to celebrate, and I wanted to enjoy it. I wanted to stay in the moment.
“Oh.” Denny seemed genuinely shocked. I could understand his reaction. I could only imagine how hot the final video was, and combined with the sordid gossip about Kellan and Sienna running like wildfire across the countryside . . . Well, my being okay with the situation, and even being a watchful participant in the filming of it, must seem a world away from the timid, jealous, and selfish girl I’d been a few years ago.
“I’m sure it looks more intense than it actually was. It was pretty . . . tepid during filming.” Well, at least for the first few takes, it was.
“Oh,” Denny said again. “It’s just . . . very convincing.”
Setting down my drink, I looked over at Kellan on my left. “We’re great,” I reiterated to Denny. He nodded, but I could tell by the look in his eye as he glanced at Kellan that he’d ask me again if I was all right. He probably would every time he saw me.
Anna showed up when she was finished with work. Wobbling over to our table, she plopped herself on Griffin’s lap. He’d pulled himself away from the coeds’ table once I had started doling out beers. Griffin choosing beer over women had surprised me some, but with the smile on his face as Anna nibbled on his ear, I began to wonder if maybe women didn’t hold the allure for him that they once did; he sure seemed content with my sister wriggling around his privates.
As it was a Friday night, Poetic Bliss showed up not too much later and took to the stage. Rain made a huge deal about Kellan being in the audience. While he laughed, she rushed to his table and dragged him to the stage. The awaiting crowd starting screaming with excitement. Holding his hands up, Kellan playfully batted the spunky rocker chick away from him. She dodged his mock blows, holding her hands into little fists; the pleated skirt she wore was so short that I could see the edge of her underwear when she crouched down. Even though I hated that the pair had a history, I had to laugh at the cute display they were putting on.
After another minute of playful pretend fighting, Kellan finally caved and grabbed her microphone. Twisting to the crowd, he muttered, “Hey.” His one word caused an ear-splitting shriek to rip around the bar. It made my ears ring. Kellan laughed. Holding a hand up, he told the crowd, “It is so f*cking good to be back here at Pete’s!”
More shrieking. My sister held her fingers up to her mouth and whistled. It had always made me a little jealous that she could do that; I couldn’t whistle with my fingers to save my life. Kellan looked out over the bar, his deep blue eyes sparkling. “You guys mind if the D-Bags take over for a song or two?”
There was no doubt by the crowd’s reaction that they didn’t mind in the slightest. Kellan looked back at the other members of the girl band. They were all nodding, clapping or whistling, willing to share their spotlight. Kellan smiled, then indicated for his band to join him.
Griffin wasted no time hopping up out of his seat. He nearly toppled my sister to the ground in his excitement, but Denny caught her and helped her into a chair. She grudgingly thanked him while Matt smacked the back of Griffin’s head. The table next to us chuckled at the familiar sight of the cousins fighting.
Once all the boys hopped on stage, the girls handed them their instruments. Griffin frowned as Tuesday handed him her bright pink bass guitar. Blessing handed Matt her teal guitar, while Evan tucked himself behind Meadow’s drums; the band’s logo on the drum had a giant purple flower in the background. The girls shifted to the sides of the stage to give the boys room, while the crowd sniggered over the guys playing such feminine instruments. Rachel got such a bad case of the giggles that she started hiccupping.
Shaking his head, Kellan’s amused expression made my heart beat harder. Kellan on stage. Nothing on earth could compare. The crowd agreed with me. Their eruption of noise when Evan started the intro vibrated the windows and created rings of distortion in Anna’s glass of water. Running a hand through his hair, Kellan began to sing a popular D-Bags song. Every one of the old fans in the crowd started singing along, while the new fans continued shrieking.
Pulling the microphone from its stand, Kellan began his “strut.” It was a seductive back and forth saunter across the front edge of the stage that let every woman watching know that he was aware of them. He locked eyes with every single one of them, giving them half smiles and cocky grins between the words he was singing. At various points along his path, he would stop, put his foot up on a speaker, and lean over to extend his hand to a few fans. They always reached back for him, squealing as their fingertips brushed his.
It used to send tiny bolts of jealousy through me, but seeing his amusement and their joy, all I felt was happiness watching him. He had a beautiful, almost symbiotic relationship with his fans; they fed off his energy, he fed off theirs. As the song neared its climax, Kellan stopped in the center of the front of the stage. Face full of playful expectation, he sang the crowd a question, “Is this all you want?” They passionately shouted back their answer.