Reckless

Chapter 20: Enough

Our champagne arrived and was dramatically poured into fluted glasses. Kellan and I clinked ours together right as the "entertainment" arrived. Much to Griffin's delight, a parade of hot women streamed into the room. They all seemed to be models in tight shirts, tight pants, or tight skirts. Maybe there was a convention in town? Tittering and giggling, the colorful assortment of eye candy floated around the room like cheap perfume. A handful stopped by Sienna's lounge chair, one or two sat with a disinterested Evan and a red-faced Matt, and a half-dozen flocked around King Griffin. The rest made a beeline for Kellan. In a rather aggressive move on my part, I hopped onto Kellan's lap, slinging my arms around his neck. Back off, bitches. They didn't, but they kept a greater distance than they probably would have if I hadn't. As the girls were handed glasses of alcohol by the waitresses, Kellan leaned in and told me, "I like you possessively sitting on me. Maybe we should hire the girls to follow us around everywhere?"
I made a face at his comment, but I couldn't hold onto it; his grin was just too darn provocative. In answer to his ridiculous proposal, I shifted my weight on his lap, grinding against him in all the right places. His eyes lit up. Grabbing my drink, he placed it on a waitress's tray as she walked by. "We need to dance," he stated. He stood up, and I had no choice but to stand up with him.
Several of the girls around joined us in the center of the smooth hardwood floor. Facing Kellan, I ignored them; he ignored them too. Hands low on my waist, he pulled our hips together until we were straddling each other. We moved together in intimate ways that spoke volumes about our true relationship. None of the visiting girls seemed to catch on that Kellan was taken though-at least, not by me.
Some of them kept looking between Kellan and Sienna, but since Sienna was merely watching Kellan with hooded eyes and not throwing a diva-sized tantrum at his seductive dancing, the girls felt just fine being flirtatious with him. As much as Kellan's hands were all over me, their hands were all over him. I had to remove wandering palms from his chest more than once. Kellan shook his head as he batted hands away from his ass. You would think he was a lucky charm by how often he was being stroked. Well, I suppose he was, in a way. I felt lucky being with him.
The thumping beat filled the low-lit room. While I melded my body to Kellan's, I kept an eye on the other boys. Matt and Evan weren't an issue. They were animatedly having a conversation between themselves. Matt was showing Evan guitar chords in the air, while Evan nodded, a wide smile on his face. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the two were dreaming up a new song. The girls around them looked at a loss as to how to get their attention. I wanted to walk over and tell them to save their time and just enjoy their free Cristal. Matt and Evan weren't going to do anything to hurt their beloved girlfriends.
Slightly to the left of the two D-Bags was Sienna. When she wasn't staring at Kellan, she was flirting with a couple of boys that looked straight out of an Abercrombie ad. I guess the owner thought it was only fair to bring her a couple of treats too. She flicked her hair over her shoulder, exposing her elegant neckline. I could see her laughing, her eyes roving over the boys' bodies, as she fostered their hope that they had a chance with her. But her gaze always returned to Kellan. Always.
Threading my fingers through Kellan's hair, I pulled him a little closer to me; our chests were touching now too. Kellan's smile turned devilish as he focused solely on me. He smelled incredible, and his lips were so tantalizingly close. His hands were making patterns on my back-up the sides, around to my neck, down my spine, over my backside. I thought about having those hands on my bare skin and felt the rush of desire tingle me. Remembering that we had a hotel room waiting for us, I considered his offer of leaving this strange, private party. Then I remembered why I couldn't.
With trepidation, I looked around for Griffin. I found him tongue deep in some blonde. I immediately stiffened as pure venom seeped through my veins. Anna pours her heart out and this is how he repays her? What a prick! Kellan and I stopped dancing as I stared at Griffin cupping the girl's ass in front of him, while two more women hung off his arms. A vibrant redhead had her hands inside his pants. I was so pissed I could hardly see straight. I broke away from Kellan to give Griffin a piece of my mind, but Kellan yanked me back into his arms. My eyes bored holes into Griffin as Kellan's lips touched my ear.
"Making a scene with him isn't going to help anything. I'll talk to him later."
I pushed Kellan back, my mood frosty. "Later? What, after he's screwed them?"
Kellan shook his head at me and was about to respond when Sienna joined our group of gyrating bodies. Slinking up to Kellan's side, a beautiful man on each arm, she asked him, "Problem?" One of her guys was blatantly staring at her chest; the other was blatantly staring at Kellan. Of course. Everybody loved Kellan. Except me at the moment.
Kellan gave her a brief smile. "Everything's fine."
I was about to wholeheartedly object when Griffin walked through my peripheral vision. He had one arm around the blonde, the other around the redhead. He was striding them purposefully toward the VIP bathrooms, and I was absolutely certain that it wasn't because he had to pee.
"That son of a bitch!" I muttered, taking a step toward the restrooms. Damn if I was just going to sit back and watch him cheat on my sister. Kellan had a firm grip on my hand, though. I looked back at him when I was stretched to capacity. "Let me go, Kellan."
Shaking his head, he pulled me toward him. "You can't make him change, Kiera. He has to want to. And he's not going to stop . . . whatever he's doing in there just because you barge in yelling and screaming. Trust me. You'll just end up seeing way more than you want to."
Yanking my hand free, I pushed against his chest. "Then you go stop him. Drag him out of there like you dragged him away from those two girl-looking guys in New Jersey!" I was so irritated and hurt for my sister that tears were pricking the corners of my eyes.
Stepping into me, Kellan cupped my cheeks. "He has to make the choice, Kiera. It means nothing if I force him."
His eyes were soft with compassion. I knew he was right. Kellan and I couldn't watchdog Griffin every time he went out, but it hurt so bad to stand aside and let it happen. "He won't get away with it, Kellan. I'm not going to lie for him." I had a sudden, painful respect for Jenny in that moment. I felt sick for doing nothing while Griffin screwed around on my sister. She must have felt the exact same way when she'd done nothing while I'd been fooling around on Denny. I owed her a much bigger apology than I'd ever given her.
Kellan caressed my cheek. "Anna knows what he's like, Kiera. You don't have to lie."
Fighting back nausea and tears, I warbled, "I want to leave now."
Kellan nodded and held me close. I clutched him tight as he asked one of the waitresses to call a cab. After hasty goodbyes to Sienna and the D-Bags I liked, Kellan and I ducked out the rear exit. A yellow and black taxi was waiting for us, and holding hands, we darted inside. Kellan told the cab driver where to go, then twisted to face me. His expression was worried and apologetic. I searched his features as hot tears leaked out of my eyes. "I hate him," I seethed. And just when I'd actually been starting to like Griffin too. As irrational as it sounded, I felt like he'd just cheated on me as well as my sister.
Kellan grabbed my cheeks, giving me a soft, tender kiss. It took a moment, but as the cab started pulling away, his gentle touch finally eased my hardening heart. Not all men sucked.
I fumed as I lay in my spacious king-sized bed next to my sleeping husband. I wasn't even enjoying the fifteen hundred thread-count sheets or the ultra-warm down comforter. The silky silver tassels attached to the corners of my pillow were nothing more than stress-relievers as I repeatedly ran my fingers through them. Griffin was a certified, Grade-A asshole. If my father didn't first, I may put a hit out on him. I was sure I could talk Kellan into helping me hide the body.
Every sense I had was focused on the hallway, because the moment I heard Griffin's arrival at the hotel, I was going to pounce on him. And Kellan wasn't going to be able to stop me this time. Nothing would stop me this time. Even hotel security would have trouble containing me. Griffin had gone too far.
I knew Kellan was right. I knew the choice to be a decent human being was Griffin's alone, but Jesus Christ, Anna was about to pop out his child any day now. The least he could do was wait until after his son was born to resume banging random babes. And he wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the box. Did he use condoms? What if he knocked one of the bimbos up? What if he caught something and spread it to my sister? It was all so disgustingly horrifying. It jacked up my already revving temper.
My feet were twitchy and restless as I waited. Kellan was peacefully sleeping beside me, which didn't help my anger any. How could he be so calm about the whole thing? Guys were weird. But, then again, Griffin and Anna were weird. They'd never really been committed to each other. I just thought . . . with the pregnancy, and Griffin's streak of monogamy . . . I had just hoped things were different. Maybe the only anger I should be feeling was toward myself, for assuming he'd matured.
No. Griffin was an asshole.
I leapt out of bed when I finally heard voices in the hallway. So help me God, Griffin was going to pay for this. Not even sure if it was him I was hearing, I yanked open the heavy outer door. Head down and hands in his pockets, Griffin was right in front of me as I stomped into the hallway. Smiling that fate wanted me to kick his ass, I pushed him into the far wall. Showing up out of nowhere and flinging myself at him got Griffin's attention. His face was pale white as he bumped into the hotel room door opposite mine.
Seeing the confusion on his face made my vision streak with red. Grade-A Asshole was going to get an earful, along with every other person on this floor who was trying to sleep. But I didn't care. My sister's honor was at stake. A small part of me noted the hypocrisy in my actions, but the inferno in me drowned that part out. "You are the biggest son of a bitch I have ever met!"
Being screeched at this early in the morning knocked the surprise off of Griffin's face. Scowling, he yelled back, "What the fuck's wrong with you?"
Matt had been walking in front of Griffin, Evan behind him. They both took a step toward me when I lunged for Griffin. Maybe seeing that I was going to throttle the bassist, Evan held me in his arms. "My sister is going to have your baby any second, and you're out screwing whores in bathrooms! I hope Anna finally wises up and kicks your ass to the curb!"
Griffin's face clouded over. "Yeah, like Denny kicked yours?" he snarled.
"Griffin!" Kellan was standing bare-chested in our doorway. My screaming may have woken him up, but it was Griffin's comment that had his blood pumping. His eyes were narrowed to icy pinpoints.
Griffin cast Kellan an annoyed, but cautious, glance. I took his moment of silence to shout back, "Minutes after Anna admits that she loves you, you find some cheap floozies to go down on you? What the hell's wrong with you?"
I could feel Evan's hands on my arms being replaced by Kellan's, but I didn't care. Kellan would have to gag me to shut me up at that point. Griffin stepped toward me, and the mood in the air shifted. Evan and Matt simultaneously put a hand on each of his arms, warning him to keep it together. Leaning into my face, Griffin yelled, "I didn't do anything with either of those girls, okay? So back the fuck off!"
Glaring, I spit out, "Right. And I'm supposed to believe that. I saw you."
His mood changing again, Griffin sighed. Voice still agitated, but quieter than before, he told me, "Yeah, we started going at it. I had both girls primed, panties on the floor, dying to jump me, but all I could think about was Anna." Raising his hands in the air, his voice picked up strength and volume. "I didn't want to fuck either of those girls because I'm in love with your fucking sister! Are you happy now, bitch! I'm fucking whipped . . . just like these other pussies." He indicated his band mates.
My jaw dropped. I couldn't even respond to that.
Someone else did respond, though. "You're in love with me?"
Every head shifted to the open hotel room door that Anna was leaning against. The energy in the air shifted again as Griffin locked eyes with her. Matt and Evan released him as he whispered, "Yes." Looking a little dejected, like he was admitting defeat, he muttered, "I'm in love with you, and I don't want anybody else." His brow furrowed, like he didn't understand how random hookups had suddenly lost their appeal.
Smiling, Anna strode out into the hallway to stand in front of him. "I love you too, and I don't want anybody else either." Cupping his cheek, she added, "You're enough for me."
That seemed to make sense to Griffin, and he finally smiled like he was happy. "You're enough for me too."
Grabbing his hand, Anna started backing toward her room. "Good, then come be enough for me right now. I'm horny as hell."
Griffin rushed up to her, grabbing her backside. "God, me too," he murmured before their mouths met.
My stomach twisting for a completely different reason, I turned around to flee back inside my room. Kellan was still blocking my path, though. Regardless of the sort of romantic moment we'd just witnessed, his expression was irritated. "Hey, Griffin!" I looked over to see Griffin reluctantly pulling his mouth from Anna's. Kellan's arm wrapped around my waist as he told Griffin, "Don't call my wife a bitch again."
Griffin smirked at him, then turned back to Anna.
Kellan and I went back to bed after the happy couple's breakthrough moment. Our slumber didn't last long, though. Kellan had a series of radio interviews that he had to call in for, which Tory reminded him about by mercilessly banging on our door. "Phone calls in ten minutes, Kyle."
Groggy and tired, Kellan sat up in our bed with slothlike speed. Scratching his chest, he kissed my cheek then nuzzled my neck. Giggling, I reached up and tangled my fingers through his hair. I'd been too upset to be intimate with him earlier, but I felt content and peaceful right then, and it was a shame to let this luxurious bed go to waste. Ten minutes wasn't a lot of time, but surely it was enough for a quickie.
As his lips worked their way up to my ear, I pulled his body down on top of mine. "Mornin'," he husked.
Wrapping my legs around his legs, I ground my hips against him, determined to wake him all the way up; it didn't take long. "Good morning," I whispered as I closed my eyes. God, he felt good.
Kellan didn't waste a second of his precious time; he pulled off my clothes while I pulled off his. When we were bare in each other's arms, I figured we still had over nine minutes left. Kellan's body was warm and soft, yet hard as steel as I clutched him to me. Enjoying our moment of freedom in our private suite, I held nothing back as his body sank inside of mine. The novelty of being completely alone with him had me climaxing at a minute and a half in. When Tory banged on his door at the five minute reminder, telling him she'd texted his interview itinerary to him, I cried out with my second release. When she came back around with her sixty second reminder, I experienced my third and Kellan finally allowed himself to join me.
We were panting, both well spent, when he slunk off of the bed, cell phone in hand to go make his round of appointed calls. With a satisfied smile, I wondered if he had anymore ten minute breaks in his lineup.
Deciding to be a little lazy, since today wasn't a traveling day, I ordered up some room and laundry service. Sienna's manager had booked the hotels for the tour, and Sienna had extravagant tastes-anything under five stars simply wouldn't do. Most of the hotels we'd stayed at would wash all of our clothes for us if we called and asked. This was a huge bonus for me, since laundry wasn't my favorite thing in the world. Life on the road with Sienna did have a couple of perks; I felt spoiled.
After throwing all of our clothes into a bag, including what we'd been wearing this morning, I grabbed a couple of plush robes from the bathroom. The long, white robe smelled of lavender and was softer than any robe I'd ever worn before. It made me feel like I was wrapped in a gigantic powder puff. I briefly considered stealing it.
Kellan was sitting at a table next to the doors that led to the balcony. The view of downtown Charlotte from our hotel room was impressive, with scores of beautiful skyscrapers reaching up to touch the clouds. I didn't give it more than a second's glance this morning though, because Kellan was sitting in the chair completely naked, and it was highly distracting. I tossed him a robe. It was a shame to cover up that body, but he might give the poor hotel employee heart failure if she walked in and saw him like that. Kellan smiled at me as he spoke to the DJ on the other line. He didn't put the robe on, but laid it over his lap. Good enough.
Just as I again was considering stealing both of the robes, our food arrived. Having food delivered straight to my bedroom was my favorite part about staying at hotels. There was nothing quite like propping yourself up on soft, plump pillows while a steaming plate of bacon, eggs, cinnamon rolls, orange juice, and coffee was rolled into position beside you. I liked it. It made me feel like a queen. In fact, I planned to find a way to continue the luxury when the tour ended. Maybe hire one of my friends to bring us breakfast in bed every morning, or maybe Rita. I'm sure she wouldn't mind swinging by each and every day for a chance to see Kellan shirtless. Hmmm, on second thought, maybe not.
As Kellan's food was placed in front of him at his table by a male employee, I handed a female employee the bag of laundry I'd scrounged together. It was so nice not have to look for Laundromats everywhere we went. The fresh-faced employee was very professional, but her eyes darted over to Kellan's half-naked body every few seconds. It almost made her seem like she had a nervous tic.
Kellan paused in his conversation to thank them both, then he gave me a quick smirk when he noticed what I'd ordered for him-a Denver omelet. Ignoring his enticing expression, I grabbed my purse so I could tip the employees.
The male employee politely took his bills and left as silently as he'd entered. The female lingered. Wondering if I'd have to turn her around and forcibly push her out the door, I glanced at her nameplate and said, "Thank you, Leanne."
Hearing her name snapped her out of her trance, and she pulled her eyes from Kellan. Cheeks slightly flushed, she smiled and told me, "Let me know if you need anything else," and darted out the door. I supposed the image of Kellan wearing only a fluffy robe across his privates would cause any woman to suffer from a moment of impropriety.
Kellan and I spent the day lounging in our room, enjoying the peace, enjoying the privacy. When it was time to head out for the show, we finally got dressed. Our laundry was clean, dry, and still a little warm. Reluctantly placing the robe on the bed, I slipped on my bra and the freshly washed KK underwear that Anna had gotten for me. Noticing what I was wearing, Kellan paused in zipping up his jeans. "What's that?"
I did a quick spin so he could see the words Rock God on my ass. "This is what the lucky fan gave me. Do you like them?"
Seemingly irritated, Kellan crossed his arms over his chest. "My initials are on your underwear. Of course I like them."
I frowned. "Then why are you scowling at me?"
His face instantly shifted into a devilish grin. "Because you could have been wearing those earlier today, and I could have ripped them off of you with my teeth." As my heart rate increased, Kellan sighed and finished zipping up his pants. "But it's too late now . . . you missed out."
"I'll still be wearing them later," I muttered.
Kellan heard me, and his eyes started burning with interest. I had as much difficulty pulling my gaze away from him as poor Leanne had.
As we all climbed into the dark SUVs that the label loved to rent, I looked around for my sister. I hadn't left my room at all, and I was curious to see how things were going with her and Griffin, now that they were finally exclusive. Matt was beside me in the car while I waited for Kellan. He'd been accosted by a couple of fans outside the hotel and was obliging them with autographs. No doubt Sienna was right by his side. "Have you seen Anna?" I asked Matt.
Matt shook his head. His pale eyes concerned, he asked, "Have you seen Griffin?" When I shook my head, Matt sighed. "If he misses the show I'm gonna kill him."
I patted his shoulder. "He'll be there. He's an idiot, but he's not stupid." Matt gave me an amused smile, and I laughed at my own summation. "How's Rachel?" I asked him.
Grinning, Matt leaned forward in his seat and started telling me all about her. Matt was generally more reserved when he spoke, but there was clear longing in his voice and I immediately understood his sudden openness. Matt and Evan hadn't had a chance to see their loved ones in a while. I knew how that felt, since Kellan and I had gone through it last tour. Matt seemed to need to talk to somebody, so I tuned the world out and gave him all of my attention.
We were stopping at the arena before it had even registered with me that we'd left the hotel. Security whisked us backstage and dumped us into a couple of dressing rooms with instructions that they would come collect everyone when it was time for today's meet-and-greet. Walking up to Kellan's back, I wrapped my arms around his stomach and kissed his shoulder. "I'm going to go look for Anna. Make sure she's okay."
Kellan nodded and flashed a grin. "I'm sure she's quite okay."
I rolled my eyes at his comment, then twisted to leave him. He called out after me, "See you later, KK."
I stopped in my tracks, my cheeks heating. Was he really referencing my underwear? We weren't the only ones in this room! In fact, Deacon was staring right at me, his face amused and confused. Oh well. If Kellan was talking about my under things, at least he'd used a vague reference. To the person not in the know, he could just be saying my initials . . . which I just now realized matched his. Amused by that sudden insight, I twisted back to him. "I look forward to it, KK."
Kellan's eyes widened and I knew he understood what I meant by that subtle innuendo. Feeling a little proud of myself, I set off in search of my hard-to-miss sister.
Oddly enough, I couldn't find her anywhere. And none of the crew had seen her either. Flitting from person to person, I asked everyone I came into contact with if they'd seen a very pregnant girl. Nobody had. I called and texted her about a dozen times, but no response yet. As the minutes stretched longer and longer, I began to get really worried. It wasn't like my sister to miss this. Even yawning and tired, she still showed up to the sound checks and fan greetings.
Thinking she was just waiting in the greeting room like we had yesterday, I started heading that way. All of the winning fans were there, waiting for their brief moment with the rock stars. I scoured their faces, but didn't notice Anna's among them.
To a surge of shrieks, Holeshot walked in, followed closely by the D-Bags. Griffin wasn't among them. Matt looked severely freaked out by the absence of his cousin and was snarling into his cell phone. Evan looked worried too as his gentle eyes swept the room. Kellan was frowning. When he locked eyes with me, he mouthed, "Anna?"
I shook my head. I hadn't found her yet. And apparently, no one had found Griffin yet either. God, what if something was wrong? What if she'd gone into labor this morning? She could be in a hospital right now, giving birth, and I wouldn't know. Surely she would call me. Why hadn't she called me? Where the hell was she?
Pulling out my cell phone, I stepped out of the room so I could start calling hospitals.
Fans filed past me as they completed their time with the stars. Anxious about finding Anna, I turned my back on them. By the time I put my phone back in my purse, I'd called every hospital, clinic, and veterinarian that I could get the number for. Who knows where Griffin would take my sister if she was having a baby. God, I hoped she wasn't in labor.
Hands clenching my stomach, I debated making the hardest phone call of all . . . to our father. He'd been so worried about my safety, I doubt he'd considered the possibility that something could happen to Anna. She'd always been so strong, so tough, so capable of taking care of herself. I doubt Dad even knew she was on tour with me. He was going to lose his mind. He'd call in the National Guard to help find her.
Pulling out my phone again, I sat in a hard folding chair and stared at the screen. Dad was going to officially disown me for losing her.
Kellan came up to me as I was contemplating what to tell Dad. Squatting down, he looked up at me. "No luck?"
I shook my head, tears in my eyes. "What if something happened to her?"
Kellan rubbed my thighs. "She's with Griffin. I'm sure she's fine."
I heard disgusted snorts and glanced over at two lingering fans staring at us. Kellan noticed them too and stood up. They glared at me with open dislike on their faces. As security forced them to move along, I wondered what that was about. Were the Kell-Sex fans so protective of the Kellan-Sienna relationship that Kellan couldn't even console a friend? Geez. They had bigger jealousy problems than I did.
Pushing them out of my mind, I looked up at Kellan. "What do we do?"
Running a hand through his hair, Kellan sighed. "Griffin won't miss the show. He'll be here, and he'll know where Anna is. We wait."
He extended his hand and helped me stand up. Rubbing my back, he led me to the dressing room so I could fret in private.
It felt like days passed while I waited for news of my sister's whereabouts. I tried her cell phone over and over, but she never answered it. Every time I asked Kellan if I should call my parents, he told me to wait another ten minutes. I was getting tired of waiting. So was Matt.
Pacing the room, he barked into his phone, "We're on in twenty minutes, Griffin! Wherever the fuck you are, get back here now!"
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 fuck 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.