“No, not that one.” Anna stood leaning against the frame, shaking her head. She took a step into the room and extended her hand to me. “Here, wear this.” Sighing, she rolled her eyes. “Lord knows I won’t be wearing it for a while.”
Taking the small scrap of fabric from her, I smiled down at her pro-truding belly. Anna was sixteen weeks along, almost halfway to her November due date. In another month, she’d be able to find out if her prediction was correct, if she was having a girl or not. She had a bulge that was unmistakable now, and utterly adorable on her. She’d grown to embrace the new curvature of her body, no longer hiding it behind baggy sweats and shirts. The maternity shirt she had on now clung to her hormonally enlarged chest. The pale pink fabric then clung to the baby in her belly before meeting back up with her hips. It was as seductive as a mom-to-be could dress.
Her friends at work had been surprisingly supportive when Anna had finally spilled the news. Her manager had given her a larger-sized Hooters uniform, and told her that her pregnancy wasn’t a problem; girls working for the restaurant chain got pregnant all the time. Even though I’d told Anna that they wouldn’t, that legally, they couldn’t, Anna had seemed relieved that they hadn’t fired her.
Anna felt even more relieved when the manager had confessed that she’d had the same fears when she’d gotten pregnant as a waitress. Then the level-headed woman started showing my sister the ropes behind the scenes. Anna surprisingly loved it. And she was good at it, too. I think it gave her confidence, having something to fall back on that didn’t rely on her looks. Not that my sister really needed that much help in the confidence department.
Smiling at the image of my devil-may-care sister trying her hand at responsibility, I unfolded the outfit she’d just handed me. It was a short, tight little black dress, the kind that was perfect for almost every occasion. I held it up to my body and twisted my lips. Anna dressed a lot more provocatively than me, and a lot of skin would be showing.
Kellan, still lying on our bed, murmured his approval. “That…is perfect.”
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I glanced over at him. His midnight blue eyes were locked onto my cleavage. The neck line was a low-cut square and would rest just above where it needed to when I put it on. I doubt I’d be able to wear a bra with it. Anna chuckled and I turned to watch her rub her stomach. She gave me a warm smile. “You’ll be beautiful, sis.” I inhaled and stood up just a little straighter. I felt beautiful already, just being near the people who loved me. And even though the dress made me cringe, I would wear it, and wear it proudly. Because today was a day for bravery. And I had role models of that bravery all around me. Anna was brave everyday that she struggled through her situation.
And just last week…she bought a crib. I helped her put it up in my old room and she cried when it was completed. I had faith that her bravery would extend to keeping the baby…and someday telling Griffin about it.
And Kellan was brave. Not for recording an album in L.A. No, I don’t think that even fazed him. Kellan was brave, because he was coming to Pete’s with me, to celebrate with our friends at a party in my honor…and his dad was going to be there. I’d already gotten a confirming text from him when he’d landed in Seattle. Kellan didn’t look like it, as he smiled charmingly at me, but he was freaking out.
And Kellan was also brave…because he was letting my parents stay with us.
From across the hall, I heard my father’s heavy steps as he walked over to stand beside Anna. Resting a hand on her shoulder, he looked in-to the room and frowned at the provocative dress I was holding to my body. Then he forced the frown into a small smile. “Very beautiful, sweetheart. Your mother and I are very proud of you…even if you’re graduating here in Washington and not at our Alma Mater.” Dad sighed at my schooling choice, and Anna rested her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her arm and held her tight. The surprise pregnancy had been a shock to my parents—Anna had told me that Dad had cried—but they had, of course, immediately turned into the loving, supportive people I knew them to be. They’d even offered Anna free room and board if she wanted to move back to Ohio. She’d refused, though, deciding to stay here. Maybe that was because of Griffin, maybe me, or maybe Anna finally felt…home.
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“Thank you, Daddy.”
They were all staring at me now, and I felt heat start to creep into my cheeks. Then I laughed the embarrassment away. “Can I…change now?” I asked my dad and sister.
Anna giggled and backed away, pulling on Dad’s arm. “Come on, Dad, let’s go get something to eat…I’m starving.” Dad frowned and resisted Anna’s pull. He looked over at Kellan, still comfortably lying on our bed. “Kellan, son, you want to give me a hand with…something?” Dad asked awkwardly.
I shook my head, seeing right through Dad’s painful attempt to get Kellan out of the room so I could change in private. Poor guy. He was still struggling with his baby girl being all grown up. He had to realize, since Kellan and I shared this bedroom, that Kellan had seen me naked before. Hell, Kellan had tied me to his headboard and stroked a feather over every bare inch of skin on me before…not that my dad needed to know that.
Grinning at my dad, Kellan stood up. “Sure, no problem.” He paused to kiss my head before leaving and I whispered a thank you for humoring my father. Maybe Dad realized the respect Kellan was showing him, for he clapped him on the shoulder as they left the room together. Then Dad started talking about baseball with him and I couldn’t contain my smile. Dad was making an effort to bond with Kellan. That meant a lot to me.
Kellan drove us to school when I was ready to go. I smoothed my tight dress over my thighs, played with the guitar shaped necklace around my neck, then twisted the promise ring on my finger. I couldn’t stop moving. Nervous, excited energy was pouring through my body. When I started the cycle of movement over again, Kellan grabbed my hand, calming me with his silent support. It worked, too.
Once there, my mother started bawling. It made me sniffle, watching the older version of my sister and I cry, but I managed to keep it all 485
together as I hugged her. Dad shuffled her off, and Anna gave me a swift hug. The baby kicked right as our stomachs connected and I stared down at it.
“Did you feel that?”
Anna laughed at my question and rubbed her side. “The little gym-nast? Yeah, I feel that constantly.” Contently smiling, she shook her perfect head of dark brown hair. “I’m just grateful that she’s moved away from my bladder.”
Kellan chuckled at Anna, slinging an arm around my waist. Anna gave me a quick kiss on the cheek then wobbled off after Mom and Dad.
As always, Kellan stayed by my side, and walked me to where I needed to go. My eyes on the expanse of thigh my dress was showing, I leaned into his side. “I love how you take care of me,” I told him.
Looking down at me, he cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t think I’m…clingy? Always needing to be near you?” I laughed and looked up at him. “No…I think you got that part just right.”
He gave me a crooked grin, then glancing up, stopped me. Wondering why, I glanced up too. A springy redhead that had given me no end of grief over my time here was standing a few feet in front of us. Candy.
Kellan’s…ex. She had her back to us as she talked with a small group of friends, her two spies included. I considered just going around the woman, but she started turning in our direction and I blinked in surprise.
Her belly was swollen with life, and she was much larger than my sister.
She really was pregnant.
Kellan raised an eyebrow at seeing her condition, but didn’t comment on it. When Candy noticed us watching her, she did a double take. I sighed when she disengaged herself from her friends and started heading our way. So much for closing out the school year with never seeing her again. Oh well. Maybe we could finally get that introduction that we’ve never, ever had.
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Kellan watched her impassively as she approached us. Candy lowered her eyes and looked a little glum. Before I could say anything to her, she started speaking to me. “Hey, I just wanted to apologize…for all the crap I used to give to you about Kellan.”
She peeked up at me, then over at him. Her freckled cheeks flushed with color as Kellan bunched his brows. Shaking her head, she shrugged.
“I guess I wanted attention.” She looked down again. “I was pretty ignored in my high school, and being with you, gave me a certain amount of…clout…here.” Her sad eyes looked back up at him. “Sorry. That was pretty shallow of me.”
Kellan gave her a half smile and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.” His eyes drifted down her belly, then over to me. “We’re not those people anymore, Candy.” He looked back at her. “Don’t worry about it.” I smiled that he finally remembered her name. Candy nodded, then, rubbing her stomach, walked away. I was curious over who the father was, but didn’t ask. Rumor had it that it was our ethics professor. Our married ethics professor. But, as I knew, rumors could be wrong. Then again, they could also be right.
Shaking off the drama that, for once, didn’t involve me, I clutched Kellan’s hand and went to find the one girl I did want to introduce him to.
Cheyenne was just coming out of the bathroom when she spotted me.
She squealed and gave me a huge hug, forcefully yanking me from Kellan.
“Kiera, can you believe it! We did it!” Her slight southern drawl thickened in her excitement. Then her pale eyes seemed to notice that I wasn’t alone. She eyed Kellan, then gave him a cute smile that made her eyes sparkle. “You must be the boyfriend?”
Kellan nodded and extended his hand. “Kellan.” Shaking his hand, she muttered to me, “Now I can see why you’re straight. I think he’d make any person reconsider their orientation.” Hearing her, Kellan raised an eyebrow. Then he got a devilish smile and locked gazes with me. I knew he’d figured it out then, that 487
Cheyenne had been the girl at school who’d kissed me. Rolling my eyes at the hopelessly attractive smile on his face, I shoved his shoulder back.
“Why don’t you go have a seat with my parents.” Grinning, Kellan looked between Cheyenne and me. “You sure? Are you…good…here?”
He chuckled a little, his lips curving seductively. Rolling my eyes again, I forcefully turned him around and made him walk away from us.
He looked back at us before disappearing around a corner—the grin there was decidedly inappropriate. Men.
Cheyenne laughed a little as she turned back to me. “Kellan seems…nice.”
I shook my head. “Nice…really isn’t the best word to describe him.” Amazing, hot, sexy, soulful, talented, deep, playful, moody, loving, and at times, considerate, yes…but nice? Well, okay, maybe it did suit him.
The actual ceremony was a blur to me. I was so energized and emotional, I only recalled bits and pieces. Seeing my family in the stands—my mom crying, my dad secretly wiping his eyes, Anna whistling around her fingers, and Denny and Kellan beaming at me as they sat side by side. I vaguely remembered the speeches and music. I recalled my name being announced and the ear-splitting noise from my cheering section. And then it was over and we were back in Kellan’s car, driving off to Pete’s.
My mom, dad, and Anna piled out of the car once Kellan parked it, eager to start on the celebration. I watched my sister hug Jenny and Kate in the parking lot, Cheyenne meeting up with them a couple of seconds later. Once my parents and my friends disappeared through the front doors, I unfastened my seat belt and prepared to join them.
“Coming?” I asked, cracking the car door.
Kellan hadn’t moved since stopping the car; his hands were still fixed on the steering wheel. His eyes glued to the image of the bar in his rear-view mirror, he muttered, “I’ll be there in a sec.” 488
Pale, he looked like he might start the car and drive off once I left.
Closing my door, I twisted back around to him. “Hey, you okay?” He reluctantly pulled his gaze from the mirror to look at me. Eyes wide, he whispered, “I don’t think I can do this, Kiera.” I put my hand on his cheek and held his gaze. “Yes, you can. You can do anything.” He shook his head and I pressed my lips to his. He didn’t kiss me back at first. Too scared or freaked out about facing his biological father, his lips were rigid against mine. Using everything he’d taught me over the years, I teased, licked and sucked his mouth into submission.
Within moments, he was kissing me back heartily, his earlier trepidation gone.
When he clutched my cheek and looked about ready to lay me down on his front seat, I pushed his chest away from me. Eyes burning into mine, he breathed raggedly. I bit my lip at the sight of this insanely erotic, yet deeply sensitive man. “Come on, people are waiting for us. Let’s go say hello.”
He shook his head a little as I opened my door. His eyes clearer, he frowned at me. “You turned me on…that’s cheating.” Laughing, I got out of the car. When he popped up on the other side of it, I shook my head. “When do I ever not turn you on?” Smiling at me acknowledging my attractiveness, he closed his door.
“Well, finally you understand the problem that has plagued me from day one.”
Holding my hand out to him, I waited for him to join me. “Yes, I do.” When our hands met up, I leaned over to nibble on his ear. “And I’ll fix your little problem later, I promise.”
He gave me a devilish grin as he pulled me towards the bar. “Let’s get this over with then.”
Kellan tensed and held his breath as he stepped through the double doors. Only seeing the usual suspects, and not an older version of himself, he instantly relaxed. As the crowd assembled near the doors cheered 489
for me, my cheeks blossomed with heat. I held my head high, though, proud of my accomplishment, and accepted the praise from my friends, family and coworkers.
As it was a Saturday afternoon, the day crew was on shift. Troy smiled at Kellan as we walked past the bar, and Kellan smiled back. As long as the person who fancied him was respectful to me, Kellan was always cordial with them, even the guys. Hun and Sweetie, the gray-haired ancient waitresses that owed this place during daylight hours shuffled around, bringing everyone sodas and water. And Sal, Pete’s business partner and the daytime cook, stepped out with plates and plates of food. Everybody was celebrating.
I looked around the sea of familiar faces in the warm, familiar bar. The cream-colored walls were just as cheery as when I’d first stepped inside here. The oak floor just as worn. A few more bar signs dotted the walls and windows, but overall, it looked exactly the same. Although, the instruments that now held a place of honor on the darkened stage were a bright pink, a deep purple and an electric teal. One even had Hello Kitty stickers on it. But Jenny’s portrait of our boys was behind the feminine instruments, keeping the boys place in the bar, even if it was a smaller place now.
Friends and study mates came up to me, giving me warm, congratulatory hugs. I returned them and gave the graduates my own well wishes.
Cheyenne gave me a hug, followed by Meadow. The uniquely named woman was playing the bar later tonight with her band, but by the way she was holding Cheyenne’s hand, it was clear that she was here for her.
I grinned at the schoolmate, that had saved my butt on numerous occasions when it came to poetry, and her lyrical girlfriend. Meadow had hair the color of a deep sunset, and eyes as dark as Denny’s, but the small smile on her lips exactly matched Cheyenne’s, and I was thrilled that the sweet woman had found love after all.
As Kellan hopped up to the bar to get our table some drinks, Denny and Abby stepped through the doors. Kellan greeted them first, clapping Denny on the shoulder as he pointed back at me. Making sure my parents were comfortably seated, I jumped up to toss my arms around Denny.
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