He was all grins as I pulled away. “I did it, Denny!” Tilting his dark head, he gave me a lopsided grin. “Did you ever think you wouldn’t?”
My grin matching his, I nodded. “Yeah, there were times when school was just about the last thing on my mind.”
Denny and I both turned to look over at Kellan talking to Troy at the bar. Smirking, Denny twisted back to me. “Yeah, I know.” Just when I was feeling a bit of guilt seep into me, he laughed. “It’s a miracle you graduated.”
His humor cooling my feelings, I thumped him on the chest. “Quiet, you.”
Laughing at me, he slung his arms around Abby and kissed her head.
Then Abby gave me a brief hug and congratulated me. I shook my head at the warm…forgiving…pair and made room for them at the table with my parents. My mom looked between Denny, Kellan, and me with a very confused face. She must have pieced together what had really happened between the three of us, and was probably wondering how we could all still be friends. I wondered that too sometimes… I was very blessed.
As Kellan brought the table sodas, I tried to make sure my sister was as comfortable as could be. I even found a pillow in the back room for her to lean against, since bar chairs aren’t notorious for being comfortable.
Just as she was giggling and thanking me, the doors burst open with loud fanfare.
Jaw dropping, I spun to watch Griffin and the rest of the D-Bags step inside. I hadn’t realized that they’d come up with Kellan. I was touched that they’d come back, then I remembered that they had just as much reason to come up as Kellan did.
Evan’s eyes locked onto Jenny a split-second before she jumped into his arms and showered him with kisses. Matt shook his head at Evan 491
and looked back at Rachel walking through the door behind him. The Latin-Asian beauty tenderly grabbed the blond guitarist’s hand as they quietly screamed their affection in one, simple glance. All of the D-Bags’
hearts resided in Seattle. Even Griffin…if he ever stopped to think about it.
As it was, he was looking around the packed bar for someone…for Anna. She stiffened in her chair and her face went sheet white. She still hadn’t told him she was pregnant. She hadn’t told Matt or Evan either, and had made every person who saw her condition promise to not tell anyone who might tell Griffin. She’d made everyone promise that she could be the one to tell him, even though that terrified her.
And now…the time was upon her. He was here, she was here, and with her tight, clingy, outfit, even Griffin wouldn’t miss the fact that she was clearly expecting.
She stood up quicker than I’d seen her move in ages, since she liked to play up the helpless pregnant role. Breathing faster than normal, her eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape. Kellan walked up to greet his band mates as I grabbed Anna’s arms, holding her in place.
“Let me go, Kiera,” she snarled.
I shook my head. “No, you have to tell him, Anna. He has a right to know.”
She grit her jaw and glared at me, but it was too late for her to escape—Kellan was bringing the boys to the table. With my parents watching the exchange between Anna and me curiously, I let her go. She started shaking as Griffin approached her.
At first, Griffin didn’t notice. A crooked grin on his face, he walked up to her and nonchalantly shoved his tongue down her throat. Anna made a slight noise and her knees seemed to buckle a little. My stomach turned at the sight. Dad looked about ready to clock Griffin.
Evan and Matt behind Griffin were staring at Anna wide-eyed.
Clearly, they’d noticed what Griffin hadn’t. They both looked up at me. I waved a greeting, then nodded at their unasked questions. Yes, she was 492
really pregnant. Yes, the jackass kissing her was the father. Both of their mouths dropped open as they looked back at Griffin.
Finished mauling Anna, he wrapped his arms around her. That’s when he seemed to notice that there was more of her to hug. Looking down, his light brows furrowed in confusion. “Uh, Anna?” Stepping back from her, he poked a finger into her stomach. “What happened to you?”
Anna batted his hand away, her lips tightening in a classic, hormonal mood swing. “You happened to me…ass hat.” Griffin twisted his lips, like he didn’t understand. Matt smacked him over the head. “Dude, I told you to wrap it up! Don’t you ever listen to me?”
Griffin sneered at his cousin behind him. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
I cringed at Griffin being so crude in front of my father. Dad, his face pale as he realized just who his grandchild’s other half was, stood up.
His thinning hair seemingly graying by the second, he poked Griffin in the shoulder. Annoyed, Griffin twisted back around.
Lifting his chin, our dad calmly told the bassist, “You will watch your language around my daughter, especially when she’s carrying your child.” He raised his eyebrow to Griffin, to drive that point home, in case Griffin was still confused.
Griffin shook his head, then finally the light turned on. His eyes widening, he stared at Anna’s stomach in absolute horror. “You’re pregnant?”
Anna smirked and rolled her eyes. “God, I hope our daughter somehow gets Kiera’s smarts…otherwise she’s doomed.” Griffin’s face softened as he looked up into Anna’s eyes. “Daughter?
We’re gonna have a girl?”
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A slight smile crept into his face and Anna’s eyes moistened. She shook her head. “I don’t know yet, I just feel like…I feel like we made a girl.”
His face more serious than I’d ever seen it, Griffin slowly put his hand on Anna’s stomach. Her eyes welled so much I doubt she could even see the father of her baby anymore. Surprisingly, Griffin’s eyes were a little moist too, as he ran his thumb over the bump. I hoped and prayed the baby took this opportunity to kick, so he would feel it.
Everyone around us was silent as Griffin stared at Anna’s belly. Then, so soft I almost missed it, Griffin murmured, “A girl…I’m gonna have a little girl?”
Tears dripping down her cheeks now, Anna whispered, “I don’t know if I’m keeping her.”
My mother took a step forward at hearing Anna admit that; she hadn’t admitted it to anyone but me. Dad grabbed Mom’s arm, though, stopping her as he watched Griffin intently. Mom bit her lip, looking like she wanted to start in on a four hour speech. It was her first grandbaby after all.
Griffin snapped his head up. “What? You can’t give away my kid?” He looked around the bar until he found Kellan, watching from behind Matt and Evan. “She can’t do that, right, Kell? Don’t I have a say?” I had to swallow the lump in my throat at the look on Griffin’s face. I’d never, ever seen him look so…panicked. It was like he’d just been offered something he really wanted, and then had it snatched away. He looked terrified.
Kellan started to answer him, but Anna brought her fingers to Griffin’s cheek, forcing his eyes back to hers. Griffin was shaking when she spoke.
“I won’t…if you want to keep her…if you want to do this with me…I won’t give her up.”
I held my breath, waiting for his answer. I noticed my mom and dad clenching hands as they waited, too. We all wanted this baby, but it wasn’t our choice. Apparently…it was Griffin’s.
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He swallowed, then looked down at her stomach again. After what seemed like an eternity, he looked back up at her. “Can we name her after my grandma?”
Anna started to sob, then nodded and threw her arms around his neck.
Griffin smiled, inhaling a deep breath as he held her back. The rest of the band glanced at each other, smiling. Through my own tears and sobs, I heard Matt lean down to Rachel by his side. “One of us should probably tell her that Grandma’s name was Myrtle.”
I laughed through my sobs, grateful that at least Griffin would have his more sensible band mates to help raise this baby. Thank God for that.
I turned away from the happy couple when I heard Griffin murmur,
“Can we still screw when you’re like this?” I noticed a group of people that had quietly entered the bar during that dramatic moment. My jaw dropped as I stared.
An older, middle-aged man was standing awkwardly by the bar.
Dressed in a nice, black, collared shirt and khaki slacks, he seemed like he could be heading out to one of the golf clubs around the area. Lean and muscular with a head full of thick, sandy brown hair, he was one of those men that you knew would age well. He’d still be attractive at sixty.
But that wasn’t what stole my breath. It was that his looks were a spitting image of Kellan’s. Or rather, Kellan was a spitting image of him. The resemblance
was…unmistakable.
The
jaw,
the
nose,
the
brows…everything…right down to the midnight blue eyes.
I was staring at Kellan’s father, his natural father.
The man noticed me staring and nodded, lifting his hand in a small wave. I waved back, then noticed the two kids by his side. Well, one was a kid, the other was probably just a few years younger than me. The girl, Hailey, was Kellan’s sister. She had the same light brown hair and dark blue eyes that Kellan and his father had. Seeing her father wave at me, she waved, too. A grin broke out on her face when she noticed her half-brother. The grin was so similar to Kellan’s, I blinked.
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Beside her was a young boy, maybe ten. Like the rest of Kellan’s family, he had light hair and blue eyes, although his were a more traditional pale blue. He was staring at Kellan’s back with a look of awe on his face.
I had a feeling he’d heard a lot about his older brother lately. He clearly already idolized him.
My eyes slowly swung to Kellan’s. He was in a conversation with Evan, most likely about making sure to keep a close eye on Griffin around his future child. Kellan hadn’t noticed his family yet. Feeling my eyes on him, he lifted his gaze to mine. Not able to change my shocked expression, I watched Kellan frown. Then he seemed to realize what I’d be so shocked about and his face paled.
He closed his eyes, willing himself not to turn around. I quickly worked my way around the people congratulating Griffin and Anna.
Making my way to him, I cupped his cheeks. “Kellan…it’s time.” He shook his head, his eyes still closed. “I can’t, Kiera.” Peeking his eyes open, he cringed. “Ask them to come back later…I just can’t right now.”
I shook my head, brushing my thumbs over his cheeks. “You can do this, Kellan…I know you can.”
He exhaled a shaky breath, then slowly started to turn his head. His breath was faster when he finally spotted the man who’d created him.
Taking a step back, he reached down and clenched my hand, hard. His whole body started to tremble as he stared over at the three people that had turned his life upside down. Kellan’s father lifted his hand, then let it fall when Kellan didn’t react.
Kellan snapped his head back to me. “I can’t…I can’t do this…please, let’s just go.” Turning to me, he grabbed my arms. “I’ll go anywhere you want to go. Let’s just sneak out the back and we can do anything you want to do…”
Inhaling a deep breath, I stared Kellan down. He stopped rambling about all of the places we could go and all of the things we could do, and stared back at me. When he was calmer, he whispered, “I’m scared…” 496