Wonderful, page 12
She pulled back to look at me, and the expression of eagerness and interest on her face was so startingly familiar that it threw me. She’s looking at me like my fans do. But she was the biggest pop star on the planet, so that made no sense to me. I shouldn’t even be on her radar, but apparently, I was.
It was all just so…bizarre.
I didn’t know what to say to her. I usually just smiled at my fans and told them thank you, but that didn’t seem like quite enough in this instance. We were peers, in a way, so I should reciprocate, right? “Uh, thank you. I’m a…huge fan too.” Fuck. Was that polite and professional, or did I sound like a suck-up tool? But it wasn’t exactly a lie. I mean, maybe huge fan was a stretch, her style wasn’t exactly my preferred style, but I certainly respected all she’d accomplished. I was a fan of her work ethic. And her talent. Her voice was undeniably spectacular.
Sienna seemed to take my words exactly as spoken. She stepped back with a giggle. “Ah, love, aren’t you a sweet one.”
While Sienna’s friends turned on a TV, I introduced Matt and Evan. They both looked wide-eyed and starstruck as Sienna shook their hands. Interestingly enough, she didn’t kiss their cheeks in greeting like she had mine. That concerned me a little. What exactly was Sienna hoping to get from me? Because if it was more than just this meeting…she was going to be disappointed.
I was about to introduce Kiera when Anna stepped forward. Grabbing Sienna’s hand, she gushed, “Anna Allen, mega fan. You’re practically my idol.”
That made me grin. Yeah, I could totally see Anna worshipping her. Sienna gave her a polite smile, then patted her protruding stomach. “You due soon, love?”
Anna frowned like she was offended. “No, November…”
Sienna cocked a questioning eyebrow at me. “Yours?” she asked, clearly meaning the baby.
I flicked a quick glance at Anna’s stomach, then shook my head. Slinging an arm over Kiera’s shoulders, I drew her into my side. “Mine,” I stated.
Kiera smirked at me for my possessive answer, then surprised me by calmly extending her hand to Sienna. Although her fingers were trembling a little. “Kiera…hi.”
Sienna’s smile minutely dropped as she examined Kiera and me as a couple, and I had the weirdest sensation that even though she’d asked about Anna’s baby, she’d really been hoping I was single and available. Sorry, I most definitely am not. Sienna’s momentary disappointment vanished as she shook Kiera’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
While I was happy Sienna was being courteous to my wife, I was ready to know what was going on. “You…wanted to see me?” I asked.
She clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yes! I have a proposition for you. One I think would be in your best interest. Yours and mine.” She grinned and pointed at me with her laced fingers. “I want you,” she stated.
While her words sounded somewhat suggestive, I was pretty sure this wasn’t about sex. She wouldn’t make that kind of proposition in front of the VP of the label. Right? I really hoped not. Turning her down with an audience like this would be…awkward. For everyone.
Nick spoke while I was still trying to figure out what she really meant. “As you know, Sienna is the label’s largest star.” Sienna winked at that, and Nick smiled before continuing. “She’s been listening to your finished tracks, and she’s impressed, to say the least.”
Well, I supposed that explained how she knew who I was, but what were they getting at? Before I could ask, Nick gestured at Sienna with both hands, like she was a game show prize. “We’ve been looking for a way to rejuvenate Sienna’s sound, add some kick to it.”
Sienna nodded, smiling brightly at me. “Something new…fresh.”
Nick tilted his head as he continued. “We’ve been looking for a collaboration that would blend well with her unique style.” He swung his hands to me. “And that’s where you come in.”
I blinked in surprise. Sienna collaborating with an artist certainly made sense for her career, but was she really asking to team up with me? I had to be misunderstanding them. “Me?” I asked.
Nick clapped my shoulder like we were buds. “Yes. Your sound is exactly what Sienna’s been looking for. And we have the perfect song for you—‘Regretfully.’ Sienna’s already recorded her half of it. We just need you,” he finished with a shrug.
Damn. So they were asking to team up. But something about the look on Nick’s face, and honestly, the look on Sienna’s face, wasn’t sitting right with me, and every cell in my body flared with caution. They kept singling me out—asking for me by name, saying they wanted to work with me, but the band wasn’t just me, and I wasn’t interested in a solo project. If that was what was on the table here, then my answer was an easy one: no.
Making sure I was understanding them properly, I indicated Matt and Evan. “You mean all of us, right?”
Sienna’s smile was pure innocence. “Of course.”
Right. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I didn’t entirely believe her.
I could feel Matt and Evan’s eager energy beside me. They knew what this could mean for our band. I did too, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on here, something I wasn’t understanding. And I also knew that this could be too much, too fast. Sienna was a huge star; being tied to her right off the bat would throw us headfirst into public awareness. We’d have no chance to warm up to fame, to get used to being in the spotlight on a global scale. It would just be right there in our faces, blinding us. Maybe. I supposed if the song sucked, things for us wouldn’t change too much. I really wasn’t sure. All I knew was this felt…important. And I wasn’t sure what to do.
Feeling pressure being placed squarely on my shoulders, I looked over at Kiera. She had the same shocked, almost overwhelmed expression on her face. She knew what this might mean for us too. I chewed on my lip as uncertainty filled me. I’d been hoping for a slow build, a chance for the guys and me to grow into this life. Would saying yes destroy that? Would saying no be stupid?
Matt and Evan were being quiet, waiting for me to say something. I still wasn’t sure what to say, and I needed time to think. “Our styles are very different. Can I hear the song first, make sure it’s a good match…for us?”
Nick’s face instantly changed, hardened. He clearly didn’t like me having an opinion about this, and that filled me with a dark kind of dread. He was the VP of the company…if I said no to this, could he kill our deal? He gave me a tight, obviously annoyed smile. “Absolutely.”
“Come,” Sienna said. “I’ll play it for you.” Then she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward a piano in the corner of the room. I wanted to disengage from her, but that cautious feeling was still pricking me, and it suddenly felt really important not to offend her.
Sienna sat on the piano bench and began playing. Evan and Matt joined me beside the piano, listening intently. The melody was interesting, not quite a ballad, not quite a fast song, but in that tricky in between area. Sienna’s voice filled the room, and I really paid attention to the lyrics. I had to admit, they were good; it was something I could see myself singing. The song was about a relationship ending—badly. It was something I could relate to, something I could draw from internally. That wasn’t truly necessary when performing, but it definitely helped.
As the song continued, Evan started drumming a beat with his fingers, and I could tell Matt was spinning something in his head. I tried to hear what they were hearing, tried to hear our sound meshing with what Sienna was playing…and I could. And it was good. If we did this, it could be a really good song, a massive hit. Which brought me right back to the beginning of my worries. Should we do this?
Sienna finished the song, looking at me with expectant eyes. Matt and Evan were looking at me in the same way; by their smiles, I could tell they were sold. They didn’t seem to be at all concerned with what instant success might do to us. Of course, the downside might not have crossed their minds yet.
As I grappled with uncertainty, I felt a hand on my back. I twisted around to see Lana standing there, a friendly smile on her face. I minutely relaxed, seeing someone who could give me some real advice. Like she could see my doubt, Lana raised an eyebrow and said, “This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that we talked about, Kellan. I would say yes if I were you.”
I gave her a smile and a nod in thank you, and I felt a small piece of the weight being lifted from me. A part of me knew she was right. Career-wise, this was a no-brainer. But the band was my family, Kiera was my family, and I didn’t want to do anything that might jeopardize their health and safety, their security and happiness. The “career” wasn’t worth it if they suffered…if Kiera and I suffered. Because honestly, that was my truest, deepest fear. That somehow this decision would damage what Kiera and I had, and that scared the living fuck out of me.
Kiera looped her arm around my waist. Grateful for her presence, I returned the gesture. “What do you think?” she asked.
Knowing everyone was intently watching me, I told her the straight-up truth. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
She hesitated for a moment like she was debating what to tell me. Then she shrugged. “I think it’s incredible. I think it would be a waste of your talent to say no.”
I was a little surprised to hear her say that because I could see the trace amount of fear in her eyes. She was worried about what this could mean for us too, but it wasn’t going to change her answer, wasn’t going to change her truth. And I knew she was right. We couldn’t run from an opportunity like this. I couldn’t run from an opportunity like this. I owed the guys too much for that.
Kiera was being brave right now. I needed to be brave too. I gave her an appreciative smile, then looked back at Nick. “I guess we’ll get to work on it first thing.”
Chapter 8
MY HAPPY PLACE
My mind was spinning when we got back to the second floor, trying to process everything that had just happened, trying to imagine what our future might look like now. I had no idea. Things had been vague and cloudy ever since we’d left on that tour with Justin, and my old life was feeling further and further away. As I sat on the couch with Kiera, I kept thinking about Pete’s. About playing at the bar, hanging out with my friends, flirting incessantly with Kiera. I’d given it up before I’d been ready to give it up, and all of this…it really made me miss it.
But I knew I couldn’t stay in the past forever. Time relentlessly moved forward, and I had to move forward with it. At least Kiera was by my side now. She would be my constant, my compass, my true north. Whatever happened with the band, whatever Sienna’s fame might mean for us, that fact wouldn’t change for me. Kiera was my home, my happy place, my quiet in the chaos. This wouldn’t change us. I wouldn’t let it.
Griffin was pissed at me for not waiting for him, and he spent the next hour sulking in the corner. I was positive I would hear all about how much I sucked later, when he got past the ignoring me phase. But thankfully, that wouldn’t be tonight because Anna was in a…frisky mood after meeting her idol, and the pair disappeared into Griffin’s bedroom.
After they left, my mind started wandering again, worrying. The displeasure on Nick’s face when I’d asked to hear the song was stuck in my head, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he would have done if I’d said no.
“Can you believe it, Kell? Sienna Sexton wants to do a song with us. Us!”
I roused myself from my thoughts to look over at Matt. He and Evan were both grinning at me with mile-wide smiles. Kiera looked up from her writing notebook to give me a soft smile of encouragement. She hadn’t asked about my introspective mood, just quietly supported me while I’d processed. I appreciated that. The silence was soothing.
My lips twisted into a lopsided grin. “I hate to burst your bubble, Matt, but I’m pretty sure we’re all having some weird, shared dream and none of that actually happened.”
Matt snorted at me, then frowned when we all heard the telltale sound of Anna and Griffin reuniting. “If that’s true, then this dream is about to turn into one of my nightmares.” He paused to let out a weary sigh. “I do not want to listen to those two go at it again. Let’s get out of here. Go celebrate.”
I glanced down at Kiera, to ask if she wanted to leave, but she was already nodding, eager to get away from the loud lovebirds. Looking back up at Matt, I nodded. “Sounds good.”
As we all stood from the couch, Matt smiled at Kiera and said to me, “We should take Kiera to The Rusted Pipe. Show her where we used to hang out.”
I frowned as I considered that. The Rusted Pipe wasn’t the greatest bar, and it definitely wasn’t in the greatest neighborhood. “I don’t know. The Pipe is kind of…sketchy.” If only we could take Sam with us too. Nobody would mess with us if that tank was nearby. And thinking that made me miss Pete’s. Again.
Kiera smiled like Matt had just suggested Disneyland. “I don’t care if it’s sketchy. I want to see where young you used to hang out.”
I smirked at her enthusiasm. “Young, broke me…just keep that in mind.”
She laughed a little, then bit her lip. It made me want to suck on it. Her gaze drifted to my mouth. “No judgement, I promise. But I want to see it.” She lightly patted my stomach. “And I’m not worried, you’ll keep me safe.”
The way she was looking at me stopped my breath for a second. There was so much adoration in her eyes, like I walked on water or something. It mystified me…blew me away. And I knew she was right—I would fight until my very last breath to keep her safe. “All right, fine,” I told her, a humoring tone in my voice.
Kiera grabbed her purse, then we all headed for the stairs. Just in time too because Anna and Griffin were really getting into it now. As we speed-walked down the stairs, Matt tossed over his shoulder, “We’re taking a cab this time. I’m not gonna be the only sober one again. You guys suck when you’re drunk.”
Evan laughed while I made an affronted noise. Kiera smirked at me, rolling her eyes. Then she said, “At least with me here, getting him into bed won’t be such a challenge.” She instantly realized how provocative her statement sounded, and her cheeks went beet red.
Matt’s eyes widened, but he faced front and didn’t say anything. Evan chuckled, shaking his head, while I tried my best not to burst out laughing. I was not successful. I had to stop on the last stair and hold onto the railing as a fit of giggles grabbed hold of me.
Kiera’s eyes drilled into me as she fisted her hands, ramming them into her hips. “It’s not that funny,” she murmured.
Trying to calm myself, I inhaled a deep breath and slowly shook my head. “It’s not that it’s funny. It’s that you’re so fucking cute, I just can’t stand it.” She didn’t look amused. Reaching out, I grabbed her waist and pulled her into me. “Oh, God…I’m so glad you’re here.” I nuzzled into her neck, and she finally relaxed, melting into my arms. I kissed her neck, my lips tenderly tracing the curve up to her ear. Kiera let out a soft moan, igniting me. I was just wondering if we should turn around and go back upstairs, when I heard someone loudly clear their throat.
I looked up to see Evan standing there, an amused look on his face. “We still leaving?” he asked.
Kiera’s cheeks flushed again, and she spun in my arms. “Yes. Yep. We’re going. Let’s go.”
She stalked away from me, and I smiled as I stared at her backside. Yes. I was extremely glad she was here. Evan laughed at the look on my face, then playfully socked me in the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go drink.”
Lana was still here when we walked into the downstairs living area. When we told her what we were doing, she mentioned that the label had drivers available upon request. Good to know. She arranged one for us, and then we were on our way.
When we got to The Rusted Pipe, Kiera’s eyes widened as she looked over the exterior. If she thought that was bad…
Smiling, I laced my fingers with hers and led her inside. An odd look was on her face when she glanced around the dimly lit interior of the bar; it was an expression of both fondness and mild alarm, like she was picturing a younger version of me in every corner of the room, but she was also keeping an eye on the exit, just in case she had to run for her life. So cute.
I nudged her shoulder, and she looked over at me with a smile. “You weren’t lying about this place,” she said, stepping closer to me so that her entire side pressed into mine.
Grinning, I lifted my eyebrows. “Are you judging now?”
She laughed as she peered up at me. “No. Just wondering if you’ll have to come into the bathroom with me to hold the door closed.”
My grin grew downright devilish, and she poked me in the ribs as she giggled. Matt and Evan were already heading for the bar, so Kiera and I followed. Cody was working again, and he shook his head when he saw us. “You guys are gonna be regulars again, aren’t you?”
I shrugged as I pulled out a stool for Kiera. “Maybe. For a little while.”
Cody’s dark eyes were trained on Kiera as she sat down. His gaze locked on to her wedding ring when she put her hands on the bar. “You must be Mrs. Kyle,” he said. “Nice to meet you. I’m Cody.” His eyes focused on her face for a moment, then slid down her body.
Kiera flushed a little, uncomfortable with Cody’s scrutiny. So was I. Cody better lift his gaze before I lifted it for him. “Nice to meet you too,” Kiera said.
Cody’s eyes finally swung back to me as I sat down. “Damn, Kellan. Now I kind of get it. Not saying I want that life…but I get it.”
I smirked at him, then frowned when I saw him wink at Kiera. Seriously? “Thanks, man. Now stop flirting with my wife.”
His expression was instantly horrified…in a totally fake way. “I would never…” He grinned, then fucking winked at her again. If he did it a third time, he was going to lose the ability to ever do it again.
Like he knew he was testing my patience, his demeanor changed into a more professional one, and he addressed all four of us. “Your regulars? Or is it another special occasion?”
