There was an energy in the air the night before the single was to be released; it even alleviated Kellan's qualms about his upcoming sex scene with another woman. It was a tangible feeling that invigorated the band. Like kids waiting for Christmas morning, they were all giddy, excited, restless. As usual, the guys burned off their excess energy by tormenting Griffin. While I feverishly worked on my book, the boys played one of the Halo games. Without verbalizing it, Griffin somehow became everybody's "target." There were a lot of swear words flying around as Griffin slowly lost his cool.
"Quit fucking killing me, Matt!"
Eyes glued to the screen, the blond guitarist did his best to not smile. "Sorry, didn't mean to."
"Evan, dude! You nailed me in the head!"
Evan also tried not to smile. "Oops, my bad."
"Kellan, Jesus Christ! Learn to fucking aim!"
Kellan wasn't as successful at hiding his glee as his band mates started laughing. Griffin threw down his controller. "You guys suck!"
He stormed off to his room, and everybody started laughing. They stopped when Griffin reappeared a minute later with two full-sized Super Soakers. "Die, fuckers!" he yelled before letting loose on the four of us.
I screamed and covered my laptop as best I could. The guys let out surprised exclamations and took off, each one darting toward a different point of retreat. Griffin let out a maniacal laugh, then took off after Matt, who'd dashed downstairs. Evan emerged from his room, bucket of water balloons in hand. At least, I hoped they were water balloons this time. He chased after Griffin, letting out a fierce battle cry as he went. Laughing, Kellan followed after him, eager to join the assault. I shook my head as I listened to the chaos. Men.
There was yelling, banging, cursing, and at one point, Griffin loudly exclaimed, "The hose is cheating, Kellan!"
When they finally resurfaced forty-five minutes later, each and every one of them was soaked. Setting my laptop on the table beside me, I crossed my arms and murmured, "If you think I'm cleaning up the mess you just made downstairs, you're dead wrong."
Smirking, Kellan shook his head. Water droplets fell from his hair, shirt, and his pants. "Don't worry, the maid comes in the morning."
With that, he twisted his body and revealed the bucket behind his back. I had just enough time to tell him, "Don't you dare!" before he flung the contents at me, drenching me with ice cold water.
Screaming, I shot up off the couch. "You are so freaking dead, Kellan Kyle!"
Griffin pursed his lips as I ran past him to get to my soon-to-be-deceased husband. "Oh, she gets feisty when she's angry. That's hot!"
Needless to say, we all stayed up much too late, considering the boys had a radio show interview at the crack of dawn the next day. Then after the interview, we were immediately getting on a plane to start the first leg of the D-Bags' chaotic promo tour for their album. Ready or not, let the madness begin.
When we all ambled downstairs in the morning, bags in hand, Nick was already there waiting. Lifting an eyebrow, he asked, "All ready?" Kellan nodded, yawning. His yawn contagious, I yawned too. Nick smiled at us, then indicated a woman to his right. She was a tall, leggy blonde who was dressed as posh as he was. Her face was stern, cold, impassive, not much in the way of warmth. "This is Tory. She'll be your handler for all of the media interviews."
Tory extended her hand to Kellan. "Nice to officially meet you. Nick has told me many nice things," she said. While her face remained expressionless, her eyes darted down his body.
Kellan shook her hand, asking Nick, "A handler?"
Tory answered his implied question about what a handler was and why he needed one. "I'm the one that lined up all of your interviews. I'll be checking you in for each one, and letting the interviewers know which questions you won't be allowing. I will also end the interview if I feel they are not respecting the label's wishes."
Kellan frowned. "The label's wishes. Not mine, then?"
Tory cracked a smile. "Nick has requested that you not talk about your personal life." Her steely blue eyes shifted to mine, and the implication was all too clear. Do not mention that you're married.
Kellan snapped his head to Nick. "You don't want me to talk about my wife? So when they ask what's going on with Sienna and me, I'm supposed to say . . . ?" He raised his hands in the air to punctuate his lingering question.
Nick gave him a calm smile. "You tell them no comment, and let them stew on that any way they want to."
Kellan dropped his hands. "'No comment'? I might as well tell them I'm screwing her brains out on a daily basis."
Nick shrugged. "I'm not asking you to lie, I'm merely asking you not to respond, and not to divulge any . . . unnecessary information." His brow arched in challenge. "Think you can handle that?"
The guys all gave Kellan cautious glances while I grabbed his hand. If Kellan didn't deny the rumors that were already beginning to run rampant, then he would be, in essence, confirming them. He was already bothered by the risque music video he'd agreed to shoot with Sienna. Even though abstaining from talking about his personal life was nowhere near the realm of him sticking his tongue down another woman's throat, somehow this seemed just as intrusive. I wasn't sure what he would say to Nick.
Nick seemed unsure as well, adding, "We're expecting this single to reach number one. When your album releases in a few weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if it debuts in the top twenty. All of that is due, in large part, to the fact that the public has a soft spot for you and Sienna together. You've become a couple in their eyes, and that sort of publicity cannot be bought. When your video hits the market, the buzz around you two will be out of this world. And if we don't take advantage of that, ride the tidal wave while it lasts, we'll lose the momentum and your album will sink like a rock to the low hundreds. It's a very crowded market, jammed-pack full of talented, gorgeous individuals, such as yourself. Do you want to start your career on top of them, or on the bottom of them . . . crushed into the oblivion of obscurity?" His face smug, he raised a shoulder in a seemingly unaffected way. "The choice is yours."
While he looked like he didn't care, his tone of voice made it very clear that he did. It was also very clear that the choice wasn't Kellan's at all. The choice was Nick's, and he'd already decided Kellan's fate.
Jaw tight, Kellan said nothing. Not sure what Kellan should do, I gripped his hand tighter in silent support.
Belongings in tow, we headed outside to where a pair of gigantic, solid black SUVs with dark tinted windows were waiting. I thought the twin vehicles looked a little conspicuous, like we were spies or government agents . . . Men in Black. If the company was going for subtle transportation, they would have been better off hiring a stretch limo in this town. But if they wanted everyone to wonder who was inside, then I guess they made the right choice.
One of the drivers greeted us and opened the rear door of an SUV before leaning over to pick up our bags. Kellan tried to help him, but was politely shooed away. Our driver was wearing a crisp suit, and even though it was early in the day, he had on dark aviator sunglasses. He and the other driver stuffed bags and instruments into both vehicles while we climbed in. Griffin immediately grabbed the front seat while Matt and Evan took the middle row. Kellan and I climbed into the third row; it was a little cramped, but still comfortable. The inside of the vehicle was luxurious-digital controls on everything, tan leather that was soft as silk, and light and dark wood inlays along the dash, console, and door frames that created an eye-catching pattern when taken in as a whole. It had that new car smell, like it had been detailed recently. Despite its size, it was a nice ride.
Thankfully, Nick and Tory got into the matching vehicle in front of us. When all of our stuff was packed away and settled, the driver climbed into the car and we were off. The vehicle buzzed with excitement, and not just because of the upcoming radio interview-the guys were stoked about what Nick had said in the house, that the album could debut in the top twenty.
Matt and Evan twisted to face Kellan. "Do you think he's right? Do you really think we'll debut that high?"
Kellan shrugged, his face impassive. "I don't know, maybe." His voice was small as he turned his head to stare out the window; he was right beside me, but he seemed a million miles away.
From the front, Griffin shouted, "Hell, yeah, we'll debut in the top twenty! Number one with a bullet, baby!"
Matt and Evan turned back around and leaned forward to have a conversation with their more eager band mate. Kellan sighed and laid his head against the glass. Concerned, I rested my chin on his shoulder. "Hey, you all right?"
Lifting his head, Kellan wistfully gazed at his friends. "I just . . . I wish I could be as excited about this as they are." He looked down at me, his brow furrowed. "I feel like I'm letting them down, because I'm not enjoying this."
I clasped his hand with both of mine, clicking my wedding ring over his. "It's different for you than it is for them. The label is asking you to do uncomfortable things. They understand. Well, Matt and Evan understand." I gave him a small grin, hoping to lighten his mood.
The corner of his lip twitched up, then he frowned. Scrunching down so our heads were closer together, he lowered his voice. "It's just so . . . fabricated. I don't see why there has to be all this hoopla-crap about some sordid imaginary romance. I just wish that the record and the music were enough to stand on their own. If we're going to make it, I want it to be because we're good, not because people are enamored with . . . my personal life." He frowned, like the idea of him being this ideal, desirable, rock-god dreamboat was absurd, like he still didn't see why anyone would want more than a fleeting moment of passion with him. It wasn't absurd. He was a desirable boyfriend, a desirable husband. But I did see Kellan's point.
"And it will be about the music, Kellan. The high debut may be because of your celebrity status, but the album will stay there because you guys are amazing-one of the best bands I've ever heard."
Kellan cocked his brow. "One of?" I rolled my eyes at him and Kellan glanced up at the other D-Bags. "They've stood by me through so much." He looked back at me, sorrow in his eyes. "They were my family when I had . . . nobody. Literally nobody. And when I left everything in Los Angeles to move back to Seattle, they gave up everything we had down there to follow me, to stand by my side." He ran a hand over his face. "I owe them so much."
Dropping his hand, he stared at his lap. "We would have gotten signed ages ago if we'd stayed in L.A. I took this life from them once. I won't do it again." Sighing, he looked up at me. "I owe them the chance to be big, to really make it in this business. And Nick is right about one thing. It's a packed industry, and Matt, Evan, Griffin-they don't have anything else to fall back on. It's this or nothing for them, so . . ."
Seeing where he was going, I murmured, "So . . . no comment?"
Kellan nodded. "I don't want you to be offended, or worried, or hurt. And I'm not having an affair, or even interested in having an affair. If all I have to do to make a . . . splash . . . is film a video and keep my mouth shut during interviews, then I owe them that much."
Inhaling a big breath, I considered the ramifications of Kellan's silence. The world would think he was with Sienna. There would be so much gossip about them, I probably wouldn't be able to escape it. I'd be bombarded with tales of elicit rendezvous, endless secret weddings, and a plethora of pregnancy rumors. But they would just be rumors. And Kellan wouldn't be anywhere near her. Ignoring his scandalous public persona but still getting the warm, affectionate man behind it all seemed like a fair compromise. I'd never wanted to be in his spotlight anyway.
"I understand, and it's okay."
Kellan blinked. "It is? If someone asks me if I'm married to Sienna," he lifted our laced together wedding rings for emphasis, "and I say nothing, that's okay?"
I shook my head. "Being a celebrity isn't as simple as it once was. It used to be that you had a talent, people liked it, and you excelled accordingly. Now, it's almost more about being adept at traversing the social waters. You need talent, and the ability to sway the public. Nick is good at the manipulation part, and you're really good at the talent part. You let him do his thing, you do your thing, and I'm sure everything will work out fine."
Kellan gave me a grin that finally looked happy. "I can't tell if you're wise . . . or still naive."
I lifted my chin. "I'm gonna say wise." Kellan laughed while a thought struck me. "Oh . . . will we still be able to get married? With a ceremony and everything?" I chewed on my lip. "Because my mother will have an aneurism if I try to back out of it."
Leaning in, Kellan kissed my cheek. "We're still getting married, Kiera. He only told me not to say anything to the public." Cupping my cheek, he whispered, "And I plan on saying 'I do' just to you." He grinned. "And a few hundred friends and family."
Groaning, I laid my head down on the seat. "Oh God."
Kellan poked me in the ribs. "You'll be fine. If I can do all this, then surely you can manage pledging your undying love, devotion and fealty to me in front of a small crowd."
Pulling back, I snorted. "Fealty?"
Kellan gave me an innocent smile. "What? Isn't that one of the vows?"
When we arrived at the radio station, there was a swarm of people waiting outside. They were being contained on the sidewalk by thick velvet ropes while a couple of fresh-faced college kids wearing colorful lanyards around their necks walked back and forth along the other side of the rope-interns for the radio station, probably.
We all gaped at the assemblage as we watched Nick's car pull up and drop Tory off. A second man exited her vehicle, grabbing two guitar cases from the back; the boys were going to play one of their songs live this morning, after the station debuted their single with Sienna.
"Are all those people here for us?" Evan murmured.
Nobody knew, so nobody answered him.
When our car pulled up and let us out, the crowd of women started screaming. It hurt my ears from inside the car. I couldn't believe that so many people were hanging around a radio station at this hour of the day, just hoping to catch a glimpse of the D-Bags. When Kellan stepped out of the car, the earlier outburst was silent in comparison. My ears were ringing when I stepped onto the sidewalk.
Kellan held his hand out for me, his small act of rebellion since Nick hadn't given him any warnings on PDA, but Tory pulled him forward before I could grab his hand. The front doors of the station opened at the same time, and Sienna walked out, flanked by her two bodyguards. Not realizing she would be at this interview, I was surprised to see her. I guess most of this crowd was here for her then. God, she wasn't going to be on the entire promo tour, was she?
Kellan seemed surprised as well. Especially when Sienna flung her arms around his neck and kissed each one of his cheeks. Glancing around, I noticed the scores of cell phones capturing every moment of the "lovebirds" reconnecting. The crowd of girls jumped up and down in their excitement of watching this breathtaking couple in action. Farther back in the crowd, I noticed a man with a high-end camera. He had to be paparazzi or with an entertainment magazine; he had a satisfied smile on his face as he clicked photo after photo of Kellan and Sienna.
And Sienna, ever aware of her surroundings, gave him the money shot. Swishing her long dark hair away so her face was clearly visible, she leaned up and finished her greeting with Kellan by placing a light kiss on his lips. Kellan pushed her away as he stepped back from her, but the damage was done-I was positive the photographer had captured the moment. As Kellan started to scowl, Sienna pulled him into the building and away from the tittering public's sight.
Feeling more like the band's forgotten assistant than the lead singer's wife, I hurried after the group. Kellan broke apart from Sienna in the lobby. "What was that?" he snapped at her.
Sienna patted his cheek. "That, love, was marketing." Kellan's frown deepened and Sienna's full lips turned down. "Relax. It's a harmless photograph to titillate the masses."
Kellan shook his head. "Not on the lips. They belong to my wife."
Sienna smirked, and maybe it was my imagination, but I swear she was thinking, They won't be in a couple of weeks when you're rolling around in bed with me. "Fine. How's your voice? Ready to do an acoustic set to kick off our single?"
That took me back. I hadn't realized that they'd be performing the new single this morning. By the blank look on Kellan's face, he hadn't been told about it either. The plan had been to play one of their album cuts once the station played the official recording of the duet. Guess Sienna had decided that she wanted a flashier debut of her sure-to-be-hot song.
Before Kellan could answer her, Sienna swept him away. Kellan looked back at me as I followed behind the entourage. I gave him a warm smile, letting him know I was fine. Sienna and her bodyguards practically shoved him into an elevator while the rest of the D-Bags got into a second one. When both sets of doors closed before I could get into either one, I sighed and waited for an empty car with some of the interns. They giggled and I heard one intern whisper, "Holy crap, Sienna's boyfriend is hot!"
Not seeing Tory anywhere around, I told them, "They're not dating." Nick hadn't told me that I had to be silent, although it was implied in every stare he gave me. I didn't want to spoil anything for Kellan by outing that we were married, so I didn't say anything else, but it didn't matter anyway. The interns looked back at me with humoring eyes; they clearly didn't believe me.
When I finally got up to the floor of the building that the radio station recorded from, Kellan and the boys were already in the room with Sienna, wearing headphones and making small talk with the disc jockeys. Their instruments were brought in and set up, and I quietly sat on a stool in the corner, absorbing it all.
The boys all introduced themselves. After Kellan said his name, the female DJ told him, "It really is a shame you are so unattractive, Kellan. It's a good thing we're on the radio, ladies, because you would all genuinely feel sorry for this man." By the sarcasm dripping off her voice, the entire listening audience had to know she was joking.
Kellan smiled and shook his head. She groaned. "Dear, God . . . you're killing me."
Her male counterpart held his arm out like he was holding her back. "Easy, there, let's not's mount the artists before they've even had a chance to play."
The female DJ let out an exaggerated sigh. "I'll try, but you know me and good-looking men."
The male DJ immediately added, "The whole city knows about you and good-looking men." Kellan and the guys chuckled and he added, "Sienna Sexton is also here in the studio, and, on behalf of men listening everywhere, can I just say . . . you are smoking hot!"
Sienna flashed him a smile as she brushed her dark hair away from her shoulder. "Ah, thank you . . . so sweet," she cooed in her charming accent.
Pointing a finger between Sienna and Kellan, the woman asked, "So, Sienna, Kellan, rumor has it the two of you are an item?"
Sienna looked at Kellan right as he looked at her. Kellan grit his jaw. Sienna shrugged and said, "Well, he is quite . . . edible." She looked back at the woman jockey with a conspiratorial grin. "I would have to be an idiot to pass him up, right?"
The woman leaned in, like she and Sienna were best buds. "Is that a yes, then?"
Sienna gave her a coy smile, but didn't answer her. Probably hoping for something juicy that she could talk about later, the woman turned her attention to Kellan and said, "So, come on, give me the scoop, Kellan. What's going on with you and Sienna?"
Looking very uncomfortable, Kellan scratched his head. Tory was standing beside me, but she looked like a coiled viper, ready to strike out at the DJs if they asked just the wrong question, or at Kellan, if he answered in a way that the label didn't want him to. Just standing beside her pent-up energy made me nervous. Finally, Kellan murmured, "Ah . . . our single is out today . . . the album drops in September."
Both DJs laughed at his sad attempt to change the subject, knowing smiles on their faces. I felt a sharp sting jolt through my body, like a Band-Aid had just been ripped off of my soul. He'd done it. By dodging their question, Kellan had just confirmed his relationship with Sienna. Where that was going to go from there, I didn't know, but I knew it had just started. The match had been struck with Kellan's answer; I just prayed the resulting fire was small and easily contained.
Kellan looked over at me, an apology in his eyes. I kept up my encouraging smile. It didn't matter what the public thought. We knew the truth.
The DJs spent the next few minutes talking with each boy in turn. Evan seemed completely at ease as he gushed about Jenny. Matt seemed like he hated every second of being interviewed, and was even vaguer about his life than Kellan. Griffin ate up the attention like a starving dog downing its bowl of kibble. He told all of Los Angeles about his "availability" should any of them want a private performance. But then he went on to mention that he was about to have to kid with his girl. I had no idea if he was being serious about his single status, or if he was just playing up the rock star image. Either way, I was surprised that he mentioned Anna and his soon-to-be child.
The boys set up to play after that. Griffin and Matt both grabbed acoustic guitars while Evan sat behind a compact drum that one of the assistants must have brought in. Kellan stood at a microphone, looking comfortable and relaxed. I would be sweating bullets if I were him, about to perform to thousands of people, maybe hundreds of thousands if they broadcasted online. And performing acoustically was even more of a challenge; no searing electric guitar to hide your flaws. But Kellan was pretty flawless, so I knew he'd do well.
When the DJs gave them the go-ahead, Evan started the intro. Griffin and Matt joined in on their part with Kellan a few beats after them. The first portion of the song was quiet, but Kellan's smooth voice still filled the small space. When the song switched to a more emotional section, his voice was powerful, commanding, and yet heartbreaking too. As I knew he would be, Kellan was perfect. What the audience was now discovering about him was something that I'd known from the very beginning-Kellan was so much more than a pretty face. He had genuine talent.
Equally talented, Sienna nailed her part when it came up. The two singers were standing side-by-side, each lightly keeping time to the music with their bodies, but when the song switched into a battle of wills, the pair turned to sing directly at each other. Maybe it was the moment, maybe it was the song, maybe it was the look on Kellan's face as he sneered at Sienna, but I had goose bumps by the end.
I felt like clapping when it was over, but the DJs immediately started in on the praises, so I didn't. I wanted the whole world to hear how amazing the D-Bags were. And it looked like the world was hearing it. A computer screen in front of the male DJ showed a never-ending stream of text messages from listeners. The feedback was unbelievable. "Wow! I can't believe that was live! Who are these guys, because I need to buy their album! Sienna was great, but Kellan . . . good God! If he looks half as good as he sounds, I might die right on the spot! D-Bag fan for life!"
The accolades went on and on and on. Everyone was blown away. My chest was bursting apart, I was so damn proud of him!
The guys packed up, then said their goodbyes. Kellan was all smiles as we left the studio. Scooping me up, he twirled me in the air as members of our assemblage passed by. Sienna eyed us with a strange expression, but didn't say anything. He set me down by the elevators just as a car dinged open. Ducking us inside, Kellan hit the "close door" button before anyone else could enter. He waved at Sienna and Tory through the crack, then twisted to me.
A little boy grin on his face, he asked, "How was it?"
I shook my head, wondering if he was aware that my answer to that question was always going to be the same. Tossing my arms around his neck as the falling elevator made my stomach shift, I told him, "Amazing! Perfect! Wonderful! I could go on and on."
Pressing me against the back wall, Kellan murmured, "Maybe later," as he leaned in to kiss me. He stopped right before our lips met. I think I whimpered. Pulling back, he seemed concerned. "Sienna kissed me . . . I feel like I should bleach my lips before I kiss you."
Smirking at him, I pulled his mouth to mine. "I think I'll live."
As our mouths moved together, I silently wished that we were on the top floor of a very tall building. As Kellan's tongue brushed against mine, his hips pushing me against the wall as his fingers slipped under my shirt to caress the indentation of my lower back, I knew that no building on earth could have possibly been tall enough.
When the car stopped, Kellan released me. Face contrite, he whispered, "I'm sorry."
Feeling a little drunk from our short, heated moment, I responded with a laugh. "You don't ever have to be sorry for that."
Pulling me past the small swarm of people trying to enter the elevator, Kellan shook his head. "No, for earlier, in the interview . . . when I didn't say anything about you." Stopping us, he twisted to look at me. "I really wanted to."
Cupping his cheeks, I firmly told him, "Don't do that. Don't turn this moment into something you feel guilty about. I told you that I understand, and I meant it. You have to do what you have to do right now." Grinning wide, I added, "And did you hear the reaction? The listeners loved you for you in there. Once your album is released, you can do and say whatever you want, and it won't matter . . . because they'll love you . . . not you and Sienna."
My eyes watered as I stared at him. "You just gave an acoustic performance at one of the biggest radio stations in the city. Your single is going to be all over the airwaves soon. I am so incredibly proud of you right now."
Kellan's smile was glorious. "Will you marry me?" he whispered.
I laughed at his oft repeated question. Before I could give him my answer, the other elevator car arrived and Tory marched over with the rest of the guys. Wedging her way between us, she informed Kellan that he had more interviews to give and a plane to catch, so there was no time to dawdle. She did give him a few minutes to greet the fans outside, though.
Kellan was in his element as he chatted and signed autographs. Watching him talk to his fans, it was easy to see Kellan's genuine affection and appreciation for them. He laughed as they screamed and giggled, agreeing to sign anything they threw his way, and posed for pictures with as many of them as he had time for. There were parts of this business that Kellan didn't care for, but meeting his fans wasn't one of them.
Just as Tory snapped her fingers and told him it was time to wrap it up, a limo pulled up to the curb. For a minute, I thought it was there for us, but then Sienna emerged from the building. The gathered fans erupted as she waved and signed a few CD covers on the way to her car. When she passed by Kellan, she gave him a long, lingering kiss on the cheek. "See you later," she husked, just loud enough for everyone around to hear.
Kellan only had time to nod at her before she was whisked away. Kellan looked back at me and I shrugged. At least she hadn't kissed him on the lips again. Maybe she actually would respect his wishes.
The next several days were a blur of traveling, fans, interviews, acoustic performances, and Taskmaster Tory. I couldn't decide if having a handler was helpful or a gigantic pain in the ass. Everywhere we went she was right there, keeping everyone in line and on focus. Remembering some of the troubles Matt used to have when he'd solely managed the group, I did appreciate how difficult her assignment was-just wrangling Griffin was a full time job-but she had an edge of bitchiness about her that got on everyone's nerves.
And she was constantly interrupting tender moments between Kellan and I. Consciously or subconsciously, she found ways to keep us apart while we were in public. Our short second of PDA in the lobby of the L.A. radio station was the last moment we had for a while. We didn't even get to sit on planes together. But through the chaos, we still found time to appreciate each other. Kellan said we had to, otherwise none of this was worth it. I agreed. We passed romantic notes back and forth, and Kellan slipped me rose petal messages when Tory wasn't looking. I wasn't sure where he was getting the flower petals-hotel lobbies, street vendors, green rooms-but whenever he handed me one, it brightened my day. You're hot, I love you, I want you, and my personal favorite, Marry me.
It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Nick had instructed Tory to keep us apart on purpose. He wouldn't want anyone catching on to the fact that Kellan and Sienna weren't really an item. And that's what the world firmly believed after Kellan's L.A. radio interview. Combined with the photo of their momentary lip lock, the general consensus was that Kellan was "doing" Sienna; the gossip sites were smoldering with completely fake details of their hot relationship.
The buzz around them was so intense, I could almost feel the vibration in the air everywhere we went. Luckily, Sienna parted ways with the D-Bags after Los Angeles, so no more fuel was being added to the fire, but Kellan was still asked about her at every interview. Every time she came up, Kellan dodged the question as best he could. A week into the promo tour, the are-you-or-aren't-you question was so predictable, that Kellan and I started laughing about it when we did get a chance to be alone. It was all we could do at that point. Roll with it, or roll over.
Leaving the last interview for the day, Kellan laid his head back on the headrest of the rented SUV we were traveling in. "I'm so tired," he murmured. We were halfway through the tour, making our way up the east coast.
Resting my head on his shoulder, I grunted some sort of agreement. Endless shuffling around was surprisingly wearisome. I just wanted a hot bath, a good book, and a long nap . . . all with my very comfortable Kellan-pillow, of course.
Everyone else in the car was exhausted too. Matt and Evan were quiet as mice as they sat behind us, Griffin was sitting by the driver, snoring from what I could tell. Eyes closed, I halfheartedly listened to the radio. When a familiar song came on, I quietly started singing along. When I realized what I was singing, my eyes shot open and I stared at Kellan in shock. He looked over at me with a furrowed brow. "What . . . ?"
His voice trailed off as he heard it too. It was his voice coming through the speakers. Kellan twisted to the driver, leaning forward on the seat. "Hey, man, can you turn that up?"
The driver turned the knob and Kellan's voice boomed throughout the car. I squealed into my hands as I bounced on my seat. Matt and Evan started freaking out in the backseat. Griffin snorted awake, heard his bass line playing, and instantly joined in the ruckus we were making. I couldn't even hear the song anymore over everyone laughing and hollering.
Tory had told us that the D-Bags' song with Sienna was in heavy rotation all over the country, but we'd been so busy flying here and there and everywhere, that we hadn't heard it on the radio before. There was something surreal about hearing Kellan's voice coming through the speakers.
I turned to Kellan. "You're on the radio!"
Wide-eyed, he shook his head. "I know! What the hell?"
Tossing my arms around him, I squeezed him as tightly as I could. He was doing it. He really was doing it. And I couldn't have been happier. Seconds later, everyone was on their cell phones, calling someone to let them hear the tail end of the song. I was sure most everyone but us had already heard the song on the radio before-I knew my mom, Jenny, and Anna had, since they'd called me squealing about it afterwards-but this was the boys' first moment, and they wanted to share it. Matt called Rachel, Evan called Jenny, and Griffin called my sister. Kellan called his dad, and I . . . called Denny.
"Hey, Kiera," he answered, his accent warm. "You at a party or something?"
Plugging an ear so I could hear him, I shouted into the phone, "Can you hear the song on the radio?" I held the phone up to the front of the car, then pulled it back to my ear. "It's Kellan's song! He's on the freaking radio!"
I started laughing and could just make out Denny saying, "Yeah! I've heard it. They're playing it nonstop here."
As the song ended, the driver turned the radio back down. Cell phone conversations quieted to soft chuckles and exclamations of wonder. Kellan clasped my thigh as he talked to his family. I could see the glow in his eye, and could just imagine his father telling him how proud he was . . . and how amazing those words probably felt to Kellan, since he'd never heard a parent say them.
Now that I could hear better, Denny's words struck me loud and clear. "I saw the latest pictures running around. You, uh, okay with it?"
Wondering if Denny knew the public perception of Kellan and Sienna was unfounded, I told him, "They're not together, you know. The gossip sites are wrong."
Denny sighed, and I could easily picture him running a hand through his chunky, dark hair. "Yeah, that's what Jenny says too, but, uh, she's . . . in the minority. Most of the people I've talked to think Kellan and Sienna are hooking up. Sorry."
I frowned at this news. "Why would I still be with him if he was with Sienna?"
Denny hesitated, clearly not wanting to answer. Eventually, he did, though. "Kellan's . . . on the fast-track to becoming rich and famous . . . a celebrity. They assume you put up with it because of his status."
I scoffed. "That's not me. I don't care about any of that. If anything, it just makes everything harder!"
"I know, Kiera," he said soothingly. "That's why I don't really buy the rumors. Because I know you, and I know you wouldn't put up with him cheating on you." As guilt flooded me, he added, "We're a lot alike in that way."
Everyone else was finished with their conversations while I sat with my mouth open, not sure what I was supposed to say. In the end, I simply told him, "Yeah, I know." After a moment of silence, I added, "I have to go, but I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay. Tell Kellan congratulations for me."
"I will."
Kellan was staring at me when I ended the call. Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, he said, "Gavin hadn't heard it yet." He let out a deep laugh. "I think he was just as excited as me. Hailey too." He wiggled his f��nger in his ear, like it was ringing.
Smiling, I held up my phone. "Denny says congratulations. He heard it the other day."
Kellan was all smiles, so I didn't mention the rest of the conversation I'd had with Denny. I'd tell him later. For right now, I wanted him to enjoy his moment in the sun. He deserved it.