Nope. Nothing felt right. She moaned.
"Get her a Diet Coke, Della," Miranda said. "Maybe the sugar will give her some brainpower."
"It's fake sugar," Della answered.
"I know. But haven't you ever heard the saying fake it until you make it?"
"Ugh, forget the soda. I'm going to bed." Kylie popped up from the chair and went into her room, slamming the door so hard it rattled on its hinges.
From behind the door she heard them say in unison, "Definitely werewolf."
* * *
She hadn't gotten to her bed when she heard a loud commotion from the living room. Had Miranda and Della finally decided to really duke it out? Feeling guilty for encouraging them, she went to stop them but stilled when she heard voices.
"Where's Kylie?" Burnett's deep tenor spilled through the walls at the same time that her phone started ringing.
She pulled her phone from her pocket and jerked open the door. Burnett stood there with his hand raised to knock. Both anger and a thread of guilt filled his expression.
"Something wrong?" Kylie's ringing phone hummed in her hand.
"Are you okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Had something else happened? At this point, nothing could surprise her.
Chapter Four
"You left without telling me." Burnett's mouth thinned with his reprimand.
"I did not." Kylie saw Della and Miranda behind Burnett, wearing concerned expressions. No doubt, it wasn't wise to disagree with Burnett.
"You were in the office and then you were gone," Burnett barked. "I was supposed to be shadowing you."
"That was almost an hour ago," she said. Had he just now realized she was gone?
The ringing of her phone drew her attention and she pulled it up to see who was calling. Holiday's name appeared on the tiny screen. Then the camp leader, phone pressed to her ear, stormed into the cabin.
"You found her." Relief filled Holiday's eyes and she folded her arms over her stomach and breathed as if she'd run all the way here.
"You shouldn't have left without telling me," Burnett said to Kylie.
Holiday shut her phone off and silenced Kylie's cell. Kylie stared at the camp leader, recalling the ghost issues that she needed to talk to her about. How could someone alive appear as a ghost?
"I was in charge of you." Burnett continued his tirade.
Kylie glanced at Burnett as she set her phone down on the end table. She should probably keep her mouth shut, but her bad mood prevailed. "You can't blame me. I told you I was leaving. Not once, but twice. You two were too busy being pissy with each other to hear me." When her own hostile words rang in her ears, she worried maybe Della and Miranda were on to something about her being werewolf.
Holiday stepped closer. "We weren't arguing."
Really, Kylie thought, noticing that Holiday's shirt was on inside out. Not arguing, huh? So what had they been doing that led to Holiday wearing her shirt inside out? All Kylie's frustration lessened and she almost smiled. Almost.
"Yes, we were arguing," Burnett confessed, as if suddenly remembering.
"We were just discussing things." Holiday sent Burnett a look that said, Don't disagree with me on this.
"We were discussing it heatedly." Burnett received another hard stare from the redheaded camp leader.
"I'll say," Della mouthed off. "I heard you all the way in the dining room. And I'm not so sure it was my vampire hearing that caught it."
"Yes, it was," Miranda piped up. "Because I didn't get to hear a thing. Then again, I was probably talking with Perry." She got a faraway look in her eyes. "I love talking with Perry."
Della moaned.
"That said," Miranda continued, "nothing is as fun as a good argument. So if someone would like to fill me in, I'd appreciate it." She rubbed her hands together. "Just the good parts."
Burnett exhaled in frustration. "We were just-"
"What we were doing isn't important," Holiday blurted out, blushing.
"So you weren't arguing?" Miranda looked intrigued.
Kylie almost smiled again. Holiday was right. What they were doing wasn't important. The thing that mattered was that they'd made up. The thing that really mattered was if Holiday had managed to talk Burnett out of resigning his position. Shadow Falls needed him.
Holiday needed him.
Everything inside Kylie told her that the two of them were meant to be together. Unfortunately, Holiday resisted the idea of her and Burnett becoming an item. And while she hadn't completely admitted it, Kylie suspected it had everything to do with Holiday's vampire fiance who'd broken her heart when he left her at the altar. Kylie also sensed there was more to that story than Holiday let on. Not that being left at the altar wasn't bad, but something told Kylie it had been something even more emotionally damaging. Why else would Holiday reject Burnett's love?
God knew it wasn't easy for a vampire to take rejection. Kylie had told him he needed to be patient. Holiday couldn't continue to hold out. Not when Burnett was practically perfect. Tall, dark, moody enough to be fascinating, and with a good heart. Sure, being vampire, he didn't go around passing out good cheer like Holiday did. But he cared.
Did Holiday finally come to her senses?
"Are you staying on at Shadow Falls?" Kylie asked Burnett, breath held in hope.
Burnett glanced at Holiday and damn if he didn't almost smile. "I'm staying."
"Yes!" Miranda and Della high-fived each other and did a little victory dance.
A sense of rightness filled Kylie's chest. Maybe today wouldn't go down in history as the worst day in her life, after all.
Burnett, being his slightly brooding self, didn't seem to share her roommates' joy, but Kylie spotted relief in his eyes. "Next time you are under my charge, don't walk away without my permission."
Kylie nodded, too happy to care if she wasn't at fault.
"Even if you have to knock me over my head twice to get my attention," he continued, taking most of the blame on himself. Kylie's smile widened. As stern as Burnett could be, he wasn't unfair.
She watched Burnett start for the door, and Holiday turned to go with him. Again, Kylie couldn't help but wonder how far things had gone in their time together. Had their clothes been half off when they suddenly realized she was gone?