"You're not answering," her mom said.
Kylie swallowed a big lump of indecision and stared down at the image of her mom and Daniel. Was it fair of her to want her mom to forgive her stepfather just to bring a sense of normalcy back into Kylie's life, especially when she sensed the man her mom really loved was dead? The question bounced around her head, and Kylie decided to be honest.
"That's because I don't know what to say. I guess part of me was thinking you and Dad might work things out. Don't you love him anymore? Or did you ever really love him?"
It was her mom's time to get quiet. "I loved him. I probably still love him," she finally confessed. "But I'm not sure I can forgive him. Or trust him. And ever since we talked about Daniel, I just ... I'm not sure that marrying Tom wasn't a mistake. And if that's true, then us getting back together would also be a mistake. But I shouldn't be talking to you about this, Kylie."
"Why not?"
"Because, my darling, you shouldn't have to worry about this."
"You're my mom. I have a right to worry." And Kylie realized she did worry about her mom being alone and being lonely. But did that mean she wanted her mom to start dating? To completely rule out getting back with the man Kylie had loved and considered her real dad all her life?
"No," her mom said. "You've got that backwards. Moms have a right to worry about their kids, not the other way around."
"Then we'll just have to agree to disagree," Kylie said.
"You are way too stubborn, you know that?"
"And I wonder where I got it from," Kylie answered with a chuckle. Kylie's mom's phone beeped with an incoming call. "I'll let you go," Kylie said. "But Mom..."
"Yes?"
"Enjoy the lunch. Just be careful. And don't go falling in love or anything. Oh, and no kissing on the first date. That was your rule, remember?"
Her mom chuckled. "I'm sure it's just a business lunch. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
When Kylie hung up she heard a tap at her window. She looked over, expecting Lucas, but instead the blue jay perched on her windowsill. It flapped its wings, hovered right outside her window for a second, and then flew away.
Great. Now she was being stalked by the blue jay she'd brought back to life. What did that mean?
* * *
The melancholy from the ghost and the mixed feelings about her mom-as well as the possibility that she'd given a piece of her soul to the blue jay-hadn't completely faded an hour later when Miranda and Della stormed into her room.
"Get ready," Della said.
"Ready for what?" Kylie asked, lying on the bed, still hugging her pillow and staring holes into the ceiling.
"Burnett agreed to let us have a party tonight," Miranda said. "This is our chance to work on our pact. Steve will be there, so will Lucas and even Perry. We're ordering pizza and playing music. Maybe even dancing. I think I'll wear the new jeans I bought last weekend."
"You didn't tell us you got to go shopping," Della said.
"Yeah, and I also got this brand-new jeans skirt." Miranda looked at Della. "It would look fabulous on you. Why don't you borrow it?"
"Really?" Della said. "You'd loan me your new skirt?"
"Of course. I like you most of the time," Miranda said, and nudged her with her elbow.
Kylie's lips were poised to say, "You two go without me," but she spotted a hint of excitement in Della's eyes. Kylie remembered that since the vamp was assigned as her shadow, if she didn't go, Della didn't go, either.
So Kylie stood up and went to her closet. "I say we get all dressed up and impress the socks off those guys."
Thirty minutes later, the three of them, dressed to kill, walked into the dining hall. Miranda had loaned Della her new jeans skirt, and it looked really good on her, especially paired with the spaghetti-strap top with art deco black-and-red print with flared tiers of fabric hanging down the front. Miranda wore her new jeans with a low-cut pink lacy tank top that showcased her girls. When Kylie had packed to return to camp, she'd brought some more clothes. Her black knit dress wasn't fancy, but it still fit well, especially with her recent growth spurt. The hem of the dress now came a tad higher, and the scooped bustline fit tighter. While she had been faking her enthusiasm in the beginning, somehow getting dressed up had her looking forward to the evening.
The music was already playing and boxes of pizza were stacked on one of the tables that had been pushed against the walls, making room for dancing. Most of the campers were already there, mingling and talking. The smell of pepperoni and zesty tomato sauce filled the air. Then Chris walked in from the kitchen carrying a large pitcher and a bunch of cups.
"Man, that smells good." Della lifted her face into the air, and Kylie caught the wild berry scent of blood. And though she didn't like admitting it, her mouth watered more from that aroma than from the pizza.
Not that she would indulge in it, or had indulged in it since she'd tasted blood at the vampire ceremony. If Kylie ended up being vampire, she'd deal with it. But until then, the idea of drinking blood, even when it tasted like ambrosia, was not her cup of tea.
Miranda must have pushed the door closed a little hard because it slammed shut and the crowd looked up. Kylie felt everyone's eyes on her, or on her forehead, checking to see what her forever changing brain pattern was doing now.
But then she noticed one pair of blue eyes, and they weren't looking at her forehead. They were looking at her.
She knew Lucas liked her dress. Or at least he liked her in it. And wasn't that what she wanted?
The desire to do another visual sweep of the room to see if Derek was there hit strong. She fought it. Tonight was about Lucas. And from the way he stared at her, she had a feeling he wouldn't mind.
Chapter Fourteen
Lucas didn't smile. Well, not with his lips, anyway. His eyes, however, did smile, and their warmth washed over Kylie as he started moving her way. He took slow, even steps, as though he had all the time in the world, but what mattered was that he was coming. When she first saw all the weres clustered together, she worried he might not want to leave them. Somehow Kylie sensed he did it purposely to send a message to her and to his pack. And suddenly she was glad Miranda and Della had pressed her to come to the dance.