Kylie didn't like him. However, because she didn't have a reason-except her gut feeling and maybe her wanting her mom and stepdad back together-she was going to have to suck it up. Be nice. What was it Miranda had said? "Fake it until you make it." Could she learn to like this guy?
"It's nice to meet you." Kylie plastered a warm expression on her face. But she worried he could tell it was a sham.
"The pleasure is all mine," he said.
Kylie just smiled. He was completely right about that.
* * *
For the next half hour, Kylie sat in the meeting room in the office and visited with her mom and smarmy John and pretended like everything in her life was just peachy. Peachy and Smarmy. Phrases that Nana, who'd passed away about three months ago, would have used.
Weird how Kylie seemed to be channeling her right now. She'd love it if Nana would pop in for a visit. You there, Nana? Kylie asked in her head while John rattled on about the years he'd lived in England.
Nana didn't answer. But Kylie got the oddest sensation she was close.
"I've always wanted to see England," her mom said, holding on to every word the man said.
"We can fix that," John added with enthusiasm. "I have a trip scheduled next month. Why don't you take some time off and come with me?"
"Really?" her mom said. And damn if Kylie wasn't thinking the same thing. Really? The man wanted her mom to go to England with him. She didn't even know him. And would he expect her mom to share a hotel room with him, too? No way!
"Mom's work schedule is pretty demanding. She won't be able to make it," Kylie declined for her mom, before she realized she shouldn't have a say in the matter.
Her mom's mouth dropped open at Kylie's declaration and she shot Kylie a that-was-rude scowl. "Well, my work is demanding, but I might be able to get a few days off." She cut her eyes back to Kylie, warning her not to speak up.
"Great," John said, as if he missed the silent tension.
"Great," Kylie repeated, her smile so stiff she didn't think her lips moved.
"Speaking of schedules." Her mom looked at her watch. "We should be heading home. It's almost a two-hour drive. And I do have to work tomorrow."
Her mom gave her a quick hug. And for her hug-impaired mom, it was pretty good. When Kylie pulled back, she mouthed the word sorry. And she was sorry. She didn't want to hurt her mom's feelings, even if she didn't like this guy.
The look her mother sent her was one of pure understanding. Which only made Kylie feel a little worse.
Leaning in again, her mom whispered, "Love you."
"Love you, too." Kylie went back in for another hug, and this time she held on a little tighter and for a second longer.
When she walked them out and passed by Burnett's office, she saw his six-foot-plus frame seated at his desk. He pretended to do paperwork but no doubt his super-hearing ears had been tuned in the entire time. And that was fine, she didn't have anything to hide, but as soon as Mom and the creepy guy left, Burnett had better be up for more than listening. He had a lot of explaining to do.
She had known the FRU wanted her tested, but she hadn't believed they'd go so far as to contact her mom. And if they would go that far, what was next? Would her mom's refusal to have Kylie tested be the end of it? For some reason, Kylie didn't believe so.
* * *
When Kylie returned a few minutes later, Holiday and Burnett were waiting on the cabin porch.
"What's going to happen now?" Kylie asked.
Burnett frowned and led them into Holiday's study. "I don't know. I'm stunned that they did this. They called me to come in and talk about changing your mind. I told them that you'd already declined. Someone said you weren't of legal age and suggested they go through your mom. I pointed out that your mom wasn't supernatural and how that could lead to too many questions. I thought I'd convinced them it wasn't the route to take. But when I got back here, Holiday was on the phone with your mom. They must have called your mom the minute I left the office."
Holiday sat down on the sofa. Kylie joined her. When Holiday reached for her hair and twisted it into a rope, Kylie remembered the reason she'd come to the office in the first place. Her gaze went to Holiday's neck and she remembered the spirit's angry bruises. Fear for her friend took a lap around her heart.
"Lucky for us, your mom bypassed calling the FRU back and came straight to us," Holiday said. She met Kylie's eyes. "It's going to be okay," she said, obviously reading Kylie's concern.
"I hope so." Kylie slumped back against the sofa.
"You're still upset about what happened earlier," Holiday said.
"What happened earlier?" Burnett took a step closer.
"I didn't get a chance to tell you..." Holiday explained about Kylie's father telling her she was a chameleon.
Kylie waited for disbelief to appear on the vampire's face, or the you're a lizard response everyone else had given her. When Burnett didn't offer up either, suspicion settled in.
"What do you know?" she demanded.
His eyebrows pinched. "The word chameleon was mentioned in the documents I found about the test responsible for your grandmother's death."
"What did it say? Did it explain how I can have a human pattern and still be supernatural?" Kylie asked, annoyed he'd kept anything from her. Kylie saw Holiday frown as well.
Burnett's gaze went from Kylie to Holiday and concern pulled at his frown. "They didn't explain anything. One of the doctors used the word chameleon in his notes. It didn't make sense; as a matter of fact, I wondered if it was a typo. I didn't have the original documents. Just one doctor's notes made while referring to the other documents."
"But at least this proves it," Kylie said.
"Proves what?" Burnett asked.
Kylie gazed from Burnett to Holiday. "That this is what being a chameleon is. Having a pattern that says you're one thing when you're not. I mean, we know I'm not all human." She pointed to her forehead. "And yet my pattern says I am. Of course, it doesn't tell me squat about what I really am."
"I don't think we've proved anything yet," Burnett said. "Yes, I think somehow these two things mean the same thing. I just don't think we've proven what they mean, yet."
Holiday's expression said she agreed with him. "I've been thinking," Holiday said. "Maybe your ... pattern issues are somehow linked to you being a protector. I don't think there's ever been a part-human protector that we can compare you to."
"I hadn't thought about that," Burnett said. "That could be it."