Why not? You stay angry at him. Right then, Kylie realized something she should have realized long ago. Her mom was forever angry at her dad. Kylie just didn't understand why.

Her mom sighed. "I need to know if he's coming on Sunday."

"Why are y'al doing this?" It was a question Kylie had never asked. She'd always assumed her mom, being her mom, had one of her temper tantrums and told him to get his stuff and leave. She'd even heard her mom tel him to get out a couple of years ago when she'd walked in on them fighting.

"Doing what?" Her mom asked as if she seriously didn't have a friggin' clue.

"The divorce. That's what."

Silence. "Kylie, that's between your dad and me."

"Like it doesn't affect me? How can you even think this wouldn't affect me?" Tears fil ed her eyes.

"I'm sorry this is hurting you, Kylie." Her mom's tone came out hoarse. "I never wanted it to hurt you."

Was the Ice Queen crying?

Kylie closed her eyes and felt a few tears slip down her cheeks. "Wil you please look for your birth certificates?" she asked, trying to hold back the tears.

"Fine," her mom said. "I'l see if I can find them and I'l e-mail the information to you. If not tonight, tomorrow."

"Tonight would be better." Kylie pul ed one of her knees to her chest.

"I'l see," her mom said. Which meant Kylie could expect it to happen tomorrow. "Promise me you'l cal your dad about Sunday."

"Bye," Kylie said.

"Kylie. Promise me."

The knot tightened in her throat. "Promise."

Kylie hung up and stared at her phone. What was she going to say to her dad? Oh, hel , why not just do it and get it over with. She started punching in his number, only to realize she'd accidently punched in Nana's old number.

And just like that, it hit. The swel of grief. She missed her grandmother so much. Missed cal ing her whenever she had some crazy problem with her mom. Missed the way Nana would pat Kylie's cheek and say, "It's al gonna be okay."

A knock sounded at her bedroom door. "Kylie?" Del a's voice echoed on the other side.

Kylie closed her phone and wiped her tears from her face. "I'm on the phone," she said. "Can't visit now."

"But, I ... I have a surprise for you," Del a said.

"I don't want a surprise." Couldn't they just leave her alone? For once?

"I'm opening the door. I hope you're dressed."

The bedroom door opened. "I said I..." Kylie's words evaporated from the tip of her tongue, or maybe they crawled down the back her throat. That might explain her inability to speak. Then again, it was probably just the shock of seeing who stood beside Del a.

Chapter Twenty-six

"I found him sneaking into the camp. Better me, I suppose, than one of the others." Del a stared at Kylie. "Do you want to see him?" She gave Trey the up and down look. "He's kind of cute. If you like his type."

Kylie opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. So she just sat there with her mouth hanging open like an idiot, staring at Trey.

"Hey." He pushed Del a aside and moved into her bedroom.

"Not so fast!" Del a yanked him back a good three feet and looked at Kylie. "You wanna keep him, or should I toss him to the wolves? I heard they're hungry."

Trey, looking stunned that Del a-only an inch or so over five feet-could move him so easily, rubbed his arm where she'd latched on to him and stared down at her.

"It's okay," Kylie managed to say.

"Thanks," Trey said, cutting Del a an odd look, and Kylie wasn't sure who he was thanking. Her for agreeing to see him, or Del a for bringing him here.

"Okie dokie. Later." Del a leaned in. "By the way, no one knows he's here but me. So you're gonna have to sneak him out." Del a waved and then stepped out and shut the door.

Trey rubbed his arm one more time and stared at the door before he turned back to her. "That is one weird and strong bitch."

Kylie's shot her gaze to the door, afraid Del a would storm back in and defend herself. "She's not a bitch. She's my friend. What are you ... doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing? I came to see you."

Kylie shook her head. "You said it would be next week."

"Yeah, but I have a cousin who lives a couple of miles from here. I talked Mom into letting me come up early so I could see you." His gaze shot to the phone in her hands. "I cal ed you at least twice and left messages. Didn't you get them?"

Realizing what he'd done to see her, Kylie felt guilty for not taking his cal s or even checking his messages. "I ... it's been crazy." A few lingering tears slipped from her lashes. She blinked them away and just stared at him. His sandy brown hair hung just a little longer than before and his bangs brushed against his eyebrows. He wore a dark green T-shirt and jeans. Her gaze lowered to his chest. The place she always loved to rest against. Oddly, she remembered him as being buffer. Or was she remembering Derek?

"You're crying." He moved in and concern, honest to goodness concern, fil ed his green eyes. "Are you okay?"

The compassion in his gaze sent a wave of emotion through her. She stopped caring about what he looked like and just wanted to feel loved. She nodded yes, but the truth slipped from her lips. "No. Everything in my life is fal ing apart."