She felt Lucas, sitting across from Chris, glance at her and her heart gave a little tug. Burnett had picked two people-two he thought her father was less likely to recognize-to play secret bodyguards during her lunch. When he'd told her he would have two people stationed at the restaurant, she hadn't considered he would pick Lucas. Little did Burnett know, Kylie half feared her stepdad would recognize Lucas as the kid who'd lived next door to them. The kid Kylie had accused of killing her cat.

Thankfully, her stepdad hadn't given Lucas a second glance so far. Neither had he noticed the hawk following the car all the way into town. She'd bet her best bra that the hawk answered to the name of Perry.

Kylie had taken the time before her dad's return to find Miranda and make sure she was okay. The little witch was still shook up. She'd made up with Perry, but had an appointment to have a sit-down serious talk with Holiday. No doubt there would be some consequences for her actions. While Miranda didn't look forward to the consequences, she accepted her wrongdoing.

"I thought you would like it," her father said, drawing her attention back to the present. "It's sort of like the one we did in Taos, New Mexico. There'll be some kayaking, but nothing too dangerous."

Her dad's eyes lit up with excitement. Kylie felt bad not sharing his thrill. She'd pretty much spent the last forty-five minutes here, praying that sword wouldn't come and stab any of the restaurant's patrons.

But now seeing her stepdad's eyes become worried, she tried harder to put on a good front.

"Remember the baby deer we saw on that trip," Kylie offered. "And that camp leader that got skunked."

"Oh, yeah." His grin widened. "We have had some great trips."

"I know." She put her hand on top of his and he turned his over and gave hers a squeeze. She felt his love seep into her palm.

"Do you know how much I miss you? I really wish you'd consider coming back and living with me."

She bit down on her lip, remembering how when he'd first left her mom, she'd thought that was all she wanted. Her life these three months had changed so much.

Giving her dad's hand another squeeze, she said, "I really like Shadow Falls. But we'll have this trip in the summer." God, she hoped Mario was dealt with by then and she wasn't lying.He nodded. "I get it. My baby girl is growing up." Emotion filled his eyes and he looked around. And Kylie's heart clutched with fear he'd recognize Lucas.

"Did you like your hamburger?" she blurted out, drawing his attention to her.

"Loved it. You were right to suggest we come here. But you barely touched your food." He waved at Kylie's plate with her hamburger and fries growing cold.

"I had a big breakfast," Kylie lied. "But it was good." Kylie glanced at her watch. It was almost one.

Burnett had had her stall her father so they wouldn't be in as big of a lunch crowd. Her chest clutched a little when she realized that in less than an hour, she would face the Brightens, her real dad's adoptive parents. Oh, hell, she still didn't have an approach plan.

She looked back at her stepdad. "You know, it's getting late."

"I know, you're gonna turn into a pumpkin if I don't get you back." He signed the credit card bill that Kylie had already asked the waitress to bring.

Suddenly the three Cokes she'd drank out of nervousness hit her bladder. "I'm going to run to the girls' room first before we head out."

"Go ahead, I need to make a call to work anyway."

When she started to the girls' room, Lucas frowned. Oh, please, Kylie thought, what was going to happen in the bathroom?

Okay, a lot could happen. Mario could happen. But she had to pee.

Chris and Lucas whispered across the table and then Chris got up and shot ahead of her toward the bathrooms. She hoped he knew he wasn't coming into the bathroom with her. With her shy bladder, she'd never get her job done.

She found him waiting beside the men's bathroom door. As if he planned to just stand guard and listen.

And just knowing he could hear her pee would probably making peeing impossible.

"Do what you gotta do and get out," Chris said like some serious special agent.

"I will." Kylie pushed the door inside.

The moment the door whooshed shut, someone inside one of the stalls turned on some weird Cajun music. Each to her own, she thought, and went into the stall.

She hadn't been in there a minute, was finally warming up to the crazy rhythm of the tune, when she heard a noise above. She looked up and saw a pair of hands gripping the top of her stall. Then a foot appeared as someone came climbing over.

Crap.

There couldn't be anything worse than getting caught midstream and in an above-the-toilet-seat squat when confronted by an intruder.

She shot upright, prepared to face whatever was about to go down. Unfortunately, she hadn't managed to stop the flow completely.

Immediately she realized she'd been wrong. There could be something worse. Being caught midstream, in a squat, with pee running down your leg, when you faced the almost-fiancee of the guy you still loved.

"What are you doing here?" Kylie snapped, knowing that to show fear to a werewolf could be detrimental.

"Isn't it obvious? I was curious?"

"About my potty habits?" Kylie snapped.She smirked. "About you."

Not thinking the girl was going for her throat-and hey, if she did, Kylie didn't want to die with pee running down her leg-she snagged her few squares and wiped the urine running down her thigh.