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"It’s not that sie me for all of Daphne’s tour I don’t kno many uessing lots of the, you know? The wedding thing was a drunk fluke, a er She didn’t want it to be aelse, could it? They wouldn’t have o to hiht run into the millions Or tens of ht realize he likes me, but doesn’t like me quite that much And because I’ll always owe hi to hold over o south, as they inevitably do--always--I need to be able to stand onso people"

"I understand," Snoopy said She thumped into the chair next to Kylie’s hospital bed "I don’t know about you, but I ahty sick of this damn tour, Fat Marilyn"

Kylie winced and put her hands to her temples Yeah, that small touch made her brain feel like it was about to explode "Kylie Call me Kylie"

"I don’t blame you Fat Marilyn’s as shitty a name as Snoopy" Snoopy looked over at Kylie "My real nauess it could have been worse She could have called -Pen"

Laughing hurt Kylie giggled, but it soon turned into too much pain, and fresh tears blurred her vision She closed her eyes and lay back on the pilloishing the world would go away

No Cade Not for her

She couldn’t even call him to explain To tell him that he onderful, but she couldn’t be a burden on him Not like she was to Jerred Not like her nana was to Kylie She wouldn’t do that to another person Maybe it was stubbornness Or pride Or both But there were no choices Nana Sloane needed a safe place to live where people could look after her and care for her And Kylie was her only re family left, so it fell on her shoulders That was the least she could do for the woive Kylie a roof over her head, if not love

Then again,that Nana Sloane hadn’t kno to love Kylie So but burdens Maybe she was lucky in that the label was going to step in and force all responsibility for her relationship out of her hands

But try as she ht, she just couldn’t feel lucky

SEVENTEEN

Cade checked his phone for the dozenth ties No texts No e-ain and tried to concentrate on the philanthropist at the podiu on in a dry voice about the differences in solar energy versus wind energy and how they could utilize both for newly built hospitals in remote locations, such as Foula and McMurdo in Antarctica It was good information, and everyone around him looked fascinated, but all Cade could think about was his too-silent phone

It wasn’t like Kylie to not even send hie Or even a s about him She had a lot of downtiular basis just to chitchat and check in

But her phone had been silent for the last twenty-four hours He’d tried calling but it had gone straight to her voice mail Phone troubles, e it until she got back to her hotel roo to decipher what time it would be in Portland, where Daphne’s next shoas scheduled, and his location--Stockholht, then It would be late, but Kylie tended to stay up late anyhow due to the tour

Maybe she’d fallen asleep? He’d wait until later and call her, just to check in

But eight hours later, the conference ended for the day He shook hands and chatted with peers and other professionals They’d all go out to dinner soon, and "work" would continue on into the night This would be the perfect time to talk to Kylie He excused hih the busy conference center, and found a relatively quiet spot where he could get a few bars of signal for his phone

She didn’t anshen he called, though Again, it went straight to voice ain, Cade worried He called Jerome