She shrugged. “I overheard Jason talking to himself. He was wondering how to tell Merry about his deep dark secret.”
“Well, that’s what you get for eavesdropping. You’ll have to ask Jason if you really must know, but I think that would be too damn nosy, and you know what a private person he is. Do youwanthim to evict us?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! He won’t evict his own relatives.”
“Famous last words, lady. If I were him, you’d have been tossed out on your ass a long time ago.”
***
“Hi Roz, it’s me. Do you have time to talk?” Merry twisted the phone cord and bit her lower lip. She hoped her best friend could give her some perspective.
“Sure. Where are you?”
“I’m still in Schooner. Matt’s driving me back to Boston in a few minutes. I need to talk to someone I can trust before I leave, though.”
“Sounds serious. Do you want me to come over?”
“No, that’s okay. By the time you got here, it would probably be time to leave.”
“All right. So, what’s up?”
“Jason asked me to marry him.”
The shriek on the other end of the phone almost blew out her eardrum.
“Geez, Roz. You might want to save your excitement. I found out something about him that’s giving me fits. I don’t know what to make of it.”
“Uh-oh. What is it?”
“I can’t tell you… Well, not specifically. Not until I find outmore about it. I’m really, really confused right now.”
“Crap. How am I supposed to help you if you won’t tell me what it is?”
“I don’t know,” Merry moaned.
“It’s awfully soon to talk about marriage, don’t you think? I mean, you only met him in October, right?”
“I know. And at first, he said he wouldn’t push me to make a decision. And then he did anyway. So I said yes, and then I found out this awful secret.”
“He told you about this… something—whatever it is—afteryou said yes?”
“He didn’t exactlytellme. He more like showed me. All I know is that I have to talk to someone.”
“Why? Does he have two dicks or something?”
She laughed. “No, believe me, the one he has is quite enough.”
“Maybe the person you should be talking to is Jason.”
“I know, I know. But he’s not the only one with a problem. Part of it is me.”
“In what way?”
“I’m not sure. When I’m with him, I just sort of melt. You know? I’m afraid I won’t be able to stand up for myself.”
“Why? Does he boss you around?”
“No! It’s not that. I just want whatever he wants, because I want him to be happy.”
