Rebecca, and we miss you. Hey, do you mind if I put you on
speaker? Rebecca and I have some things to discuss." She
pushed a few buttons and set the phone on the table.
Rebecca called out. "Hi, Kay. How's the honeymoon?"
"It's beautiful here. I don't know if I'm going to be able
to come home."
Alice plowed on. "Listen, girl. Rebecca has a problem.
She met this guy at the Westerley party, a friend of Dan's.
It's getting a little intense, so we need some background on
the boy."
There was a hesitation on the line. "Uh, I don't know all
of Dan's friends, so I may not be able to help. What's his
name?"
Rebecca spoke up. "Oscar Ezzo. Calls himself O.E. Do
you know him?"
"Oh my God." Kay muttered it quietly, but they heard it
loud and clear.
Oh my God? That's not what I wanted to hear. Either
Kay wouldn't know him, or she'd be happy to hear the
name. But "oh my God" was definitely the wrong response.
O.E. was certainly an unusual man, and Kay probably knew
that. But how bad could he be? Sex offender? Professional
assassin? Porn star?
She steeled herself and ventured forth. "So you do know
him. Is he a total loser?"
Kay started to speak quickly, almost nervously. "No!
He's nice. Well, I think. I hardly know him. I mean, we
danced once or twice at Westerleys, but that's about it." She
paused and took a breath, then went on more slowly. "Not
bad looking though." She giggled, a little more high pitched
than normal. Something was wrong.
"His looks are not the problem. But did you know he
hasn't worked in four years? Right now he's slumming at
Dan's place. And get this! Two days after the Westerley, he
got into a bar fight and landed in the hospital. This is not
the kind of guy I normally fall for. Please tell me that I'm
making a huge mistake."
"I probably should tell you to leave him, but it's not that
simple. O.E. is actually quite reasonable. I. . . I kind of like
him. And, of course I know he's staying at Dan's place-I
knew that before he moved in." Kay paused. "How well have
you gotten to know him?"
"Well, we've had a few dinners, talked quite a bit, and
even had a really nice movie night at Dan's place."
"And?"
Why does everybody want me to have sex with him
already? Not that she would mind one bit. If his jaw weren't
wired shut, they'd have gotten horizontal long ago. "No, we