Strange Neighbors (30 page)

   He shrugged. "Just appreciating the stars. The sky

is clearer on crisp evenings. I'm something of an amateur astronomer."

   Jason frowned and nodded like he was thinking, Ooookaaaay… "I have a nice view of the sky from my balcony, but I wouldn't stay out there tonight. I think the weather predictions are for snow."

   "Oh, good," Lila interjected. "I hate shnow. Shuddenly being inshide for a month doesn't shound sho bad."

   "I'm actually glad to meet you, Sly," Jason said. "Maybe when the rum princess passes out, we can get to know each other better."

   "Ha, ha. Rum princshessh. I like that better than plain ol' 'rummy'."

   As if the power of suggestion was all it took, she staggered over to the low couch and fell like a tree.

   "How much did you give her?" Merry asked.

   He sighed. "I have no idea. She said I didn't know how to make a decent drink and she'd do it herself. She wound up drinking right out of the bottle. What took you so long?"

   "Crap." She looked down at the barely conscious Lila and shook her head. "I was packing for her. I called around to see if anyplace was still open so I could buy her some underwear, but at this time of night I would've had to go downtown to a sex shop."

   Jason chuckled. "Damn. Maybe if you had, you'd be tempted to buy a few things for yourself."

   Sly stiffened.

   Jason and Merry exchanged those knowing, sexual looks, and he didn't like it. Didn't like it at all. Celebrities broke hearts and he'd better not toy with Merry's.

   Lila interrupted the charged silence with a soft snore.

   "I'll stop on the way to the rehab and let her buy some stuff."

   "I don't think that's a good idea," Merry said. "I'd suggest checking her in directly, and then you can go buy her what she needs. About six pairs of cotton panties and some sports bras ought to do it. Or I can drop some off for her later."

   Jason stared at the inert body. "Do you think she'd run if I stopped? I don't know what size to get."

   "Probably not," Merry admitted. "She's going to feel like absolute crap in the morning. She'll probably have what I call the 'never agains.' But she might barf in your car if she has to wait very long."

   "Sheesh. I'd better take her straight to rehab, then. You sure she won't bolt if I stop at a red light?"

   "She's more apt to run when they wean her off the anti-seizure medications. She'll feel better enough to move quickly, but old habits die hard. She might want to drink for quite a while. Sometimes it takes almost the whole thirty days for the cravings to pass. Did you make arrangements for a locked unit?"

   "Yeah. There's a bed waiting for her at the first facility you suggested. They said the first two weeks they're locked in and only go out onto the grounds if they earn it after that. Even then, they're supervised."

   "Ask them to make it three in lock-up."

   "You sound like you know what you're talking about," Sly said.

   "I had to learn this stuff in nursing school and do a semester of clinical practice in a psych ward. I learned that it takes three weeks to break a bad habit, and hopefully replace it with a good one."

   "You don't think she'll be ticked off if we tell them to treat her differently?"

   Merry looked over at Lila again. "Oh, she'll be pissed. It's called tough love. If she gets the help she needs, she'll thank you for it… eventually."

   "Three it is, then."

   Merry hugged Sly. "Well, I'd better say good night. And really, I can't thank you enough." Then she strolled over to Jason and kissed him with an astounding lip-lock for what seemed like hours.

   "Ahem."

   The couple pulled apart, finally. He knew Merry was sensitive about overprotective fathers, but honestly! Did he have to witness them fawning all over each other?

   Okay, okay. So he hadn't really been a father except to plant the seed, but his protective instincts kicked in anyway, just like a real dad's would.

   Or maybe he couldn't help but be reminded of the passion he'd never have again, and just like seeing any other couple madly in love, it hurt.

MERRY DEPARTED TO SLEEP IN HER OWN APARTMENT, and Sly settled in on the comfy chair. Jason considered asking him to move to the other one, but in Merry's mind Sly was going to become his father-in-law… even if Merry was the only one who believed his cockamamie claim… Oh, hell. Let him have it.

   Sly leaned back and looked quite comfortable. "Nice place. You must be doing well for yourself."

   "Well enough."

   Sly nodded and continued to appraise the place. "Yup. Real cushy."

   What is this? Was Sly making sure he could support "his daughter" in the style to which she would become accustomed? Or was he collecting information for a future shakedown?

   "So, what are your intentions toward my daughter?"

   Jason couldn't stand the charade anymore. He burst out laughing.

   Sly raised an eyebrow. "Is that a funny question? Am I supposed to find that amusing?"

   "No. Forgive me, it's just that…" He threw his hands in the air and let out a deep breath. "Would you like a drink?"

   Sly smiled and his eyes glinted. A chill ran down Jason's spine.

   "No, thank you. I'm fine."

   "Okay." Jason scratched his head and figured he'd better answer the man's question, no matter who he thought he was. He might not be as stable as he appeared under that calm exterior. "So, my intentions toward Merry are completely honorable, I assure you. I've already asked her to marry me."

   "Really? She said nothing about this to me."

   He shrugged and sat on the low chair since it was the only seat left in the grouping. Lila took up only part of the long sofa, spread eagle and face down, but he didn't want to wake her. Managing a drunk was much easier this way.

   "Maybe she was waiting for a better time." He gestured toward Lila. "We had other things to deal with tonight."

   "Indeed. I take it the reporter caught your little shifting act earlier."

   Surprise zinged through him like an electric shock. Too stunned to speak, he simply stared at Sly.

   "Merry does tell me her important news, so I was surprised she didn't mention something as meaningful as a wedding."

   Way to turn the tables, guy. "I, uh… I'm sure she will."

   "I didn't see her wearing a ring. Did she accept?"

   Still recovering from shock, he wondered why Sly was not making a big deal about his being a shapeshifter? Was he really only concerned about the wedding? Had he heard him correctly?

   "Well?" Sly tipped his head.

   "Huh? Oh, yeah. She did and then she said she needed more time—to take care of a few things. We're waiting to tell people until we hammer out the details."

   "I see." Sly sounded skeptical.

   "What does that mean?"

   "Oh, nothing. I just want to be sure nobody is stringing my daughter along. I'd hate to see anyone hurt her."

   The menacing look in his eyes chilled Jason to the bone.

   "Because if anyone were to hurt her, I'd have to do something about it."

   "Wait a minute. Are you threatening me? I'm not going to hurt Merry. In fact, she's more apt to hurt me. I'm head-over-heels in love with her."

   "Good," Sly said, seeming satisfied. "Then may I make a suggestion?"

   "Sure." Why the hell not? This conversation can't get much weirder.

   "Hold your wedding after dark. I'd like to attend. Candlelight weddings are beautiful anyway. Don't you think?"

   "Pardon me, but am I missing something here? You seem to have concerns about our wedding, but haven't batted an eyelash over my shifting capabilities."

   "I was getting to that."

   Damn. Time to change the subject, quick. "Well, before you move on, I have some concerns of my own."

   "Oh? What would those be?" His face and posture didn't change—as if he couldn't imagine anything on his end being out of whack. Was this guy for real?

   "Well, first off, you seem way too young to be Merry's father."

   Sly smiled. "Why thank you. I try to take care of myself."

   "That wasn't meant as a compliment," Jason said. "I'm serious. You couldn't be a day over thirty years old by the looks of you."

"And again, you flatter me."

   "No!" Indignant, Jason jumped out of the low chair and paced. "Something's wrong here. Either you're not Merry's birth father and have convinced her that you are for some reason of your own, or… I can't think of another possibility."

   Sly leaned forward and clasped his hands. "Well, I'm sorry you can't think more creatively. There is another explanation. I haven't convinced her of anything but the truth."

   Getting nowhere, Jason exhaled audibly. "Okay, say I believe you, why didn't you come back into her life before? Why now?"

   "Because I wanted to get to know her but didn't want to interfere in her upbringing."

   "I don't get it." He shook his head.

   "What's to get?" Sly asked. "It's simple. I was a sudden widower with an infant I couldn't raise properly on my own. Giving her up was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I did it for her."

   "Okay, that sounds very sensible and noble, but how old were you at the time?"

   Sly stood and crossed his arms. "You're still doubting me. Perhaps I should leave. You can take care of your own—problem." He nodded toward the inert body on the couch.

   Lila turned over and draped her arm across her face. Her snores grew louder with occasional bursts of pig snorts.

   Jason's righteous anger deflated. "I'm sorry. Look, I know Merry, and she'll be furious if she thinks you left because I treated you badly. Please stay."

   Sly scrutinized him. "No more talk about my age, all right?"

   "Fine. We'll talk about something else." The words no sooner left his mouth than he regretted them.

   Sly smiled. "All right. Tell me what kind of shapeshifter you are."

   "I thought you knew."

   "I saw a feathery fight in the lobby, and then the door across from Merry's slammed. Seconds later, I saw you and Nathan in his apartment, naked, leaning against the door. It was a simple matter of putting two and two together."

   Jason let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, you're the only one who came up with four. This broad," he pointed to Lila, "thinks I'm gay and that Nathan and I are lovers."

   Sly laughed. "Ridiculous."

   "Yeah, totally. After all, I'm with Merry."

   "Oh, I didn't mean your being gay was ridiculous. Just being with Nathan. He's a piece of work."

   Jason was just about to get back on his high horse when Sly said something to de-saddle him again.

   "So which bird were you?"

   "The falcon."

   "How did you explain the shifting to the rum princess?"

   "I didn't."

   He nodded. "She probably thought she was hallucinating."

   "One more reason to sign herself into rehab."

   Sly nodded again, but said nothing.

   "How did you see the whole thing? Were you out there together?"

   Sly snorted. "As if I'd voluntarily subject myself to her rotten company. I keep an eye on the building because my daughter lives here."

   "I see." He really didn't understand half of what was going on. Perhaps waiting for the details to shake out and concentrating on the matter at hand would be the best thing to do. "I can't wait until Lila's out of here. Thanks for watching her, if I forgot to say it before." And I can't wait until you're out of here, too, whether you're doing me a favor or not. "By the way, where do you live?"

   "Nearby," Sly said. A corner of his mouth curled up, and suddenly Jason didn't want to know.

   The elevator whirred and stopped on the top floor.

   "Are you expecting someone?" Sly stood.

   "No. It must be Merry."

   Jason strode to the elevator just as Dottie stepped off.

   Oh, no. What now? "How did you get up here?"

   "Jason, I need to speak to you about earlier…" It was just like her to ignore his question and ask one of her own. She glanced over toward Sly. "Who's this?" Then she strolled over to the couch, gazed down at Lila, raised her voice and echoed herself. "Who's this?"

   "Shhh… Aunt Dottie. You don't want to wake the devil."

   "She looks a little rough around the edges, but not exactly devilish. What happened to her? Does Merry know she's here? She didn't say anything to me about it."

   "One question at a time, Aunt Dottie."

   Sly glided over to her, took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I'm Sylvestro Flores… and charmed to meet such a lovely lady."

   Dottie's mouth dropped open—with no words following, for once.

   Jason hoped Sly's presence might slow her tirade about the wild bird fight, so he let them continue talking.

   "Flores? Isn't that what they said Merry's last name was in the gossip column?"

   "Yes," Sly said. "She's my…"

   "Sister!" Jason interjected. "Yes, Merry was adopted and she recently found her only blood relative."

   Sly gave him a look that could only be interpreted as reluctantly complicit. "Ah, yes. My sister. We are finally getting to know each other after a lifetime apart."

   "Well, then what are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be down in Merry's apartment? I know she's down there. I checked."