Seventeen

J immy spun around in his chair to exit his cubicle and jolted. He'd been so caught up in his text exchange with Nova, he hadn't been aware Felix stood behind him. His mentor wore a mischievous smile, making Jimmy wonder if Felix had gotten an eyeful of his messages.

"H-h-how long have you been standing there?"

Felix's smile morphed into pure evil. "Long enough to know you're sending selfies to some hottie."

Jimmy groaned and stood up. "Can we forget you saw that?"

His mentor laughed, slapped him on the shoulder, and said, "Not a chance in hell. I know you're new to this dating thing, so do we need to have a chat?"

Jimmy snorted. "I had the safe-sex talk with my mom years ago, Felix."

Felix shook his head. "Not about safe sex, but that's good to know." He lowered his voice to an octave above a whisper. "You're not sending dick pics, are you? If the police ever subpoena your phone records, they'll see them."

"No!" Jimmy exclaimed as blood rushed to his face. He elbowed his friend out of the way and headed to the conference room.

Felix's laughter caught up to him before the man did. "I didn't mean to embarrass you," he said, hooking an arm around Jimmy's shoulders.

"Sure you did."

"Maybe a little, but I didn't mean to upset you."

Jimmy stopped and looked up at Felix. "I'm not upset. Everything is so new and…unexpected and a little overwhelming. I might've waded out into deeper waters than I'd anticipated." And a great big undertow might come along and sweep him away.

Felix furrowed his brow and studied Jimmy closely. "Anything I can help with?"

"Nah," Jimmy said, hoping to diffuse his concern. "I'll ride the waves and enjoy the journey."

"Attaboy," Felix said.

Lois scowled as she approached them, and Jimmy searched for something nice to say to the woman whose disdain for him seemed to grow in leaps and bounds by the day. "Is that a new sweater?" he asked. The purple monstrosity seemed more appropriate for Minnesota winters than a summer in Savannah, but the newspaper office's air-conditioning was set to deep-freeze mode.

"Save it," she said, waving him off. "Your fan club is big enough without another new member." Then she stormed into the conference room, leaving the two men to stare at each other.

They exchanged shrugs, then headed into the meeting and took their seats. Minerva entered the room a few minutes later and immediately called the meeting to order. Jimmy was still reeling from Lois's rebuke and allowed his mind to wander since he hadn't expected to speak. He replayed his weekend and recent text exchange with Nova but steered clear of the sexier parts. Jimmy wasn't sure how long he'd zoned out before Felix nudged him with his elbow.

He jerked his head up and noticed that all eyes were on him. "Pardon?" Jimmy asked.

Minerva's lips twitched as if she were wrestling back a smile. "Lois nominated you to fill in."

"I'm flattered," Jimmy replied, even though he had no idea what the task was.

Felix leaned toward him and whispered, "To be first for the guillotine. They're doing a reenactment of the French Revolution."

Jimmy blinked, hoping someone would take mercy on him and tell him what was really going on.

"Lois recommended Boy Wonder," Jerry said, "but I don't recall Batman's sidekick being on the paper staff."

"Well, Lois has already referred to me as Batman in this meeting," Felix said, "so I assume Boy Wonder is Jimmy."

"Um, thanks," Jimmy said, even though he still had no idea what Lois had nominated him to do.

"Jennifer said her mother will be arriving in a few days to help care for her daughter once she's discharged from the hospital, but until then, I'm hoping you can take over her Ask Aimee column. I had an emergency appendectomy a few years ago, so I hope little Beatrice recovers quickly. Jennifer offered to work from home, but her attention should be focused on her little girl."

"You want me to take over the advice column?" Jimmy asked, pointing to himself. "I'm probably the least qualified person on the staff."

"Why?" Minerva asked. "You're intelligent, resourceful, and most importantly, you have an abundance of common sense. I agree with the recommendation. What do you say?"

Jimmy was looking for every opportunity to advance his career, but this might be the biggest stretch yet. He'd faked his way through taking photographs a time or two and wrote about other topics he wasn't familiar with, but ninety percent of the Ask Aimee submissions were about relationships. Jimmy had never been in one before, so what the hell could he offer? Felix nudged him again, and he realized everyone was staring at him while he silently freaked the hell out.

"Of course I'll step in for Jennifer," Jimmy said before he could talk himself out of it.

Minerva smiled at him. "I'll send over the latest submissions, and you can choose the ones you want to answer." She looked around the room and said, "And on that note, our meeting is adjourned."

Everyone filed out of the room and Jimmy fell into step beside his mentor, feeling a little overwhelmed by the turn of events.

"What have I agreed to?" he asked.

"Follow me," Felix said, tipping his head toward the hallway leading to his office.

Once they were behind his closed door, Jimmy flopped down in his usual chair. "I'm not qualified to give anyone advice. Up until yesterday, I was a virgin for fuck's sake."

"Congratulations," Felix said, his voice laced with humor.

Jimmy narrowed his eyes. "Are you laughing at me?"

Felix sobered quickly and said, "Absolutely not."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Jimmy glared at him. "Then what are you specifically congratulating me for? Managing to hold on to my virginity for so long or finally unloading it?"

"I'm congratulating you for finding a guy who makes you radiate joy like the fucking sun," Felix said. "I think your hair is even glowing."

Jimmy rolled his eyes. "The summer sun always brings out the reds and golds."

"What about your eyes?" Felix asked.

Jimmy quirked a brow. "What about them?"

"They look all dopey and sleepy," Felix said. "At first, I thought you were hungover or high. Maybe you are, but it's not from narcotics or booze. And your cheeks…"

"My cheeks?" Jimmy placed a hand on his warm face, which reminded him of Nova's gentle touch.

"They're all flushed and rosy," Felix said.

"I spent a lot of time in the sun this weekend."

Felix nodded. "That pink hue didn't come from a sunburn. If I didn't know better, I'd say you're in love."

"Don't be silly," Jimmy scoffed. "I hardly know the guy. And since when the hell did a cynic like you get so sappy?"

"I'm a man in love," he said. Jimmy could tell by the dopey expression on his mentor's face that his thoughts had shifted to his boyfriend, Jude Arrow, Channel Eleven's investigative reporter. "So I recognize the signs," Felix added.

"Maybe you should be answering the questions submitted to the advice column," Jimmy suggested.

Felix barked out a dry laugh. "Not a chance. I'm much too blunt."

Jimmy nodded because his mentor made a fair point. "Okay, give me some blunt advice now on how I should handle the column."

"From what I understand, Jennifer goes through the questions and chooses which ones she wants to answer. Her choices don't have to be yours. She might like ones involving specific relationship topics that you're not as comfortable with. So look through the submissions and find ones you feel best qualified to answer."

"Which are none," Jimmy replied.

Felix heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head slowly. "Don't sell yourself short. Your brain is a sponge that absorbs everything around you. Your common-sense approach to life will come in handy here. Put yourself in the asker's place and figure out the outcome you'd want for yourself or a friend." Felix smiled broadly, then added, "If that should fail, just pose the age-old question: What would Felix do? And you'll come up with a suitable answer."

Jimmy laughed. "One I couldn't publish."

Felix's laughter joined his. "And don't forget to infuse your responses with your sense of humor. I promise you'll be great."

Jimmy took a deep breath and nodded. "Thanks, Felix."

"Anytime."

Jimmy returned to his desk and dove into his tasks, only checking his email every five minutes to see if Minerva had forwarded the questions. He jolted when his cell phone rang but smiled when he saw who was calling. "Hello, Natalie."

"Hi, sweetie. How are you?"

"I'm great for a Monday," he replied.

She chuckled. "Well, I'm glad your day is going better than Nova's."

Jimmy frowned because the tone in Nova's texts hadn't indicated he was struggling. "How are you?" he asked, shifting his thoughts to the Skye who'd called him, not the one who'd enthralled him.

"Just wonderful," she replied, then launched into a brief overview of her weekend. Jimmy was delighted to discover Natalie was an antique lover too. That prompted them to chat for a good twenty minutes about their best finds before Natalie steered them back to the reason for her call. "I was hoping you were available for dinner tomorrow night so we could finish our interviews for the article. Millie will be back on Wednesday, and there will be no prying Nova away from her."

"Oh," Jimmy said. "Nova will be there?"

"Of course," Natalie said. "He's committed to the project." She sighed heavily, then added, "Look, I should probably explain his attitude during our last meeting."

Jimmy bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing. "It's not necessary, Natalie. Nova was an absolute delight during our interview. He's a wonderful man."

"I think so, but I'm hardly objective. Nova and Dave and Millie are my entire universe."

"Their feelings are mutual," he said.

"So, can you come tomorrow night?" Natalie asked. "I've volunteered Dave to cook us a fine meal. And I'll show you my amazing antique treasures."

Jimmy chuckled. "I would love to come for dinner, but please don't go to any trouble on my account. I'd be satisfied with pizza."

"I think we can find a happy medium between pizza and gourmet," Natalie said. "Does six work for you?"

"Perfect. I'm looking forward to it."

They disconnected after their goodbyes. Jimmy opened and reread his text exchange with Nova. There wasn't a single clue that he'd been having a bad day. He hoped it was because texting with Jimmy had improved Nova's mood. He tapped the screen to bring up his keyboard and started a new message but stopped when his computer chimed with an incoming email. He set his phone down when he saw it was from Minerva. Jimmy planned to go through the submissions until he noticed the time. If he didn't leave right then, he'd be late to his Summer Studio class.

Learning to knit had suddenly lost its allure, but faced with the alternatives, interrupting Nova during a hectic day or stressing out over submissions, Jimmy figured fiber crafting was his safest option. An hour later, when Jill had to cut him loose from a tangle of yarn, he realized the folly of his decision. Always choose the hot guy .

"How in the world did you manage to tie your ankle to the leg of the chair?" Jill asked when she swiftly rose to her feet. She'd arrived at class early and sober. The older woman looked a little tired, but her face had lit up when her gaze landed on Jimmy.

"I'm not sure. I think it happened when I tried to untangle the skein of yarn," Jimmy said, pointing to the awful mess on the floor. He held up his work in progress. It was supposed to be a scarf, but the shape was unrecognizable, and both his knitting needles had become tangled in the yarn. "Didn't I warn you last week that this might happen?" he asked.

Jill's smile faltered, and her posture wilted a little. "Maybe, but my short-term memory is shit. Especially this time of year." There was a story behind her drinking and moments of sadness, and Jimmy longed to know what it was, even though he'd never push the woman.

Wishing he could take back his question wouldn't make it happen, so Jimmy changed the subject. "How hooked are you on learning how to knit?"

"Hooked?" Jill asked, then laughed. "How punny."

He shrugged. His pun hadn't been intentional, but it put a smile back on Jill's face. "I'm in the mood for a milkshake," Jimmy said. "Care to join me? It's my treat."

Jill straightened her shoulders and looked around the room. "It's probably best for the rest of the class and the instructor if I take you out of here. There's no telling what kind of mischief you'll get into."

Jill followed Jimmy to the ice cream parlor that Nova had taken him to after their bike ride. He ordered a peanut butter milkshake, and Jill chose a banana split. She'd insisted that Jimmy let her pay, but he wasn't hearing it.

"A gentleman doesn't invite a lady out, then refuse to pay."

"You're too sweet. I bet your mama is really proud of you," Jill said.

Her words felt like a punch to the stomach. A week ago, he would've readily agreed. Finding out his mother had been dishonest about when his father died had jumbled his convictions. Had she not trusted him? Had his mother thought he wasn't strong enough to handle the truth? Jimmy's heart squeezed tighter in his chest every time he thought about the upcoming conversation he'd need to have with his mother. He recalled the advice Nova had given him and calmed down.

Reflections of Nova had a snowball effect. It started with a single memory, which formed a ball and began rolling downhill, collecting other feelings, thoughts, and ideas and getting larger with each new addition. It required Herculean effort, but he forced his attention away from Nova and back to Jill. They didn't discuss anything of great importance, mostly observed the people and activities around them.

"Young love," Jill said, pointing to two young women sitting across from one another. They'd chosen the same table Nova and Jimmy had picked on Saturday. One of the ladies tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear, and the other couldn't seem to tear her gaze off the motion. Their eyes met, and the women smiled at one another.

"Seems that way," Jimmy replied, wondering if he'd looked as intoxicated when staring into Nova's eyes. Probably. The natural sequitur would be Jill asking if Jimmy had someone special in his life. The answer and his emotions were too complicated to breach, so he steered them onto a safer topic. "What's your next class?" Jimmy asked.

"I have a cooking class on Wednesday and poetry on Friday." Jill groaned when she mentioned her last class of the week.

"Not a fan of poetry?" he asked.

Jill stared off into space, a faraway look in her eyes. Jimmy realized she might be there with him physically, but her thoughts were somewhere else entirely. They sat in silence for a few awkward seconds before Jill blinked and returned to the present with Jimmy. Tears fell from her eyes, and he wasn't sure if he should ask her about them or pretend he hadn't noticed. It was apparent the poetry question triggered something inside her.

Jill released a chuckle that sounded as rough as sandpaper. She sniffled and raised her hand to swipe away her tears. "You must think I'm a veritable nut job."

Jimmy reached across the table and covered her hand. "I don't think that at all."

"Bats loose in the belfry, then?" Jill asked.

Shaking his head, Jimmy said, "I think you're someone who's going through a difficult time. You seem uncertain on the best way to work through it."

Jill met his gaze. "You must have a lot of questions."

Jimmy smiled at her. "I'm a journalist, so a curious brain is par for the course, but I won't ask them. You'll talk when you're ready."

The older woman looked down at the table for a few moments before lifting her head and meeting his gaze. "I hate the month of June. I hate it with the intensity of a thousand suns."

Jimmy squeezed her hand. "I'm a good listener. Maybe it will help to talk through things."

Jill started to fidget a little and pulled her hand free from his grasp. She rose to her feet, and Jimmy worried he'd been too pushy. "Mind if we walk and talk at the same time?"

"I could use the exercise to work off some stress," Jimmy said as he stood up.

Jill discarded the rest of her banana split and apologized to him for wasting it. Jimmy waved away her concern and patiently waited for her to open up about what was troubling her. He wasn't exactly sure where she wanted to walk to, so he adapted to the pace she set in the direction she chose.

"I gave birth to a perfect little boy in June and buried him seventeen years later in the same month. He, um, fell asleep while driving and crashed his car."

Jimmy placed his arms around her shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Jill. I can't begin to imagine the pain."

"It never goes away," she whispered. "There's a permanent hole in my soul. I've tried every coping mechanism known to mankind, but none of them work. You must think I'm a raging alcoholic, but June is the only time of the year I drink, not that it helped. There's not enough liquor in the world to dull the pain and make me forget. I've heard art is a great therapeutic tool, so I sign up every year. Most of the instructors know about my demons and are kind and patient." She looked over at him. "My son, Fletcher, was an amazing poet, and this is the first time I've worked up the courage to learn about the art form he loved so much." She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I don't know if the art classes have helped, but I do get a lot of joy from witnessing your antics."

Jimmy chuckled and hugged her tighter. "I'm glad I can help in any small way."

"Your kindness is no small act, Jimmy."

"Have you talked to a professional?"

"No," Jill replied. "I've never talked to a therapist. My generation doesn't talk about our feelings. We grind it out."

"Is that method working for you?"

Jill chuckled. "We both know it isn't. You really think talking to a therapist could help?"

"I do. A trained professional objectively listens to you and offers helpful and healthy advice on how to process and manage your pain."

"I'll think about it," she said after a few moments. "Do you mind if I talk about Fletcher with you?"

"I'd be honored."

They continued walking around the block while Jill talked about her son from infancy up through his teen years. With every spoken word, Jimmy could tell how much she loved and missed him. Sometimes she cried when an emotion hit her particularly hard, and other times she laughed at Fletcher's antics.

By the time they circled the block for the fourth time, Jill seemed more at peace. They stopped in front of the ice cream parlor, and she smiled up at him. "I didn't realize how much I needed to do that. Maybe talking to a therapist is a good idea." She took a deep breath and hugged Jimmy tightly. "Thank you for this."

"Anytime, Jill."

"What's your Summer Studio schedule like next week?" she asked.

Jimmy smiled. "Same as yours." He'd actually signed up for a photography class on Friday evening, but Jill could use his support more than he needed to learn about camera-related tips like exposure, focus, and framing. So he'd change up his schedule and help a new friend.

"Lucky me," Jill said, smiling at him.

"You won't be thinking so when I set the classroom kitchen on fire."

Jill giggled, then launched into the various misadventures Jimmy might get himself into. He laughed with her because she probably wasn't far off the mark.

"I tried paddleboarding this weekend," he told her. "Would you believe I took to it like a duck on water?"

She tilted her head and said, "I think you can do anything you put your mind to."

Jimmy smiled. "Thanks, Jill."

They went their separate ways after exchanging another hug. His thoughts were heavy as he made his way across town. Jimmy couldn't imagine the pain of losing a child, and it made him understand his mother's overprotectiveness a little more. It didn't change the fact that she'd lied to him, but it helped Jimmy to understand a little better.

When he got home, the sun was streaming through his second-story windows like it had the day before. Jimmy's eyes caught and lingered on the bathtub Nova had admired and recalled his casual reference to Jimmy riding him like a bull. God, how he wanted that.

A hot bath sounded like the perfect ending to a long day. Once he filled the tub, Jimmy sank into it and stretched his legs in front of him. He had an antique stand next to the tub where he kept soaps and things. He'd set his phone on it before getting in the tub. Jimmy retrieved it, snapped a photo of his feet propped up on the opposite edge, and sent it to Nova with a message that read Wish you were here .

He returned his phone to the stand and tilted his head back against the tub. A few moments later, Jimmy's phone buzzed with an incoming text. It was Nova, and his heart raced as he clicked on the message to open it.

I wish I were there too , he'd written. Then a second message popped up. Feeling okay? Not too sore, are you? I should've asked earlier.

Jimmy's ass had been tender, but not enough to cause him any discomfort, so he told Nova so. Then added, I just saw the tub and thought of you.

Are you touching yourself? Nova asked.

Jimmy nearly dropped his phone. His mind went into panic mode as he tried to think of a suitable response. The idea of dirty talk was sexy but executing it well was terrifying. Was there a class for it? He must've waited too long to respond because Nova called him.

"Hey," Jimmy said softly into the phone.

"Well, are you?" Nova asked, his voice deep and rumbly with desire.

Jimmy slipped his right hand beneath the water and fisted his cock. "I wasn't."

Nova inhaled deeply. "Are you now?"

"Yes," Jimmy whispered as he stroked upward. Nova groaned in response, and it sent a chill up his spine. "Are you?"

"I am now," Nova said. "I've never had phone sex before."

The admission warmed Jimmy's heart and made him hornier. Now that he had a little experience under his belt, it helped fuel his fantasies. Jimmy had seen Nova naked and knew the expressions that went with his moans and groans. A hand was a poor substitute after having the real thing with Nova, but knowing they were doing it together elevated masturbation to a new height.

"I've been thinking about having you inside me all day," Nova whispered. "Do you want that?"

Jimmy's lips parted, and a silent cry escaped as he neared orgasm. "Y-yes," he managed to say.

Nova's climax followed. The sounds he made were so damn delicious, causing Jimmy's body to go completely slack. He nearly slipped beneath the surface but stiffened his legs and pushed up just in time, laughing as he did.

"Problem?" Nova asked, sounding as breathless as Jimmy.

"Just my usual clumsiness," Jimmy replied. "About tomorrow…"

"Yes."

"Are you okay with proceeding with the project?" Jimmy asked. "I can easily come up with an excuse and back out."

"And break my mother's heart?" Nova asked. "I can behave if you can."

"Of course," Jimmy replied.

"I have another special place to show you."

"How secluded is this spot?" Jimmy asked.

Nova chuckled. "Come prepared."

"For?"

"Anything," Nova replied.

Jimmy sucked in a sharp breath. "Deal."

They continued chatting about anything and everything until Jimmy's bath water grew cold, forcing him to get out.

"Hey, Jimmy," Nova said softly.

"Yeah?"

"You're going to do great with the advice column. Just be yourself."

Felix had pretty much said the same thing, but it had greater meaning coming from Nova. "Thanks."

After they disconnected, Jimmy made a simple dinner and sprawled on the couch. He saw a listing for Star Trek on his guide and clicked it on. He immediately thought of the fight Nova had broken up that day and started laughing. The good mood stayed with him for the rest of the evening and followed him into his sleep where Nova waited for him on the beach.