Twenty-Five

J immy dropped his fork on the plate, waving his hands as he swallowed his food. "I can't take another bite."

Pierre St. John, Savannah's newest celebrity chef, laughed heartily as he mopped his forehead with his apron. "Tapping out so soon?"

"So soon?" He'd just consumed a minimum of ten pounds of barbecue during his interview. "I couldn't fit another bite into my stomach."

"Not even my grandma's banana pudding?" The chef slid a small container in front of him. "I promise you've never had anything like it."

Wishing he'd worn sweatpants instead of jeans, Jimmy released a sigh as he reached for the spoon. "Maybe just one. I can't leave this out of my write-up." He dipped into the middle of the dessert, making sure he got all the components in a single bite. Everything Jimmy expected from banana pudding was there, only elevated. "Oh my God."

"I know," Pierre said. "Want to take a crack at the secret ingredients?"

Jimmy took another bite to figure out what made the dessert different. "These aren't the standard vanilla wafers used in Southern banana pudding."

The chef smiled his approval. "You got that right. It's a creole cookie my family has been making for more than a hundred years."

The spices were warm, smoky, and earthy but not hot. They hit you in the back of the mouth but were cooled by the creamy banana pudding. "Is there chipotle pepper in here?"

Pierre slapped him on the shoulder. "Nice catch. Most people don't guess that one. You know your spices."

"I do now," Jimmy said. "Before summer started, I couldn't have told you the difference between mesquite and hickory barbecue. I didn't know if I preferred dry rub or wet sauce. And I sure as hell couldn't debate the pros and cons of the different barbecue methods." It had been a season of discovery—personally and professionally. He'd found himself and fallen in love.

"What's the verdict?" Pierre asked, jolting him back to the sweltering tent.

"I prefer smoked meat over grilled," Jimmy replied. "And I like both a dry rub and a wet sauce."

The chef nodded his approval. "I like you."

Just then, Pierre's assistant stepped into the tent. "Judging is in ten minutes followed by an interview with a reporter from Channel Eleven."

Pierre sighed and nodded. "I hope their interviewer is as nice as you. All this attention is great for my business, but sometimes I just want to cook. And maybe take a long nap."

"Bethany Wilcox is a real sweetheart. You're going to love her." Jimmy had hung out with her a lot during the festivals he covered and gotten to know the woman well.

Pierre stood up and shook his hand. "I'm looking forward to reading your article. I'll be sure to send a copy to my grandma."

"I'd wish you luck on your blind judging, but you don't need it," Jimmy said.

Pierre winked, then headed out of the tent, leaving him alone with the pudding and his thoughts.

It was impossible to think of all the changes in his life over the past three months without including the man responsible for his growth. God, he missed Nova so much. When Lois had announced she was taking a leave of absence, Jimmy viewed it as an opportunity to throw himself into his work instead of moping around his house. Savannah and the surrounding areas were having a record number of food and wine festivals, and Sanja couldn't cover them all by herself. Jimmy was both a logical choice and an excellent fit. He loved getting to know the chefs and finding out about their history with food and the recipes that meant so much to them.

What a summer it had been. Though he was sad the season was coming to an end, Jimmy would carry the lessons and memories for a lifetime. But what about the man who'd opened his eyes and heart to so many things, the man he loved and ached for?

Jimmy blew out a frustrated breath and exited the tent. He needed to work off the food he'd consumed and decided to check out the various sites and sounds of the festival. It was still hot for September, but there was a nice breeze carrying the sounds of a live band performing on stage and the aromas of hundreds of different foods as he checked out the various booths and exhibits.

His gaze landed on a tall man with dark hair in the crowd. Jimmy's heart raced with excitement until the guy turned around and he realized it wasn't Nova. As much as he loved the festivals, he'd much rather be cuddling with his boyfriend on his couch.

Was Nova still his boyfriend? He was too afraid to find out. Coward . Where was the guy who had faced down an alligator to save a dog? Jimmy was acting more like the guy who'd screamed bloody murder at the mere brush of seaweed against his skin. He wasn't the same person anymore. Falling in love with Nova had made Jimmy braver. There was no going back. The question was, how did he fix the chasm between them?

Jimmy thought of all the Ask Aimee submissions he'd read and answered over the past few months. What would he tell a stranger who'd posed the same question? The answer sucker-punched him. Jimmy couldn't fix their relationship on his own, but he could take the first step.

His gaze landed on a booth selling safari-themed stuffed animals and a large camel on display. Jimmy smiled as he recalled the conversation during his first dinner at Dave and Natalie's. He walked over to the booth and saw that they offered collars with customized name tags for the stuffed animals. Jimmy bought a stuffed camel and waited while the engraving machine carved out Mr. Bojangles on a pale-blue tag. The color didn't match Nova's eyes, but it was close.

Jimmy tucked the camel under his arm and headed toward the parking lot. Nova had mentioned he'd had a rare evening off, so he'd head over to his house. If his boyfriend wasn't home, Jimmy would park in his driveway until he arrived. Then he felt a shift in his soul, an invisible tug. Nova .

He glanced around until he connected with the fire-and-ice gaze he craved so much. Tears of joy rushed to his eyes as Jimmy made his way to Nova.

"Hi," Jimmy said nervously.

"Hi." Nova glanced at the camel tucked under his arm. "What do you have there?"

"I bought something for you." The spontaneous purchase suddenly felt silly until his boyfriend saw the name tag and laughed.

"That's the best present ever, and now my gesture feels kind of small," Nova said.

Jimmy glanced down at the drink carrier his boyfriend held. "Milkshakes?" he asked hopefully. Five minutes ago, he would've sworn he didn't have room for one, but he really wanted Nova's milkshake kisses.

"One peanut butter and one strawberry." Nova leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. "I wasn't sure how long your obligations would last, but I wanted you to know I was thinking about you."

"I wrapped up my interview and was actually on my way to your house," Jimmy admitted. "We can hang out here if you prefer."

Nova shook his head slowly. "By a thread."

Jimmy reached for his boyfriend's free hand and said, "Let's go."

During the drive, he thought about all the things he wanted to say but kept coming back to what he needed to get off his chest instead. He was all keyed up by the time he pulled to a stop in Nova's driveway.

Jimmy snagged the camel from the passenger seat and opened his door. "I owe you an apology," he blurted out as soon as his boyfriend exited his vehicle.

Nova's eyes widened and he glanced around, probably checking to see if his nosy neighbors were lurking. Jimmy knew the conversation would be best had behind closed doors, but he'd get distracted when the clothes started coming off, and there was no doubt in his mind that was the direction their reunion was headed.

"I overheard some douchebag talking about how you were distracted and on the verge of getting fired, and I panicked. I love you, Nova. I know how much this partnership with NASA means to you and how hard you've worked to earn your tenure. I didn't want to mess it up. You have planets to save."

Nova set the drink carrier on top of Jimmy's car and cupped his face. "You should've talked to me. It would've taken me less than five minutes to disabuse you of the notion that Nigel's opinion mattered—to me or anyone important at the university."

"He was staging a coup," Jimmy said.

Nova laughed. "Look, some of the professors don't care for me. I came off as aloof and arrogant when we met. Most of them didn't try to see beyond their first impression, but I'm trying harder with the ones who are willing to meet me halfway. Nigel can fuck off. Did you know he doesn't even like Star Trek or Star Wars ?"

Jimmy gasped. "Someone needs to take away his science-geek card."

"I've missed you so damn much." Nova settled his hand on Jimmy's neck, his thumb circling over the pulse point. "I've never known love until you walked into my life with your sun-fire hair, golden amber eyes, and dazzling smile. Yep, that one right there," Nova said, lifting his hand to trace Jimmy's lips with his fingertip. "You charmed me with your intelligence, compassion, and adventurous nature. You taught me more about myself in three months than I'd learned on my own in forty years. I don't need to know how love happens. I just know I love you."

Jimmy closed his eyes and let the moment wash over him before meeting Nova's adoring gaze once more. "I make a living writing words, yet they fail me at the most important time." He cleared his throat. "I wanted a summer adventure to push past my boundaries and try new things. Falling in love wasn't among my goals, but it is by far my most cherished experience. You've come to mean the world to me, and I love you so much."

They shared a long, passionate kiss right there in the driveway until Nova broke away. "I need to be alone with you," Nova whispered against his lips. "We have things to celebrate." He pulled back, snagging Jimmy's hand and tugging him along.

"Like what?"

"I'm learning how to delegate, and a little thing called tenure happened yesterday," Nova said.

Jimmy jerked to a stop, forcing Nova to halt too. "Really?" Nova nodded. "Congratulations. I'm so proud of you." They kissed again, but Jimmy broke it off abruptly. "I need to take you out to celebrate."

Nova shook his head. "You need to take me inside to celebrate."

They started for the house again before Jimmy pulled up short once more. "The milkshakes."

Nova released his hand long enough to dart back to retrieve the carrier before continuing toward the house. "Come on before I give those nosy neighbors something to call my mom about."

"We haven't crossed skinny-dipping off my list yet."

"A tattered thread, Jimmy."