Three

J immy took a sip from his travel mug, then grimaced when he tasted the bitter brew. He'd been so wrapped up in his worry that he'd forgotten to put sugar and creamer in his coffee. He took the lid off and opened the refrigerator to retrieve the hazelnut creamer but paused when his mother's and grandmother's whispers reached his ears.

"I think he's worried about being home by himself," his mother, Georgie, said. "Maybe we should stay home, Mom."

"Maybe," his grandmother, Doris, replied.

Jimmy spun around and faced them. They both wore what Jimmy referred to as their signature colors. His mom wore pink every day, and his grandmother wore yellow. But seeing them decked out in their colors from head to toe was a new thing. It was usually an accent piece here or there like a scarf or a broach or handbag. It took Jimmy a moment to process their looks before he could respond. During the slight pause, his mom was already starting to unpack her carry-on suitcase. She'd slapped her passport, sunglasses, and tiny bottle of sanitizer on the counter before Jimmy had snapped out of his stupor.

"Mom, no," he said. Crossing the room, Jimmy took both her hands in his. "I'm not worried about staying home by myself. I promise I'll be just fine. You and Grandma already went to the trouble of precooking all my dinners for the next two weeks." He'd begged them not to, but they wouldn't listen. After twenty-six years of living with Doris Sue and Georgie Lou, Jimmy knew when to surrender. Canceling their trip was not one of those times. "I just didn't sleep well last night. I had to change the time on my alarm, and I kept waking up thinking I'd overslept."

His grandma patted his cheeks. "I hate when that happens. You're such a sweet boy, Jimmy."

He kissed her wrinkled cheek beneath the smear of blush she hadn't blended very well. Then he faced his mother. "Mom, you can't cancel the trip. You bought this cruise package to celebrate your retirement. You and Grandma deserve an epic vacation. I promise I will be just fine," Jimmy assured them.

"Of course you will," Grandma said. "Put your stuff back in the carry-on bag, Georgie, before you forget it."

"I'm not the scatty one," Jimmy's mom replied. "I better make sure your head is screwed down tight, or you might leave it behind."

Oh shit. The room's barometric pressure was building as Doris Sue and Georgie Lou prepared to battle hard. Jimmy had seen this show at least once a day for twenty-six years, and it was the last thing he needed when he was trying to soothe his rising panic. No amount of coffee would be strong enough to make up for his sleepless night or to ward off the impending fight. Instead, Jimmy tuned them out to focus on his situation.

Where the hell had he lost his list? He'd foolishly taken it out at work the previous day to add an item at the bottom, then tucked it away before meeting with Felix. Hadn't he? What if Jimmy had left it on his desk in his cubicle? He fought off the groan as he imagined one of his coworkers finding it. Christ. They'd pass it around and have all kinds of fun at his expense. Jimmy stiffened as he poured the creamer into his travel mug. Had Lois found it? Was that the reason for her hostility during the meeting?

Oh hell. The top item on his agenda had been about Jimmy losing his virginity, and the goal he'd added was to determine if he were a top, bottom, or vers.

"Don't listen to her, Jimmy," his mother said, interrupting his internal meltdown.

He pulled himself together and turned to face the ladies. "About what?"

"He wasn't even paying attention," his grandma said. "I'm not sure you should be driving us to the airport. We should order one of those rides like the young kids do."

"I'm not paying good money to Uber when Jimmy is able-bodied and willing," his mom said. "He's probably tuning out our bickering as any smart person would."

"I was mentally going through my day. What did I miss?" Jimmy asked.

Grandma huffed a deep sigh. "Your mother was saying you should thaw out your dinner in the refrigerator before baking it. In my day—"

"People weren't as wise about bacteria and food poisoning," Mom said. She faced Jimmy once more. "Plan ahead and move your dinners from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you need them. Or you can put them in a preheated oven straight out of the freezer, but you'd need to double the baking time listed for each casserole."

"That's a waist of electricity," his grandma argued. "Just plop the dumb things on the counter before you go to work and put them in the oven when you get home."

His mom rolled her eyes. "And be ready for food poisoning."

"You're so dramatic, Georgie."

"I'll err on the side of caution and plan ahead," Jimmy said, but his mother and grandmother were too busy arguing to pay him any mind. As annoying as it was, their distraction allowed him to focus on his latest debacle.

How in the world should he go about asking people at work if they'd found his list? He was starting to regret the day he'd ever agreed to do Felix's boot camp. If not for his mentor, it never would've occurred to Jimmy to put his most profound desires in writing for anyone to see.

"Jimmy," his grandmother said sharply.

Snapping his head up, he met her hazel eyes. "Yes?" he asked.

"Your mother and I agree now. Plan ahead and thaw out your food safely."

Jimmy smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

"Now, don't forget to take the trash out while we're gone. Trash pickup is Wednesday morning," his mother said as if Jimmy hadn't hauled the garbage cans to the curb every week since he'd turned ten.

"Yes, ma'am," Jimmy said as he added sugar to his coffee and stirred.

"It's Tuesday," Grandma argued.

"No," his mother said, her patience fraying at the edges. "Tuesday night is when we set it out. Wednesday is when they pick it up."

"Since when?" his grandma asked.

"Since forever."

Jimmy took a sip of coffee and considered his work situation while the mother-daughter dynamic played out some more. An outsider might have a hard time recognizing the deep bond the women shared, but Jimmy had a front-row seat. Their problem was that they were too much alike and rarely spent time apart. The ladies in his life would fuss at one another, but then they'd move past their differences without his interference as they always did.

Their temporary distraction gave Jimmy time to come up with a different kind of action plan. He didn't dare write it down because he'd probably lose it too. He continued retracing his steps from the day before while figuring out the best way to approach his colleagues. Jimmy suddenly noticed how silent the kitchen had become. He blinked to bring the room into focus. The ladies studied him with various levels of concern etched on their faces. His grandmother was only mildly worried, but his mom was at DEFCON 1.

"I'm fine," he said before she could offer to stay home. "I swear it. I just tuned out your bickering and focused on something productive."

His grandmother huffed. "We don't bicker, Jimmy."

"Never," his mom agreed. Jimmy was about to tell them he stood corrected, but his mom turned to her mother and said, "Well, you complain, and I point out how you're wrong."

Christ on a cracker . Jimmy checked his watch and noted the time. "We need to get going, ladies. You'll want plenty of time to check in at the counter and go through security."

"How would you know?" his grandma asked. "You've never flown anywhere before."

She hadn't meant it as a dig, but it landed like a cheap blow. For a mere second, Jimmy wanted to suggest whose fault his naivety was, but he blinked, and the moment passed.

"She has a point, dear," his mom said.

And the urge to sound off returned, but Jimmy didn't give in because the two women had made up and were again of one accord. And even though the peace had come at his expense, it was too rare to sacrifice.

"I'm just reciting the recommendations that came with your travel package," Jimmy said sweetly. "Do you have everything?"

The two women verbally cycled through what they had in each of their suitcases and carry-on luggage. It sounded like they'd packed enough for two months. Jimmy nearly sighed out loud as he let himself imagine what that might be like.

Once he had them secured in the car, Jimmy backed out of the driveway and headed toward the airport.

"I paid the landscaper in advance," his mom reminded him for the tenth time in two days.

Jimmy stifled a sigh and said, "Yes, Mother."

His grandmother gasped suddenly. "You know what I forgot?"

"What?" his mom replied. "Your passport?"

"No, Georgie. You saw me put it in my bag. Condoms," his grandma said. "I asked Jimmy to pick them up for me, but he refused. What if I want to get lucky?" Jimmy bit back a gag as his mother groaned in misery. "Do we have time to stop for some on the way?"

"No," Jimmy and his mother said at the same time.

"I'd borrow some from Jimmy, but I think he's saving himself for marriage," his grandma added.

"Are you?" his mother asked him.

"We're not talking about my sex life," Jimmy told them.

The two women started talking about the itinerary they'd made for their trip. It sounded like they had every minute preplanned, which didn't sound like much of a vacation to Jimmy. Yeah, he'd made plans for his summer but hadn't scheduled them into his calendar like a dental cleaning. Jimmy tuned out their chatter and continued rehearsing what he'd say to the staff at the newspaper to ferret out if any of them might've picked up his list. Most of his coworkers were decent people who wouldn't want to embarrass Jimmy by returning it to him. A few others would have a heyday with it. A solution hadn't come to him by the time he pulled up to the departure curb, so he put his car in park and helped the ladies get their bags out of the trunk.

"I hope you have an amazing trip," Jimmy said as he hugged them tightly. "Take lots of pictures. Remember, you bought the Wi-Fi upgrade. Call or email me if you start missing me too much. I think you're going to have the time of your life."

His mother threw her arms around him once more. "You're the best son ever, Jimmy."

"Because I have the best mom and grandma," he replied. And he did. They loved him unconditionally, even if their devotion felt stifling at times. Their intentions were good, and it kept Jimmy from becoming bitter and resentful.

When his grandma hugged him again, he whispered, "You'll have opportunities to buy condoms, Grandma. They'll sell them at the airport, but I hear they overcharge. You'll also be able to buy them on the cruise ship."

"Duty-free," she whispered.

Jimmy nodded. "Don't just give your heart to anyone."

She patted his cheek. "I'm just looking for a good time."

He laughed, which caused his mother to get suspicious when she returned from loading their luggage on one of the carts.

"What are the two of you whispering and giggling about over here?" she asked.

"Nothing," Jimmy and Grandma said at the same time.

"Uh-huh," his mom said. "Let's get going, Mother. I hear there's a good bookstore inside where I can buy a racy romance without judgment." Jimmy had tried to introduce them to digital readers, but they weren't having it.

"Oh, I want a racy book too," his grandma said, looping her arm through her daughter's as they followed the airline employee wheeling their luggage cart into the airport.

When they reached the sliding doors, they turned and waved at him and blew kisses. Jimmy returned the gesture, noticing the pang in his chest. As much as he was looking forward to some peace, he would definitely miss his ladies.

At the newspaper office, Jimmy looked for reasons to make small talk with the staff members. None of them looked embarrassed for him nor had they acted weirdly. The only two people he hadn't been able to chat with were Lois and Felix. Jimmy knew in his heart that Felix would've told him already. The guy came across as an arrogant ass at times, but he had a soft spot for Jimmy. As for Lois, they'd never been overly friendly toward each other. It would've been weird for him to pop into her office for a chat unless he wanted to clear the air after the tension during yesterday's meeting.

Jimmy latched on to the excuse and made his way to her office, but it was dark. She either hadn't arrived yet or wasn't coming in at all. Dejected, Jimmy made his way back to his cubicle. He'd really hoped to resolve the case of the missing list. He hadn't forgotten the goals he'd written down, but not knowing where it was dampened Jimmy's enthusiasm to check them off.

As he neared his desk, Jimmy noticed a woman with cascading silver and white curls standing at his cubicle. Her back was to him as she talked to Denise, who worked in the cube adjacent to his. Jimmy's feet faltered when he realized who the visitor was. Natalie Skye. He suddenly recalled fumbling while trying to stuff his notebook into his backpack when her son's laughter tickled every one of his senses. Jesus help me . Dread gripped Jimmy's guts as he considered Natalie was the one who'd discovered his list. Was she there to return it? Maybe she was there to denounce him as a pervert and insist he not attend future classes. The urge to run to the bathroom to hide came over him fast, and Jimmy would've followed his instinct if Natalie hadn't turned and locked eyes with him. He instinctively froze and braced himself for the worst.

"There you are," she said. The warm smile on her face mirrored the expression in her dark brown eyes. This was not the body language and dialogue Jimmy expected from her since he had prepared himself for a verbal lashing. "Do you have a few minutes for me?"

"Uh," he said, recovering poorly. "Sure." Natalie's smile faded, and she slightly canted her head while studying him.

Denise looked between them with a curious expression on her face. "Um, I can go refresh my coffee if you want some privacy."

Natalie turned and smiled at her. "That won't be necessary, dear, but thank you for your consideration. Are you a Libra?"

"I am," Denise said, beaming at her before dropping down in her chair.

Jimmy convinced his feet to work and approached her. "Hi," he said. Did he sound as nervous and awkward as he felt?

"Good morning," she said, a smile teasing at her lips. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," Jimmy said quickly. "I just had an early start this morning. Are you here to see me?"

Natalie nodded. "I am. Are you free for dinner tonight?"

"Um…" That was the last thing he'd expected her to ask. "Yes."

She giggled. "Forgive my directness. Maybe I should've started with my motive for the invitation. I've thought a lot about your project for the paper and would like to propose an idea to you. A partnership if you will. I figured I could at least feed you first." Natalie moved closer and lowered her voice. "Confession, I can't cook worth a damn, but my husband could be a chef."

"Oh," Jimmy said, perking up. Dining with Natalie and her husband sounded more appetizing than reheating a casserole. "I'd love to hear your idea."

"Wonderful," Natalie said. She reached inside her bag and pulled out a piece of paper. Jimmy nearly had a stroke until he realized it was too small to be his list, even if she folded it a few times. Relief weakened his knees, and Jimmy was glad he'd leaned against the cubicle divider. "Here you go. I wrote down our address for you and my phone number in case something comes up. How does six sound?"

"Sounds great. I'm looking forward to it."

"As am I. Have a great day, dear." Natalie looked like she wanted to hug him or lean in to kiss his cheek but wasn't sure she should. Instead, she patted his arm before walking away.

"I thought she was asking you out on a date at first," Denise said from her cubicle.

Jimmy laughed. "It never crossed my mind."

Denise popped back up in her cubicle. "That woman is gorgeous and could pull off the whole cougar thing if she wanted."

Natalie Skye was stunning in a natural, earthy way, but her dark brown eyes radiated her inner beauty. And she wanted to partner with him. Wow. The day was suddenly looking up.