Page 55 of Just A Little Fling

He used those words with you?

Jack

Word for word.

Levi

I apologize on his behalf.

Jack

Meh, don’t worry about it. Is everything OK?

Levi

It’s fine. I’ll be back in the office tomorrow.

Jack

No worries. If anyone else comes by, I’ll let you know.

Levi

Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow.

Fuck me.

* * *

“Hey, you.”

“Hey, yourself. Feel better?”

Nico stood in the doorway, looking every bit a little, clutching his stuffie and barefooted, but I knew from his tone and greeting he was back in a grown-up space. I pushed back from my desk to create room and beckoned him closer. I opened my arms when he was closer and he collapsed onto my lap. Cuddled up close, I felt his even breathing on my neck. We soaked in the fading afternoon sun together while lost in our thoughts.

“Thank you for coming to get me today. I’m not sure how Gabe knew to call you, but I’m glad he did.” Nico spoke softly into the crook of my shoulder. He was more subdued than I had ever seen him. Truthfully, I didn’t like it very much. He seemed weighed down by something much bigger than an off day at work.

“I don’t think he actually intended to call me so much as he’d hoped you’d introduced me to someone named Babbo. He was worried they’d have to call your mom.” While I spoke, I kept what, I hoped, were soothing hands on Nico. One of my hands played with his fingers while I sifted through strands of his hair with the other. Nico made no move to get away. Instead, he sighed contently. I didn’t like his distress, but I sure as hell liked that I helped with it.

“Oh god. I can’t even begin to imagine what that would be like. One of us—either my mom or me—would have died of embarrassment. Honestly, it would probably have been straight to the finish line for both of us.”

“Sunshine, you and me both. My mom is cool, but she’s not that cool. Can you tell me about what happened?” It was impossible to miss Nico’s grumbling noises. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but I really think you would feel better if you let it out. You may not know this about me, but I get paid to listen for a living.”

“I thought you went to court for a living?”

“Sometimes I do, but I try to avoid it when possible. Nine times out of ten, when you go to court, it’s not gonna work out the way you want. If you can settle it before, it’s almost always better for your client. But if the other side won’t settle or your client is stubborn, we end up there.”

“Where does the listening part come in?”

“In my professional opinion, most people know the answer to their problems before they say them aloud. But there is power in talking it out. If they don’t have a person in their life they can talk it out with, for whatever reason, they come to people like me. A therapist probably would be a better choice, but that’s beside the point. It’s not unusual for them to come in with a question, talk out the issue they’re having with their ex, and figure out a solution with a few questions from me to help them work it out in their head. It’s when it doesn’t work that I end up hired.”

“I feel like I’m bugging you with my problems.”

“Stop right there. There are hardly any places in my life where I feel like I’m honest to god useful lately. But when you trust me with your problems? I feel useful. And I don’t mean solving them, but allowing me to be a sounding board for you feels pretty damn good. You could have gone to someone else, but you chose me, and I like it.”

Nico studied me before he finally said, “Gabe offered me an opportunity I never even imagined he would, and it scared the shit out of me.”

“What was it?”

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