Tara: Quit being so stubborn about it. I'm not getting the work done. I'm finished.
Heath: What's going on, Tara?
She didn't answer. He knew something was wrong and thought about what Lisa had said. Tara had stood up to her ex in court the day before. He wasn't sure Lisa knew it was only the day before, but he did.
Heath: Answer me, Tara? Something happened, didn't it?
Tara: Everything's fine. I'll talk to you later.
He could tell something was going on. She wasn't being honest. He walked over to John.
"I have to leave. I need a huge favor. Gavin loaded my truck down with baby stuff. I am begging you to let me use your car. Take my truck to Gavin's. I'll meet you there in a bit to switch cars. I really need to go."
John looked at Heath with concern in his eyes.
"Is everything okay?" John asked.
"Not sure," Heath answered.
"Does it have something to do with your client?"
"Yes," Heath said. "She just fired me, but something isn't making sense. I think something's wrong."
"Is your client who I think she is?" John asked.
"Yes," Heath said. "Do not say a word to anyone. Promise me you won't."
"I promise, Heath. That's your business. Do you want me to go with you?" John asked.
"No," Heath said. "I'll go myself. I'm not sure if she's mad about today or if something happened at her house. It just feels off."
"Okay," John said. "Be careful. Call me if you need me."
Heath nodded, switched keys with John, walked over and kissed Lisa on the cheek, and took off out the door. He heard her calling after him, but he didn't stop. Something was wrong, and he needed to figure out what it was.
Chapter 11
Tara
She couldn't believe it was him when she looked up at the shower. He was familiar, but she thought it was her imagination. Tara should have known where she had seen him before. He walked Lisa down the aisle at her wedding. How could she have missed it, she thought? She was at the wedding with her husband. When Tara heard his voice at the shower, she thought she was crazy. She thought she was losing it. When she saw him walking through that door, she wanted to disappear. Shit! How did she not know he was the same Heath? It wasn't like the most popular name of their time or anything. Lisa had told her too much about him over the years. She had known her for a long while. They worked together at the airline. Heath was Lisa's best friend. Tara kept in touch with her after she quit. Her husband was adamant that his wife not be a flight attendant. She should have stood up for herself, but she didn't. He was a very persuasive man in business and with her. Tara was weak then, but she was learning how not to be weak very quickly.
It was Heath being around that was changing her. She wasn't sure how or why, but she knew it was because of him. When Tara walked into that lawyer's office every time before, she sat quietly, never said a word, and just took what her ex dished out. Something was different that day. When she saw that smart-ass smirk on his face, she couldn't do it. She couldn't let him control her for the rest of her life. It was time to stand up for herself. She didn't care anymore about the money or material things. The only thing she cared about was keeping her boys safe and taking care of them. She didn't care where she had to live or what she had to do. Tara needed to be her own person. As long as her ex had to write her checks, he was going to find a way to hold the control he loved so much. She was giving herself freedom by giving away everything. He was winning. He was getting it all, but she didn't care. When she saw Heath, a man who didn't want kids, treat her boys like real people, it hit her like a ton of bricks. Their own father didn't treat them that way, and they were his children.
Tara felt uncomfortable talking to Lisa with Heath standing there. She felt so bad for not telling Lisa that he was working on her house. It made Tara's heart melt when Heath grabbed baby Jack and held him tight. He was great with kids. She had to wonder why he didn't want any of his own. It made her think about Lisa. From little things Lisa had told her, she knew Heath was in love with Lisa. Was she the reason he didn't want love? Was the sadness she saw deep inside of Heath because of her friend? It didn't take long for Heath to disappear once his friend John made a comment about Heath's newest client. It was true. Heath didn't work on the houses. He was telling the truth. She could tell from the look on John's face that he was surprised Heath was actually on the job. Heath couldn't get John to shut up fast enough. What had he told his friend about her that he didn't want her to hear? It was obviously bad. She guessed she deserved it after the way she acted about everything. He just didn't understand how hard everything was for her. She was just his client. There was no reason for him to know anything about her.
She couldn't wait to get out of there and took off as soon as she could. It had been a while since she had seen Lisa. She was excited about catching up and had looked forward to the time to herself. That feeling quickly disappeared, and she was itching to get back home. Lisa wanted to know about her divorce. She had never liked Tara's ex and had never hidden her thoughts about him. They'd met each other several times over the years. Lisa thought he was shady and controlling. Tara thought about it. She must have looked like a fool to everyone, she thought. How could she have been so blind when it came to him? Lisa was her friend. When she had caught him cheating, Lisa was one of the only people she told. She needed a shoulder, and Lisa was willing to be there for her. When Lisa mentioned him, Tara wanted her to stop talking. She didn't want Heath to know anything about the situation. He was just someone she was hiring to do some work. She wasn't sure why she cared what he heard, but she did. It was bad enough she had been played by her ex. She didn't want everyone else to know about it.
As soon as the shower was over, she told Lisa she had to pick the boys up. It wasn't true. She had taken the boys to her mom's house for the day. It wasn't often she had time to herself, but she planned on going home and getting some writing done before she went back to get them.
The entire drive home she thought about Heath. She thought about how good he looked with that smile on his face as he came through that door at the shower. He was laughing and joking with his friends. She also thought about the look on his face when their eyes connected. It all stopped. He looked like a kid who had been caught taking cookies out of the jar before dinner. She wasn't sure why it mattered that she was there. There was no reason for him to care. He had been talking about being single and going out to find a woman that night. She kept wondering why he stopped talking when he saw her? Maybe he was just embarrassed. She was his client. It wasn't very professional. That was probably it. She was glad he made himself scarce after that.
She pulled up her long driveway, ready to change into some sweats and relax in front of her laptop. It was rough writing at night while the boys slept. She had put herself under a tight deadline and was happy to have the extra few hours. Her mind was someplace else when she pulled the car to a stop. She got out, looked toward her front porch, and gasped. It was a wreck. Everything was a mess. The new wood Heath had purchased was destroyed. There was paint all over the porch and the house. Some of the boards had been cut and pulled up as well. There was wood everywhere. She wasn't sure exactly how much had been done, but the entire place was a mess. Who would do such a thing, she thought? At least it was only the outside. All of the work Heath's team spent those days doing was for nothing. The place looked worse than when she moved in.
She walked carefully onto the porch, hoping not to fall through, and turned the knob. It was locked. She felt relief knowing that nobody had been inside. She unlocked the door and walked in only to throw her hand up over her mouth as she cried out. The work that had been done in the dining room was destroyed as well. The wood was torn off the bottom and tops of the walls. There were holes in the wall like someone had punched them. There was paint on the walls, ceiling, and floor. She noticed the only things touched were the new things she was having done. The kitchen was fine. The living room w
as perfect. She took off running up the stairs to the only other place work had been done and fell to her knees. Her bedroom was being combined with another. They were knocking a wall out to do it. There were holes through the walls and paint all over the carpet and dripping from the ceiling. It wasn't light either. The paint was black and everywhere. Who would do such a thing, she wondered again? She looked around the house for any sign of someone breaking in, but there weren't any. What the hell, she cried out into the empty house.
She knew who it was. The doors were all locked and there was no other way anyone had gotten in. It was him. It was her ex. She cursed herself for not changing the locks when she moved in. It was one of the things she was planning to see if Heath could do. She just hadn't asked him yet. Not for one second did she think her ex would destroy her home. She knew he was an ass and had better things to do than to see his kids, but she never thought he would do something to mess with their lives. How would he know she was gone, she asked herself? He had to have been watching the house or going through her phone records somehow. Her phone was still on the company plan. That was agreed upon through the lawyers. Suddenly, she realized what was going on. He was losing control of her. She was supposed to keep fighting. He wanted her to have to depend on him. Everything his lawyer brought forth each meeting was making her more dependent on him. What the hell was wrong with him, she wondered? He was the one that cheated on her.
Tara knew she needed to call the police. She wasn't sure if she should call her lawyer too. What would she tell them, the man with a key destroyed the house that was both of theirs? Nothing had been agreed upon yet. How could he do that? Why would he risk his business over it? She knew he had to have snapped to do something like that. Maybe he didn't do it, she thought. Would she even be able to prove it was him? She didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she wanted her kids away from him. She knew he was an ass, but it was first time he actually scared her. It was the first time she was actually worried that he might hurt her or the boys. Heath, she thought. Oh shit! She knew she would owe him for the work they had already done and all of the wood he bought that was destroyed on the front lawn. Her money would be gone. That was it. The asshole wanted her to need more money. He was trying to get back the control he had lost the day before. She knew she had to let Heath's company go. There was no way she could afford to get the work done. She wasn't even sure how she was going to be able to fix what was destroyed. Whoever it was had a damn key to get in. How was she going to explain that to the insurance company, she wondered?
She knew she had to get Heath out of the way before she called the cops. There was no way she wanted him showing up the next morning with a crew to find the mess she had just pulled in to find. She pulled out her phone and sent the message. Of course, he didn't just accept that she was no longer getting the work done, even though she said she was going to pay him. He insisted on showing up the next day. She didn't know what to do. When he asked her if she was okay, she said she was. He wasn't going to let it drop. She quit answering his messages. It was all too much for her to deal with.
Tara looked around her house once more trying to figure out how else the person could have gotten in. She wasn't sure what to do. How would it sound if she accused her husband? Would they even believe her? She thought about possibly calling her lawyer but wasn't sure. When she walked back outside to take pictures before it got dark, she burst into tears. It was her home. She had helped design it. It was the one thing that asshole let her control. Then he refused to move in. She was only there on holidays and in the summer. It was where she wanted to live, and it was ruined. She wiped her eyes and began snapping pictures. When she heard a car pull up the path, she jumped. Tara didn't recognize the car and was so afraid whoever it was that destroyed her home was coming back. She was sure her ex wouldn't do the work himself. He had to many people to do his dirty work for him. When the car pulled closer and stopped, the door swung open. It was Heath. Oh shit, she thought. What was she going to do? He was next to her in seconds. She looked down at the ground and shifted from side to side. He lifted her chin with his finger and looked her in the eyes. She couldn't take it and tears came even quicker than before. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his chest. She could smell his cologne mixed with the smell of his soap. It had a manly scent. After a few minutes, she pulled back from his hold but didn't speak.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.
"It has nothing to do with you. I'll pay you for all of the supplies and any tools that are ruined. I'm done. I give up," she said. "Please leave."
"Hell no," he said sternly. "I'm not leaving you here like this. What the hell happened?"
"My ex happened," she said. "I don't see it as being anyone else. It doesn't look like they broke in. He must have used his key."
"He has a key to your house?" Heath asked.
"It was one of things I was going to ask you to do. I just hadn't gotten around to it. I never thought he would do something like this. I'm sure I can't prove it. It was most likely someone he knows. He wouldn't be stupid enough to do it himself."
"Why would he do this?" Heath asked.
"Because he lost control of me yesterday. I told the lawyer I wanted nothing more than this house, my car, and a little money. He was going to fight for custody. I said if he signed the boys over he could have the business, houses, and every penny. I thought he would jump right on it and leave me alone. It did the opposite. I think he was upset that he wasn't going to be able to control me. He knew I was getting work done on the house. You should see the inside."
Heath grabbed her hand and took off into the house. He walked to every room his crew had worked on to see it all destroyed.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" he yelled. "Did you call the police?"
"Not yet. I was going to take pictures of the outside before it got dark. I wasn't sure what to do. How do I tell them? He had a key."
"That is bullshit," Heath yelled.
He grabbed his phone and dialed a number.
"Where are you?" he spoke into his phone. "I'm at Tara's house. Someone destroyed the place."
She could only hear his parts of the conversation with small breaks in between.
"No, she didn't call them yet. It doesn't look like forced entry. She thinks it's her ex. He had a key. Every bit of work I did is fucking ruined. It's a damn mess. I can't believe this shit. He's lucky I don't kick the shit out of him. What do you mean calm down? They have two kids that live here. He destroyed their home. Fine, hurry up. I'm going to find that fucker, John."
Heath shoved his phone in his pocket after typing something out.
"You need to leave, Heath," she said. "This has nothing to do with your business. I'm going to pay you. I'll call you once I get money from the insurance company."
"No," he said. "I'm not leaving. John is on his way over here."
Tara burst into tears again. Heath didn't even waste a moment pulling her into his arms. He whispered into her ear over and over that everything was going to be okay. When he leaned down and looked into her eyes, his thumbs wiped the fresh tears from her cheeks. A moment later, his lips were on hers. She felt warmth and comfort shoot through her body. How could he make her feel that way at such a crazy time, she wondered? Her lips opened for him, and his tongue slid into her mouth. It was the most amazing kiss she had ever experienced. It wasn't rough or greedy. It was soft and caring. She felt his body telling her everything was going to be okay. When she pulled back to catch her breath, he looked just as shocked as she felt. They were both quiet and still. All she could see in his eyes was sadness and understanding.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have done that. Don't be upset with me. I'm a good guy. I was just joking earlier with the guys."
"Stop," she said, as she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his chest.
So many feelings were shooting through her body. The feeling of his mouth on hers was like nothing she had ever felt before.
How could that be, she wondered? When his thumbs rubbed her cheeks, she felt electricity shoot through her body. Just being close to him felt so much safer than she had minutes earlier. Heath's truck pulled up in the driveway and John jumped out.
"Shit," he said, as he stepped closer. "What the hell happened?'
"She thinks it was her ex. They just had it out yesterday in her lawyer's office. It's only the stuff I've worked on. The rest of the house is fine. Nothing is missing. He just destroyed stuff."
"I'm calling it in," John said.
"They will never prove it was him," Tara said.
"The insurance will need the report. He's the only one with a key, right?"
She nodded to John.
"I'm moving," she said. "I don't feel safe here."
"No way," Heath said. "This is your home. I know how much it means to you. It was built for you. We can fix everything he did. We can get an alarm system put in. You can't let him win. If you do, he'll keep it up. He'll keep doing things to try and scare you. He wants you to know he has all the control. Don't give it to him."
She shook her head.
"Where are the boys?" Heath asked.
"At my mom's house," she said.
"See if they can spend the night. You can stay at my place tonight," he said.
She looked up at him with wide eyes.
"I have a spare room," he said. "You know you can trust me. I've been here how many times? You can call Lisa if you want. She'll tell you I'm a good guy. I don't want you here alone. I don't think it's a good idea for you to be with the boys like that. They'll get upset."
"I don't know," she said. "Do you offer all of your clients to sleep over?"
John burst into laughter while he was on the phone.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"No, he doesn't," John said. "You're probably the first one he's ever let sleep over. He doesn't share his house. I haven't seen him work on a job in years."
Built for Love (Bachelor Billionaire #5) Page 5