She asked him about his tattoo—the Phoenix from Greek mythology. The subtle graze of her dripping fingers outlining the intricate design made the surface of his skin erupt in goosebumps. According to the legend, the bird died in a show of intense flames before rising from the ashes. It was a symbol of renewal for Tim; a rebirth into his new life as he tried to figure out who the hell he was. But he didn’t tell her that piece. He had been through a tumultuous time and saw himself in the Phoenix; something that recreated itself. He had burned it all down and was rebuilding again.
Jessica walked him to his truck, and they kissed again under the hot summer moonlight, the pads of his thumbs caressing her satin cheeks. She wanted to make plans. He wanted to make plans. It was all happening so fast. For a man who sought solitude and a quiet existence, he was throwing caution to the wind with a vibrant Southern belle with four adorable daughters, each female displaying a unique personality. Jennifer was precocious and sure of herself, Jill was silly and adorable, and baby Jo-Jo was sweet and snuggly. But Julia—Julia was special. Tim was aware he and the small child had already formed a special bond, and he was eager to help her come out of her shell.
And then there was their beautiful mother, Jessica. She was at a crossroads, much like he was. The last thing he wanted to do was confuse her or lead her on, but she had unexpectedly come into his life and already left a permanent impression on him that left him spinning.
Tim slept soundly that night, and his early morning workout paired with his refreshed state of mind had him humming all the way to work. The day flew by as he pruned and mowed the yards of several upper-class clients in the gated upper-class community, his mind fixated on one thing—seeing Jessica again. By the time he was finished, he sped through the neighborhood, eager to see his Southern belle. When he parked on the street in front of her home, he was more than concerned seeing her ex-husband’s car parked in the driveway. His heart clenched in his chest, knowing Stephen Kaufman was somewhere on the property.
Tim hesitated, not sure if he should get out of his truck and pay a visit to Jessica and the girls like he had promised the night before. But now he was worried. Why was her ex-husband there? Better yet, what were his intentions? Did he leave something behind? Or did he come to see his daughters? The thought of this man upsetting Jessica or her little girls made Tim fist his hands in his lap. He couldn’t leave. He decided to do a little investigating and find out what was going on.
The door of the truck squeaked as Tim forced it open wide and exited with purpose. He slammed the door and grabbed his gloves from the back before he confidently walked around the side of the house to the backyard. The summer sun was brutal in the late afternoon, pounding searing ultra-rays across his exposed skin. Pretending to survey the foliage, he pulled the Hernandez Landscaping cap down lower, shading his eyes and crept along the fence line that separated the backyard from the golf course. No one was outside on the patio, and he couldn’t hear any conversation. Nervously, he plucked a couple of random weeds sticking through the pine straw that covered the ground beneath perfectly trimmed boxwoods and fussed with the stiff hedges he had trimmed last week. It was only a matter of minutes before the sliding glass door of the home was opened, the sound of a happy little girl breathing life into his concerned heart.
“Tim!” Jennifer shouted. She ran toward him with her blonde hair fluttering behind, catapulting her tiny body into his arms.
“Whoa!” Tim hugged her, taken aback by her exuberance. He expected to see Jill and Julia right behind her, but Jennifer was the only one who came out of the house. “How are you? Where are your sisters?”
Jennifer was out of breath; her cheeks flushed from running. “They’re inside. My daddy’s home,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Is that so?” Hearing her call Stephen “daddy” made him uneasy. “Is everybody happy? Everyone good?” He didn’t know how to ask the little girl if her mommy was okay.
“I guess so. Wanna come in?” Jennifer looked up at him, innocence etched across her youthful face.
“I don’t think so. I’m all hot and sweaty.” He knelt to her eye level. “Can you please tell your mama that I said hello?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Jessica appeared in the open doorway, frantically gesturing for him to come to her. Taking Jennifer by the hand, the two of them walked through the pine straw to the back patio. When Tim was close enough, he could see the worry on Jessica’s face and reached out to touch her elbow.
“What is it?” he asked, his voice edged with alarm.
“Jennifer, sweetie-pie, go on in and make sure your sisters are behavin’ in the playroom, okay?” Her smile was tense and her accent more pronounced as she watched her oldest daughter obediently enter the house. As soon as she was gone, Jessica turned to Tim in a panic. “He won’t leave. He was snooping through the bar downstairs, making up some tall tale about accidentally leaving an expensive bottle of bourbon behind. He also said he has every right to be here to see his children. I think he’s just here to mess with me.” Jessica was clearly agitated, her ordinarily calm voice erratic and breathy.
Tim pulled off his gloves and ran one hand behind his neck as sweat trickled from his temple. He didn’t want to get involved with the ex-husband, but if the man wasn’t supposed to be in Jessica’s house, she needed someone to stand up for her. He was her only hope.
“What did you both agree on in your settlement? Does he have visitation? Did you agree on a specified time or date?”
“No! We never agreed on anything! That’s what the lawyers were for.” She reached out and gripped Tim by the forearm. “He was supposed to give his keys back and call me to make arrangements to see the girls. Tim, he just showed up and used his key to waltz right in. Scared the daylights outta me.” She sighed heavily. “He acted like he still owns the place. This is my home now.”
Tim’s blood ran cold, and he had the sudden urge to put his arm around Jessica to console her, but refrained. He didn’t know where this guy was and didn’t want him witnessing the yardman touching his ex-wife. He made a mental note to call a locksmith and have all the locks changed so this wouldn’t be an ongoing occurrence. Gritting his teeth, he nodded, knowing he was going to have to get involved if it meant protecting Jessica and her children. “Let me have a word with him.”
They entered the house to see Stephen Kaufman bellied up to the kitchen island, pouring brown liquor into a crystal glass. When he looked up, his face displayed repulsion.
“What in the hell are you doing in my house? Don’t you belong outside with the rest of the hired help?” his voice was loud and demanding.
“Hey man, you know you’re not supposed to be in here without notice. And you need to give your house key back to Jessica.”
Stephen looked at Jessica with raised eyebrows, his mouth gaping in awe. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re on a first-name basis with the gardener?”
“Stephen!” Jessica hissed.
Tim looked around for the Kaufman girls and hoped they hadn’t picked up on Stephen’s vulgar language, but they were nowhere to be seen. As if sensing Tim’s concern, Jessica explained where they were. “The girls are upstairs in the playroom drawing pictures for their daddy.”
Tim nodded, thankful they were out of earshot, and walked around the island to where he was standing right next to Mr. Kaufman. Stephen stepped back in surprise, tilting his neck to look up at him, a cocky grin on his face.
“Jessie, have you hired your gardener to be your bodyguard? He sure is one helluva tall drink of water.” The man chuckled, bringing the glass of bourbon up to his mouth and taking a long, slow sip. “Damn, that is so good.” He held up the, glass showing off the amber color to Tim in the light. “Have you ever tried Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon? Ha! I doubt it. This here bottle cost me over three grand. I remembered I had it tucked away in the bar downstairs. I’ve been saving it for a celebration. When me and Jessie’s divorce was finalized this week, I knew I had to get it back so I
could celebrate. You know, my freedom.” The slimy bastard winked at Jessica who gasped at his audacity.
“Take your stupid bottle of booze and get out, Stephen. Please. And give your key back and call next time you want to see the girls, okay?” she pleaded.
Tim shoved the garden gloves he had been holding into his back pocket. When he held his massive hand out with his palm up, Stephen furrowed his brow.
“Give me the key, man,” he warned, his voice even and tempered.
Stephen eyed Tim’s palm before he boldly tipped back the crystal glass of bourbon and finished it off in one gulp. “Those little girls have my blood running through their veins, mister. They are my daughters, and I can come here anytime I want to see them…”
“Oh, come on Stephen. You know that’s not true. You have visitation now. And who are you kidding? You’re not here to see them. You’re more concerned about getting back your precious bottle of Poppa-van-whatever! You have never taken time out of your busy schedule to spend with your daughters.”
“Maybe I miss them darlin’.” Stephen blatantly walked by Tim, purposely bumping into his arm in the process. “Maybe I miss you too, Jessie.” His voice was laced with sarcasm.
The look of horror on Jessica’s face was evident, and her chest swelled as she inhaled slowly. “Get out of my house, Stephen, before I call the cops.”
Stephen threw his head back and laughed. “My goodness! You’re so serious now. All those years begging me to spend time with you and our girls. Now here I am, and you want me to leave.” He clucked his tongue and shook his head.
“You heard the lady. She wants you to go. Give me your key.” Tim stood tall, positioning himself between Jessica and her ex and held his hand out again. “Now.” His muscles strained against his t-shirt as his presence commanded the room.
Jessica seemed to hold her breath, and Tim watched Stephen smile nervously while he reached into his pants pocket and took out his keys. The room was silent except for the jangling of metal as the Kaufman house key was taken off the ring.
“No harm done here,” Stephen mumbled, confidently placing a single key in Tim’s palm. He strode back around the island, as if to distance himself from Tim, and picked up the expensive bottle of bourbon. His tone turned menacing. “My lawyer will be in touch, Jessica. You can count on that.” He started to leave, but stopped at the door and pointed a finger at Tim. “You don’t scare me. Get back out in the yard where you belong.” The door slammed, making Jessica jump.
Chapter Seven
“Are you okay?” Tim asked as he put both hands on Jessica’s shoulders.
She nodded and stepped into his embrace. He ran his hand down the back of her long hair and finally exhaled. If Stephen Kaufman had touched one hair on her beautiful head, he would have come undone and pummeled the guy.
“Are the girls really upstairs drawing pictures for their dad?”
Jessica shook her head and disengaged from their embrace. She started to clean up the cocktail party Stephen had left behind.
“They were in the playroom when he walked in. They’ve learned over the years to stay quiet when daddy’s home and to stay out of his space. Jo-Jo’s still napping.”
Tim watched her pick up the glass Stephen had used, rinse it out and put it in the dishwasher, turning her nose up as if it held contagious germs.
“It’s so sad how they’re conditioned to be quiet when he’s around. It makes me realize how fortunate I am to have him out of this house so they can be themselves.”
Tim’s heart sank, imagining that kind of obedience from innocent little girls around their own father. He set the house key on the island and slid it toward her.
She eyed it and smiled. “Thank you for being here at the right time. I might have had to follow through and call the cops if you hadn’t shown up. Stephen can’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
“I’m sorry he upset you. I’m glad I was here too.” They let the moment hang in mid-air as they smiled at one another.
“How was your day today?” she asked as she tucked her hair over her ear. Tim still couldn’t believe she was old enough to be the mother of four little girls.
“It was hot but good. How about you?”
Jessica nodded. “Good, until Stephen showed up.” She eyed the family room and gestured with her head. “Let’s sit for a minute before the girls realize it’s all clear.”
Tim watched as she settled in a single chair, disappointed she wasn’t sitting next to him on the sofa. He knew she was probably still reeling from the first encounter with her ex since their divorce was final and didn’t want to over-think it. An idea came to him.
“You and the girls have any plans for dinner?”
A playful grin played upon her lips. “No. Why?” she asked with interest.
“I know a great place off the beaten path. You like Mexican?”
***
Tim sat in the passenger seat of Jessica’s white Land Rover and talked over his shoulder to the girls in the backseat. He offered to drive her car that was already set up with the car seats, but she insisted she drive so he could relax after a hard day of work. The girls chattered non-stop and their excitement was contagious. Earlier, Jessica informed Tim that they hadn’t been out to eat in a very long time. It took a lot of energy to corral four little girls in a public space. His invitation to dinner was a surprise, and she was glad to be out of the house. Glad that he was accompanying them on an adventure.
Before they left, Tim politely asked if he could change out of his work uniform in the downstairs bathroom instead of going home to do it. She told him to take his time and get refreshed in the guest room off the kitchen. He seemed pleased and took her up on the offer as she scrambled to get the girls changed and their hair combed. Tim had told her the place was casual and to wear what she already had on. Seriously? She wouldn’t be caught dead wearing shorts and a t-shirt out in public unless she was going to the gym. His comment was dismissed, and she almost felt guilty when all four of her daughters ended up overly dressed in pretty pastel sundresses.
“No, Mama! I don’t want to wear a bow,” Jennifer hollered, her three siblings joining the protest.
When it was three against one, Jessica threw her hands up in the air. It was just a pink bow that would have accentuated their cute outfits. But she didn’t have much time to get ready herself and decided to leave the bows on the vanity in their bathroom. She had learned over the past few months how to pick her battles and chuckled when she almost had a fit of her own, trying to decide what to wear.
Going through her closet, she thumbed through her wardrobe, scowling the entire time. “Nope, too dressy. Nope, too much cleavage. Nope, too casual…”
She finally landed on simple Capri pants and a loose frilly top. Her wrists jangled with her favorite David Yurman bracelets, her wedding ring absent from her tanned fingers. She pulled her blonde hair into a high ponytail and added silver hoop earrings. There wasn’t time to do her entire makeup face, so she kept it simple with mascara and lipstick. One thing her Southern mama always stressed was that a proper girl never went out in public without lipstick. The finishing touch was her expensive heeled sandals she hadn’t worn in ages. She stood in front of the full-length mirror in her walk-in closet and admired the shoes that showed off her pretty pink toenails. Excitement pulsed through her like the beat of a drum, and she knew it was going to be hard to keep her eagerness under control. But for a moment, she started to second guess if going out to dinner in public with a guy like Tim was such a good idea.
“Helloooo, gorgeous. How are you?” Elizabeth cooed on the phone, her Yorkie, Mulligan yapping in the background.
Jessica kept her hand cupped over her mouth and spoke quietly into her cell phone. “Hey. Tim invited the girls and me to eat Mexican. We’re ready to go, but I’m not sure this is such a good idea…”
“Stop it! Tim McGill? The hot yard guy? Of course you should go,” her friend interrupted.
Jessica sigh
ed and sat on the edge of her bed.
“When was the last time you went out and had a little fun with a gorgeous man who is totally into you? Huh? You certainly can’t say that about asshole Stephen. And so what if he’s a yard guy? He’s so hot, Jessica. Good Lord!”
“I know, right?” Jessica agreed.
“Just go. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“Umm, I could run into someone I know? Elizabeth, I’ve never gone out with anyone like Tim before. Mama would kill me if she saw me with a guy who had hair longer than mine. And Elizabeth…” she paused, whispering into the phone, “…he has a tattoo. Oh god, what if he’s only interested in me because of the money?” Regret immediately filled her being as she said those words. “I take that back. He’s not like that. He’s nothing like that.”
“Go have some fun, Jessica. You deserve it. And so what if he’s a blue-collar worker with a tattoo? He’s charming, and he’s obviously interested in you! And if you run into someone you know, so what! Give them something to talk about!” Elizabeth started singing the old Bonnie Raitt tune, making Jessica laugh out loud and Mulligan howl.
“Okay. I’m going.” Gathering her small purse, she looked in the mirror one last time.
“I want details when you get back. All of them!”
“Well, I don’t know how many details I’ll have going on a date with my kids in tow!”
Thankful to have had a pep talk from her best friend, Jessica finally made it downstairs with Jo-Jo all dressed up on her hip and stopped in the arched entryway of the family room to observe Tim with her other three daughters. They were mesmerized as he played the disappearing quarter game, pretending to pull the silver coin from behind each of their ears. Squeals of delight erupted each time the quarter magically appeared, causing Jessica’s heart to skip a beat. When he looked up at her, his face softened, and his eyes seemed to dance as he looked from her feet to her face.
Georgia Pine (Southern Promises Book 3) Page 5