***
It was late when Tim got home. He rode the entire way with the windows down in his truck, his long hair blowing in the humid air as he replayed the entire night with Jessica. He couldn’t remember the last time a kiss from a beautiful woman had left him reeling, the soft lips of Jessica Kaufman taking him by surprise. She had made a bold move kissing him first. He knew they had something humming below the surface; something they needed to explore. He was glad she made the first move. It proved she was interested and wanted to explore the possibility of something more. It warmed his heart that it didn’t seem to matter to her that he was a blue-collar worker tending the lawns in the neighborhood. More often than not, when a wealthy female client gave him instructions for a specific yard job, they would often check out his physique, almost in awe of his large stature. It was comical the way they flirted openly, mainly when he was hot and sweaty and doing intense manual labor. But none of them ever really had the courage to get to know him, let alone kiss him. He was the forbidden fantasy for the upper class—taboo among the privileged. The husbands took it a step further, making sure he felt inferior to them, often mocking his choice of career. It didn’t matter to Tim—if they knew the truth about his background, they’d be acting more like flies on honey.
Tim and Jessica swam together that night, talking and kissing for over an hour. It was comfortable with her. They talked about her girls, mostly. She was a proud mama and told him story after story about each little girl. It was as if a dam had been compromised, the rush of conversation flowing like the refreshing water they languished in. He was happy to listen, enamored by her enthusiasm and love for her children. He was also happy she didn’t press him for details about his own story. They were getting to know each other, and he needed to tread lightly. The very thought of possibly upsetting her when he told her who he really was made him sigh out loud. He needed to let her down easy and hoped her reaction would be the opposite.
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 onanything! 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 thegardener?”
“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.
