“What? No, of course not. This is all Elizabeth talking. This has nothing to do with me. I like you just the way you are.”
“Oh, come on, Jessica. Don’t you think he’d look more dapper if we got him cleaned up a little? You know, a little makeover for his club debut? No one in their right mind has a full beard during the hot summer. You sure would be a hell-of-a-lot cooler, not to mention chiseled and chic for the event. Please think about it…” Elizabeth’s voice echoed in her memory.
“What are you pondering?” Tim asked, bringing her out of her daydream. Julia was already half-asleep nestled between the couch and his body.
Jessica inhaled deeply and offered him a sincere smile. “I’m thinking about how handsome you are—and that I don’t want you to shave.”
Tim chuckled. “I’ll do whatever you want. But for the record, I would shave if you really wanted me to. This beard does get hot and itchy sometimes. I may go ahead and trim it back some for the Gala. That’ll make Elizabeth happy.” He brought his hand up to his face and dragged his fingers down his furry face. “I’ve thought about getting a haircut too. Maybe it’s time…”
Julia perked up, the mother and daughter shaking their heads in unison. “No,” Jessica lamented, immediately combing her hands through his thick mane. “I love your hair. Please. Don’t ever cut it.” Julia followed suit and patted him on the head.
A satisfied smile widened on his face as he lay tranquil in her lap and closed his eyes again. “Whatever you want…”
Julia’s expression said it all, her youthful smile full of contentment looking back at Jessica. She couldn’t help but reach out and caress her soft cheek with her knuckles, winking at the small girl. It was official—the Kaufman ladies were enamored by a larger-than-life hairy beast lying in front of them. It was only a matter of time before the outside world caught up.
Jessica shivered at the thought of Tim’s secret being revealed for all to know. If she had it her way, they would all hole-up together and live a life of peace and quiet, and she wouldn’t have to share him with anyone. But that was far-fetched. It would be easier navigating her family and friends if they knew who he was. But that was selfish of her. The decision was Tim’s. His secret would be revealed one day. The inevitable was upon them—and the Gala was just the beginning.
***
“You got it?” Tim asked, extending his hand for Jessica to grasp as she fought her way up the steep incline.
“Yep,” she uttered in-between staggered breaths. Perspiration poured down her face, her freckles prominent across her nose from the exposure of the hot rays of the full sun. The air was thick with humidity, causing their skin to slick with sweat.
He hoisted her up the rise where she steadied herself on the edge, his intention to show her the magnificent view from this part of his property. Mission accomplished when he heard her audibly gasp.
“Oh, my goodness! This is incredible!”
Miles away, the view of the Atlanta skyline spread out before them across an expanse of thick, forest greenery. A lone hawk circled high above in the distance among the puffy clouds dotted across the blue sky. Tim couldn’t help but watch Jessica’s animated expression take it all in. This was his peace—his Zen. To be fully immersed in the thick vegetation of the hills far from the city of millions of people was what he lived for. He had never shared this view with anyone. With the way he was falling for Jessica in such a short period, he knew it was time to share it with her.
“Oh, Tim. The view is just heavenly. You were right. That long hike was totally worth it.” Her blue eyes matched the sky, leaving him reeling.
“You did good. That backwoods trail isn’t easy, even for us diehards.” He pulled a water container off the side of his small backpack and offered it to her. She nodded and drank greedily.
“Do you think you can go a little more, or should we turn back? There’s a clearing on the other side of this peak. I threw some wildflower seed out there last spring, and some of the buds were starting to bloom the last time I was out here. Wanna see?”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she nodded eagerly, her lips moist from the recent drink of water. Running the pad of his thumb across her mouth, he gazed longingly at his Southern belle and filled with pride. “Come on, then.”
The two held hands and traversed the rocky terrain until they crested another peak. The moderate hill sloped downward into an open field blanketed with millions of wildflowers. Jessica brought both hands up to her cheeks and stopped in her tracks.
“Oh my gosh! How many seeds did you throw out there? I’ve never seen anything like this!” she exclaimed, taking in the vista of blooming flowers.
Tim looked out over the expanse of land, satisfied that his wildflower experiment had worked. The idea came to him while driving the congested highways of the state, overcome with aggravation at the horrific traffic. Idling in his truck in a traffic jam stuck on the hot asphalt the previous summer, he couldn’t help but notice the abundance of roadside wildflowers dotting the landscape—a beautiful distraction to his current state of duress. He was intrigued, and after a little research, he learned that the Georgia Department of Transportation had started the Wildflower Project, planting over sixteen hundred acres statewide, giving visitors a good reason to visit the beautiful state. Inspired, he clicked a link on the GDOT website to buy his own seed.
Pink cosmos and blue sage covered the area stretched out before them while purple cornflowers swayed in the slight breeze among orange poppies and yellow black-eyed Susan. The rainbow of color was a magical feast for the eyes, the perennials doing exceptionally well in the hot, humid summer.
Jessica’s reaction was priceless as she stood on the mild slope with her hands on her hips, taking it all in. Eagerly, she looked up at him with childlike wonder, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
“Go on. Take a walk on the wild side.” He cocked his head toward the field, to which she bit her lower lip and took a tentative step toward Nirvana. With his feet firmly planted on the hill, he watched as she entered the thigh-high field and gently palm the tiny flowers at her sides taking slow steps across the carpet of color. Tim’s heart surged with joy as he watched her move, the blazing sun creating orbs above her head. Her long blonde ponytail fluttered in the cross-breeze as she looked over her shoulder and grinned from ear to ear.
“Are you coming?” she yelled.
Tim wiped the sweat off his brow and nodded readily. When he caught up to her, he playfully scooped her up into his arms, making her squeal with delight.
“What are you doing?”
With her arms wrapped around his neck, he trudged through the color toward an ancient gnarled oak tree on the edge of the field. Under the dappled shade of the leaves, he set her down and wiped his brow again. Keeping his eyes glued to hers, he shook off the backpack and pulled out a large beach towel. Demurely, Jessica clasped her hands behind her and took a step back, allowing him to fluff the cloth out and lay it on the dried grass surrounding the tree. He stood tall and crossed his arms across his stomach, lifting the athletic microfiber shirt he was wearing up and over his head. His chest glistened with beads of sweat, the meadow breezes a welcome relief as they skirted across his bare skin.
Jessica took a step forward and mimicked him, pulling her shirt up and over her head, revealing her black sports bra. Tim approached and leaned his forehead against her head, his heated body about to combust. His fingers lingered on the shoulder straps of her saturated bra, and he slowly brought it down, exposing her breasts in the outdoors.
