Prodigal Son (Jensen Family #1) (15 page)

“Why don’t you just drop
out?” Tessa asked.

“Because I have no
qualifications, I need to sit my exams first, and then I’ll think about
leaving.”

Monica came into the room
“Paul, Kay would like a word.”

Paul got to his feet and went
into the hall, perching on his mothers ornate telephone stand “Hi Kay.”

“Paul, I think you’d better
get over her as soon as you can.”

“Is there a problem?” Paul
asked.

“You will see when you get
here.” Kay replied before hanging up.

Paul shuffled his feet into
his trainers before joining Monica and Tessa “I have to go over to Kay’s; I
don’t suppose you fancy giving me a lift Mum?”

Monica glanced at her watch,
satisfied that it was still relatively early and that she would be home in
plenty of time to start Michael’s dinner, she grabbed her car keys and took her
youngest child to her friend’s house.

Kay didn’t say a word to him
as she preceded him through the house to the garden and gestured to the
abandoned tools and uncut lawns. She saw Paul frown and watched him walk down
to the grass so that he could get a better look, he returned via the pool.

“Where’s Matt?” he asked

“I don’t know.” Kay replied
“This is unacceptable Paul.”

“I agree. I’ll put the tools
away and come back tomorrow to put everything right if that’s ok with you,
obviously, this week’s gardening will be free of charge.”

“That’s fine just as long as
it’s you who
returns
and not your brother.”

“Kay, I’m sure Matt just got
called away.” Monica defended her son.

“It’s strange how Hayley is
missing too.” Kay replied.

“I’m going to kill him.” Paul
muttered as he walked away to return the tools to the garage his mind running
through the next day’s jobs he would have to cancel in order to put this right.

Monica glanced at Paul as
they began the journey home; his arms were folded across his chest, his face a
mask of a deep scowl.

“Paul.” she began “Matt was
only helping you out.”

“Mum, you saw the state of
Kay’s garden; I would never leave it like that. I now have to cancel a boat
load of jobs tomorrow just so that I can go back there and put it right, there are
huge gouges in her lawn, God knows what he’s been doing but he’s just cost me
two days money.”

“Oh, I didn’t realise it was
that serious.”

“Stop at the park on the way
home will you, I have a fairly good idea where he’ll be.”

“I don’t want you making a
scene.” Monica warned, pulling into the kerb

“I won’t.” Paul
said,
his hand on the cars’ door handle “I promise. Wait
here, I won’t be long.”

Paul found his brother and
Hayley, wrapped in each other in a thick clump of trees, the place both boys
used when they were stuck for somewhere to go. Reaching down, Paul grasped the
back of Matt’s shirt and hauled him to his feet, exposing Hayley’s almost naked
body.

“Home
time.”
Paul growled at his
brother.

“Oh, it’s
you,
I thought it was the Old Bill.” Matt shook himself free from Paul’s grasp and
turned to face his brother “What’s up?” he asked on seeing Paul’s frown.

“You left Kay’s garden
unfinished.” Paul told him.

“Yeah I know. I’m gonna go
back and do it.”

“No, you’re going to come
home so we can talk about this.” Paul looked down at Hayley who had made no
effort to cover herself, she met Paul’s gaze as he surveyed her body “Not a
whole lot of class going on there.” He said.

“Hey, that’s out of order.”
Matt shoved him “You’d better get dressed.” he told Hayley

“Once you are dressed, you
can make your own way home” Paul told her “Matt’s coming with me.”

“Matt, what
the hell.”
Hayley shouted, coming
to her feet, re-arranging her clothes “Don’t let him speak to me that way.”

Matt, in turn, went to shout at
his brother, stopping dead at Paul’s furious face.

“Shut up Matt.” Paul spoke
“Hayley, stay away from my brother.” he grasped Matt’s arm and pulled him with
him to Monica’s car, opening the back door and guiding him, somewhat forcefully
into the seat.

Jumping into the front seat
and strapping himself in, Paul half turned to glare at his brother “I trusted
you with Kay’s garden. I have to go there tomorrow now to put right what you’ve
done, why the hell are there huge bits of her lawn missing?”

“That bloody ride on mower
was churning it up, that’s why I stopped.”

“Ok, that doesn’t explain why
the rest of the garden wasn’t done. I have to cancel tomorrow’s jobs now;
you’ve cost me a load of money. Don’t think for one minute I’m paying you for
today”

“Perhaps if you hadn’t skived
off today, you would have been there to help me.” Matt sniped.

“I wasn’t skiving and even if
I was, it’s my business and I have the right to take a day off.” Paul contorted
in his seat, dragged his battered note book out of his back pocket and threw it
at Matt “I was quoting for a job today as you can see.”

Matt glanced at Paul’s notes
“So this took all day?” he asked “Taking a few measurements for a pond? I
suppose it was just coincidence that the job is for Fay’s brother.”

“Fay put me on to the job”
Paul agreed “It could turn into a full garden re-vamp.”

“I suppose the fact that you
spent the rest of the day banging Suzanne is just coincidence then?” Matt
gloated, Paul glared, and Monica slammed on the brakes before pulling the car over
to the side of the road.

“Suzanne? As in Tessa’s
friend?” she asked Paul.

“Yes Mum,
Suzann
,e
” he scowled at Matt “Thanks Matt that was really
good of you.”

“You shouldn’t have left the
note lying around.”

“You should learn to keep
your mouth shut.” Paul shot back “You’re sacked.”

“Does Tessa know?” Monica
asked.

“No and I’d prefer it if she
didn’t.” Paul replied, he glanced at his watch “Hadn’t we
make
a move? At this rate, Dad’ll be home before his dinner is ready.” He deftly
changed the subject.

“Bloody
hell.”
Monica muttered on seeing
the time “You two are going to have to help me when I get in.”

“You can’t sack me.” Matt
finally found his voice “You have far too much work on to do that.”

“He does have a point Paul.”
Monica spoke.

“Ok, I’ll keep you on but you
won’t be allowed anywhere near my high end customers. You can do tomorrows jobs
while I sort out Kay’s garden, screw this up Matt and I really will sack you.”

The following day, Paul went
all out on Kay’s garden, repairing the damage to her lawns as well as fixing
the ride on lawn mower. Kay supplied him with bottles of water as it was a
stiflingly hot day.

“I have spoken to Hayley
about distracting
Matt,
she promises that it won’t
happen again.” Kay spoke as she handed over a chilled bottle.

“I know it won’t, Matt will
be doing the small gardens from now on and I will be the only one who touches
your garden.” Paul assured her.

“She said that you tracked
them down yesterday and that you were quite rude to her.”

“Yeah, I was rude; I was also
majorly pissed off.” Paul shrugged “I know she’s your niece but I think it
would be better if she stayed well clear of Matt, they don’t seem to be very
good for each other.”

“I agree but if I tell them
to stay apart it will just make it more exciting for them to be together so I
think I’ll let this thing they have fizzle out, I do appreciate your hard work
though Paul.” She touched his shoulder and smiled before she turned to leave “I
have to go out, I’ve left a salad in the fridge, help yourself.”

Paul didn’t stop for lunch;
he continued to work until his stomach growled. He pulled off his sweat soaked
t-shirt and dried himself with a towel before delving into his bag for a fresh
shirt. Hayley was standing by him when he straightened up.

“Sorry sweetheart, wrong
brother.” He snapped.

“It’s such a pity you are a
twat seeing as you are so pretty.” She replied tartly.

“I wouldn’t touch you with
Matt’s, let alone my own.” He growled.

“I wouldn’t let you touch
me,
you are repulsive, opinionated and rude.” She hissed.

“Meaning I wouldn’t blindly
follow you into whatever it is you happen to be into like my brother does so
therefore I’m not worthy of your attention. Well thank God for that.” he turned
away from her and headed into the house retrieving the salad from the fridge,
he returned to the garden to sit at the sheltered patio table.

“You can’t stop us seeing
each other.” She stood over him.

“Who Matt see’s is up to him,
don’t plan on fixing up any double dates though, you make my skin crawl.”

“You just can’t handle the
fact that Matt is happy with one girl where you jump off one and onto another
without a seconds thought for the wreckage you leave behind.”

“Let’s just get one thing
straight, what I do has absolutely nothing to do with you, you stay out of my
face and I’ll stay out of yours. Don’t count on Matt being around anytime soon
though, I have the next few weeks full of work for him.”

By the time Paul had
completed his work, cleaned and tidied away the tools he had used it was
getting dark. Kay had returned home and had started to cook for Hayley and
herself offering Paul an evening meal and then a lift home when he refused.

“The garden looks wonderful,
thank you Paul.”

“No problem, I’m going to pop
back at the weekend if that’s ok just to make sure the repair on the lawn is
taking, if it doesn’t, I’ll re-turf that section for you.”

“Ok, let me know how much the
turf will cost if you need it.”

“Kay, it’s free of charge,
I’m only putting right what Matt spoiled.”

“You are a sweetheart but
giving freebies isn’t a successful way to run a business.”

“It’s excellent business
sense when it keeps my best customer happy.” He smiled “I’ll see you Saturday.”
He let himself out of the side gate and headed towards home, he wasn’t even
half way there when fatigue hit him and he began to wish that he had taken Kay
up on her offer of a lift.

He hopped over the small wall
that divided the forecourt of the petrol station from the footpath and was
searching his pockets for enough change to buy a drink when he saw her bending over
the petrol cap of her car, her tight dark blue jeans clinging to every curve
and leaving very little to the imagination. Stopping in his tracks, taking his
time to admire the sight before him, he looked into her eyes as she turned,
petrol cap in hand;

“Hi Miss” a slow smile spread
across his face revealing even white teeth that gleamed in his sun tanned face.

“Hello Paul.” Carmen replied,
her breath catching at his obvious beauty “What are you doing here?”

“Just on my way home,” he
sauntered closer. “Don’t suppose you fancy giving me a lift?”

“No.” She frowned at how bold
he was and turned her attention to the petrol pump, squeezing the trigger,
ignoring him.

“Oh come on, I’ve been hard
at work all day and it’s a long walk home.” He wheedled.

“I said no.” She replied
firmly. She replaced the petrol pump and returned the petrol cap to its
rightful place before turning away from him and heading into the shop to pay
for her fuel. By the time she returned to her car, Paul was securely strapped
into the passenger seat, looking very smug and self assured. “Get out.” She
hissed.

“Nope.”
He replied.

“We can’t do this.”

“It’s just a
lift,
no-one would even raise an eyebrow.” He reasoned.

“I’m your teacher, this sort
of thing isn’t allowed. Get out.” She repeated.

“It’s Easter holidays; you
aren’t anyone’s teacher in the holidays.  You could just take me as far as
you are going, I’ll walk from there.”

“Fine.”
She conceded “You’ve got dirt all over my car, you’re
filthy.”

Paul stretched out his hand
and placed it on her thigh “You’re right, I am filthy,” he grinned, winking at
her when she glanced over at him and removed his hand from her leg. Paul turned
in his seat when the sound of a car horn came from behind them “You’d better
get moving
,
you are creating a queue.” He said knowing
that now she had no option but to comply.

They drove in silence, Carmen
fretting that now he would know where she lived but trying to justify his
reasoning that in the school holidays they were in fact just two people not
teacher and student, she stole glances at him throughout the trip noting that
his lips were twitching, trying to contain his smile berating herself for
admiring his perfect profile. She decided to pull into her garage in case the
neighbours were home and saw her with him in his more than obvious youth. She
was out of the car before he could turn to her, waiting for him to get out.