Amended Hearts (Interracial Romance)

Chapter One: When First Our Eyes Meet

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Chapter One: When First Our Eyes Meet

Gabriel Cortez closed the garage door using his remote control, and opened the car door. He was tired after a long trip home, and wanted nothing more than some food, a hot shower and a warm bed. He opened the door to his laundry room, and walked into the kitchen. An envelope on the fridge displayed his name along with a note that advised, “Read on a full stomach.”

 “Probably from Francis,” he mumbled to himself, thinking of the size of her last bill. Then he took out some juice, popped open the seal and drank from the carton. Let’s see what we have here. He saw a plate covered in aluminum foil and smiled in anticipation. Francis Merrin, his motherly cleaning lady, sometimes left him a plate. She said that his bachelor bones could use some home cooking. He warmed the plate up in the microwave, and soon his senses were assaulted with the smells of herb roasted chicken, wild rice and steamed vegetables.

While the plate warmed, he played back the messages on his machine, first hearing the one from Aaliyah Wyndham that he’d listened to before boarding yet another plane five days ago. She asked him to call her. “I wish that woman would just go away,” he said aloud.

Being a handsome, successful bachelor, it came with the territory that women sometimes chased him. Aaliyah Wyndham, with her fussy suits, long skirts, and baggy sweats had no sense of fashion. Further, her glasses were chunky looking, and her hair was always in a bun or a ponytail. She did, however have nice skin, and a sweet smile. She’d flashed it at him a few times across the hedges when she first moved in. It had made him feel warm and welcomed as she waved a friendly hello. However, he’d rightly gauged the interest in her eyes and, not wanting to lead her on, he maintained his reserve, saying as little as possible before going into the house. She’d tried a few more times, first appearing puzzled by his odd behavior then hurt, once she saw him flirting on the sidewalk with a neighborhood hottie. Hey, he was only a guy. What else would he do while an attractive woman jogged in place while wearing a skimpy sports bra?

Since then, she’d given him only her politely social smile, with no teeth visible, and inclined her head to one side to acknowledge his presence. He wasn’t sure why, but from that moment on he’d been perversely tempted to make that smile come out again, the one that shone from her eyes as well as her lips. That was the reason he hadn’t called her back when he checked his machine over the phone from Europe. She was probably checking up on the party invitation he’d received in the mail shortly before his departure. Something about a party at her place. Thinking about it, he realized that it was tonight. Well, that explained all the cars lining the street.

He took the plate out of the microwave and ate the first bite as he finished his messages. There was one from his assistant. He juggled his hot plate and grabbed a pen to write it down. First she stated his instructions about not mentioning anything that was unsettling, but didn’t require his personal attention, while he was on the trip. The police? Here? He looked around his house. She said it had something to do with his next-door neighbor and the serial rapist. He looked at the plate in his hand, and his stomach was suddenly filled with dread. What if she’d been hurt? The man was violent. For all he knew, the people next door might be there for her wake. He had to see her, now.