Hessa's Fire (Sample)

Sample story: Hessa's Fire - Interracial Romance

Chapter One

Saturday

Lexington, Kentucky

The warm, September breeze swept in through the open driver's window of Hessa's small, red, rental car carrying with it the fresh, earthy scent of the early morning Kentucky landscape. And although not as vast or majestic as the tranquil snow-capped mountains she had left behind in Switzerland, Hessa couldn't deny the rolling pastures and lush scenery inlaid with miles of silent, shimmering black asphalt had a distinct charm all of its own.

She took one hand off the steering wheel intent on brushing back the few loose strands of hair flying across her face, but as her gaze flicked upward and caught her reflection in the rear-view mirror her fingers soon forgot their purpose.

She studied the slightly rounded features reflected back at her-the small, broad nose, dusky cheeks, strong brow-and fresh doubts surfaced in her mind. How in God's name was she going to get through this?

She repositioned her hand on the steering wheel and returned her attention to the smooth ribbon of black roadway stretching far into the distance. "I bet you don't even look like him," she murmured.

She sighed and hoped her mother's angry parting words that she was 'making a grave mistake' wouldn't ring true.

She'd hated fighting with her mother, but as much as she had wanted to placate her mother by remaining angry with the man who'd succumbed to his family's demands and had turned his back on her mother when her mother had needed him most his unexpected letter five months earlier had gone some way in thawing her heart, as did the enclosed airline ticket and fervent wish that they should meet.

Her mother had tried everything to dissuade her from making the journey to Kentucky. She'd cried and threatened and ranted and raved, and for a while, the tactics and emotional blackmail had even worked.

"Does he think he can just waltz into our lives after all these years?" her mother had said, shaking the offending letter between them. "Twenty-eight years. Who in hell does he think he is? Flashing his wealth and trying to take you from me? He chose to abandon us, remember that. He doesn't have a daughter anymore..."

Hessa groaned softly and shifted uncomfortably behind the wheel of the small car.

She hadn't realized the extent of her mother's anger and unhappiness. Then again, her mother had never been one to wear her heart on her sleeve. She'd kept her bitterness toward Clayton Knowles bottled up for twenty-eight years, until that morning five months ago when his letter arrived and even then her mother had refused to go into further detail about their bitter breakup.

But with such apparent deep and emotional wounds, Hessa finally understood why her mother had always held such dim views on marriage and why her mother had especially found her fiancé, Matthew, wanting.

Hessa blew out a long, quiet breath and glanced at the flawless engagement ring gracing the ring finger of her left hand. Not that her mother's blessing mattered anymore.

The sting of tears welled in her eyes and her chest tightened as she focused her gaze on the brown, single stone, pear cut diamond ring glinting in the early morning sunlight.

It matches the color of your eyes, Matthew had said.

Hessa tried to smile at the memory.

Matthew had surprised her, proposing marriage just six months earlier on the eve of their four-year anniversary. It'd taken what had seemed like a lifetime for her to draw breath, to fling herself into his arms and scream, "Yes."