From This Day Forward: Multicultural Romance Read Online Free

watched the pretty, feisty lady strode away. His eyes were glued to her generous backside as she walked away.
     
    The chauffer saw him admiring the lady as she made her way toward the exit. Shaking his head, the chauffer responded, “Mr. Thornton, if you do ever see that woman again, you know you won’t have a snowball’s chance in Hell, right?”
     
    “I’m afraid I do, Pep,” he said, sighing. “I’m afraid I do.”
     
    Digging his hands in his pocket, Alonzo felt like a complete idiot.
     

Chapter 3
     
    “Loretta!” Velma screamed, running toward the doorway to hug her friend’s neck.
     
    Loretta let go of the pushcart and ran to meet her friend.
     
    “Oh, Velma, it’s so good to see you,” she said, embracing her friend.
     
    “You, too, you, too. Look at you, you did it!” Her friend was tall with pretty brown skin. Her features were strong, and her slightly cross eyes were wide and kind. Long, thick locks hanging from her head made her look a little like Whoopi Goldberg.  Dressed in a moo-moo made of colorful African fabric, she looked beautiful.
     
    “Thanks to you, Velma,” Loretta said. “Thanks to you.”
     
    “Oh, come on now, that’s what friends are for.  Follow me, the truck’s right out front.”
     
    Loretta followed Velma out to her pickup truck.
     
    “You’re still driving this old truck,” Loretta said playfully as she put her bags in the back bed.
     
    “I sure am,” Velma said with pride. “No sense spending good money on a new one when this one runs just fine. Besides, me and Xena are real good friends.”
     
    “That’s right, her name sure is Xena,” Loretta said.  “Lord, Velma, you can well afford a new vehicle.”
     
    “I know, and that’s why I can because I spend my money on stuff I need, not stuff I want.”
     
    “Girl, will you never change?” Loretta giggled, stepping up into the large black pickup.
     
    “Nope, sure won’t,” she said, as they sped in the distance to her home in the countryside.  
     
    Loretta gasped as they rounded the curve to Velma’s home. After they drove up a slight incline, the ocean in the distance opened up like light from the heavens.  A two-story, limestone home sat in the distance right at the edge of the water. 
     
    “Welcome to mi casa ,” Velma said with pride.
     
    “This is beautiful, Velma,” Loretta gasped.
     
    “God has been kind,” Velma said.
     
    “I knew you had a successful funeral home business, but I had no idea you lived like this.”
     
    “In the industry, we say mortuary practice , not funeral home business,” Velma joked.  “And thanks for the vote of confidence,” Velma chuckled, swatting her friend playfully on the shoulder.
     
    “You know I don’t mean it like that,” Loretta said as Velma pulled the truck up into the finely manicured yard.
     
    The house sat like a mini-manor off to itself on at least three acres.  The endless Pacific was not too far in the distance.  Loretta spotted a small yacht parked under a little landing to the right of the house. Steps from a private pier led directly into Velma’s backyard. 
     
    “Is that your boat?”
     
    Velma followed Loretta’s gaze.
     
    “It sure is. I got my captain’s license several years ago.”
     
    “You are a real Renaissance woman,” Loretta said, proud of her friend.
     
    “I don’t know about that,” Velma said, moving a handful of long, thick dreadlocks from her shoulders to her back, “but it is fun to try something you’ve never done before and become a master at it.”
     
    Loretta unbuckled her seatbelt and hopped out.  “Well, I want to be like you when I grow up.”
     
    “Oh stop,” Velma laughed as she got of the truck.  She waved Loretta toward the front door.  “Just remember, I have plenty of room and you’re welcome to stay with me as long as you need to.”
     
    “Don’t temp me,” Loretta teased as they entered the mini-mansion filled with marble floors, high