****
Genie walked into the foyer of the church she’d been attending her entire life. She used to love being inside this building. Many of her extracurricular activities had revolved around church. She had participated in choir, which she had been singing in since high school, and the children’s ministry where she taught Sunday school when work permitted. Service to her church family and to the surrounding community was a passion she heartily committed herself to… in the past. What am I doing here?
“Genie, wait up!” Genie warmed at the smiling face of Audrey Hughes, her best friend since middle school. Audrey worked for the church as their lead volunteer coordinator and both she and Genie had collaborated together on multiple projects for the kid’s ministry. Audrey continued to press Genie to return to volunteer with the kids, but Genie couldn't spare the time. “Well, you’re not on fire for stepping in a church. Welcome back.”
Genie cringed at the light accusation. “Audrey, good to see you too.” Genie rolled her eyes yet embraced her friend tightly. “It’s been a crazy day; don’t get me started.”
“I’m sure.” Audrey flashed a mischievous grin, but before Genie could ask what her friend meant, Audrey continued. “I came up front to see you before you walked into class. I’ll be back in the kids section tonight, so I won’t be able to see you later on.”
“It’s good you caught up with me then.” Genie took hold of her friend’s arm and drew her close. “I’ve so much to tell you, but first, you’ll never guess who’s back in town.”
Audrey’s teasing grin was back. “Rafael Santiago?”
Genie halted, her eyes wide on her friend. “How did you know?”
Audrey rolled her deep blue eyes. “Oh, come on, Genie. You know his mother attends here. In fact, I overheard her say, a few moments ago, that he came back into town last night.”
A wave of heat crossed Genie’s cheeks.
“Okay, Eugenia Green. I see that blush on your cheeks. So you’ve seen him?”
Genie tried to steady the nervous shiver she felt at the mention of her red cheeks. She lifted her chin and set her jaw. “Last night, actually. He showed up at my job. And I’m not blushing.”
“Wait, hold up.” Audrey came to stand in front of Genie. She put a hand up to stop Genie in her tracks. “You saw him and didn’t think to tell me until now? I thought we were best friends.” She feigned a look of disappointment with a pout.
“That’s not even the best part,” Genie muttered, walking around her friend.
“Your sarcasm has baited me. What’s the best part?” Audrey fell in step with Genie.
“He’s a consultant on my latest case.”
“A consultant? I don’t understand…”
“For the murder investigation I’m working. Apparently, he’s had experience with something similar out in California.”
Audrey’s brows came together. “Experience how?”
Genie stopped a short distance away from her meeting room and faced her friend. “He’s a detective,” she mumbled.
Shock registered across Audrey’s face and then a gleam of humor flashed in her eyes. Before Genie could stop her, Audrey laughed loudly. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
Audrey visibly struggled to contain herself. “You’re kidding me, right? Rafael Santiago?”
“Hard to believe.”
“Try impossible! Wasn’t he voted ‘Most Likely to Get Arrested Again’?”
“Exactly.” Genie’s lips twisted into a grimace.
“Well, how does he look? Is he still gorgeous?” Audrey’s eyes widened with the hungry anticipation of juicy details.
“Yes!” Genie’s head fell back and she moaned. “Even more so now than when he was a senior in high school.”
Audrey giggled. “So you must hate your job now.” Her grin teased Genie. “Here you have an incredibly handsome man who is both the bad boy and the good cop. I work around kids all day and my only volunteers are older women. Some girls have all the luck.” She frowned, but Genie saw good-natured humor in her eyes.
“I’d hardly call it luck.” Genie huffed, but her cheeks flamed nonetheless. More like torture, she thought as the image of his dimples came into mind. Even with glasses, the studious-looking Rafa was appealing.
“Who would have thought? Rafa Santiago, a cop. Ha!”
“And the case I’m working on is incredibly difficult. There are so many unknowns that I foresee us spending a lot of time on it.”
Genie didn’t miss the slight frown on her friend’s face, before she turned away. She didn’t mean for the explanation to sound like another excuse to skip church, but it couldn’t be helped. Murder investigations required significant man-hours; that was the job she signed up for and she’d fulfill her duties. She’d make up for lost time by reading her Bible. Thank goodness she remembered to bring it tonight.
Audrey recovered with a bright smile. “Well, this can be a good thing.”
Her friend, forever the optimist. “In what way?”
“Two heads are better than one. If your case is hard to solve, and Rafa can provide additional assistance, then that could only mean you two are well on your way to solving it and keeping the community safe.”
Genie sighed. Audrey was right. Two heads were better than one and with Rafa’s inside knowledge of the Snakes the police could, with better certainty, predict their next move. Genie refused to admit — or believe — she absolutely needed his guidance. She wasn’t deficient, and with time, she’d undoubtedly solve the case herself. Why couldn’t Audrey acknowledge that fact? “Well, we still have a bit of background work we have to do for the case, but I hope to make real progress in the next few days.”
“Should we be worried?” Audrey’s brows knitted in concern.
Genie shook her head. “Of course not.”
“You’d tell me though, right?”
Genie smiled and hugged her friend. “Audrey, quit worrying. I have everything under control. Now get back to those kids. I’ve got to go to class.”
Audrey squeezed her back. “Let me know what I miss, and keep me posted about you-know-who.” She laughed and jogged away.
Genie grunted softly but quickly relaxed. Her first full day with Rafael Santiago was over and now the rest of the night was hers. She spotted the door to the room where the class met and she stilled. There was still time to leave. She rotated to the church’s front door. No one would be expecting her. In fact, her attendance may just shock the group, and she didn’t want to deal with the open stares she knew she’d receive. I don’t want to be uncomfortable.
Genie eyed the door to the Bible study for the second — no, third… possibly fourth — time. Her head fabricated excuse after excuse to leave but her heart… Didn’t my heart get me into this mess? Reluctantly, she made her way to the doors. Turning the doorknob, Genie pushed open the door, expecting the stares of everyone in the room. Instead, her eyes took in a room filled with people laughing and talking, completely unaware of her appearance. She let out a grateful sigh and made her way to the back of the room, where she spotted an empty seat on a plush sofa. Without greeting anyone, Genie sat and for the first time in a long time, appreciated invisibility.
“Oh, Eugenia!”
That didn’t take long.
Genie forced a smile. Maria Santiago. A cheerfully plump, middle-aged woman — a well-known regular of the church and one Genie had known for as long as she could remember. Despite the troubles her sons gave her while they were growing up, Mrs. Santiago never let on how much they may have disappointed her, but Genie knew by their behavior that they did. Yet, Mrs. Santiago always beamed and displayed only the most pleasant of attitudes.
“Mrs. Santiago. How are you this evening?”
“Oh, I’m more than blessed, my dear. Have you met my son?”
Genie tensed, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. Oh, please God, no! “I, ah—”
“Let me introduce you!”
Genie
felt a hand on her arm pull her up from the sofa, drag her through the crowd, and turn her in the direction of… yup, Rafael Santiago. He sat back comfortably in his chair, his dimples challenging her. A few wayward curls hung around the crown of his head. His rectangular glasses emphasized his chiseled features. Slow warmth crept up her arms and pooled at the top of her head. Every pore on her face seemed to open, but she willed the sweat to stay inside. Maria was saying something of an introduction, but her voice drowned underneath the sound of Genie’s own heartbeat. She didn’t have to suffer long from her listlessness. The smirk on Rafa’s face caused her spine to harden, and she returned one of her own.
“We met yesterday, Mrs. Santiago.”
“And we’re working on a case together, Mamá.”
“Oh, that’s right! I remember you mentioned you'd be working with the police. How’s that going?”
Rafa cocked a brow at Genie. “How is it going, Genie?”
Genie produced a stiff grin. “Well, it’s day one. Hopefully, we won’t trouble your son for much longer, Mrs. Santiago. I’m sure he’s eager to return to his beat.”
Rafa’s eyes formed slits.
“Well, I’m glad to have him home again, and hopefully you’ll stay awhile?” she asked her son with a hopeful look.
Rafa offered her a soft smile. “Of course, Mamá. I’m on loan to Genie’s department so there’s no rush for me to return to San Diego.” He returned his gaze to Genie, lips curving upward, showing his teeth.
Genie glared.
Someone called the room to attention and Genie dropped like a rock into the couch directly across from Rafa. A slicker version of his previous smile graced his tanned face and Genie averted her gaze to her lap where her Bible lay. The leader asked them to open their Bibles to their passage of study. She yanked it open and ripped through the pages until she landed in Romans. Genie breathed out slowly, and then calmly raised her head to the lecturer as he began.
Genie couldn’t concentrate on anything the instructor said. Instead, her eyes darted everywhere but at Rafa. Several times she attempted to focus on the lesson, reminding herself she was here to work out her issues with Jeff, but the harder she tried, the stronger her partner’s presence in the room became. Her head continued to send an urgent memo to her eyes to look his way, but Genie refused. Then she heard a throat clear.
Rafa. Her eyes found him at last. His were already on her. Did he cough just so I would look at him? Swallowing, she slanted her gaze away. Nice, Genie, real nice. Are you really that vain? No, she wasn’t, but then why was she uncomfortable? Sure, he was easy on the eyes, but what did she know of him besides his rough past?
Genie recalled he mentioned growing up in this exact church. Genie remembered seeing Mrs. Santiago, but couldn’t conjure a memory of her sons attending services. Genie glanced over at Mrs. Santiago. She smiled peacefully. All those prayers she had vaulted to heaven. At least one prodigal son had returned. And if prayers worked for her, then maybe I could try it again.
Genie boldly stared at Rafa now. He had his elbows on his knees, looking intently at the small, open Bible in his hands. He nodded to something the presenter said and then leaned back in the chair, his gaze never leaving the printed page. His level of concentration stunned her. Wow, I guess some things do change. He must have reconciled with his mother as well. She seemed only too pleased to finally have her son back.
Forgiveness.
Genie couldn’t count the number of sermons she’d heard on the topic. She had always agreed forgiving others for the wrongs they had committed against others made logical sense, if not emotional sense. Genie still labored under the pain Jeff had inflicted. At work, she could deny it but here in church, with a model — Mrs. Santiago — of it being carried out before her eyes, she couldn’t quite escape it.
Genie once again rested her gaze on Mrs. Santiago. She still smiled. How her sons must have broken her heart time and time again. True, Genie’s pain was extraordinarily different — a man had crushed her heart — but either way, both hers and Mrs. Santiago’s hearts had been left in pieces. Mrs. Santiago had found a way to forgive and open her heart to her son. Genie, however, found the sting of Jeff’s betrayal still too fresh to let go. His actions had catapulted her into the life she now presently led. And it was glorious. She enjoyed the ambitious hunger too much to stop eating now.
“I’ll do it.” Rafa spoke. He had just offered to lead the class in their final prayer. Genie bowed her head. She listened as he thanked God for bringing them all safely to the class for fellowship and asked for their safe return home. When he petitioned for the Lord’s leading in their lives concerning the lesson they just had, Genie felt a pang of guilt. What exactly was the lesson? He ended with a heartfelt request of reconciliation for his family.
Genie opened her eyes before he said amen. His tone, his prayer… everything sounded sincere. The bad boy who once genuinely made good on his threats to beat down fellow members of their student body now sat, head bowed, in a church, praying in front of others to God. Unbelievable!
When he opened his eyes, he caught her staring at him. Genie snapped her gaze back down to her Bible as heat flooded her cheeks. She closed the book with a deliberate action and raised her head.
He was gone.
Genie resisted the urge to scan the room for him and instead decided to head home. She nodded and waved to those who called out to her and noted the delight on their faces at seeing her. But she had no desire to stay and chat. She walked out of the room while fishing for her keys in her purse. She bumped into the back of someone and her cheeks colored when that someone turned around.
“Didn’t you see me? I know you tried very hard not to look at me for a whole hour.” Rafa flashed his legendary dimples.
“I was there to study.”
“Honestly, Genie, did you hear anything the man said? You looked completely preoccupied. Worried, actually.” The teasing grin vanished, replaced by a concerned frown. His eyes scanned her face, searching.
How could he guess? Genie worked to bury her emotions over Jeff. No, she didn’t hear what the teacher had said, but she’d never admit that to Rafa. “Were you listening?” It was harsh, she knew, but he started it. Of course he heard. What Genie refused to hear was her own heart telling her this man had changed. She chalked it up to the detective in her. She needed to see proof of a transformation and attending one Bible study wasn’t going to do it.
Thoughts of Jeff resurfaced and she gripped her keys. How often did she hear him tell her he’d changed? “The past is the past,” he’d insisted. “I’m not that man anymore” was another plea. For one brief moment, she believed him, and it was the biggest mistake of her life.
Rafa peered at her through dark lashes. “Something’s wrong. What is it?”
Genie fought to keep her lower jaw from slacking. Either she was foolishly wearing her emotions on her sleeve or Rafa was incredibly perceptive — and she refused to consider the latter a real possibility. Genie straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. She had to remain in control. When she wasn’t in control, she could be taken advantage of, and the consequences would devastate her life. She’d only allow one man to wreck her — Jeff. She wouldn’t give Rafa a chance.
Genie fixed him with a hard stare. “Nothing. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow.” She left him staring at her back as she walked away
Chapter Five