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Renovations 1: Framework by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox Release Date: July 1, 2009
Publisher: Torquere Books
ISBN 978-1-60370-748-0
1-60370-748-4
Publisher Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2045
Amazon Kindle: Renovations 1: Flipping Out
Amazon Kindle: Renovations 2: Playing House
Amazon Kindle: Renovations 3: Moving Day
Blurb: When Toby Archer’s marriage falls apart, he takes up flipping houses to fill some of the void left in his life. The first time that contractor Ven Parrish works for him, Toby notices the fact that Ven is gorgeous, but what really catches Toby’s attention is Ven’s work ethic. Toby isn’t going to pass up the chance to hire Ven again; it’s just good business sense. The more time they spend together, the harder it is to deny their attraction to each other. Toby is a lawyer with an upper class lifestyle, and Ven is a working man from a family still scraping by. What they have in common, especially a commitment to family, does more to keep them apart than bring them together. Still, Toby and Ven have sense enough to know when something is worth the work, and neither is afraid to get hot and dirty to get the job done, especially when the finished product might be a happy ending for everyone.
Renovations I: Framework includes the following stories:
Renovations 1: Flipping Out
Renovations 2: Playing House
Renovations: Making Time
Renovations 3: Moving Day
A Renovations Addition: Counting Blessings
Excerpt:
“Do you boys want some more pie before I’m done in here?” Momma called from the kitchen.
“It’s a crime to let Momma’s buttermilk pie just sit there,” Ven murmured.
Toby rested a hand on his belly and hummed a little, then started to wriggle up off the couch. “I’d love some more pie. Anybody else want some? I’ll help carry it out.”
“Me, too, please!” Cake put his hand up. He wasn’t ever not in the mood for pie.
“I’ll share yours.” Ven helped Toby up off the couch, and if he accidentally groped a little, it was really an accident, not that he didn’t enjoy it just fine. “Maybe a little ice cream, too?” He gave Toby his best puppy look.
Toby laughed and said, “I’ll see what I can do.” He turned to Poppy and asked, “Do you want some pie, too?”
“No, thanks, son.” Poppy patted his belly—it wasn’t much of a belly; Poppy worked almost full time with Ven now and it was hard work—and sighed. “I’m getting too old to polish off Momma’s pies. Good thing you boys are around to fill in for me. I wouldn’t say no to a cup of coffee, though, but instant’s fine. Don’t trouble Momma with it.”
“I put the coffee maker on, Ben,” Momma called out to him. She could hear him telling people not to inconvenience her on his account from a block away.
Toby grinned and shook his head, then headed into the kitchen to join Momma. He came back just a few minutes later with two plates and said to Poppy, “Coffee will be out in just a minute.” As he sat down, he passed one plate to Cake. The one he kept had a big scoop of ice cream on it.
Ven loved seeing Toby in the old place. He was glad Momma and Poppy were moving, but he was grateful to get to see his man in his own childhood home. Everything was pretty empty now, all the old kids’ stuff was given away—Ven had spent the day before moving almost a house worth of furniture from one part of the family to the others and redistributing it all—but it was still soothing to Ven’s heart to see Toby here.
Ven put one arm across the back of the couch so that he could snuggle Toby up and held out the other to take the plate while Toby got settled. He could remember a time when he’d worried that he’d never find someone else like him, much less someone who loved him. And the idea that he could bring that man home for Thanksgiving dinner... impossible. Toby sat down and Ven pulled his lover close, leaning his head on Toby’s shoulder for a moment.
Toby’s lips pressed against his forehead, soft and warm. “You okay?” Toby murmured, quiet enough that Ven was the only one who could hear over the TV.
“Yeah.” Ven didn’t lean on Toby much in any way, but when he did, it had to be one of the best feelings in the world. “Just thinking about all the times I sat here without you,” he said, just as quietly. He straightened to kiss Toby on the cheek and put the plate down so they could share dessert before the ice cream melted entirely. There wasn’t much more to say than that; he knew Toby would understand the rest. For that, he snuck another little kiss from Toby’s pale, freckled cheek and nuzzled there.
