Title: Planting his Dream
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: Standalone
Genre: M/M, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: April 11 2016
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
Foster dreams of getting away, but after
his father's death, he has to take over the family dairy farm. It soon becomes
clear his father hasn't been doing the best job of running it, so not only does
Foster need to take over the day-to-day operations, he also needs to find new
ways of bringing in revenue.
Javi has no time to dream. He and his
family are migrant workers, and daily survival is a struggle, so they travel to
anywhere they can get work. When they arrive in their old van, Foster arranges
for Javi to help him on the farm.
To Javi’s surprise, Foster listens to his
ideas and actually puts them into action. Over days that turn into weeks, they
grow to like and then care for each other, but they come from two very
different worlds, and they both have responsibilities to their families that
neither can walk away from. Is it possible for them to discover a dream they
can share? Perhaps they can plant their own and nurture it together to see it
grow, if their different backgrounds don’t separate them forever.
Book Links:
Amazon
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
Dreamspinner Press
~ * ~
Excerpt:
Javi shrugged. “When I’m working, I do one
thing, make sure it’s done, and then move on.”
“I know about that. But I’m supposed to do
the chores, sell what the farm produces, plan how to make the business more
successful, and somehow keep from working my mother and grandmother to death.”
Yeah, he was feeling sorry for himself, and that had to stop. It was
counterproductive.
“At least you have a place to live,” Javi
said, looking around. Foster stared at him. “I haven’t ever lived in a house
like you have. My family has moved from place to place with the crops for as
long as I can remember. Sometimes we stay in the van, like we are here. Five
people in a van. Other times there’s quarters that the farmer lets us use. The
last one had a dirt floor and was overrun with termites and scorpions.”
Foster nodded, knowing he had very little
to complain about, really. “You’re right.” It put a lot of things in
perspective. “Let’s go check the fields, and then we can have lunch.” There was
always more work to be done. “How are you with tools? Building things.”
“I’ve done just about anything I’ve ever
been asked.”
The equipment shed needed some repairs, and
it would be much easier with some help. They got in the truck, and Foster
pulled away and down the drive. He turned right and took the road toward the
back of the property. He pulled to a stop at the edge of the first field. He
got out, looking across the largely flat area that was just greening up, the
corn spreading its first leaves. He checked that soil, rolling it between his
fingers. The soil in their area could have a sandy consistency, but Foster and
his family had been blessed with just a small amount of clay, and that helped
hold the moisture rather than letting it wick away.
“Is it okay?” Javi asked.
“Yes. Everything is growing.” And the weeds
hadn’t had a chance to get much of a start. It wouldn’t be long before the corn
took all the sun and made it impossible for weeds to have a chance except at
the edges of the field. “I hate using a lot of pesticides and chemicals. They
end up in the cows and then in the milk.” Quality was their stock-in-trade, and
he didn’t want to jeopardize that. “Let’s move on.”
They got back in the truck and went from
field to field, with good results. It seemed that the hours he’d spent in the tractor
planting were going to pay off. But he had to caution himself that it was still
early in the growing season and there was a lot that could happen. He wondered
if Javi wanted to check in with his family, but he said nothing, so Foster
drove back to the farm. They went right inside for lunch. His mother had made
sandwiches. It was an easy lunch, but Javi didn’t seem to mind, judging by the
way he ate. Foster didn’t want to pry.
His mother had no such compunctions. “Do
you always eat that much?”
“No, ma’am,” Javi answered, clearly
embarrassed judging by the red that colored his otherwise bronze cheeks.
“I like a man who eats. Tells me that the
food is good.” She gave Foster one of those looks and then shifted her gaze to
Javi.
Foster rolled his eyes and thought that his
mother might have made a nice save. Then she passed Javi the plate. What began
bothering Foster was that if Javi was hungry, what about the rest of the
family? Yes, he and Javi had done a lot of hard work and that brought on an
appetite, but he didn’t think that accounted for the amount Javi was eating.
Javi had told him things had been rough for his family, but Foster wondered if
there was more going on that Javi hadn’t shared or wasn’t privy to.
“I should get the supplies together,” Foster
said once he was finished and pushed away from the table.
“What are you doing?” his mother asked.
Giving you the few minutes with Javi you
seem to want. “Dad got asphalt shingles a few weeks ago, and we were going to
fix the toolshed roof….” He didn’t need to continue and upset his mother.
“Finish your lunch and join me in the yard,” he added to Javi and left the
kitchen.
The sun was strong and hot. June could be a
fickle month. Sometimes, if the wind was strong off the lake, it could be wet
and cool. This year had been sunny and warm so far, but Foster knew to take
advantage when the weather was good because that could change fast.
He found the shingles in the shed, so he
got them out and stacked them to the side of the door. He’d thought about putting
the new roof over the old but was concerned about the weight, especially mixed
with snow in the winter, so he got a ladder and began tearing off the old roof.
He was well into it when Javi climbed up to join him and they each took a side.
“I always hate jobs like this,” Foster
confessed.
“Why?” Javi dropped a load of shingles to
the ground and then went back down the ladder. Foster peered over the side,
watching as Javi brought a wheelbarrow to his side of the roof and then parked
another on the other side.
“Good idea.” The shed wasn’t that large,
but the cleanup of all the old shingles was going to be a mess. Javi climbed
back on the roof, and they finished clearing it off, filling the wheelbarrows
and then dumping them in the trash containers. The wheelbarrows filled quickly,
and it took a while to rake up the old nails, which they had to be pretty
careful about.
“Have you roofed before?” Foster asked.
“Not really. I’ll haul up the shingles so
you can get started.” Javi tugged off his shirt, shoving it into his back
pocket before hoisting a bag on his shoulder and slowly climbing the ladder.
Foster got the nail gun and compressor before climbing up himself. He set the
first row of shingles, making sure they were straight. He wasn’t nearly as
proficient as the guys who did this all the time, but it didn’t take him long
to get into a rhythm. It was a simple, two-sided, pitched roof, so there was
little cutting, and that could mostly be done at the end. He took off his
shirt, dropped it to the ground, and settled in to work.
Javi reached the top of the ladder and set
down another bundle of shingles.
“Dammit.” Foster needed to be careful. He
had let his attention wander and nearly nailed his hand, yanking it back just
before the nail gun got it. He needed to be paying attention to his work
instead of the smooth copper skin and perfect small nipples that stuck out just
right from the planes of Javi’s chest. Foster knew he shouldn’t be looking at
the lines on Javi’s belly or trail of dark wispy hair that started at his belly
button and disappeared into the top of his thin jeans.
He lowered his gaze, trying not to make too
big a deal of it, and grabbed the next sheet of shingles. He placed them, put
in the nails, and reached for the next sheet. He thought Javi had descended and
chanced a look. This time he saw Javi look at him and then turn away before
climbing down the ladder.
A fluttery warmth started in Foster’s
belly, spreading though his legs and up his arms, settling at the base of his
brain like the buzzing of a bee. He was glad to have a second to adjust his
dick because it was hard, aching, and he didn’t want to be obvious. The last
thing he wanted was for Javi to go running back to his family thinking Foster
had been perving on him. Granted, the thoughts Foster was having were most
definitely pervy and involved finding out if Javi’s skin was as soft and his
muscles as hard as they looked.
~ * ~
Author Information:
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a
father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since
then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He
has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in
information systems for a large corporation.
Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques,
gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly
when writing) He considers himself
blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most
supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic
Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Author Links:
Amazon Author Page
Barnes and Noble Page
Dreamspinner Press
Facebook
Facebook Group All the Way with Andrew Grey
Goodreads
Twitter
Website
Amazon Author Page
Barnes and Noble Page
Dreamspinner Press
Facebook Group All the Way with Andrew Grey
Goodreads
Website
~ * ~
For Other Works by Andrew
Grey
(Please Be Sure To Stop by
His Website to See All of His Works)
~ * ~
Giveaway!
Interested in winning your very own ecopy of Planting his Dream? Andrew is giving 2 copies of his latest release away. If you're interested in getting your hands on a copy then make sure to hit the link below and leave and entry on the rafflecopter.
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54e9c425189/
~ * ~
Giveaway!
Interested in winning your very own ecopy of Planting his Dream? Andrew is giving 2 copies of his latest release away. If you're interested in getting your hands on a copy then make sure to hit the link below and leave and entry on the rafflecopter.
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54e9c425189/
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