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from Renovations I: Framework
“Maybe you can answer a question I’ve always had.” Ven grabbed the stove and dragged it out from the wall with a hard tug. He braced his hands on it and looked over the back, coming up off his feet to get a good view.
The position made the muscles in his arms stand out, making Toby think he probably needed to get out more. He hadn’t gotten laid in at least a month, which was probably why he kept looking at Ven like Ven was breakfast. “What’s that?” Toby asked, dragging his attention back to the task at hand.
“I never heard of a breakfast bar before I started in this business.” Ven dropped to the ground and looked over his shoulder at Toby. “Does anyone actually eat breakfast at those things?”
Toby laughed. “Beats the hell out of me. I grab a bagel from the guy on the corner on my way in to the office. Weekends, I order room service, unless I’m living in a flip, in which case I’m lucky if I remember to buy a box of donuts from the gas station to last me.”
“Who knew lawyers ate like normal people?” Ven got down and stuck his head under the sink, probably looking for leaks and water damage. “I thought y’all ate people’s dignity for breakfast and their souls for dinner.”
The way the worn denim of his jeans pulled tight across Ven’s ass softened the cheekiness of his words, at least to Toby’s mind. “Only the tasty ones,” he teased distractedly. “Besides, what’m I supposed to eat for lunch?”
from Renovations II: Foundation
For a big guy with a potentially tough demeanor, Ven was as much of a creampuff at heart as his dogs. He’d squish their faces and prop their ears up and kiss their noses, making no end of ridiculous baby-talk until their tails wagged so hard that their butts were wriggling. Then it was walk time. Dishes in the sink, another kiss for Toby, and they were off.
That gave Toby plenty of time to wash the dishes and stress about the upcoming holiday. For all that he’d been putting on a confident face for Ven, he was nervous as all get-out that Ven and the girls wouldn’t get along, or that something else would go wrong, and the whole damn thing was going to come down around his ears in chaos.
He hadn’t spent a real holiday with his daughters since the divorce more than a year ago. He just hadn’t been able to settle down, to find a place to live that he could bring his girls home to, until he’d stumbled on the Cinderella house.
He loved this house. He and Ven had brought her back from cat piss, bad renovations, and worse contractors. She was a beautiful yellow and white Queen Anne- style Victorian with a wrap-around porch, stained glass windows in the foyer, and hardwood floors throughout.
This was the house he wanted to bring his girls home to, and Ven was the partner he wanted beside him when he did it. Ven came back in without the dogs; they were probably out in the dog run Ven had built them down the side of the house. They were good dogs. Like everything else Ven did, he’d done his research on training them and done a great job, with his brother Cake’s help.
“Hey, babe,” Ven called from the side hall. He came to find Toby. “About that time. Have you heard from Brenda or anything?”
“Not yet.” Toby checked his watch and pulled Ven close, with one arm around his waist, for a little hug. “She’ll be here soon. Brenda’s never late.” She was perpetually organized, on the ball, ready for anything. It was one of the things that had first attracted Toby to her. If Toby had a type, that was it, because Ven was the same way.
Praise for Renovations I: Framework
“I like the symbolism of the houses they restore: till the moment both of them Toby and Ven, are not ready to settle down, they play with the houses like two kids, they buy, restore and sell, they never do the work for their own. But when their relationship is starting to become something else, deep and steady, in that moment they start to see the houses with different eyes, the houses are no more doll houses, they bring with them the promise of a future together.” — Elisa Rolle, My Reviews and Ramblings
“I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a complex relationship in terms of the family dynamics and the stressful effects of mixing business, family and personal matters.” — Wave, Reviews by Jessewave
Renovations was included in Jessewave’s list of Diverse M/M Books for having an African-American hero.
Praise for Renovations II: Foundation
From In A Family Way
“A thoroughly heartwarming tale.” — Emily, Rainbow Reviews
“Made me fall in love with Ven and Toby all over again.” — Nannette, Joyfully Reviewed
“With each story I love Toby and Ven more and more.” — Hayley, Fallen Angel Reviews
“Anah Crow and Dianne Fox have brought to vivid life the life and trials of love and family.” —Bella, TwoLips Reviews
From Full House
“Two exceptional characters that are attention grabbing from the beginning and continue to evolve with each story.” — Emily, Rainbow Reviews
“Perfect.” — Nannette, Joyfully Reviewed
“Sheds more light on the seemingly confident Ven and the insecurities that he hides so well.” —Hayley, Fallen Angel Reviews
