Grateful for You

By J.D. Walker

Jared Gillespie left the family farm five years ago because Walt Schneider cheated on him. With a woman. What he didn’t realize was that Walt, the man he still loves, was trying to tell him something, and it takes a trip home to figure it out.

After Jared's mother convinces him to return for Thanksgiving, Jared discovers Walt is a daddy now, of all things. His daughter's name is Casey -- Jared's middle name. When Jared and Walt confront each other, the resulting confrontation causes Jared to realize he may have pushed Walt to cheat because of his overbearing ways. But would Walt be interested in trying again, after all this time?

Because a man doesn't name his daughter after his ex-lover if he's over him, no matter what he pretends to the contrary. Maybe Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful: for second chances, and for love found, not lost.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Nov 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781634860031

J.D. Walker

J.D. Walker likes to keep her stories short and sweet. A multi-published author, she is also a musician, artist, and lover of all things knit and crochet. For more information, visit lifebyjo.com/jdwalker.

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Grateful for You

By J.D. Walker

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2015 J.D. Walker

ISBN 9781634860031

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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Grateful for You

By J.D. Walker

It’s time to come home, Jared. You’ve been gone long enough. Mom called me at least once a week for a chat, but this was the first time she’d asked me to return to the family farm.

You know I can’t do that.

She sighed. Can’t or won’t?

Does it matter? I asked as I leaned back against the brick wall of the restaurant where I worked the evening shift as a cook. My coming home won’t change what Walt did.

Have you considered that Walt did what he did to get your attention?

I scoffed. What? No! He couldn’t stand the pressure of being out and proud, so he took the coward’s way out.

"And you know this for certain because you took the time to talk to him after the incident, right? Wasn’t it you who left home a week later without speaking to him, not even once? You’re the coward here."

I took a drag off my cigarette before responding. Whose side are you on, anyway? I was surprised and annoyed at the direction our conversation had taken. Mom had never been this adamant before.

You’re being stubborn, and there’s always two sides to every issue, she replied. You didn’t even give him a chance to explain, which means you were expecting something to happen all along. Why, Jared?

"You don’t know what you’re talking about. And there’s no side when your lover cheats on you. Pretty cut and dried, in my mind." I tapped the ash from the cigarette and watched it fall to the ground.

See, that’s the thing. It’s always got to be your way, according to your rules. Did it ever occur to you that there’s another way of doing things?

Please, Mom. This—