TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT - THANKSGIVING

Welcome! This week the word prompt is "Thanksgiving." We have another snippet from "Renovating the Billionaire." Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful holiday. 

***********************************

   As mornings turned chilly in September, Jess’s thoughts turned to Thanksgiving. Just once she’d like to celebrate in that drafty old mansion. She'd imagine the huge dining room table filled with her Pine Grove friends. Every year, Jess would make up a fictional menu.

   Lying on the sofa in the early morning hours, nursing coffee, she’d dream of the sideboard groaning under the weight of the exquisite dishes she’d concocted for the hungry audience. Homemade cranberry orange relish, a Brussels sprouts and cheese casserole, and her own recipe for stuffing.

   As her mind took flight, her stomach would get into the act and growl. Even though it shouted for turkey, gravy and sweet potatoes, she fed it a couple of slices of toast. Time was a wastin’ and she had pies to bake.

   Discarding her dreams, she pushed up and headed for the kitchen. This year, Thanksgiving would be the same as always. A big chicken, a can of cranberry jelly, packaged stuffing, a couple of baked sweet potatoes and one of her secret-recipe pumpkin pies. Every year Jess rationalized not spending money for a turkey. They’d be only two and could never eat it all. She refused to throw away food. 

   As she prepared the pie filling, she pondered a way to make the holiday special. Thanksgiving hurt her heart. They didn’t have much to be thankful for, and many worries plagued her, but not her brother. 

   Recalling Will’s enthusiasm brought a smile to her lips. That boy was relentlessly cheerful. Maybe she did have something to be thankful for –having him. This year, she’d splurge and buy Brussel sprouts, Will’s favorite veggie, and make that casserole with cheese. Making one dream come true and surprising him lifted her spirits. She hummed as she filled pies and slid them into the oven. This year would be better, she’d see to that.

BACK TO TUESDAY TALES

MY WEBSITE

TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT - ANOTHER SNIPPET FROM "RENOVATING THE BILLIONAIRE."

Hello and welcome! This is picture prompt week. This is the picture I used to inspire my story. Scroll down to get back to Tuesday Tales.

We have another episode of "Renovating the Billionaire" this week. Scroll down to return to the excellent stories on the Tuesday Tales blog. Thanks for stopping by. 

*****************************

Stryker wandered over to the tree where he and Jess had their picnic. How could something that started so great, end up so badly? He shook his head. He’d left shortly after, and only returned today to see plans his architect had drawn up.

Jess had been on his mind from the moment he took her home. Afterward, he’d kicked himself. Then, John and Chris had piled on. They’d been right, of course. Seemed like he was never right anymore. Where was his head? Why couldn’t he figure things out?

Maybe because it wasn’t about dollars and cents, but about feelings and emotions. If there had been a class in that at Yale, he’d have flunked. He feared the only one glad to see him back in town was Laura Dailey.

“Stryker! Welcome back. You’re just in time for the corn festival. Having your usual?” she’d asked, adding half a teaspoon of sugar to his coffee. “Your table is free.”

He’d smiled and taken the seat he’d occupied every morning at the Cozy Cupcake during his stay in town. How could it feel so good to be back? This tiny hamlet, barely a blip on the map, had crept into his blood. Or was it Jess Lennox? As he sipped his brew, she came through the door, her arms loaded with pies. 

When she saw him, she almost dropped the boxes. He’d rushed to help, putting two of the containers on the counter.  

“What are you doing here?” she’d asked, her eyes brightening.

“Good to see you, too.”

“Sorry. It’s not that I’m not glad to see you. I am. Glad, I mean. I am glad. Not, not glad.”

“I get it,” he said.

“I didn’t think you were coming back.”

“Neither did I,” he replied.

BACK TO TUESDAY TALES

MY WEBSITE

TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "SUDDENLY" - MORE OF "RENOVATING THE BILLIONAIRE"

Welcome! This week we have another episode of "Renovating the Billionaire." Thanks for stopping by. 

*****************************

   Once again, Stryker West walked the grounds of his Aunt Minnie's old place. The garden had been decimated by animals and weather. Even the rose bushes looked dull and withered. 
   Rubbing his neck, he tried, once more, to figure out why Jess wanted to save the house. He entered the back door into the kitchen. Blowing dust off the stove, he turned the knob. A flame sprang to life. 
   "Well, well. Still works." 
   He continued ambling down the long hall to the living room. 
   "I suppose you could refinish the floors. Hmm. Paint the walls?New sofa. Guess she has a  point. Maybe it's not ready for the trash heap." 
   Ending up at the window seat, watching birds in the feeder Jess kept filled, he scratched his chin. Then it hit him. Suddenly, he realized what mattered to Jess mattered to him. He cared for her. In shock, he sank down on the window seat. 
   Damn, what had he done? He'd developed feelings for a woman who hated his guts. Jess Lennox loathed him with every breath she took. How did this happen? The physical attraction made sense, but nothing more. Too late. He covered his eyes with his hand and shook his head. 
   "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he muttered, already feeling pain in his heart. 

BACK TO TUESDAY TALES

TO MY WEBSITE