Thirty-three-year-old gay farmer Vladimir Wozniak IV lives for his crops and the hard work that makes them profitable every year. Five miles up the road, former rodeo bull rider and rancher Thomas Sullivan is just as committed to his corn-fed beef. Once best friends until VJ kissed Tommy during freshman year in college, they stopped speaking when Tommy rejected VJ. Ten years later, after the country doctor who helped bring them into the world dies and his will names them as co-owners of property, they decide to check out their inheritance together to see which one wants to buy out the other. As they travel down memory lane through the Doc’s correspondence and visit familiar sites on the land, can they work their way back to friendship ... and possibly beyond?

The Thaw

“My sister’s boy married into the farmers. I asked about him a time or two when you said you was going off to do something with him when you was growing up. Then I checked on him again when you said you was going on this adventure.”


I snorted. Shanks thought this was an adventure. Still, it was interesting he’d asked around about VJ over the years.


“What’d they say about him?” The curiosity poured out of me.


“He’s a decent, stand-up guy. A faggot, pardon, one of them gay guys, but a good one. Treats his people fair and his animals better. Turns in a decent yield every year. Land’s in top shape. Could do worse than having VJ Wozniak as a friend.” He cleared his throat and I could hear him spit. “He’s handy to have around in a pinch. You two should stick close. Weather’s gonna turn pretty bad in the next few days. Don’t want to hear about no accidents out your way.”


Chapter 8