The Beard Made Me Do It Lib/E: (5 Dixie Warden Rejects MC Series Lib/E)

He's only a friend. Those words had haunted him from the moment Jessie James had heard them muttered from the girl who held his heart, and whom he thought had his back. Fourteen years later, he still feels those words like a brand on his soul. Lucky for him he has a son to focus on, a full-time job that demands his attention the rest of the day, and not a single moment to spare for a woman who won't stand up for him when he needs her the most. He's only a friend. The words had slipped out of Ellen's mouth, and before she could recall them, or better yet, explain them, Jesse is gone from her life for good, taking her heart with him. She tries to move on, to climb her way out of the pit of despair, but not one single person--regardless of how badly she wants to make it work--can fill the void that was left in his wake. Time heals all wounds. Or at least that is how the saying goes. It's a crock of crap, though. Fourteen years pass when Jessie and Ellen see each other again without the influence of the town and bad memories surrounding them, and it's as if not a single day has passed. Ellen knows the instant that her eyes see her old love that she's still just as in love with him today as she was all those years ago. The problem is that Jesse wants nothing to do with her. Or at least that's what he keeps telling himself. Contains mature themes.

About the Author :
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. Mason Lloyd is an audiobook narrator from Portland, Oregon. With his deep and warm voice, he's found a niche in the romantic and erotic audiobook genres and loves every minute of it. Fantasia Barrino Taylor was the winner of the 3rd season of American Idol in 2004, when she was just 19 years old. Her first single, I Believe, debuted at number one on the Billboard 100. It was the top selling single of 2004, and went on to be certified double platinum. Since then, Fantasia has released six albums, sold over three million records, won a Grammy, three NAACP Image Awards, two ASCAP Awards, and had twelve top ten hits on the Billboard Adult R&B charts. Her debut album, Free Yourself, went on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA and earned Barrino three Grammy nominations in 2006. In 2007, Barrino played the part of Celie in the Broad Musical The Color Purple, and won the Theatre World Award for that performance. In 2014, she returned to Broadway in the musical After Midnight. In 2014 she was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Her most recent album, SKETCHBOOK, was released in 2019. Kendall Taylor is the President & Owner of Rock Soul Inc., an entertainment company servicing the industries of music, television, and publishing. Mr. Taylor is also the CEO of Salute1st, a Leadership & Training Academy that encourages men of all ages to shift their mindsets and perspectives to overcome the challenges associated with manhood that position them for greater levels of self-awareness and productivity in the areas of community, marketplace & entrepreneurship, and collaboration. Kendall prides himself on being a "self-educated black man," having no formal education beyond 10th grade. He's overcome numerous obstacles in his life and remains intentional about the development of young men, regularly speaking and facilitating programs inside of prisons around the country. He also consults with small business owners seeking to redevelop or scale. He currently resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife Fantasia Taylor and their four children and two grandchildren.