It only takes a few days for Ollie D'Angelo to lose his boyfriend, his job, and his home. Instead of mourning what he doesn't have, Ollie celebrates what he does: the freedom to pursue his real passion -- cooking. He begins Dinner at Home, a home-catering business, and it takes off.<br><br>Late one night, Ollie catches Hank Mellinger, a streetwise hood down on his luck, about to rob his car. Ollie soon discovers that appearances aren't necessarily what they seem. Hank isn't a criminal caught red-handed, but a hungry young man trying to make a life for himself and the four-year-old niece he's trying desperately to take care of.<br><br>Instead of calling the cops, Ollie offers Hank a job and a way to pull himself up by his bootstraps. Together, they discover they can really cook ... and that their shared passion for food just might lead to a passion for each other.

Dinner at Home

This would seem like such a blessing if it weren’t for Addison.


Ollie said, “I’m sorry. We’ll get something hot into you in just a couple of minutes.”


“What’s that?” Ollie paused before the microwave, glass dish in his hand.


“I don’t know what that means. You look alone to me.”


Hank stared out the kitchen window at the darkness pressing in, like something palpable. He felt like he and Ollie were the only two people in the world. “I have a little girl. Her name is Addison.”


Ollie laughed. He set the dish down on the counter and scooped some of the mac and cheese onto a plate, an orange one like the one Hank had seen in Ollie’s car. Steam rose from the pasta invitingly, and Hank was torn between wanting to devour the food and finding a way to bring it home to Addison.


Chapter 30