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

“I’m just gonna spit this out. But you need to know who’s under your roof. If you don’t want me around after you hear this, I’ll understand.”


“Just shut up, okay? Listen.” Hank’s arms went up and he rubbed his head. “I was, I am, a crystal meth addict. I haven’t done it for a long time, but like I said before, once you fall down that hole, it changes you. You never completely escape the want for it, even though you know it’ll kill you eventually. Anyway, I used to do that shit—they call it Tina, you know. Cutesy name for poison. Once upon a time, I was big into it. It started out so simple. Some guy in a bar took me into the restroom and let me snort a little.


“Fuck. I still remember that night. I thought it was the best sex ever. That guy and me—we fucked all night long. Literally. That’s what Tina does to you. That’s how that bitch ropes you in.


Chapter 49