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

“Good to meet Hank’s sister at last,” Ollie said, smiling to hide the uncertainty he had about whether it truly was good. He would reserve judgment on that one. “I’m Ollie D’Angelo.” He discreetly wiped his hand on his shorts. “You wanna come in the kitchen? Have a cup of coffee?”


“That would be lovely,” Stacy said.


“That would be lovely,” Hank mocked, his voice going high. “Who the hell areyou?”


“Hank…” Ollie gave Hank a warning look.


Stacy followed Ollie into the kitchen. Ollie looked for Rose, but she had disappeared. She probably sensed the tension hanging in the air like static electricity and had withdrawn out to the deck in back.


They gathered around the kitchen table, curiously quiet. Ollie hurried to remove their plates from breakfast, piling them up in the sink. He put on a fresh pot of coffee and pulled out the Fiesta cream-and-sugar set from the cupboard above the sink.


Chapter 58