Personal chef Beau St. Clair, recently divorced from his cheating husband, returns to the small Ohio River town where he grew up to lick his wounds. Jack Rogers lives with his mother, Maisie, in that same small town, angry at and frightened by the world. Jack has a gap in his memory that hides something he dares not face, and he’s probably suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Maisie, seeking relief from her housebound and often surly son, hires Beau to cook for Jack, hoping the change might help bring Jack, once a handsome and vibrant attorney, back to his former self. But can a new face and comfort food compensate for the terror lurking in Jack’s past? Slowly the two men begin a dance of revelation and healing. Food and compassion build a bridge between Beau and Jack, a bridge that might lead to love. But will Jack’s demons allow it? His history could just as easily tear them apart as bring them together.

Dinner at Jack's

“No. I know I just said he needs to remember, but it has to be done in the right way. That’s why I wanted him to see a professional on a regular basis—even though I can’t afford one.” She touched my arm and then withdrew her hand. “I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone as caring as you. You barely know us.


“But one thing I know is that Jack is the way he is because he’s damaged. He’s broken. And he’s broken because he’s afraid. Whatever happened to him that night is too painful to remember, so in a way, his mind is keeping it all a blank. You know, to protect him. Problem is that what’s left is just a shadow of who he was. And that, Beau, breaks my heart.”


We didn’t say anything for a long while, lost in our own thoughts. The waitress brought our check, and Maisie insisted on paying, despite my protests. After she got her money out, crumpled singles and a ten, and laid it on the table, she looked over at me. “Why?”


Chapter 42