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

“Shut up, you. Let’s go.” And Maisie steered me out of the diner. 13: Jackson’s Spicy Gnocchi


I don’t remember the name of it, but I can see it in my mind’s eye—the pillowy gnocchi in a plain white pasta dish, glistening with olive oil and dotted with red pepper flakes. I recalled Jackson saying, after he’d eaten every bite, that he wanted to lick the bowl. It was that good. I asked our waiter for the recipe, and he grinned at me and told me he couldn’t give away Soldano family secrets. He then winked and explained the few simple ingredients that went into the dish. Armed with those, I knew I could do a pretty good recreation, even if I didn’t have exact measurements. In my world, measuring when cooking is for wusses. You eyeball and taste—that’s measuring. Baking, of course, is a whole ‘nother story, because baking is a science. Cooking is an art.


Chapter 44