TV celebrity chef and cookbook author Adam de Leon walked away from his lover when Jason's drug addiction spiraled out of control. Adam also abandoned his renowned restaurant in San Francisco to start a small bistro in the Sierra Foothills.<br><br>Five years later Adam is battling the conservative leaders of Stone Acres, California, to open a new restaurant in the historic Old Town area when Jason turns up on his doorstep -- a recovered Jason, now going by the name David and claiming he's overcome his addictions. What's more, he begs Adam to take him back and says he's ready for their happily ever after.<br><br>Adam has enough on his plate with problems plaguing the opening of his restaurant. Now he's having a hard time deciding which to follow -- his head or his heart.

When Adam Fell

“Okay, look. Here’s the way I see it. You want advice, right?” I nodded. “So what it boils down to is you want to do this, but you’re scared of freefalling.” He peered at me, and I nodded again.


He got up and walked to the wall of windows. His back was toward me as he stared out over Old Town.


“Here’s what I think.” He didn’t turn around but planted one hand on the bricks between two sets of windows. “I think you should do it.”


He turned and glared at me. “Lemme finish. Let’s say in a month or two, you decide he’s changed into an asshole. No problem. You’re clear and free. Let’s say you two get close, then he drops your ass or you discover he’s back on the juice again. What happens? Yeah, okay, you’re sad, but so what? You’ve got a bunch of backup now you didn’t have before.


Chapter 12