Pat Nichols
How far will she run to escape the past that holds her hostage? After ten years, five cities, and dozens of restaurants, Chef Jenny Collins returns to Atlanta with one goal. Attract an investor, open her own restaurant, and prove she’s nothing like her mother. Until a fateful decision forces her to pack all of her possessions in her car and flee again-this time to Madison, Georgia. With an empty gas tank and desperate for cash, she settles for a job serving customers and making donuts at Lou’s Coffee Shop-a far cry from her signature dish, crème brulée. When she meets handsome real-estate agent, Sam Gibson, she pegs him as another short-term fling. Then she makes the mistake of falling in love. To protect him from the truth, she suppresses her emotions, hoping he’ll settle for friendship. Sam Gibson, a regular at Lou’s Coffee Shop, is still reeling from a broken engagement when Jenny walks into his office, broke and needing a place to rent. Eager to please her, he secures the one place she can afford to live-the apartment above his grandfather’s garage. As his desire for a life-long, passionate romance intensifies, her mixed signals confuse him. Despite his sister’s warnings, he follows his grandfather’s advice and vows to capture Jenny’s heart. Following her surprise announcement, will he discover the strength to continue fighting for her love? When tragedy strikes, will Jenny find her way into Sam’s arms and tell him the shocking truth, or will she flee to another new beginning and keep her dark secret hidden forever?
