Rustin Wildish furiously left Belmont North Carolina as a teen to make his reputation in the culinary world. Over twelve years later, heâs back in the town that where the founding family of Mayes once branded him a worthless bad boy. Intent to show them how wrong they were, he buys the local dinerâconsidered an institutionâfrom his former mentor and boss, Miss Millie Maye and transforms. Success will be his revenge as the Mayeâs and other âupstanding families,â are forced to eat their words and so much more. But then the youngest Maye daughter asks him for help, and he inexplicably says yes.
This Christmas Chloe Maye has finally bitten off far more than she can chew. Sheâs agreed to organize The Maye familyâs annual fundraiserâa movable feast where historic downtown homes are open to the public and each serve one course of a lavish meal. Chloe canât cook so armed with a historic handwritten cookbook she mysteriously finds in a mini library outside her Grandma Millieâs home, she approaches Rustin for help. Sheâs always crushed on him and is thrilled heâs back.
But when Rustin, who ignored her their entire childhood, takes a bite from the meal she cooks under his exacting supervision, the unthinkable happens. He falls head over heels in loveâĶ