One mistake can ruin your life. I learned that at fifteen when my hormones got the best of me and I was landed with an unwanted pregnancy. My parents decided to punish me and forced me out of the sport I love to raise my child and provide for my newly forced-upon-us-both marriage. One mistake can cost a life. My life. If not for my best friend who rescued me and my daughter, I'd have ended it all.

My best friend, Tate, and I have plans. Big plans. 1. Get the hell out of Merlot, California. 2. Ride trains around the world. Though I have a secret third entry on the list of things I want to do.... 3. Tate Lemieux. But when my family gets a life-changing diagnosis just as I'm about to graduate, all my plans look like they’ll go up in smoke.

Maybe asking my burly golden retriever contractor to be my fake fiancé was a bad idea. But as the saying goes, desperate times and all that. Listen, getting married again sounds about as fun as a shopping spree in a dumpster, so dating is definitely off the table. I've resisted Oakley's tempting presence, knowing it can only lead to trouble, and I don't need any more of that. Despite the obvious attraction, we've managed to keep a platonic and professional distance.

Ingredients: One down-on-his-luck chef struggling to make it in his hometown. One nomadic bartender allergic to putting down roots. A hot and heavy night in the Big Easy that neither of them can stop thinking about. Directions: Pour ingredients into the chef's final hope, a queer-friendly gastropub in New Orleans. Set a timer for how long the bartender is willing to lend his skills. Let ingredients meld as they build a concept for their community, share drinks and menus, and learn to expand their horizons from right at home. Stir until the two can no longer be separated and love is guaranteed.

Titus Shepherd once had it all. Born into a wealthy southern family, he ruled the high school football field, married the town sweetheart, and fathered a beloved son. His future as the next mayor seemed certain. But fate took a cruel turn, and now he's a reclusive widower raising his four-year-old son alone. Pedro Torres was destined for academic success in Mexico until disaster forced him to abandon his dreams for the sake of his family. Determined to change his circumstances, he migrated to the United States as a landscaper, aspiring to gain citizenship.