The Catalyst (Novella 1.5‪)‬

In the two years since Logan’s death, Amos Walker has worked nonstop to avoid having to face life without him. His driven focus has given him the opportunity to open his own four-star restaurant, but hasn’t helped him deal with his grief. Escaping New York for the New Orleans is a start, though, until a friend calls to beg for a small favor. Cover her classes at the culinary institute where she teaches while she goes home to deal with a family emergency.

Sounds simple enough. Amos has covered for her before and it gets him out of the apartment he can’t stand being in without Logan. There’s just one caveat. There’s this girl, one who might need a little help and encouragement, Lauren tells him. No big deal.

Except looking after Eliza Carlisle is about as easy as bathing a cat.

Sweet, but naïve, Eliza’s efforts to help her friend and fellow culinary student leads everyone around her into a missing persons case that quickly spirals from hoping the girl missed her flight, to untangling an international web of crime. Amos isn’t sure he can keep her safe, but he’s positive he can’t keep her from getting into trouble.