Tessa Jordan, abusive marriage survivor and owner of Tessa's Treasures, an antique store, has sworn off relationships of any kind--until she comes face to face with the object of her teenage crush and falls into his arms, literally. Widower Lucas Raven has returned to Duncan after retiring from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Lucas has two things in mind: ask Tessa to look at the antiques he found in the attic of his house, and see if his feelings for her have lasted through the years. She does, and they have--tenfold. When Tessa realizes the scrimshaw doll she's agreed to sell has a curse attached to it, she wonders if it's behind the strange things happening to her. Is it truly the doll wreaking havoc, or is someone out to get her? And since she's sworn off relationships, how can she keep a very determined Lucas at arm's length?