All of his adult life, J.T. Forgarty has worked to keep his extended family safe from scandal. Politics is a harsh mistress, after all, and above all, she does not tolerate gossip and scandal. After the accidental death of Eric Tate, a distant cousin, J.T. dealt with his guilt by becoming the family's "cleaner", tying up inconvenient loose ends under the guidance of the family matriarch, Dilys Tate Bly.
But when Eric's son, Charlie, returns to their hometown for the first time in twenty years, J.T. realizes that there's more to life than covering up other people's mistakes.
As he takes Charlie Tate under his wing, and slowly allows himself to return the attraction Charlie feels for him, J.T. must decide: can they move beyond the secrets in their past and find a way to stay true to each other?