Josie Emerson is finally free, leaving behind her past to start over. She arrives in a small Oregon town with nothing but a dream: to find the baby she hasn't seen in 5 years and carve out a small chunk of respectability.

Josie wants nothing to do with any man, especially Cordell Williams. He is unshaven, unkempt, and grief-stricken. But something about him makes her want to change all of that. He is tender, patient and kind, and loves his children fiercely. Josie begins to see not a sad widower, but a man in need of healing.
Getting involved is the last thing she wants. She can't afford to get attached to this man and his children. As soon as she finds her daughter, she intends to leave. But can borrowing this family mean the end of her dream?