Piper Renee Knight was sole proprietor of two coffee shops located in Austin, Texas. Lights Out Coffee began two and a half years ago as a joint venture with her father, Macarthur "Lights Out" Knight, former boxing great turned business- man. Joe and Piper meet during Joe's second visit to her shop and exchange coffee and banter. They both agree to take their attraction further. But before they can start, Piper's father asks her to look after his two younger daughters, her half-sisters. His third wife has left him.

Piper settles her sisters into her life, locating a school for them. She decided that Joe is not an option for her now that she has the girls, and he gets her message and stops com- ing by the shop. They meet again at the kids' school. Joe has been raising his nephew for the last two years, after his sis- ter's departure. During the school year they join forces and work together. Piper falls in love, and, while Joe likes her, he's not sure with his nephew and his prior life experiences that he's in for the long haul.