Lives are made up of tiny steps. Some are chosen for us; some we choose. All hold the power to change who we become—but only if we let them.

When Dr. Molly Whitcomb, Professor of Romance Languages, steps off the train in Colorado Territory, she makes a choice—one that goes against everything she stands for, yet is the only choice that offers her a chance to regain a fraction of all she has lost.

Sheriff James McPherson's instincts about people rarely miss the mark. He senses Professor Whitcomb is hiding something. When James learns Molly's secret, his own reputation is undermined. But when Molly's reinvented life begins to unravel, it threatens his job, the stability of Timber Ridge, and what he always knew to be true about himself.