Uprooted by his mother and moved from Florida to Vermont when he was only nine years old, Gary Baxter experienced emotional trauma and distrust when he learned of his parents' divorce and the reason behind it. Forced to adjust to life in the small, quiet town of Manchester, Vermont, Gary eventually falls in love with Nancy Beaumont, his grade school sweetheart, and together with their two best friends, Mike Jackson and Mike Simpson, (MJ & MS) the four become inseparable.
Years later, Gary and Nancy marry, but suffer a devastating loss when Mary Lynn, their not quite 2-year-old daughter is suddenly taken from them in a tragic motor vehicle accident which leaves Nancy badly injured. Hoping to leave the sad memories behind them, the couple move to Tarrytown, New York to make a fresh start only to experience more heartache when they learn of the suicide of their dear friend, MJ, whose girlfriend, Tina Dansby, was unfaithful to him.
The circumstances of MJ's death and Nancy's new job with handsome and charismatic attorney Sal Lundy, and a series of misunderstandings have Gary revisiting his childhood trauma and trust issues and cause him to make some deadly assumptions.