In a quiet corner of southwestern Connecticut, a secret sleeps. Now that those who would have been most affected by its disclosure are beyond hurt and embarrassment, a choice must be made-but it's not the only choice Joe Ingersoll must make.

Joe, the keeper of that secret, lives in a modest home in a quiet neighborhood, thanks to his clever selection of a small parcel of land bordered by a cemetery. Now sixty-four and retired from a career in public relations, he's turned his attention to new projects, including the compilation of a dictionary of idiomatic expressions and the creation of a series of children's books. He likes his neighbors-but secretly loves one of them. Joe longs to express his love, but he fears rejection.

At forty-six, Sally Stobbs is doing her best to rebuild her sanity, self-respect, and optimism following a painful divorce. Her friendship with Joe is on the verge of evolving into something more, and she must now choose to follow her instincts or allow the pain of a failed marriage to ruin her future. Joe awakens a new love in her, and she readily agrees to wait for him to commit-but something seems to be holding him back.

When he does reveal his secret to her, it only draws them closer. Sally insists on being by his side when he reveals his decision, his choice, to the young mother he has loved from afar.