Nora Palmer's goal of becoming a photojournalist is almost within her grasp, but her father won't pay for her tuition unless she completes Firecamp, a demanding summer work program doing fire mitigation in the rugged Colorado national forest. Fallon Monroe's life has been one of wishing and waiting. Firecamp is her chance at stability and a meaningful life. Despite getting off to a bumpy start, Nora and Fallon's relationship deepens, even as they are honest about their incompatible plans for the future. But when it's Nora's photography that creates a rift between them, their split is abrupt and painful.

Almost fifteen years later, Nora has achieved her dream. So why does that summer still intrude into her memories? When an alert goes out for a major forest fire, Nora's editor orders her to cover the Women's Plus doing fire mitigation in advance of the flames. Fallon is now the team leader and can't be distracted by Nora's appearance if she's going to keep her crew safe and help save the forest. But what can she do about the heat between them that has never gone out?