Barton Strong thought seeing Tessa would be a good distraction. Boy, was he wrong. The woman was a slob, and all they did was fight. She had to go, and Barton was swearing off women. He was happier with his own company. Toria Davies lost her husband to cancer after only sixteen months of marriage. Her son, Sherman, was all she had left of that relationship, and the young boy had been through a lot. Kidnapped at four, he had a fear of all men who weren't immediate family.

The senior Barkley Strong wanted Toria to merge their finance companies. It could be a win-win situation for both. But when a disgruntled customer threatened her mother and upset her son, Barton stepped in and calmed the boy. Shermie went straight to him. She didn't like Barton, but her son did. Now, what was she going to do?