Two broken hearts collide on the path to redemption... After being given to a wealthy man in a faro game, Gillian Netty Stone flees Virginia for the safety of Independence Missouri. On the edge of civilization, the town borders a vast prairie, and the promise of freedom for so many-including Gillian. But trouble always has a way of intruding, and she is on the run again, sneaking aboard a stranger's wagon, as he prepares to join a group of settlers heading west on the Oregon Trail. Cole Clarkson is stunned to find a young woman in his wagon, hiding amongst crates of provisions. Being with Gillian reminds him of the past and all that he's lost-a family he will never see again. Opening his heart is far too great a risk, but the winsome brunette breaks through each of his defenses, weakening his resolve to never fall in love again.