Mercy came west as a mail order bride to escape the life she'd been raised in, only to find herself married to a man who wasn't who he'd pretended to be. When her husband dies in a fire, the new widow is ready to do whatever she has to in order to make a good life for herself and the baby she is carrying. She's never going to let another man hurt her, or her child, and starting over in the town of Promise is exactly what she needs. Luke comes home a different man than he was when he left to serve in the cavalry. Carrying guilt over a decision that cost another man's life, he hopes to find solace in the arms of his family before he moves on again. But, when he shows up and offers his help to a new widow, he realizes running might not always be the answer. Together, they work to show the world they can handle whatever is thrown their way, while they soon realize it's not such a bad thing to accept help from other people. Will Mercy and Luke be able to stick to the bargain they make - she gets someone to help her get her crops off and prepare for winter, while he gets to have a sense of purpose as he heals? Or, will they find more than they'd dreamed possible along the way?