Chapter 1: At the Office
Our main character, Robert, is the "new guy" and creating quite a buzz at the office. Going from Catholic school, to military school, and then to the Marines had left him apart from many sectors of society. He found the 9 - 5 work-a-day civilian world an alien form of existence, and quite frankly, wanted no part of it. Shelley, our heroine, is fresh out of college and living in St. Louis after growing up in a small town in Kansas. Most of her friends seemed to be getting married and she had a tingling that life was starting to leave her behind. One day at work she caught a glimpse of Robert in the hallway and for some reason started to reminisce about her younger years, where she dreamed of white knights and prince charmings. For years she had lived in the shadow of her highly successful older sister, and tried to convince herself that her dream of romance didn't exist. However, her latent belief in true love was always present, even if only hidden in the the shadow of her thoughts.
Chapter 2: Nuances and Innuendo
But there is danger lurking in the workplace as competition develops. Robert appears aloof and uncaring, totally unaware of the stir he is creating among the eligible young females. A handsome, well dressed stranger rarely makes an appearance within the company walls. As others make there bid for Robert's attention, Shelley tries to to tell herself that she doesn't care, but she quickly realizes that resistance is futile. She decides to go all out- even if she makes a total fool of herself.- to win his heart. Nothing else matters at this point, she needs to find out if her indescribable emotion is truly the love she has forever ached for.
Chapter 3: The Overpowering Attraction
Robert spurns the amorous advances of coworkers but is strangely attracted to Shelley. Her "girly" behavior is the main reason he has held all females in contempt, scorning their seemingly endless dialogue about shoes, hair, and trendy food. He couldn't put his finger on it, but Shelley's forlorn, hapless outbursts of emotion actually made her more alluring. He felt his superior, stoic attitude start to crack under her feminine mystique, but he continued to believe that he was not worthy of love.
Chapter 4: Is It Love?
Over the holiday season they both departed to visit their respective families. Robert's brother, a high school football star, had married his high school sweetheart, a lovely and beautiful senorita from Puerto Rico. She adopted Robert as the little brother that she never had. She encourages him to explore his feelings and to stop over analyzing every little event in his life. Shelley interacts with her older sister, Brenda, that she had always felt inferior to. Brenda confides to Shelley that she is not the perfect daughter everyone thinks. She expresses to Shelley that she wishes that she could be more like her at times- to not be afraid to open up to others. During these experiences, both Robert and Shelley grow closer to their families and develop faith in themselves.
Chapter 5: The Start of a Beautiful Relationship
The two return to the office and little by little their relationship develops. Robert, very tepid at first, eventually learns to trust Shelley and gains confidence in his ability to be loved. Shelley learns that Robert is much deeper than she thought. His untroubled, cavalier attitude actually hides a very complex person inside. She realizes that she must be patient and that true love is much more complicated than school girl fantasies and teenage crushes. They grow closer and find that they awaken the best in each other.
Chapter 6: Happily Ever After?
Do white knights and damsels in distress still exist? You'll have to read the book to find out!
