Proud and independent, thirteen-year-old orphan Wade Hunter doesn't want a family. But when the town marshal catches him stealing, Wade's given only two choices: Spend time in jail or become the marshal's ward. Sadie Shaw, the marshal's eldest daughter, doesn't want another sibling. She has enough brothers and sisters, and she's dismayed when her kindhearted pa brings home another lost child. It doesn't help that this one is surly and arrogant. Worse, he thinks that because he's older, he's under no obligation to mind her household rules. Wade and Sadie battle wills often as they grow into adulthood, burgeoning both their dislike for each other and their grudging respect. When faced with a problem that requires their unity, will they be able to set aside their differences, or will the strife they face only tear them apart for good?