Aisling O'Sheeran has known for years who her soulmate is. The only reason she isn't with him is because he doesn't feel the same way about her as she does him. She's a sister to him. After years of secretly yearning to have him see her in a different light, she's done. She's determined to find a tiny bit of happiness with someone else. And the way to do it, she believes, is to arrange a marriage of convenience. Something her family will strenuously object to but she's determined, so her trip to California is for more than her work at Maeve's Cellars, the family winery. She's there to see if a family friend may be the man for her. She'll never love him but she thinks she can care for him.

Alistair has known Aisling since birth. He's hidden his love for her since she came of age. He knows he's too old, has too much blood on his hands and he's not good enough for her. Her family may treat him like family and his friendship with her brothers and cousins is tight, but there's no way they want him with her. And even if they do, she doesn't feel the same way. He's merely another brother or cousin in her eyes. He's determined to hide his love forever.