When Finn Donovan answers a late-night knock at the door, there stands Charity Sullivan, the only woman he' s ever loved. He hasn' t seen her since the night nearly seventeen years ago when they shared a magical kiss after a months-long friendship. But Charity isn' t alone, and her last name is no longer Sullivan. Her four children are with her, and she' s looking for a place to hide. Her marriage just ended, and her former father-in-law, a powerful, dangerous underworld boss, will stop at nothing to keep her from leaving with his grandchildren. As Finn and Charity' s friendship rekindles, Finn' s protective instincts go on high alert. He' s never stopped loving her, but as an upright, God-fearing man, doesn' t want to take advantage of her vulnerability. Charity is drawn to Finn. She dreams of a future for them, but unanswered questions from the past stand between them. When Charity receives a phone call telling her that her former father-in-law has discovered her whereabouts, she decides to go on the run again. But Finn isn' t having any of it. He has a Christmas dream of his own, and it won' t come true without Charity and her children.