Middle school was tough on Clarence Black. His bullies made life feel impossible, and all he wanted to do was retreat into his favorite books. Then, of course, there was Ruby. Despite his best efforts, the girl of his dreams was always just out of reach-but never far from his mind.

After high school, Clarence attends college to study journalism, with the dream of becoming an author. There he meets Monica, and soon they are married with a daughter on the way. On paper, his life seems ideal, but he finds himself longing wistfully for days past. When disaster strikes and his wife is killed, he is forced to reexamine his priorities and come to grips with his new role as a single father. Clarence begins a downward spiral, withdrawing into himself and losing sight of his goals. That is, until Ruby comes back into his life and changes everything.