Marianne Woodson has a very clear life plan--to follow her mother's career path into politics in her rural Virginia county. This plan has become an obsession since her mother's untimely death. It does not include having a family and it certainly does not include allowing herself to become attracted to a "California Viking" who is a reminder of one of her most embarrassing moments. Jack Nissen knew what he wanted out of life from an early age. He wanted to be a biology researcher--and to call his own shots while doing so. It was an immense satisfaction to be a vital part of a successful research company in San Francisco, and he is obsessed with advancing their work. Still, he can't forget 'Angel, ' a girl he saw briefly, under peculiar circumstances, at a football game in college. This, then, is the story of their unexpected re-encounter, and how they reconcile their conflicting professional roles with their growing attraction for each other.