To pay off her younger half-brother's debt for her mother, Jane Hale agrees to Grandpa Sterling's proposal for a one-year trial marriage with Lance Sterling. They sign a prenuptial agreement: secret marriage with strict distance rules. Initially, Lance is suspicious, thinking she's after wealth. But he's attracted by Jane's tough, kind personality and can't help getting close, letting go of his suspicion. Jane also feels Lance's care. They develop real feelings during the trial marriage.