It's a year of firsts for Maurice Dupree. He's the first person in his family to go to college, and now he's well on his way to becoming the first African American attorney in his hometown of Brownsville, Louisiana, and its entire parish. Awarded a scholarship to a good school, his dreams seem to be coming true--except for what may be the most important one. If only the woman he loved, the woman he'd hoped to marry since high school, were as happy for him as everyone else was. Omenita Jones isn't planning on waiting three more minutes, much less three more years, for her fiance to be a man and start their life together. If Maurice wants to go to law school, that's fine. But she won't be waiting when he's finished. She loves him, but if she can't be with him, she'll find someone else. And that someone else may be just around the corner, for Omenita's ex-boyfriend has made it clear he'd like to pick up where they left off. It is an ultimatum that tears Maurice apart, as he is caught between his promise to Omenita and the promising opportunity he's earned. Feeling more alone than ever, Maurice finds an unexpected ally in a young while woman. Danielle Davenport is the sophisticated daughter of an influential judge. Maurice's mother is the Davenports' longtime housekeeper. In fact, Danielle considers Maurice to be like family, though they've barely known each other, until now. As his friendship with this compassionate and thoughtful woman grows, she becomes a source of strength when he makes a stunning choice, one that will put everything--and everyone--he believes in to the test.