Eli and Emily are devoted best friends. Although their upbringings were very different, as children they formed a fast friendship that excluded most others. Eli was a Cherokee boy whose home on his reservation backed up to the small town of White Oak. He was raised to believe the wisdom of the elders on his small reservation. Emily was a preacher’s kid who lived in White Oak and was raised to adhere strictly to the teachings of the Bible. The unlikely pairing of the two would serve them both well as they struggled to grow into their teen years. Difficulty and disaster came swiftly when the pair reached their midteens. Terrible damage was done to Eli, which separated the friends possibly for a lifetime. Eventually, after many years, the two meet again and are instantly attracted to each other. However, the harm of the past comes back and will endeavor to keep them apart. Is there time enough to heal from the past? Is there room in Eli’s heart for forgiveness?