She survived being trapped beneath her tornado destroyed home for days but now twenty-one year old Katie Pearl has problems: she's afraid of the dark, talks to herself, is terrified of being inside and has to sleep outside with the campfires burning bright. But men problems top the list. She's not fond them--especially those suddenly asking her to marry them--she's wearing a pistol to prove it. This makes it all the more surprising to the town when she hires drifter Treb Rayburn right there on the sidewalk in front of the dry goods store. A down on his luck cowboy with wanderlust in his veins, Treb just needs enough cash to replace his dead horse and then he'll be on his way. Only after he's agreed to the job does he hear the town folks shocked whispers that "Crazy" Katie has hired a Treb recognizes immediately that he's gotten himself into a situation-the hard headed Katie who's so alone in the world and determined to fix herself by herself tugs at his heartstrings and stirs a powerful protective instinct inside of him. Despite his want to hit the trail for sights unseen he finds himself determined that before he moves on he's going to help Katie conquer her fears so she'll be able to sleep in the house she's having him help her build. He's not expecting that the Lord has a plan that he'll be the man who'll tell Katie he loves her and sticks around to prove it.