One of those “loose ends” turns out to be Shelby Laine, an inspector for the Division of Coastal Area Management. She is a willful woman, passionate in more ways than one in her dedication to preserving the history and coastal environment of the South. Ben and Shelby work together to unravel the poignant story of a plantation owner’s son and the slave woman he loved. They also find a deep attraction to each other. The history of a beautiful southern plantation is changed forever by their discovery of passion, desire, and love.