His ego is injured when the beautiful schoolteacher shuns him. She doesn't want the rugged cowboy to give her affection, only because she doesn't feel worthy.

When Charlene Harris' family died in a house fire years ago, she learned to rely on herself and no one else. Trust doesn't come easily. But when she travels to a different town to begin a new position as the orphanage's schoolteacher, the new people she meets happily welcome her. However, someone wants her to leave and is threatening her life. Can she allow the handsome U.S. Territorial Marshal, Garrett Masterson, to protect her?

Garrett has been tinkering with the idea of finding a different job where he can settle down in one place, fall in love and marry, and raise children. When he meets the new schoolteacher, he's smitten. But Charley avoids him like the plague. Yet he is determined to save her from the person trying to ruin her life.

Will they trust each other long enough to fit the puzzle pieces together and find out who is trying to kill her for her opal heirloom ring?