Plot summary

Jade Butterfield and David Elliot have just graduated from the same Atlanta high school, not having spent any time together in the four years of being in the same class. Jade, from a wealthy family - her father, Hugh Butterfield, a cardiologist, and her mother, Anne Butterfield, a published novelist - has willingly had her nose in the books for the four years in the pursuit of following in Hugh's footsteps. Under Hugh's pressure, Jade doing so was largely in memory of her eldest brother, Chris Butterfield, who was supposed to be that cardiologist, but who died in his senior year of high school from cancer. Jade's surviving older brother, Keith Butterfield - who was the middle child - never succumbed to any of their father's pressure, and as such is the neglected offspring. Jade had been seen by her classmates as an ice princess for not socializing with them. Hugh has managed to get Jade an internship over the summer before she heads to Brown in the fall, all these steps on track for her to get into medical school when the time comes. David comes from a blue collar family, his widowed father, Harry Elliot, who runs his own garage. Although academically bright, David has no intention of going to college, he who quite happily would work in the garage as his livelihood. David, who has pined after Jade from afar for the four years, never had the nerve to talk to her. Although he didn't specifically see Jade in that associated role during high school, David aspires to true love, the kind of love he says he witnessed between his parents up until the time his mother passed away. When Jade and David finally have that connection early in the summer, they quickly begin to fall for each other. They decide to spend whatever time they have over the summer together before Jade leaves, they living in the moment with no real plans for a "them" at Jade's departure. Anne wants Jade to experience her first love with David to the fullest, whether it be the puppy or true variety, and Keith is happy about how happy David makes Jade, unlike the four years of high school when she really wasn't truly happy. But working against a Jade/David happy ending are David's old girlfriend, fellow classmate Jenny who secretly is working on getting David back, and Hugh, who will do whatever it takes to see that David does not ruin his plan for Jade's life, regardless of how hypocritical his talk and actions are.—Huggo