Upon the death of his adoptive father, Colt McKinley finds himself one-third owner of a large Texas cattle ranch, along with two of his friends.

 
But the will stipulates that each man must marry before taking possession of his inheritance, so Colt sends a letter proposing to Alice Parker, who needs to find a husband in order to take the burden off her family after her father is unable to provide for them any longer.

When Alice rides up to Colt’s encampment, he’s shocked and somewhat dismayed, not to mention attracted to the beautiful, fiercely independent mail order bride he’d expected to meet after the cattle drive, not in the middle of it.

 
Over the next weeks, the new couple has plenty of differences to hash out, but a life-threatening event helps them to both realize the depth of their feelings for each other.