Despite their very different natures, they are nevertheless drawn to each other with the irresistible sweetness and aching tenderness of first love. As they both embark on the challenge of leaving the comfort of their Long Island community to separately begin their college educations, they make an ardent commitment to one another. And, for a while, they manage to nurture their promise N but time, distance and new experiences begin to stretch the bond that ties them to the breaking point.

Years later they meet again in New York City. Donna is now a young society matron with a glamorous career, and Neil is a neurology resident at a Manhattan hospital. Their friendship renewed, when Donna must confront the ultimate test of courage, it is not her husband to whom she turns to for help and support, but her most steadfast and beloved friend -- the man she betrayed in the past.

In this sensitive and insightful portrait of a relationship, Allan L. Rothman has created unforgettable characters in a story that compels us to wonder about the paths not taken in our own lives.