Dr. Ellen Sturgin is a thoracic surgeon in a large New York metropolitan hospital. She is known as an excellent, no-nonsense doctor with a demeanor of a junkyard dog. Half the hospital is scared of her while the other half don't know her.
Jimmy Kramer is an incredibly popular volunteer at the same hospital that Dr. Sturgin works at. Although he mainly volunteers in the Children's Ward of the hospital, he is known and loved by much of the hospital's staff.
Jimmy has a large and beautiful house near the hospital left to him by his parents after their passing. He has made it known to the hospital staff if they need to provide housing for military personnel who are being treated at the hospital that his home is open to them. Throughout this story, one such person is there while she is being treated for stress disorders received during her two tours of duty in Afghanistan.
It is said that opposites attract and that is the case in this story. Nina is the military guest in Jimmy's house and supplies a spectator to all that happens between Dr. Sturgin and Jimmy.