Once upon a time, twin sisters Marissa and Victoria were locked away on a castle on a hill—then brutally separated, a fact that left scars despite the gilded cage that kept them apart from the world. Stuffing down her feelings, Marissa became the fat sister, and only a couple of years ago has she learned to express herself—and lose weight.

Robert Martinez, known by his best friend Jake as “Red Dog” during the wars in the desert, finds himself parenting a pregnant teen with nowhere else to go. When her teacher, the charming and unforgettable Marissa, contacts him to discuss his niece’s issues, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to her.

But both carry the scars of a childhood that was less than perfect, and both are wary of accepting love in any form. Can they let down their defenses long enough to let the other in? Or will they stand on the sidelines forever?