Henry Hart is a young gay artist living in New York City. When his grandfather has a stroke, Henry puts his career on hold and returns home to the small town of Big Eden, Montana, to care for him. While there, Henry hopes to strike up a romance with Dean Stewart, his high-school best friend for whom he still has feelings. But he's surprised when he finds that Pike, a quiet Native American who owns the local general store, may have a crush on him.

Kate, a depressed thirty-something who unsuccessfully attempts suicide by slitting her wrists. Reflecting briefly upon her circumstance in the hospital, she realizes that nothing has been solved, whereupon she vacates the premises, wearing nothing but a hospital gown, a black coat, and flimsy sandals. Shortly thereafter, at a bus station, she requests from the attendant a bus ticket to wherever, with consideration to the limited funds she has to spare. The attendant insists on a destination, or even a direction - Kate spins about, points, and says, "that way". The story then evolves to include Barry Tubb, her love interest, who rekindles her will to live.