Mason has taken over running the only bar in a nearby town when his father is felled by a stroke. After meeting Cory, he decides he wants to help him, first by bringing him food, then by hiring him to do chores at the bar. Ollie, an elderly local who is Mason's friend and a regular at the bar, offers to let Cory stay in the spare bedroom at his house.
Cory accepts both offers in disbelief, for the first time feeling there is hope that his life will get better. While he is accepted by the regulars at the bar, he soon has problems with the town bully who spreads rumors that he's a punk thief who will steal what he can from Ollie, Mason, and the shopkeepers.
Meanwhile, Mason and Cory are also dealing with their growing interest in each other, with Cory wondering if Mason can accept him, given what he did to survive on the streets. He prays he will, but only time will tell.