Working for the Utah state government as a report writer, Charles Richardson reminisces about his past love affair with Laura Connolly, with who he was immediately attracted upon first sight when she worked in the file section of his office. Their relationship was despite Laura then being married to ex-football player Jim, nicknamed Ox, he bringing an adolescent daughter, Rebecca, into their blended family. When she and Charlie met, Laura was already on a trial separation from Ox, which always tainted Laura and Charlie's relationship in her sense of guilt as Ox never did anything bad to precipitate that separation.