
As soon as they return, he starts to run again-but Alisa and Greg make him consider staying and fighting his demons. Nick doesn’t like to talk about his experience, and no one seems to be able to stop the nightmares from plaguing him. But Nick is battling his own problems-namely, the PTSD that has stuck with him since his time in Afghanistan. Alisa is worried that her son might get too attached to Nick, especially since he has no plans to stay in Bear Lake long-term.

Greg is excited to be in the presence of a real war hero, especially one who can take him fishing and play football with him. Nick slowly opens up to Alisa, revealing that he worked as an army chef in Afghanistan. Alisa doesn’t want to get involved with a man who looks like he might up and leave at any moment, but when an accident occurs that prevents her mother from working in the kitchen, Nick steps in to help. No one knows what happened to Nick after his mom died and his father took him away from Bear Lake.


Having her heart broken once was enough to make Alisa swear off dating, but even she can’t help but be intrigued when Nick Carbini, an old classmate, returns to Bear Lake for a spell. She doesn’t have time for men, especially not those who are drifting aimlessly through the small town of Bear Lake, Montana, like Greg’s father. Alisa Machak’s life revolves around helping her mom run her diner and raising her son, Greg.
