Very Short Summary
In San Francisco, a nursing student moved in with her pilot brother Corbin and met his neighbor Miles Archer in an unusual way - passed out drunk in the hallway.
Despite their mutual attraction, Miles established two rules: never ask about his past and never expect a future. They began a physical relationship, with Miles remaining emotionally distant while Tate found herself falling deeper in love.
The ugly parts of love are too heavy... They bring you down. They hold you under. Drown you. You look up and think, 'I wish I was up there.' But you're not. Ugly love becomes you. Consumes you. Makes you hate it all.
Eventually, Miles's past emerged: six years ago, he had a son named Clayton with his first love, Rachel. During a tragic car accident, Miles saved Rachel but couldn't save their son. Rachel blamed him and left, devastating Miles to the point where he closed himself off from love.
When Tate moved to her own apartment, their relationship reached a breaking point. Miles finally confronted his past by visiting Rachel, who had moved on and had another child. This encounter helped him realize he could love again without betraying his son's memory.
Miles pursued Tate, confessing his love and proposing to her. Two years after their marriage, they had a daughter named Sam, and Miles finally experienced joy again, understanding that the beautiful moments in love make up for the ugly ones.
Detailed Summary
Division into sections is editorial.
Present: Tate's Story
Meeting Miles and Making a Deal
When Tate Collins moved in with her brother Corbin, she found a drunk man passed out in front of his apartment door. The man turned out to be Miles Archer, Corbin's friend and neighbor. Despite their awkward first meeting, there was an immediate attraction between them.
As Tate settled into her new home, she often encountered Miles in the building. Their mutual attraction grew stronger, but Miles maintained emotional distance. He eventually proposed a purely physical relationship with two strict rules: don't ask about his past, and never expect a future. Despite her reservations, Tate agreed.
People are vulnerable during sex. It's easy to confuse feelings and emotions for something they aren't, especially when eye contact is involved... Don't give me false hope for a future, especially if you know we'll never have one.
Breaking the Rules
Their relationship intensified as they spent more time together. Tate met Cap, the elderly elevator operator who had known Miles since childhood. Cap became a confidant and friend to Tate, offering wisdom and support throughout her complicated relationship with Miles.
Despite Miles's rules, their relationship began to deepen. Tate struggled with her growing feelings while Miles remained emotionally distant. Their arrangement was complicated by the presence of Corbin, who was protective of his sister, and Dillon, a married pilot whose inappropriate behavior toward Tate caused tension between all of them.
If I were capable of loving someone... it would be you. But I'm not capable. So if it's too hard - It's not, I interrupt, doing whatever I can to stop him from ending this. I like things exactly how they are.
Falling Apart and Moving On
Things came to a breaking point when Miles called out Rachel's name during an intimate moment. The incident devastated Tate, who realized the depth of Miles's unresolved past. She decided to move out of the building and try to move on with her life, though it proved incredibly difficult.
Love isn't always pretty. Sometimes you spend all your time hoping it'll eventually be something different. Something better. Then, before you know it, you're back to square one, and you lost your heart somewhere along the way.
Past: Miles's Story
Rachel and First Love
Six years before meeting Tate, Miles fell in love with Rachel. Their relationship began when they discovered their parents were dating each other. Despite knowing it would complicate things, they couldn't resist their feelings for each other.
The beautiful parts of love hold you above the rest of the world. They hold you so high above all the bad stuff, and you just look down on everything else and think, 'Wow. I'm so glad I'm up here.'
Family, Marriage and Pregnancy
Their parents eventually married, making their relationship more complicated. Despite this, Miles and Rachel continued seeing each other secretly. When Rachel became pregnant, they moved in together and prepared to start their own family. Miles was overjoyed when their son Clayton was born.
The Accident and Its Aftermath
Tragedy struck when Miles was driving with Rachel and Clayton. Their car went off a bridge and into a lake. Miles managed to save Rachel but couldn't reach Clayton in time. The loss of their son devastated both of them, and Rachel blamed Miles for saving her instead of their child. She eventually left him and moved back to Phoenix.
After losing Rachel and Clayton, Miles shut himself off emotionally, unable to cope with the pain and guilt. His best friend Ian remained by his side through everything, watching helplessly as Miles became a shadow of his former self.
Six years later, after his relationship with Tate fell apart, Miles finally found the courage to visit Rachel. He discovered she had married and had another child, a daughter named Claire. Their conversation helped Miles understand that while the pain would never completely go away, he could learn to love again without letting it consume him.
The pain will never go away, Miles. Ever. But if you let yourself love her, you'll only feel it sometimes, instead of allowing it to consume your entire life.
After his visit with Rachel, Miles rushed back to find Tate. He opened up to her about his past and promised to share everything with her, asking only for her future in return. They got engaged, and Miles finally allowed himself to feel love again. When their daughter Sam was born, Miles discovered he could experience joy without letting his past trauma overshadow it.
Whoever coined the phrase, 'I love you to death' obviously never experienced the kind of love Tate and I share. If that were the case, the phrase would be 'I love you to life.' Because that's exactly what Tate did.