Ein Sommer in Long Island: Business executive Nick Porter starts an affair with landscape architect Holly while jogging on his way to see his half-brother Benjamin 'Ben' Goldman, a reclusive author who inherited an estate from his father, also an author. Recommended by Nick, Holly comes to renovate the garden for Ben, whose aloof attitude bugs her, but actually she's his first love. Nick learns this and that Ben has terminal cancer but refuses treatment, feeling his life has no meaning, so Nick pushes Holly to pretend to be in love with Ben, who learns the truth in the worst possible way at the worst possible time.