Everlynne “Ever” Lawson attends a funeral for Dominic “Dom” Graves, the fiancé she loved. She is devastated and unwilling to say goodbye, and she plans to be gone before the casket enters the ground. The arrival of Joseph “Joe” Graves, Dom’s brother and the man she loved first, devastates her further.

The narrative shifts six years into the past. Eighteen-year-old Ever enjoys a girls’ trip to Barcelona, Spain, with her best friend, Pippa. They are in a pharmacy, buying toiletries, when they meet a fellow American—an attractive 19-year-old who introduces himself as Joe. Although Joe and Ever immediately connect, she worries that he will take an interest in Pippa instead. Her fear causes her to flee the store with Pippa. She immediately regrets leaving without getting his contact information, but when she reenters the store, she discovers that he has already left.

For the next week and a half, Ever and Pippa continue to embrace life to the fullest in Spain. Meanwhile, Ever’s mind stays occupied with thoughts of Joe, whom she hasn’t seen since their chance meeting. Four days before they’re scheduled to return to the States, they fly to Gran Canaria.