The three primary characters are connected by their shared search for identity and belonging. They’re all from different backgrounds and have different personal histories, but find themselves drawn to making new connections in their common setting of Asheboro, North Carolina. For Tanner Hughes, being in Asheboro inspires him to contemplate who he is and what he wants from his future. As a former “military brat” and Army Ranger, he’s accustomed to moving from place to place. He has no permanent residence, his nuclear family is dead, he’s unmarried and doesn’t have kids, and his friends are spread around the country and world. In the narrative present he’s therefore “no closer to settling down” and doesn’t know who he would be if he stayed in one place or committed to one relationship (6). His time in Asheboro grants him an unexpected sense of belonging and challenges him to imagine a more grounded life for himself.

By way of contrast, Kaitlyn Cooper and Jasper Johnson have lived in Asheboro for many years, but their new friendships compel them to rethink who they are and where they belong.