Michael Barringer started life as an only child. He had wonderful, loving parents, security and everything a little boy could want. His parents taught him the value of work and how to get things done by showing their example. They were also patient and took lots of time to explain how the world works.
When he was seven, Mike's father was killed in a car crash. At his dad's funeral, the reality that his father was gone forever hit him hard and he had a meltdown right there in front of everyone, making this painful day so much worse for his monther. After that, he dug his heels in and promised himself he would never do anything to hurt his mom again.
While his mom did everything she could for him in the years after his father's death, Mike's unspoken secret desire to have his dad back was always with him, as was the feeling that his mom was somehow responsible for the loss of his dad. As he grew up, he was smart, athletic, handsome and hard working, but he often retreated into his own world.
Twenty years after his father passed away, Mike's habit of shifting blame to his mother had grown to encompass all women. This personality quirk caused him no end of trouble and even had a negative effect on his work life, which is how he ended up working for a print firm rather than at a large corporation.
Mike's saving grace came in the form of a co-worker. Realizing he cares for this woman and wants her in his life comes as a surprise to Mike, since the only thing he'd wanted for so long was to have his dad back. As his feelings for her grow, he comes to understand so much more about himself and what is important in life.