Would winning a cook in a poker game be a good deal for Luke Tyler, a gold mine owner, especially when the cook is a reluctant, beautiful young gal? Luke With the charm of a lazy smile, the dark-haired gold mine owner, joins in a poker game. His opponent is the owner of the saloon-café, who has a daughter that prepares the food for his establishment. Luke Tyler's gold mining camp is in desperate need of a good cook. His opponent holds a sure hand to win the big pot, but he doesn't have money to continue. Luke encourages him to put up his daughter as collateral. Confident that he can't lose, he agrees. Unfortunately, his lady luck has ran out. Mary Grace Mary Grace Winters is the picture of beauty with the heart of a tiger.

She works her fingers to the bone for her pa as housekeeper and cook at his café. When she overhears that she's been put up as collateral for a bet in a poker game, she swears she'll hate her pa for the rest of her life and she'll never be owned by a total stranger. Linda Sealy Knowles weaves a heart-warming story filled with humor, enduring family ties, and romance.