After his mother dies in 2003, Gus Shepard leaves his quiet artistic life for Livingston, Montana, and the estranged woodworking father he barely knows.
Grief, painful childhood memories, and endless sawdust close in until he meets Bridger Owens, a rebellious local skateboarder who trades lessons for a handcrafted board.
Their bargain grows into an unexpected bond and, across one short summer, a tender romance they must hide where everyone already knows each other’s secrets and being gay feels unthinkable.
Max Stevens, Bridger’s jealous skate-crew leader, resents Gus’s closeness to his best friend, while Tara Shae, the town’s coolest skater girl, senses that Gus does not fit Livingston’s mold any more than she does.
Whispers, confrontations, and family pressure test them through late-night swims and daring sessions on the board, leaving open whether they will risk everything to hold on or let their separate worlds pull them apart.
