Plot

Travis and Gabby first meet as neighbors in a small coastal town and wind up in a relationship that is tested by life's most defining events.

In a small coastal town, veterinarian Travis Shaw works with his father Shep and is very close to his beloved sister Steph. Travis is very successful with women and dates Monica every now and then. When resident Gabby Holland moves in next door, she initially believes he is a pretentious man. But when her boyfriend Ryan MacCarthy, who is a fellow doctor in the same hospital where she works, needs to travel to another city, Gabby and Travis have a relationship and fall in love with each other. Out of the blue, Ryan returns and proposes to her. Now she must make a choice between her two loves.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Medical student Gabby moves next door to a charming womanizer named Travis in North Carolina. Although Gabby has a serious boyfriend, she and Travis quickly develop feelings for each other that blossom into love; over the course of a decade, their relationship faces ups and downs as they try to decide what they want out of life and what is truly important to them..

The film opens seven years prior to the current events in the story. Travis Shaw (Benjamin Walker) is a charming young man from the south who appeals to all women, but he is casually seeing a woman named Monica (Alexandra Daddario).

At night, Travis meets his new neighbor Gabby Holland (Teresa Palmer) when she complains about his music being too loud. She also complains that Travis's dog Moby has possibly knocked up her dog Molly. Gabby seems to be the only one that does not fall for Travis's charm, though his sister Stephanie (Maggie Grace) can see that he's interested.

Gabby is a doctor at a hospital while Travis works with his father Dr. Shep (Tom Wilkinson) at the vet clinic. Shep can also see the awkward chemistry between them.

Travis and Monica are at a fair together and run into Gabby and her boyfriend Ryan (Tom Welling). Travis is visibly displeased.

Over time, Travis and Gabby develop a friendship as he brings her along with his friends on their trips by the lake. Travis helps Gabby when Molly has her puppies while Ryan is away on a trip. Gabby attends church with Travis where Shep is preaching. He later talks to Gabby about how this day would have been his wife's 57th birthday. She died of cancer when Travis was 14, and Shep turned to God after the event.

Gabby goes over to Travis's home as they discuss what to do with the puppies. They start to bicker with one another, annoyed at each other but with an obvious sexual tension. Quickly, the two cannot hide their attraction for one another, and they begin to kiss and eventually make love for the first time.

Ryan eventually returns from his trip and goes back to spending time with Gabby, leaving Travis upset. He tells Gabby how much he loves her but knows he cannot separate her and Ryan. Gabby writes a letter to Travis saying that she told Ryan about the affair and that he angrily broke it off with her but then proposed. Meanwhile, Monica tells Travis she knows how he feels about Gabby, and while she is upset, she knows he must still go after what his heart wants.

Travis goes to Gabby's home and asks her parents for their blessing. The two seem pleased to consider Tom as a son-in-law, but nobody listens to what Gabby has to say in regards to the situation. Her mom gives Travis a ring that belonged to Gabby's grandmother, and Travis proposes with it. Gabby says no and he keeps asking and asking until she relents and says yes.

Travis and Gabby are married, and they have two kids over the next seven years. However, Travis has been busy with work lately and has missed a few dates. On one such date night, Gabby leaves the restaurant after thinking Travis stood her up. Her car is struck by another on the road, leaving her in a coma. Travis is told that he has 90 days to let Gabby wake up or she may never recover and may be forced off life support. This leaves Travis with a difficult choice.

Travis visits Gabby frequently at the hospital and reaffirms his love for her continuously. He receives support from Stephanie and their dad, but Travis worries that he will lose Gabby for good.

One afternoon, Travis takes his boat out on the lake. He goes by the lake house and sees the wind chimes blowing. Somehow, this encourages him to run to the hospital where he sees that Gabby is awake. He goes to his wife and kisses her.

Travis sets up an outdoor dinner to make it up to Gabby for missing their last date. She tells him she heard every word he said to her about how much he loves her. Travis jokes that if Moby never made a move on Molly, they never would have met.

The film ends with Travis and Gabby taking their kids by the lake to stare up at the moon.