Plot summary

In Seattle, Elizabeth Athens receives a voice message not intended for her, but for someone named Madelyn, the male caller, obviously a former love, who apologies for the past and implores her to meet him in three days on Christmas Eve at "their place". Lizzie embarks on a mission to locate Madelyn, whoever she may be, to pass along the message, with the caller ID only identifying the call originating from a local large hotel. She feels the need to find Madelyn and/or the caller because of her own past and what could have been. That past comes back this Christmas in the form of Josh Hart, the two once best friends up until three Christmases ago when Andrew, the third in their threesome of best friends, died in an automobile accident. That event, including the guilt both felt, combined with a misunderstanding that still exists led to Josh leaving town to Michigan without word rather than his and Lizzie's intended path with both being offered jobs with the New York Times, Lizzie ending up staying in Seattle to work for her mother. As part of that past as painful and unfulfilled as it ended up being, Josh feels inclined to help Lizzie with this mission. As Lizzie and Josh follow different leads, they are forced to examine their friendship, which if they do discover the truth behind Madelyn and the male caller will find it someone mirroring what they did and are going through.