In Seattle, Elizabeth Athens receives a voice message not intended for her, but for someone named Madelyn, the male caller, obviously a former love but one not identifying himself by name, who apologies for the past and sincerely asks her to meet him in three days on Christmas Eve at "their place". Lizzie embarks on a mission to locate them, whoever they may be, to pass along the message or inform the caller of the error, with the caller ID only identifying the call originating from a local large hotel. She feels the need to embark on this mission 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 platonic 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, journalism graduates, 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 one lead after another, they are forced to examine their friendship, which if they do discover the truth behind Madelyn and the male caller will find it somewhat mirroring what they did and are going through themselves.—Huggo