The loyal assistant to publisher John Caine, Donna Foster has agreed to put up John's niece, Christabel Caine, in her apartment as Christabel attends business school in San Francisco. This favor is not only due to that loyalty, but that Donna will soon be leaving anyway as she and her wealthy philanthropist boyfriend Curtis Carey will imminently be married, thus grooming Christabel, who ultimately will be working at the publishing house, to assume Donna's position both at the apartment and at the office. In living with Donna, innocent Christabel befriends not only Donna and Curtis, but Donna's rather bohemian friends, most specifically struggling artist Gabriel Broome - Gobby to his friends - always with a quip at the ready, and aspiring writer Nick Bradley, who lives next door and whose book John is contemplating publishing. There is an immediate sexual attraction between Christabel and Nick. However, underneath Christabel's innocent façade lies a conniver who has a larger goal of wealth, meaning setting her sights on Curtis, who she doesn't much like beyond his money. To achieve her goal of marrying Curtis, Christabel has to sow some seeds of doubt in Donna and Curtis' minds about their otherwise loving and loyal relationship. The other issue for Christabel is Nick in her want of having her cake and eating it too.