Nan Masters, a single mother living with her four marriageable daughters, plans to marry businessman Sam Sloane. Suddenly her first husband Jim returns after having deserted his family 20 years earlier. Worldly wanderer Jim gets a cool family reception at first, but his warm personality gradually wins his daughters' affections; in fact youngest daughter Buff, who has her eye on her own maverick, Gabriel Lopez, is pleased when Jim approves their relationship. She plans to elope with Gabriel on her mother's wedding day--but "unpredictable" is Gabriel's middle name.