After being rejected by his girlfriend Becky, architect Newton Davis impulsively builds his dream house in a small town in Massachusetts, hoping to win her back. However, Becky still chooses not to be with him, leaving Newton with a problem - a house he cannot afford and no one to share it with.
While drowning his sorrows at a local bar, Newton meets Gwen, a young waitress who takes a liking to him. They spend the night together, but Newton makes it clear that he is not interested in a serious relationship. Despite this, Gwen falls for him and follows him back to his house to stay.
Newton, desperate to get rid of Gwen, concocts a lie about being married to another woman. To his surprise, Gwen decides to play along and poses as his wife, even going as far as making a fake wedding album and setting up a home for them in his dream house.
The town quickly becomes enamored with the couple and their story, and Newton finds himself caught in the web of his own lies. He begins to see Gwen in a different light as they spend more time together pretending to be a happily married couple.
Things come to a head when Becky comes to visit Newton, and he realizes he has to come clean about his fake marriage. However, by this point, the town has fallen in love with the faux couple, and he risks losing everything he has built if he comes clean.
In the end, Newton confesses his lies to everyone, including Gwen, who is heartbroken and leaves town. However, he realizes that he has fallen in love with her and chases after her, proposing a real marriage in the end.