The series follows Ben Wheeler, a charming bartender in his twenties living in New York City with his sarcastic older brother, Danny, a professional hockey player, and their sharp-witted roommate, Tucker. Ben’s carefree, single lifestyle is upended when a baby girl named Emma is left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend, Angela. Initially overwhelmed, Ben quickly falls in love with the infant and decides, with the enthusiastic support of his roommates and his meddling,
overbearing mother, Bonnie, to raise her himself.Navigating fatherhood proves chaotic for the amateur trio, but Ben is determined to prove he can be a responsible parent. Central to the plot is Ben’s complicated romantic history with his lifelong childhood best friend, Riley Perrin, a brilliant corporate lawyer who has harbored a secret, unrequited crush on Ben for years. Although Ben is frequently oblivious to Riley’s feelings, their dynamic shifts as Riley helps him care for Emma, eventually leading to a messy web of romantic tension. Adding to the romantic geometry is Danny, who is secretly in love with Riley, creating a recurring brotherly rivalry for her affection. Meanwhile, Tucker provides comedic relief as he pursues his own career aspirations in television production and offers unfiltered, often disastrous advice.As the seasons progress, the plot evolves past simple diaper-duty jokes into serialized
relationship drama. Bonnie constantly manipulates the lives of her sons while pursuing her own late-in-life romance with her much younger boyfriend, Brad. Ben continuously chases the "perfect" woman, often sabotaging his own happiness, while stumbling through various career paths, eventually finding his stride working at a sports bar. Riley navigates the high-pressure legal world, experiencing dramatic engagements, career triumphs, and romantic turbulence before finally confronting her true feelings.Major milestones define the later years: Emma grows from an infant into a spirited toddler, forcing the family to adapt to preschool tantrums and custody scares. The core emotional anchor of the series remains the protracted love triangle between Ben, Riley, and Danny. After seasons of near-misses, breakups, and heartfelt confessions, Danny and Riley finally get together, leading to a high-stakes romance that tests the brothers' bond. However, the emotional climax arrives when Riley realizes her deep connection with Ben still lingers, leading to a dramatic resolution. Ultimately, the series concludes with Ben and Riley realizing they belong together, marrying in a joyful ceremony, and cementing their unconventional, fiercely loyal family unit alongside a now-thriving Emma, Danny, Tucker, and matriarch Bonnie.