All that Meghan Gray has left of her beloved pappy is his cottage on the edge of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Longing to feel close to her grandfather, she returns to the golden sands of Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks for the summer, clutching the manilla envelope he gifted her tightly in her hand. But on her first night on the sun-drenched island, she meets brooding Toby Meyers, a local businessman. She might feel lost without Pappy, but looking into Toby's sparkling blue eyes feels like coming home.

As Meghan strolls along the sand with Toby, breathing in the salty air, she feels like she is making new memories . . . until she opens the envelope. Inside, she finds a black-and-white photograph of someone she doesn't recognize. If she can find out its meaning, and why Pappy gave it to her, she'll unlock a secret that has been hidden for decades. But the truth has the power to change everything Meghan and Toby thought they knew about their lives--and it will either bring them together or break their hearts.