Meghan Gray's only remaining memory of her adored Pappy is his home on the glistening Atlantic Ocean. She spends the summer on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks, longing to be near her grandfather and holding the manilla envelope he gave her tightly in her palm. She first encounters moody Toby Meyers, a local businessman, on her first night on the island bathed in sunlight. Without Pappy, she could feel lost, but gazing into Toby's brilliant blue eyes makes her feel at home.