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PROLOGUE
Eleanor “Ellie” Weatherby sat on the front porch of the home she and her deceased husband, William, had built in the 1970s at Sanderling Cove on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Since its original construction, the house had been renovated several times, buildings had been added to the oversized property, and Ellie was now co-owner of an upscale operation called The Sanderling Cove Inn.
She’d invited her three granddaughters to visit her. At the thought, waves of hope swept through her. She loved her granddaughters with all her heart and hoped to settle a family issue with them. Born within eighteen months of one another, they were a remarkable trio. But which one of them would be willing to do as she asked? They were each unique. But then her three daughters were very different and, to her disappointment, not close.
At fifty-nine, Vanessa, her oldest, was overly involved in New York society, a woman focused on appearance. Vanessa herself was a stunning, auburn-haired, gray-eyed woman who was used to being noticed. She’d had a tragic first marriage that fell apart after her three-year-old son drowned in the surf not far from Sanderling Cove. Charlotte, Vanessa’s twenty-nine-year-old daughter, was still trying to find her place in the world. It was no wonder. Neither of her parents was the warm, cuddly type. Ellie sighed.
Ellie thought of JoAnne, her middle daughter. Two years younger than Vanessa, Jo was a single mother. Of all her daughters, Jo was the sweetest and the one who’d suffered most in life. She’d struggled with depression for years and now fought every day with numerous symptoms of fibromyalgia and the problems associated with it. Jo’s daughter, Brooke, just turned twenty-eight and was a strong supporter of her mother, but, in Ellie’s opinion, her granddaughter should be out on her own. Both Brooke and Jo needed to add sparkle to their lives, brighten their appearance, buy some new clothes, enjoy what fun they could. Jo made a good living working from home doing IT work for an understanding company, and Brooke worked in an accounting office. They lived in upstate New York, where Jo had been her happiest before her fiancé was killed in Iraq.
Last but certainly not least, Leigh, her youngest and her father’s favorite, entered her thoughts. She was a beauty with caramel-colored hair and green eyes that sparkled. At 49, Leigh still attracted attention and favors from others, but it hadn’t always been easy. She’d had her daughter out-of-wedlock at 20, and after going back to work when Olivia was less than a year old, she’d ended up marrying her boss a few years later. Her husband, Jack, pampered her, which seemed appropriate after she gave him two sons, whom they both adored. But it was Olivia, with strawberry-blond hair, blue eyes, and a short figure, who was Ellie’s favorite.
Ellie kept in touch with her daughters frequently, but she didn’t often see them. Vanessa hated Florida after losing her son there, Jo didn’t like to travel, and Leigh was a social butterfly, a southern belle who was usually too busy. However, all three daughters encouraged their girls to visit her in Sanderling Cove. Ellie loved their times together, loved them in a way that was easier than being a parent to them. Grandmothers could get away with saying quite a lot, and Ellie was known for not holding back. She tried to be a supportive, loving figure in the family and did her best to hold them all together.
Ellie stared out at the waves that filled her with hope. They rushed into shore to embrace the sand and quickly pulled away again, like a shy teenager after her first kiss. Seagulls and terns floated in the sky, riding the wind, their white wings like the sails of a boat against the blue background. The air on this May day caressed her skin. She lifted her face to the breeze, enjoying the tangy taste of salt.
She glanced around. Sanderling Cove held only five houses and the Inn and hadn’t changed that much from all those years ago when she and William first bought land there. She loved it and never wanted to leave her home.
If only things would work out the way she wanted.
