Chapter 1
Enjoy More Books By Leeanna Morgan
About This Book
Fans of Pamela Kelley and Robyn Carr will love this later in life, small-town romance!
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Sometimes, the best recipes are made from second chances and shared dreams.
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At sixty-seven, Susan Timms thought she’d closed the final chapter on her culinary career when she sold her Georgia catering business. Moving to Sapphire Bay to reunite with her friends feels like the fresh start she desperately needs—until she meets a man who’s just as passionate about food as she is.
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Paul left behind the glittering success of his Los Angeles and San Francisco restaurants for the peaceful shores of Sapphire Bay, trading fame and fortune for a simpler life. After his marriage crumbled under the weight of eighteen-hour days and endless ambition, he swore off both romance and the high-pressure culinary world that had consumed him.
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When he asks Susan to help him create a new menu for his restaurant, he discovers that the most important ingredient in any recipe is trust. Together, they learn that it’s never too late to blend two lives, two dreams, and two hearts into something beautiful—proving that the sweetest success comes not from what you achieve alone, but from what you create together.
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Cottage on the Bay is the fourth book in Leeanna’s A New Beginning series and can easily be read as a standalone. All of Leeanna’s series are linked. If you find a character you like, they could be in another novel!
Chapter 1
Susan stood in the kitchen of the newly renovated Arts and Crafts Center in Sapphire Bay, arranging the final touches on a platter of herb-crusted salmon canapés. Her hands moved with the practiced efficiency of three decades in the catering business, but tonight felt different.
She’d been looking forward to providing the catering for the premiere of Piper Adams’ documentary about an underground network of women. Especially after seeing the hidden room in Kathleen’s basement where Florence and Miriam Buckley’s remarkable story had begun. But as Susan garnished the final canapé with a sprig of fresh dill, she couldn’t shake the hollow feeling that had been following her since she’d moved to Montana five months ago.
Through the kitchen doorway, she saw the reception area filling with couples. Mayor Patricia Chen arrived with her husband of forty years. Dr. Sarah Mitchell from the Smithsonian had brought her partner. Even Mabel Terry from the general store had brought her husband—and Allan hardly ever came to this type of event.
Susan turned back to her platters, swallowing against the unexpected tightness in her throat.
At sixty-seven, she thought she’d made peace with being alone. She’d sold her Georgia catering business—the company she’d built from nothing after her divorce thirty years ago. She’d moved to Sapphire Bay to reunite with her childhood friends and found meaningful work teaching cooking classes at the Welcome Center. She had everything she’d told herself she wanted. Freedom, friendship, and the breathtaking beauty of Flathead Lake each time she went for a walk.
So why did she feel like she was standing on the outside of her own life, watching everyone else live while she just... existed?
“Susan!” Isabel’s voice called from across the room. Her friend looked radiant in a forest green wrap dress, her silver hair swept into a sophisticated updo. Frank stood beside her, his hand resting protectively on the small of her back. “Need any help?”
“I think I’m all set, but thanks.” Susan forced brightness into her voice. Isabel and Frank had found each other at sixty-five, proving it was never too late for love. Lynda had found Matt. Even Kathleen and Patrick had finally admitted that they were head over heels in love with each other.
Susan was the only one still alone.
She picked up a tray of appetizers and carried them into the reception area, her smile firmly in place. She’d become an expert at this over the years—the competent, cheerful woman who made everyone else’s celebrations perfect while her own life remained stubbornly empty.
“Excuse me, are you Susan Fletcher?”
She turned to find a young reporter from the Flathead Beacon, notebook already open. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m Jennifer Walker. I was hoping to get a few quotes about tonight’s event. I understand you provided the catering?” The reporter’s eyes brightened. “And what’s next for you? Any plans to expand your cooking classes or maybe open a restaurant?”
The question landed like a stone in Susan’s chest. What’s next for you?
If only she knew.
