Page 15 of Finding Home at Hearts Hotel

The starter's pistol fired, releasing a sharp puff of white smoke into the bright morning air where the ground shimmered with the promised heat of the day.

"Pull!" Sophia’s commanding voice cut through the silence.

The crowd erupted into a deafening roar.Salty’s Pridesurged forward with a heavy, wet splash as the four oars bit into the lake in perfect synchronization, the race officially underway.

As the boats sliced through the water, heading toward the halfway turn, Baxter turned to the group with an easy smile. "I'm going to grab us some cold drinks from the cooler while they're on the straightaway," he announced, looking around the circle. "What's everyone's preference?"

He quickly took their orders, offering a polite nod before turning to jog toward the shaded hospitality tents.

With Baxter gone, a lingering awkwardness settled over the small space between Owen and Gill. They stood side-by-side near the wooden railing, the cheering of the crowd fading into a background hum as the sheer weight of their shared history pressed down on them. Ten long years had passed since the academic scandal in Charleston had shattered their lives, and since she’d arrived in Sweet Blossom Bay, they hadn't managed to exchange a single private word.

Owen looked down at her, his throat feeling dry as he took in the familiar slope of her shoulders. He knew they couldn't keep dancing around the past. They needed to talk.

Owen turned his head slightly, lowering his voice. "Can we talk?"

Gill glanced up at him, her kind eyes softening as a gentle, reassuring smile touched her lips. "Of course."

Before Owen could formulate a response, Baxter jogged back toward them, carrying a couple of cold bottles. He stopped near the railing, his eyes moving between them with a knowing expression. "Could you perhaps wait until the race is over?" Baxter advised with a supportive smile, his tone entirely free of tension. "I'm sure Isabel would appreciate your full support right now."

Owen blinked, a flush of self-consciousness creeping up his neck. He looked out over the lake, where Isabel was throwing her entire weight into the oar, her stroke fluid and powerful. "I was actually going to suggest that," Owen admitted, offering Baxter a respectful nod.

"Drat!" Michael’s sharp, frustrated hiss cut through their conversation.

They turned to see the team captain kneeling in the grass, his face flushed with irritation as he struggled to gather a scattering of loose papers. He’d dropped Maggie’s and Penny’s compliance clipboards, and the gentle breeze was currently trying to blow the structural registration forms directly into the lake. "Agghhh, I need some help over here."

"I'll handle it," Gill offered immediately, stepping forward to assist him. She knelt on the grass, her movements swift and efficient as she began stacking the forms. She paused, turning her head back to look at Owen. "After the race is finished, we can go over to the diner and talk. There is a scheduled break after this event anyway."

She stood up, offering Baxter a bright, affectionate smile before leaning in to press a gentle, reassuring kiss against his forehead. "I haven't been much help with the physical events today sinceI'm thoroughly useless at sports. But I can certainly help with the administrative work."

Michael offered her a grateful look as she took the heavy clipboards from his hands. The men offered a supportive nod, and Gill walked off to help the harried captain organize the team dockets.

Owen watched her walk away, his eyes tracking her grace before he turned his head to face the developer beside him. He knew the parameters had shifted, and he needed to ensure there was no lingering misunderstanding between them.

"Baxter…” His eyes met the man's. “I just need to clear the air."

"Hey, I know," Baxter said, his voice low and level.

Owen looked closely at his face, searching for any hidden sign of territorial anger or jealousy, but he found nothing. The developer's eyes were calm, reflecting a deep, unshakeable certainty. Baxter turned his head to watch Gill as she sat beside Michael on the bench, organizing the files, and the look that softened his features was one of love.

"I figured the two of you needed to finally close that chapter of your lives," Baxter said, turning his gaze back to Owen.

"You really love her, don't you?" Owen asked quietly, a sudden, surprising lightness settling behind his own ribs.

The realization didn't bring a single pang of regret or jealousy. Instead, his heart felt genuinely lighter, a clean sense of peace washing over him. Gill had survived so much pain, and knowing she was cherished by a man who was willing to run a dangerous corporate sting just to clear her name was exactly what she deserved.

"From the first moment I met her," Baxter admitted, his tone turning unusually sincere. "She changed me, and she changed my world."

Owen offered a nod, his eyes drifting back out toward the water.Salty’s Pridewas currently rounding the yellow marker buoy, and thanks to Sophia’s sharp, authoritative guidance, the Hearts Hotel team was pulling well ahead of the Sanibel boat. He could hear the teenager’s voice barking out the rowing rhythm over the splashing water, and a helpless smile touched his lips.

"I know that feeling," Owen murmured.

"I know," Baxter said, his voice filled with a protectiveness. "I can see the way you look at my cousin." He turned his shoulders, his eyes locking onto the women's boat as it entered the final stretch. "She deserves to find happiness again after all the grief and loss she has survived. But you have to know, she has a protective brother, a cousin, and a best friend guarding her."

The warning was subtle, delivered with a calm, steady levelness, but the steel behind the words was unmistakable.

"Don't worry," Owen assured him, his voice firm and steady as he met the developer's gaze. "She has my heart and soul."

He paused, his eyes moving over the water where Isabel’s oar was slicing the surface in perfect form. "And Gill... she will always hold a special place in my heart, and you can think of me as her protector as well. And by extension, my brothers, Martin and Michael."