Page 18 of Finding Home at Hearts Hotel

"You helped me open up my heart," Owen told her, staring down at the dark liquid in his mug. "I come from a world where love is a four-letter word spoken in distaste. You marry for alliance, you marry for power, and you marry to strengthen your social standing and fill your pockets. Not for love"

"You were never like your family," Gill reminded him, her voice carrying a fierce pride. "That's why you went into archaeology. You had a passion burning through your veins that your parents simply couldn't extinguish."

"My father was horrified when I followed in his younger brother's footsteps." Owen let out a low, rough laugh, and for a fleeting moment, the old feeling of youthful rebellion coursed through his chest.

"So they tried to suffocate you by forcing you to marry Debbi," Gill stated, her eyes softening. "It was their way of tightening the shackles of control on one part of your life."

"But you helped me break those shackles, and in return..." Owen trailed off, swallowing hard as the heavy wave of guilt and pain hit his chest once again.

"No," Gill said, her voice rising even more fiercely as she leaned across the table. "I told you not to do that. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a single thing. It was worth everything to free you from that toxic relationship with both Debbi and your parents."

"But I should've protected you and your father," Owen said. His voice gentled. "He was more of a parent to me than mine ever was."

"You did protect us," Gill pointed out, her voice turning serious. "Because of you, the Winebergs withdrew their charges, and I didn’t go to jail on a fabricated lie." She frowned slightly, her eyes searching his face. "How did you get them to drop the charges? She said she’d only do it if you dropped the divorce."

Owen’s eyes blazed with a cold triumph. "She was having an affair with her bodyguard, and I happened to have it on video."

"Oh, no," Gill gasped, her eyes widening in sheer shock.

"In my world, status and appearance are everything," Owen muttered, leaning forward slightly over his mug. "Having an affair with someone of your own status or higher is not too taboo, but..."

"A bodyguard," Gill whispered, her eyes wide before she snorted, a beautiful, genuine smile splitting her face. "How ironic. The queen bee accuses us of going behind her back, and all the while..."

"I know, right?" Owen nodded, his lips curving into a genuine grin.

He looked at Gill, and his heart swelled with a peaceful joy. He realized how much he still loved her. But the nature of that lovehad changed, evolving over the long years of separation into something comfortable and safe. It was the deep, unshakeable love between two very dear, old friends.

Just then, the small brass bell above the front door let out a cheerful chime, and Owen turned his head toward the entrance. His heart gave a hard, sudden lurch against his ribs as Isabel and Baxter walked into the dim dining room. He saw Gill’s head turn at the exact same instant, and he knew by the immediate, breathless softening of her features that her heart had stuttered at the sight of the developer.

"Oh," Isabel said, pulling a playful face as she approached their corner booth. "We’re not here to intrude."

"Or spy," Baxter added quickly, holding up a handwritten paper list. "We've been sent with a direct commission for some of the diner's specialty coffees."

Owen and Isabel exchanged a look, and a sharp, sweet spark of electricity zipped straight to his chest. He and Gill glanced at each other with knowing smiles on their faces. The weight of the last ten years seemed to dissolve, and their hands gave one final, supportive squeeze over the laminate table before they turned to welcome the new people in their lives.

"Come sit with us while you wait for the order," Gill invited, gesturing toward the empty vinyl benches. "We’re finished talking."

"And," Owen said, his eyes locking onto Isabel’s with a steady devotion, "let this be the first of many double dates between old friends and family."

PENNY

Penny adjusted the rearview mirror of her rental sedan, watching the indigo twilight settle gently over the mangroves lining the bay road. It had been a busy afternoon, but after a long, hot shower, the lingering exhaustion of the daytime games had finally washed away. She’d swept her dark hair back into a neat, secure knot, keeping it fully out of her face for what she knew was going to be a high-energy night. She smoothed down the front of her crisp white cotton shirt, feeling the stiff, familiar denim of her favorite jeans hugging her hips, and zipped up her brown leather boots.

Her thoughts drifted, without her permission, to the moments she’d shared with Martin on the grassy lawn of her new estate the other day. The memory of his strong hands, the clean scent of his skin, and the quiet, steady reassurance of his voice still made her pulse skip a beat. She took a slow, steadying breath to calm the unexpected flutter of butterflies in her stomach, reminding herself that tonight was supposed to be a celebration of the summer games victory. There would be plenty of time to explore those new, exciting feelings later, but for now, she needed to keep herself composed, shield firmly in place.

Isabel was dressed in similar attire as they met in the hotel suite and then drove to Pete’s diner in Penny’s rental car.

"Are we actually going to get a parking spot, or are we destined to circle this lot until the awards are over?" Isabel asked from the passenger seat, her tone dry but filled with a relaxed humor.

"Pete promised me he'd keep a designated space clear near the service entrance," Penny replied, offering a confident smile as she navigated the vehicle through the crowded gravel lot of the Gulf Coast Grille.

The diner was decidedly buzzing with life. The stark, golden light of the neon signs reflected off the polished hoods of the cars, and the rich, mouthwatering scent of hickory smoke and baking yeast rolled across the gravel. Penny guided the sedan into the small, reserved slot near the side path, killed the engine, and let out a long, contented sigh. They’d made it, and they were fully ready for a night of victory, dancing, and fun.

As they climbed out into the humid night air and started making their way around the back toward the large barn, Penny reached into her leather handbag, her fingers brushing past her keys until they locked onto a small plastic sheet. She pulled a bright, custom sticker from her purse and, with a satisfied grin, slapped it firmly onto the left side of her cotton shirt.

Isabel stopped and raised a brow before rolling her eyes toward the sky as she took in the bold, printed letters on Penny's chest. She shook her head in sheer, good-natured disbelief.

"Really?" she asked, her voice carrying a dry amusement."Proud to be the Hearts Hotel Team's Vice-Captain? You actually had those printed?"