Page 26 of Finding Home at Hearts Hotel

"Dolly's Sweets and Confections is your actual aunt?" Martin spluttered, his eyes widening behind his glasses as he nearly dropped his notepad.

"Yes," Penny nodded again, adjusting her collar.

"You never mentioned a single word about that," Maggie said, her eyes flashing with a sudden, dramatic betrayal. "We could've been getting Dolly's delights delivered straight to the boutique this entire summer."

"Well, it's not exactly the sort of thing you bring up in casual conversation," Penny reasoned, her smile returning. "But then Anna mentioned the other day that George had a passion for those specific caramels and that they were hard to come by lately, so I called her."

"You know we all have a massive sweet tooth in this family," Maggie pressed on, stepping closer to the chaise. "You could've at least mentioned your aunt was the goddess of sugary delights."

George let out a hearty, raspy chuckle, the happy sound chasing away the final remnants of the clinical hospital fog. He knew exactly how legendary Maggie's sweet tooth was. For someone with her elegant, trim figure, he’d always been wholly amazed by the sheer mountain of treats she could consume. Whenever he’d pointed it out in the past, Maggie would simply roll her eyes and say that her metabolism ran like a racecar before continuing to eat her treats.

He shook his head with a fond smile. "You can have one or two when I open the box, I promise."

"I'm definitely holding you to that promise," Maggie stated, and George knew she most certainly would. She turned a bright, mischievous grin toward Penny. "And you and I are going to have a long talk about your Aunt Dolly. You have to take us to meet her. She’s my absolute idol."

"Sure," Penny said good-naturedly, her shoulders relaxing. "My aunt always loves to meet her most dedicated fans."

"I don't think taking her to a sweet factory is a very safe idea," Jake warned with a cheeky grin as he nudged Toby's shoulder. "Grampa Tom never leaves her unsupervised in the bakery as itis. I can only imagine what she’d be like inside a massive candy factory."

"You've got room to talk, squirt," Maggie said playfully, reaching out to ruffle his hair with an affectionate hand.

"Thank you," George said, holding up the golden box of chocolates. "I'm certainly going to enjoy these."

Brock stepped forward, his quick hands smoothly intercepting the box before George could slide it beneath his blanket. "I'll be taking charge of those for now, and I'll keep them in a very secure place." He eyed George sternly. "We'll treat these as motivational rewards for when you finish your physical therapy exercises."

"Yes," Stuart added, his calm face creased with an amused smile. "You know you're on a highly restricted diet at the moment."

George grumbled beneath his breath, but a deep wave of laughter rolled through the room. Every single person there knew that George Heart would eventually find a clever way to secure his favorite treats, regardless of how tightly the nursing team locked them away.

"Now, this has been a truly wonderful homecoming reunion," Stuart said, turning a sunny smile toward the gathered group of family and friends. "But we need to get our patient settled, his vitals checked, and then he needs to get some rest."

The group nodded in agreement, and one by one they stepped up to his bedside, offering hugs and promising to drop by again soon. Slowly, the chatter faded, and the bedroom began to quiet down as the double doors clicked shut behind them.

Anna was the last person remaining in the suite, besides Brock and Stuart. She walked over to the side of the chaise, leaning down over the safety rail to press a lingering kiss against his cheek.

"Welcome home, my love," Anna whispered, her voice low and meant only for his ears. "I'll be staying right upstairs. Michael and Linda have set up a bedroom for me in the main house so I can assist with your daily care."

George's eyes lit with a brilliant happiness, his fingers tightening around hers. "I'm glad."

"I'll be back to check on you later," Anna said in a hushed voice.

Before she could step away, George reached up, his large hand capturing hers as he pulled her closer. His lips met hers at long last. Brock and Stuart discreetly turned their backs to the bed, focusing on organizing the medication vials on the side counter to give them some privacy.

"I'll look forward to seeing you later," George whispered as they parted, his voice thick with emotion.

The excitement and physical exertion of leaving the hospital was finally catching up to his system, and a heavy wave of exhaustion settled over his shoulders, making his eyelids feel heavy. He watched Anna walk quietly out of the suite, letting out a long, contented sigh as his head sank deeper into the pillows. He was home at last. His family, his extended family, and the love of his life were all gathered beneath his roof, wrapping him in their protection. George knew he still had a long, challenging road ahead with his physical recovery, but now, he had the best possible reason in the world to work hard and get well.

MICHAEL

The whirr of the overhead ceiling fan did little to stir the heavy, humid air in his office. Michael sat behind the massive mahogany desk, his fingers tracing the smooth, worn edge of the dark wood where his late father’s hands had rested decades ago. It was barely noon, but the morning had already been a grueling marathon of municipal bureaucracy. He had spent three hours in a stuffy town council chamber alongside Darius, Owen, Baxter, and Martin, meticulously sorting through the final zoning clearances for the hotel property.

Now that the Winebergs’ fraudulent claims were officially cleared from the state registry, the council had finally approved their long-term expansion plans. It was a simple, elegant project: constructing a small, cedar-framed strip of local shops on the vacant land extending directly from the hotel’s side parking lot. The development would provide a permanent home for Maggie’s bridal boutique and a new, secondary location for Owen’s café, bringing a steady flow of visitor traffic to the bay without altering an ounce of its sleepy, historic character.

It was the perfect victory, finalized just in time for Uncle George's official discharge from the hospital. Yet, as Michael looked down at the stamped municipal permits spread across his desk blotter, his analytical mind refused to lock onto the legal terms. He stared at the blue municipal ink, but his thoughts kept drifting backward, sliding away from the zoning codes and the building setbacks to find the cedar-scented barn dance.

He was back on that crowded wooden floor, holding Maggie close while the slow, sweet strumming of an acoustic guitar echoed off the rafters. He could still feel the low heat of her skin under his palms, the gentle, rhythmic sway of her body against his, and the exact, breathless moment he had looked into her green eyes and told her that he loved her. His pulse gave a rapid leap at the memory, a reaction that had nothing at all to do with the corporate success of the day.

Michael let out a slow breath, pulling his hand away from the paperwork. He reached forward and slid open the deep top drawer of the mahogany desk. Nestled securely in the far corner, right beside his leather-bound legal planner, was a small, worn blue velvet box. He reached inside, his fingers closing around the slightly faded fabric, and lifted the box out into the sunlight streaming through the office window.