Page 42 of Finding Home at Hearts Hotel

"Anytime," Martin's voice dropped, his gaze locking onto her face with a quick, intense tenderness that made her pulse race against her ribs.

They fell into a comfortable, deeply content silence, the steady lap of the waves and the distant glow of the bonfire the only boundaries to their private sanctuary. Penny looked up into his handsome, rugged face under the silver moonlight, realizing with a quick, breathless certainty that she was falling fully in love with him.

"Do you trust me?" Martin asked unexpectedly, his voice carrying a serious weight.

"Sure," Penny said, her heart giving an excited leap as he stepped around to stand directly beside her, his fingers lacing through hers.

"Will you close your eyes for a second?" Martin asked.

"That depends," Penny said, her dark brows drawing together in immediate, playful suspicion as she studied his features. "What are you up to?"

"Will you?" Martin coaxed his eyes sparkling with a hopeful anticipation.

"Okay," Penny nodded. She let out a breath as she closed her eyes, letting the darkness wrap around her as she focused on the cool night wind.

She felt Martin shifting in the sand beside her, a rustle of fabric, and then, a faint, metallic click echoed through the thick air, making her brow furrow in deep curiosity.

"Open them," Martin commanded.

She did, her breath catching sharply in her throat as her eyes widened to their limits.

Martin was kneeling in the white sand in front of her. In his large, weathered hands, he held a beautiful, velvet-lined box open, and a flawless, stunning diamond ring was glinting brilliantly under the silver reflection of the full moon.

"I have fallen head over heels in love with you," Martin's voice was slightly gruff with a raw, intense emotion that was ripped from his soul. He looked up at her, his expression fully devoted and vulnerable. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Penny’s breath hitched, her heart leaping straight into her throat, a quick, powerful wave of joy flooding her chest. There was a roaring in her ears, and her stomach was a wild, fluttering mess of happy, nervous butterflies. She whispered his name as tears were pricking the back of her eyes as she looked down atthe man who had healed her broken heart without even trying. "I love you too. And yes... yes, I'll marry you."

He let out a long, ragged sigh of relief, his fingers trembling slightly as he reached out, took her hand, and slipped the beautiful diamond ring onto her finger.

The exact second the band of gold settled securely against her skin, a loud, collective chorus of "yay!" and thunderous clapping erupted from the shadow of the dunes.

Penny turned her head quickly, her jaw dropping as she gulped in surprise. The entire bonfire party, Linda, Darius, Maggie, Michael, Owen, Isabel, and all five of the kids, were standing just yards away near the edge of the grass, cheering and waving their hands in total victory! They had followed them down the shoreline to watch the whole proposal!

But before she could even form a single embarrassed retort, Martin was already on his feet. He caught her securely around the waist, lifting her right off the sand into his strong arms and spinning her around in a joyous, triumphant circle.

"You have made me the happiest man alive," Martin whispered against her ear, his chest expanding with an overwhelming happiness.

He gently lowered her back down, his arms pulling her body tightly against his as he bent down and crushed his lips against hers in a deep, slow, and lingering kiss. As the rest of the beach faded fully into the background, Penny realized with total certainty that Martin wasn't just a second-chance love. He was her first big, true love, and her beautiful future had finally begun under the starlit sky of Sweet Blossom Bay.

LINDA

The rustle of silk and the excited whispers of the girls filled the spacious bridal suite of the hotel. Linda stood near the wide arched window, the cool breeze from the bay blowing through the sheer lace curtains to offer a temporary reprieve from the heat of the summer afternoon. She held a silver brush in her hand, her fingers tracing the polished handle as she watched her lifelong best friend stand before the three-panel mirror. Maggie looked breathtaking. The ivory bridal gown draped gracefully from her shoulders, the clean, simple lines of the silk falling into elegant sweeps that moved beautifully with every minor movement. There were no big, puffy layers or heavy petticoats to clutter the silhouette, just pure, classic elegance that matched her gentle spirit.

Linda felt a tight, happy knot of emotion rising in her chest as she walked over to adjust the delicate tulle of Maggie's veil. They had known each other since they were children, running barefoot through the wet sand of the bay and sharing every secret, every dream, and every heartbreak that life had thrown their way. Linda had stood by her side through the painful wreckage of her first marriage, holding her close through thedevastating loss of her late son, and now, seeing her best friend look so radiant and peaceful made Linda's eyes mist with happy tears.

"You look beautiful," Linda whispered. Her voice carried a steady gentleness as she stepped back to look at her.

"Thank you," Maggie answered, her cheeks coloring slightly with a flush of pink as she met Linda's gaze in the glass. "I still can't believe this day is actually here. It feels like a beautiful dream."

"It's very real," Linda assured her, offering a reassuring squeeze of her hand. "And it's exactly what you deserve."

Isabel and Penny were standing nearby, both of them looking elegant in their matching champagne gold bridesmaid dresses. Linda had worked closely with Maggie to design the gowns, ensuring they carried the same simple, flowing lines that draped gracefully without any unnecessary bulk. Penny had swept her dark hair back into a neat, sophisticated twist, while Isabel wore a delicate silver comb that caught the low light of the room. Lila and Anna sat together on the velvet sofa, their eyes shining with a shared, motherly pride as they watched the bride. They were acting as shared mothers of the bride today, a decision that felt right to Linda's heart. Both women had earned their place as maternal guides, stepping in to fill the hollow spaces left by the past, and Linda knew their own mother would be smiling down on them with sincere approval.

"We have exactly ten minutes before the procession begins," Penny announced, checking her silver watch with a practical, organized focus. "The guests are already seated in the main hall, and the florist just finished securing the rose arches at the front of the aisle."

"And the flower girls are currently eating their snacks with extra care to avoid staining their dresses," Isabel added with a little laugh, gesturing toward the corner where Sophia, Lily, and Emma were perched on stools, carefully sipping water through paper straws.

"We're being very careful, Gran," Sophia called out, holding her hands up to show they were clean.