He closed his eyes for a brief second, making a silent, sacred promise to himself right then and there. He was absolutely not going to mess this up. He had spent far too much of his life being a stubborn old coward, hiding away from the only woman who had ever truly held his heart, and he was finished with that version of George Heart.
A sharp, painful twinge of reality pricked at his chest, separate from the physical ache of his recovering heart. He thought about the Hearts Hotel, the beautiful, historic landmark that his family had poured their blood, sweat, and tears into for generations. He thought about how he had quietly sat by and let it slide deeper and deeper into financial ruin, all because his stupid, stubborn pride would not allow him to reach out and ask the people who loved him for help.
His family, his closest friends, and now the absolute love of his life were currently going above and beyond to pull the property out of the massive disaster he had created. They were fighting for his legacy while he lay helpless in a hospital bed, and the weight of that realization made his throat tighten with a sudden, heavy sense of responsibility. He promised himself he was going to do better. He was going to swallow every single ounce of his lingering pride and learn how to be the man they all deserved.
Opening his eyes, he squeezed Anna's hand, trying to inject as much strength into his weak grip as he possibly could. "Anna,"he started, his voice still a bit rough and raspy from the medical tubes. "Tell me what is going on out there. What is happening with the pool dig at the hotel? Are we actually saving the place?"
Anna looked down at him, a flicker of instant caution crossing her eyes as her lips pressed into a thin, hesitant line. She gave a small, apologetic shake of her covered head. "George, I can't. I strictly promised the doctor that I wouldn't talk to you about any of the business or the hotel. He was very clear that your stress levels need to stay right down if you want to get out of this ICU before the weekend."
A sudden, sharp flicker of his old, familiar annoyance flared up in his chest, the instinctive urge to argue and demand answers rising right to the tip of his tongue. But George caught himself just in time. He took a slow, steadying breath, deliberately reminding himself of the promise he had just made to be a better man. He forced his features to relax, offering her a soft, genuine smile instead of a scowl.
"Can you please just give me the cliff notes then?" he coaxed gently, his eyes pleading with her. "Just a tiny summary to keep an old man's mind from racing in circles. I promise my blood pressure won't go up by a single digit."
Anna stared at him for a long moment, clearly evaluating his calm expression before she let out a soft, defeated sigh. A gentle smile returned to her face. "Alright, just the cliff notes, George. But that is absolutely all you are getting out of me today."
She leaned in a fraction closer, her thumb lightly tracing the back of his knuckles. "They have it under control out there. Every single bit of it. When you are feeling much better and the doctors finally clear you to go home, we are all going to sit down together in the living room and tell you the entire story fromstart to finish. But for right now, all you need to know is that the hotel and all of your properties are secure."
George let out a long breath, a heavy cloud of anxiety lifting from his chest, though he noticed the slight hesitation in her voice.
"It is all taken care of," Anna repeated firmly, her eyes shining with absolute certainty. "And it is all thanks to the newest members of our extended family. They stepped up when we needed them most, and they are making sure the foundation of the Hearts Hotel is stronger than it has ever been."
She deliberately did not tell him exactly who those new family members were. Anna knew that George had not actually met the Wayne family yet, and she certainly did not want him spinning out into a spiral of worry about corporate developers or outside legal entities while his heart was still trying to mend.
George settled back into his mattress, a deep sense of relief washing over him, but it was quickly followed by that familiar, awful twinge of deep regret. He should never have let it get this far. He should never have put his nieces, his grandchildren, and his friends in a position where they had to swoop in like a rescue squad to clean up the wreckage of his silence.
But as he stared up at the sterile ceiling, listening to the calm, steady rhythm of the heart monitor, a sudden, brilliant thought hit him. It was a realization so clear and so right that it made his entire chest feel warm. He finally knew exactly what he could do to make this right. He knew how to honor the people who had saved him, and how to ensure the hotel truly had the future it deserved.
He turned his head on the pillow, looking directly into Anna's beautiful, curious eyes. The blue paper cap framed her face,but all he saw was the woman who had loved him through the darkest decades of his life.
"Anna," George said, his voice entirely steady now, filled with a quiet, unshakeable determination. "I think it is finally time to give Linda and Michael their inheritance."
Anna gasped softly, her eyes widening in absolute surprise as her hand involuntarily tightened around his. "George... do you really mean what I think you mean?"
"Yes," George said, nodding his head with a firm, peaceful smile as his fingers remained deeply laced with hers. "I am going to officially retire the second I get out of this hospital, Anna. I am handing over full, absolute authority of the Hearts Hotel and the entire estate to Linda and Michael. It is their time now."
ISABEL
Isabel stepped back, wiping a light bead of sweat from her forehead as she watched Owen carefully maneuver the heavy, beautifully restored mahogany sideboard into its designated corner. The new, polished hardwood floors of the Bay Cafe caught the warm glow of the cafe and street lights that filtered through the freshly cleaned front windows. Everything was beginning to take shape, the smell of fresh paint and lacquer filling the air, a physical testament to all the grueling work that had gone into the place for the renovation.
"Alright, just a fraction to the left," Isabel directed, using her hands to guide him. "Perfect, Owen. Leave it right there."
Owen exhaled a long breath, straightening his posture and rolling his shoulders as he wiped his hands on a clean rag tucked into his jeans. He offered her a warm, easy smile that instantly crinkled the corners of his bright eyes.
"Well, that is the last of the heavy lifting done for the day. The dining room layout is officially complete." Owen’s eyes swept the room with pride.
Isabel looked around the space, her gaze lingering on the empty, state-of-the-art kitchen visible through the open service hatch. She sighed softly, a light chuckle escaping her lips.
"You know, we are here in a cafe waiting for our takeout order to arrive, but I really could’ve just used that kitchen to cook us something, as the fridge is fully stocked.” Isabel shook her head. “It seems a bit ridiculous to order delivery when I am standing inside a fully functional cafe."
"No way," Owen said immediately, shaking his head with playful finality.
He stepped closer to her, the warm scent of his cologne blending with the fresh wood lacquer.
"This is our first official date.” His eyes looked into hers, and his pupils instantly dilated. “And here we are fixing up the last bits of the renovations instead of sipping wine and getting to know each other.”
“I wanted to do this,” Isabel pointed out.
“Fair enough,” Owen conceded. “But I won't have you cooking for us, too. You have been working since we arrived here this afternoon."
