"It's Darius," Isabel told her, leading the way toward the elevator banks and jamming her thumb against the wall button.
"What about Darius?" Penny asked, her expression tightening with immediate worry.
"He's about to go nuclear with telling Linda thewholetruth," Isabel answered, watching the floor indicator light remain stationary on the lobby level. "He wants to meet us now to help him with what to say when she meets him for lunch.”
Penny’s eyes widened to their limits. "The entire truth? Abouteverything?"
Isabel nodded firmly. Penny’s face turned pale under the hallway lights. She glanced at the elevator doors, which weretaking a long time to rise. Without a word, Penny caught Isabel’s arm, pivoting toward the exit sign.
"Forget the elevator. Take the stairs." It was Penny’s turn to drag Isabel to the meeting.
Twenty minutes later, the back office of the Bay Café was filled with the rich aroma of dark roast espresso. Isabel sat behind the small wooden desk, while Penny occupied one of the chairs in front of the desk. Right on time, the back door clicked open, and Darius was ushered into the small room by one of the kitchen staff. A large tray holding three porcelain mugs of coffee and a plate of fresh, warm croissants was already sitting on the corner of the desk.
Darius offered a quiet nod of greeting, his eyes drifting to the food.
"Thank you for the spread. I haven't had a chance to eat a single thing yet this morning." He pulled out the empty chair beside Penny, sinking into the seat.
Darius reached his hand out toward the pastry plate, but before his fingers could touch the crust, Penny reached across the desk and snatched the plate away.
"Oh, no you don't," Penny hissed, setting the pastries firmly out of Darius’s reach. "You speak first. Food comes after."
"That's unfair, Penny. They're going to get cold," Darius groaned, casting a longing look at the croissants.
"I'll have the kitchen heat them up or bring you a fresh plate later," Isabel told him, her voice impatient as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the blotter. "For now, listen to Penny and tell us what is going on in that head of yours."
Darius let out a slow sigh, conceding the point. He reached for his coffee mug instead, taking a long sip of the hot liquid before setting the porcelain back onto the wood.
"Now that I've allowed you to have some coffee," Penny stated, her eyes narrowing as she studied his face. "Tell us why you've had this change of heart. Two days ago you were mapping out an aggressive workaround strategy."
"Because I met Linda on the beach for a walk early this morning, and I kissed her," Darius told them, his voice dropping into a quiet, steady register that held zero corporate defense. "The moment that happened, I knew that if I was ever going to have a spark of a chance at a real future with her, I had to be honest. Not just about my last name or my position at the firm. I need to tell her everything. The rivalry, and what the Carolina Group is trying to do to her hotel. If she listens to the truth and decides she wants nothing to do with me ever again, I'll accept her decision. It's my fault for letting the deception go this far."
Isabel gaped at her brother, her chest expanding with a mixture of surprise and immense relief. She had never seen him display this level of vulnerability over any person before.
"Oh, wow," Isabel whispered, her voice softening. "You've really fallen for Linda, haven't you?"
"Even if she turns her back on me, I’m not moving forward with the original development play," Darius told them, looking between his sister and best friend. "I inadvertently started this whole mess by targeting the island in the first place, and I'm going to ensure it's protected. You were right during our argument the other day, Isabel. I was on a mission of revenge against this coast, wrapping my anger in the illusion of our parents' last dream." He gave his sister a sad, lingering smile."But Harold and Eleanor wanted to save this community, not flatten it."
“For you to have such a big change of heart and openly admit you were wrong…” Penny watched him closely, her eyes searching his profile for any sign of executive calculation. Finding none, her expression filled with a quiet warmth. "You genuinely care about Linda, Darius. It's written all over your face and pulling from deep within your heart."
"Yes," Darius nodded, letting out a rough breath as he ran a hand over his face. "I'm certain that's exactly what I just admitted to both of you. And I've come to love this town too. The peace of it. The way the shoreline looks in the morning."
Isabel let out a slow, long sigh, leaning back against the cushion of her chair as the last remnant of her anger vanished.
"We all love it here, Darius." She adjusted her folder on the desk, looking at him with a resolute expression. "So, tell us exactly how you plan to execute this disclosure to Linda, and let us know how we can help you with it."
OWEN
Later that morning, the bright sun beat down directly onto the empty concrete basin of the Hearts Hotel swimming pool. Owen stood near the eastern edge of the excavation grid, a measuring tape clamped in his hand, but his eyes kept drifting upward toward the hotel's rear exit doors. He blew out a slow, frustrated breath, trying to anchor his attention back to the soil profile maps spread across the folding table.
Anna was standing three feet down in the trench, using a small hand trowel to carefully clear a fresh layer of grey clay from a suspected hearth feature.
"Owen!" Anna snapped, her sharp voice breaking through his distracted thoughts. "What on earth is wrong with you today?" She stopped her work, leaning against the dirt wall as she frowned up at him. "You've been spacing out every five minutes since we laid the string lines. Are you still worried about Dr. Wineberg's presence on the island?"
"What?" Owen blinked, shaking his head rapidly as he adjusted his glasses. In truth, Debbi Wineberg was the last person occupying his thoughts today. "No, Anna. I was just wonderingwhere Isabel and my café staff are. When I left the marina this morning, they were supposed to be locking up the kitchen counters and heading straight over here."
"That was barely fifteen minutes ago," Anna pointed out, a small smile touching her lips. "They still have to secure the back entries and pack the delivery van. You mentioned they were bringing a supply of morning snacks and fresh coffee for the volunteer crew, so they're probably still preparing that."
"Of course," Owen murmured. To his mortification, he felt the tips of his ears grow hot. He reached up, pretending to adjust his collar while ensuring his longer hair fell forward to cover the blush. He'd been delaying a haircut that he needed for weeks, but right now, he was thankful for the extra coverage. He forced his mind back to the measurements, but his pulse gave a sudden jolt as the sound of laughter echoed from the veranda.
