Martin felt a thrill of pure elation surge through his veins, and he smiled warmly, pulling her back in for another deep, lingeringkiss that tasted faintly of sugar and cinnamon. They were completely lost in each other until a sudden, loud, and deeply unromantic growl erupted from the depths of Penny's stomach, drawing them apart with a sudden jolt.
Penny’s cheeks instantly flamed into a vibrant, deep shade of crimson, and she hid her face against his chest as Martin let out a delighted laugh that echoed across the lawn.
"I guess that is our official cue to start eating," Martin amusedly teased, gently kissing the top of her head before letting her shift back onto her side of the blanket.
"Yes, please," Penny sighed, a playful roll of her eyes hiding her embarrassment as she reached for the serving tongs. "Before my belly really ruins the romantic atmosphere."
Martin picked the fallen bottle of grape juice back up from the grass, clearing away a few stray blades of turf as he reached for the silver bottle opener. As he worked, he noticed Penny frown deeply, her head tilting forward as her sharp eyes locked onto the large, hand-written white label glued directly onto the glass.
"Wait a minute," Penny said, reaching over to take the bottle out of his hands. She scanned the writing for a second before letting out a loud, amused snort, shaking her head in total disbelief. "It is from Sophia. Look at this."
Martin took the bottle back, his eyes tracking the neat, bold letters that Sophia had meticulously scrawled across the custom label. He read the message out loud:
Penny, this is what real grape juice that is completely unfermented into alcohol actually tastes like.There was a massive, highly expressive smiley face emoji drawn right next to the signature.
"I take it there is an entertaining backstory behind this note?" Martin asked, looking over at her with a curious, dancing glint in his eyes.
Penny pulled a sheepish, guilty face, her shoulders shifting in a casual shrug.
"When Emma was much younger, and I used to look after her back in Miami, I would occasionally sneak a quick glass of red wine after she went to bed. Whenever she’d catch me and ask what it was, I would always tell her it was just regular grape juice.” Her grin widened at the memory. “Then, when she naturally asked if she could have a sip, I would look her dead in the eye and tell her it was an adult-only version of grape juice that kids weren't allowed to touch." She let out a soft laugh, rubbing her temple. "Well, last night at Heart House while I was being pampered by the kids, I was drinking my usual glass of adult grape juice, and Sophia called me out on the old lie.”
Martin was thoroughly amused, a rich chuckle escaping his lips as he popped the cap off the bottle.
"Mmm," he murmured, carefully pouring the dark, sweet liquid into their crystal glasses before taking a tentative, evaluating sip. "I can officially confirm that Sophia is correct. It really is just plain, regular grape juice."
"Just as well," Penny stated with a confident nod, picking up a beautifully glazed cinnamon bun. She took a large, thoroughly satisfying bite, chewed, swallowed, and offered him a brilliant, teasing wink. "You have to drive that spectacular mechanical machine of yours safely back to the hotel later. It would be such a shame to get a scratch on it because you had a bit of wine.”
“That’s true,” Martin agreed as they raised their grape juice glasses. “A toast to five terrifyingly manipulatively brilliant masterminds that see far too much for their age.”
“To the terrifying five,” Penny clinked her glass with Martin. “May they always be on our side.”
“Yes, agreed.” Martin rolled his eyes.
A comfortable silence descended between them as they sipped their grape juice and ate the delicious breakfast. After a few moments, Martin turned toward Penny.
“Penny, would you go on a non-terrifying five-date with me?” Martin asked her.
“I would like that,” Penny accepted the invitation without a single hesitation.
Martin smiled as they sat back close to each other, juices in hand, stomachs full, and stared out of the sparkling bay. For the first time in six years, Martin didn’t feel the sharp insistent ache of a bruised heart.
Be happy!The voice echoed in his head once again, and this time he replied.Thank you for guiding me here.
Martin reached over, wrapped his arm around Penny’s shoulder, gently pulling her closer as they enjoyed the rest of their picnic. Both were sure this was the first of many more to come.
LINDA
Linda stood by the open trunk of her SUV, shielding her eyes against the brilliant morning sun as the intense summer heat began to bake the gravel parking lot of the hotel. She simply couldn’t believe she’d let herself get roped into this massive weekend spectacle.
Today, the archaeological dig site out by the pool was still closed down to ensure the structural supports were fully reinforced after the mudslide, giving the entire hotel crew a second day of freedom. But instead of enjoying a quiet, restful morning with a cup of coffee, she was actively packing cars for a full-scale athletic invasion.
Michael and Maggie had somehow managed to enter the entire Hearts Hotel staff into the annual Summer Lake Games Festival. She didn’t know how she had let her brother and her best friend talk her into this. The massive event took place at Sweet Blossom Bay, a gorgeous, expansive body of freshwater that bordered Pete's diner. Pete sponsored the festival every single year, turning the entire lakefront into a bustling paradise of smoking barbecue pits, team-building obstacle challenges in theshallows, beachside relays, and intense volleyball tournaments that spanned the entire weekend. To top it all off, Sunday night featured the highly anticipated grand prize-giving, a massive rib dinner, and a live country dance held inside the diner barn, a rustic, beautifully decorated event space located near the back of the diner, close to the water.
It had been decades since Linda had actually taken part in any of the competitive lake games. But now, thanks to Maggie and Michael, who had been tricked into volunteering by a pack of five eager teenagers, Hearts Hotel officially had a registered team.
Linda’s heart gave a sudden, pleasant jolt when Darius’s luxury black SUV rolled smoothly into the lot, kicking up a small cloud of dust before coming to a halt right beside her sedan. The driver's side door swung open, and Darius hopped out onto the gravel. He was dressed very casually in a pair of vibrant board shorts and a simple T-shirt, looking far too happy and incredibly energetic for eight o’clock on a hot weekend morning.
"Good morning," Darius greeted her, walking right up to her side with a bright, handsome smile before leaning in to sneak a quick, lingering kiss against her cheek.
