Olivia grinned. “It’s my job to get things right.” She turned around and grabbed a key card and an extra toothbrush, then turned back to face Maya. “Here you go, darlin’. If there’s anything else we can help you with, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Maya graced her with a beautiful smile. “Thanks. Our stay here has been wonderful. We’re going to hate to go back home.”
As Maya turned to head upstairs, Hope moved back behind the desk.
“Hearing words like that from our guests is the cherry on top of the sundae,” Olivia said.
Hope placed her arm around Olivia’s shoulder. “All day I’ve had this feeling of Miss Hattie watching us. I just know she’s looking down from heaven and cheering us on.”
“I get that feeling all the time,” Olivia said. “So now that Holloway showed a strong link to Miss Hattie, where does that leave us? I hate to begrudge him a familial tie to a woman we all loved, but it might rip our lives apart.”
“Believe it or not, the situation was diffused. Grayson doesn’t want Savannah House. He wants information about his heritage and his links to Miss Hattie, Savannah House and the Alexander family. I think he also has questions about his grandfather. He’s agreed to drop the suit on the condition that we help him get those answers. Honestly, I think it’s the answer to our prayers. By opening up our doors to Grayson and answering his questions, we give him what he’s seeking without having to defend a lawsuit.” She let out a ragged breath. “All things considered, it’s a win for us.”
Olivia’s shoulders sagged with relief. She pressed her hand against her chest. “O
h my goodness. I feel so relieved. I’ve been tossing and turning at night just imagining losing Savannah House to Holloway. Well done, Hope.”
Hope shook her head. “I’m not sure if I did anything but listen and keep an open mind. Grayson isn’t so bad after all.”
Olivia cocked her head and narrowed her gaze at Olivia. “Grayson is it? He’s not Holloway anymore?”
Hope flushed. “He asked me to call him Grayson, and considering we were able to work through this issue, it seemed silly to keep calling him by his last name.”
“Is he as gorgeous in person as in his photos?” Olivia asked.
Hope shook her finger at Olivia. “Oh no. I’m not answering that question. Next thing you know you’ll be pairing us up or teasing me about liking him.”
“Me?” Olivia asked in an overly sweet voice. “Would I do that?”
Hope laughed, knowing her friend projected an innocence that hid her mischievous side. “I’ll let you judge for yourself when he comes to Savannah House. He’s very eager to get a tour and information about the Alexander family.”
“I can’t wait,” Olivia said with a squeal. “It’ll add a little excitement to the place.”
“Ha! As if we need any more excitement here. We’ve had a surprise inheritance, four weddings, five engagements, a surprise baby, a massive renovation project, a long-lost presumed dead brother, a millionaire…and now Miss Hattie’s secret grandson.” Hope let out a deep breath. “Never a dull moment around here.”
“Just the way we like it,” Olivia said with a chuckle.
Just then, the door to Savannah House opened and a tall, dark and handsome man breezed through the doorway. Hope smiled as he raised a finger to his lips. Olivia had no idea that the love of her life was about to surprise her. From Hope’s vantage point she could see Hunter Rawlings, while Olivia could not. Once he rounded the corner with an armful of red roses, Olivia let out a squeal of delight.
Hunter walked behind the front desk and swept his wife up in an embrace. Hope let out a sigh as she looked on, marveling at their love story. After all, it wasn’t every day that a millionaire businessman came back to his hometown of Savannah and fell back in love with his high school girlfriend then married her.
“Can I take you away for little bit?” Hunter asked, his handsome features adding to the intense look on his face.
Olivia bit her lip. “I have to man the desk for a while longer.”
Hope waved her on. “Go! Go! I’ll take over for you. Go take a break and smooch it up.”
Both Hunter and Olivia laughed and thanked her for stepping in. She let out a sigh as she watched them walk off, hand in hand. She was surrounded by love at Savannah House. Olivia and Hunter. Callie and Jax. Fancy and Case. Charlotte and Marc. And Morgan and Luke. She was definitely the odd woman out. Although she couldn’t help but believe in love everlasting when she saw her friends in such blissful relationships, Hope wanted to ask the Lord where her knight in shining armor was hiding.
“He doesn’t even have to be a knight at this point,” she grumbled. “I’ll take a living, breathing man who has a gentle soul and a good relationship with his Mama and the Lord. Surely that’s not too much to ask?”
“Am I interrupting something? You sound like you’re having a serious conversation with yourself.” Hope slowly swung her head up at the sound of the distinctive male voice. It had a rich quality that sounded very familiar to her ears.
Grayson’s piercing blue-green eyes met her own. Her legs began to tremble at the sight of him. Although she tried to tell herself it was only because she hadn’t been expecting him to show up at Savannah House, her intuition told her something different. Grayson Holloway had an impact on her. It was as if every time she came face-to-face with him, she reacted strongly to his presence. He resonated with her, all the way down to her big toe.
“Grayson! What are you doing here?”
A sheepish expression appeared on his face. “I’m sorry to barge in like this, but after our lunch I couldn’t stop thinking about Savannah House. And my grandmother. I spoke to my lawyer. The suit has been dropped.”