I'm in a similar situation. I'm looking to get a pair of bikes for DW and myself. I was thinking Hybrid till a visit to the LBS and a talk with another MTBer buddy of mine.

The Hybrid cant handle real MTB trails in the opinion of many. The MTB can handle the road (paved trails, leisurely road riding) which is how we will ride. Not as efficient as a Hybrid with 700 wheels but still very doable. So I've switched my tune and liked a Giant Talon 4 I tried today. I could even switch the tires to a less aggressive tire for smoother road riding if I wanted. Could be an option if we planned to do a lot of paved trails for a outing.

Simply put MTB can do both.