Page 63 of The Billionaire's Secret Heir

Madi heard Becka stirring awake from her nap. Outside, there was a splash and laughter.

Does it bother me?

Ten minutes later she had on a flowing swimsuit cover up and walked outside with Becka. Thankfully, her shoulder was out of the sling and feeling almost back to normal. Becka’s stitches were covered in plastic they had given Maid in the hospital for bathing. The injury had barely slowed Becka down and she was ecstatic about swimming.

Madi’s heart hammered in her chest as she opened the gate to the pool area. Becka ran straight to Beckett, her legs pumping furiously.

“Becka!” Madi called. They hadn’t been around pools enough to have conversations about pool safety. Her suit’s top was almost like a life vest, with flotation material inside, but it didn’t mean that she should go charging full-speed toward the pool.

But Beckett saw her coming and prepared, reaching his arms out. Becka did not hesitate but leaped, ungracefully, right into his arms. Laughing, he spun her around with a beaming smile on his face. That smile. Every nerve in her body lit up, sending waves of nervous excitement coursing through her. That had not changed.

Over the past two days while hiding out, she had thought circles around Beckett and their relationship. Did they have a relationship still? It felt like she broke up with him when she walked away after getting home from the hospital. Sander’s words echoed in her mind: Perfect love casts out fear. She had looked it up before coming out to the pool. The full verse was 1 John 4:18 and read, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

It wasn’t meant to be about human love, which would never be perfect, no matter what all the Hallmark movies said. But the verse seemed perfectly timed for her, because she was filled with fear and was letting it dictate her decisions.

Fear of the future.

Fear of losing anyone else.

Fear of not being enough.

Fear of being hurt.

Fear of failing Becka.

As she had gotten Becka dressed in her swimsuit and swim diaper, she had lifted up a silent prayer, asking God to cast out the fear that was making everything cloudy. Let me trust you. Help me to have peace about my future and make the way clear.

As she felt the whispers of fear rise seeing Beckett again, she resolved herself to push it away. I’m choosing to trust God’s love, not fall prey to fear.

“It! It! Swimming!” Becka cried, dragging Madi out of her head and back into the moment.

“That’s right, Bex. Swimming.” Beckett met Madi’s eyes, questioning. She gave him a small smile and nodded. His eyes softened and Madi saw kindness shining there, along with a deeper, richer emotion. And then Beckett’s attention was on Becka. “Want me to give you a ride to the deep end?”

“Yes, It! Swim!”

Madi watched Beckett push through the water, sending Becka into giggles. She only realized that she had a giant, goofy smile on her face when she caught Graham and Courtney smiling back at her. It felt a little embarrassing to be caught with such obvious delight, but why should it? She left her cover up on a lounge chair and walked down the stairs into the pool.

The day was warm but the water was shatteringly cold. Beckett must not have kept the heater on now that it was growing warmer out. Madi waded out into the pool, an eye on Beckett and Becka. She seemed delighted as he bobbed her up and down in the water. Sander winked at Madi from a chair in the shade and Graham waved a hand in greeting.

“Hi, Aunt Madi.” Selena swam up, looking shy.

“Hi, Selena.” Before Madi could say anything else or really react to the fact that Selena called her “aunt,” the little girl was swimming toward Beckett and Becka.

“Madi, I’m glad you came out.” Courtney waded over as Graham splashed Logan by the side of the pool. “I’m so sorry about our car. If we seriously thought that something was really wrong with the brakes—”

“Of course.” Madi waved a hand dismissively. “I know you didn’t mean for that to happen. I’m sorry about your car.”

Courtney laughed. “Are you kidding? I’ve been begging Graham for a new car for the last few years. Aside from you guys getting hurt, I finally got my wish. How’s Becka’s leg healing?”

“You’d never know she was hurt, honestly. She’s been through so much and just rolls with it. She kind of amazes me.”

“You don’t really roll with it?” Courtney grinned.

Madi made a face. “Not so much. I’m more the worry about it all and lock myself in the house for two days kind of person.”

Courtney gave her an understanding smile. “Look, I don’t know if it’s weird or awkward, but technically I knew you before Beckett. If you need to talk about anything, I promise to be an impartial party.”

“You’re a Van de Kamp. How can you be impartial?”

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