Page 51 of Silver Fox's Secret Baby

“I want to see that.”

As Samantha focused on her work, I engaged in a lively discussion with Pax about all the fun things we could do during our stay. I was enchanted to listen to Pax's excited chatter. It reminded me of when Victoria was a little girl. I used to love to see and experience the world through her eyes. This trip might have been a risky decision, but moments like these made it feel worth it.

We landed in Los Angeles,and the car I arranged took us to our hotel outside Beverly Hills.

“Can we go swimming, Mommy?” Pax asked as we rode the elevator up to our rooms.

“Let’s get settled first, okay?”

“’K.” Pax turned to look up at me. “Can you come swimming too?”

I glanced at Samantha, wondering what her thoughts were about me joining in on her family time.

“I’m sure Mr. Banion is busy.” Marie spoke, but I was sure Samantha was thinking it too. Hoping it.

“I love to swim,” I said. “I like to cannonball into the pool.”

Pax’s brows rose. “Really? Can you show me?”

“Absolutely.”

“Did you bring his floaties?” Samantha asked Marie.

“I don’t need floaties,” I said jokingly.

Samantha’s lips twitched upward.

“I did,” Marie said. “Or, more accurately, I brought Pax’s floaties. Not Mr. Banion’s.”

I walked Samantha, Pax, and Marie to their suite. The hotel had a four-bedroom suite, but I worried that such close proximity to Samantha could be a problem. Yes, she was staying in my home, but it seemed like she might think it was too intimate to be in the same suite. My suite was next door.

“See you at the pool?” I asked as Samantha entered her room.

“Give us thirty minutes.”

Thirty minutes later, I was poolside with a drink.

“Look at my new floaties!” Pax came running over to where I’d staked a spot on a chaise chair.

“Those are great.”

“Can we cannonball?”

I laughed, setting my drink down and standing. “If it’s okay with your mom.”

Samantha set her bag on the chair next to mine. “It’s okay with me.”

“Where’s Marie?” I asked.

“She’s resting.”

I took Pax’s hand and led him to the shallowest section of the pool. I had no idea if the little guy could swim, floaties or not.

He looked up at me expectantly. “Ready?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Cannonball!” I jumped, doing my best to bring my knees up before hitting the water. It was a reminder that I was forty-eight, not eighteen. I hit the water, dropping below the surface. Because it was shallow, I reached the bottom, smacking my knees on the hard surface. I bounced back up, holding my arms up. “Ta-da!”

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