Page 49 of The Billionaire's Secret Heir

“No, swing!”

Beckett looked at Madi with pleading eyes. “I don’t mind swinging her. We’re about to lose the light. They weren’t done making dinner when I left, so we should have a few minutes.”

“You’re such a pushover.” But Madi smiled as she handed Becka to Beckett.

“Not just when it comes to Becka,” he said with a wink.

“Did my brother just wink? I never thought I’d see the day!” A voice called out from the house and Madi turned to see a man with glasses and Beckett’s features bounding across the lawn. “I’m Graham and you must be Madi.” He shook her hand with a wide smile.

“It’s great to meet you,” she said. Graham’s easy smile helped calm her nerves.

He pushed his glasses up on his nose. “Thank you so much for coming. And for helping turn my brother into the kind of man who winks and pushes children in swings.”

“Oh, I don’t think that I—”

“Madi? You’re Beckett’s Madi?”

She turned and almost did a double take, immediately recognizing Courtney from church. Laughing, Madi gave her a hug. “I guess I should have put two and two together.”

Graham and Beckett stood staring. “You know each other?” Beckett asked.

“We’re in the same Bible study at church,” Madi said. “I guess I never knew your last name.”

“We were too busy being very spiritual.” Courtney laughed.

“And I’ve missed basically the last two months with everything going on.”

Courtney squeezed her shoulder and gave her a kind smile. “I’m so sorry about your sister. But I am so very glad that you are here right now. What a small world.”

“Beckett, just think. If you’d come to church with me more, you might have met Madi ages ago,” Graham said.

“I’m not even in the house and here we go with the guilt trips.” Beckett rolled his eyes, but he smiled at Madi. “I did tell you that my younger brother loves to be bossy, right?”

“Swing, It! Swing!” Becka’s swing had almost come to a stop and she kicked her arms and legs.

Beckett turned back to Becka. “I am so sorry that I’ve been shirking my swing duties, Bex.” He gave her a big push and she squealed. “I want you to meet your Uncle Graham and your Aunt Courtney. This is Becka.”

Madi stood just slightly away, watching the pride in Beckett’s face as Graham and Courtney fussed over Becka, finally convincing her to come inside to meet her cousins and have cake. The cake probably did more to get her inside than the cousins. Madi’s heart felt so warm and full that she needed a moment to collect herself before going in the house. Beckett paused in the doorway, then crossed the yard to her when he realized she wasn’t following.

He studied her face. “Everything okay?”

“More than okay. That’s the problem.”

Beckett pulled her in for a bear hug. “Are you doing that thing again where you second-guess this because you don’t think you deserve it?”

“How do you know me so well after only a month?”

“Twenty-nine days,” Beckett said. “Less than a month. What?”

She had stiffened against him, feeling the threat of tears. “You don’t feel like this is too fast?”

Beckett pulled back so he could see her and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “There is no right speed, Madi. You and I could have met at any time—you heard Graham. If I had listened to him, I might have met you years ago at church. But I fully believe that this is the perfect timing. Right now. Do you want to slow down?”

“No!”

Beckett laughed and pulled her close again. “Are you sure? You sounded a little uncertain.”

Madi smiled, loving the feel of her cheek against his chest and the smell of his cologne. “I don’t want to slow down. I guess sometimes I just get scared because I’m so happy.”

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