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“Do you speak it?”
“A little bit,” Beckett said.
“Could you say something in Dutch to me? I’d love to hear it.” It was an odd request, but Madi didn’t think before she’d said it.
Beckett rubbed a hand over his jaw, then met her eyes as he spoke. “Je hebt mooie ogen.”
The sound of him speaking Dutch gave her a thrill. If it were possible to be more attracted to a man she hardly knew, Madi couldn’t imagine it. Other languages sounded so much more elegant than English, especially American English. Even British or Australian accents added a lilt and cadence that American English lacked.
His Dutch sounded a little like French to her, with a bit more harshness that she thought of as sounding German. Not that Madi was very familiar with these languages, but hearing him speak, this is what came to mind.
“I love the sound of it,” she said. “What does that mean?”
His cheeks tinted slightly as he smiled. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Get up! Get up!”
Their eyes met as Becka’s voice filtered to them. This was the real test. Was he going to stay? His jaw set in a determined way, but his eyes looked slightly fearful.
“I need to get Becka up. You don’t have to stay.”
Beckett swallowed. “I would like to meet her.”
Madi froze. She hadn’t expected him to change his mind. The idea of him meeting Becka terrified her. Becka was young enough that if Beckett met her and never wanted to see her again, she wouldn’t remember. But it might crush Madi if Beckett disappeared. Both for Becka’s sake and her own.
“Are you sure?”
“No.” Beckett breathed out, like he had been holding his breath. “I’m … terrified, actually.”
“I understand. Let me say this and then I’ll go get her. She’s young enough that she won’t understand who you are yet. I’m not telling her that today. She won’t remember if you walk away and never see her again. But if you know you don’t want to do this, decide quickly. Then disappear and don’t come back.”
The words hurt to say. Madi’s throat ached with them. Already, Madi felt attached. She had hope and expectations, which were always the things that set you up for crushing disappointment and hurt. A part of her hoped that Beckett would make a beeline for the door and never look back.
He did not run. His eyes took on a more determined look. “I want to stay.”
Madi wanted to weep with relief at his words. “Wait in the front room. I’ll change Becka’s diaper, then bring her out.”
Beckett nodded and walked to the front of the house to wait. Madi sucked in a breath and made her way back to Becka’s room, hoping that she wasn’t making a mistake that would haunt them both.