Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 703

Camila Davis and Dennis Williams didn’t join the others in the water. Instead, they sat together on a bench by the shore, watching the group splash around.

Camila found herself laughing as she watched Sarah Brown take on both Larry Adams and Audrey Williams, managing to soak them so thoroughly that they looked like drowned rats. The chaos had a certain charm to it.

Halfway through, though, Sarah and Larry started feeling the need for something more exciting. So once Audrey and the little one grew tired and decided to rest, the two of them ditched the calmer crowd and set out in search of more thrilling rides.

The two had always been kindred spirits—adventurous, a little wild, and absolutely relentless when it came to fun. Before long, they’d gone from friendly banter to a full-on challenge, loudly declaring they wouldn’t stop until they’d tried every ride in the park.

The only one who seemed worried was the puppy trailing behind them, ears flat in defeat.

Camila watched their antics, shaking her head in amusement. “Why do I get the feeling that whenever Larry and Sarah are together, their IQ drops about twenty points? Gone is the calm, mature Larry I first met.”

Dennis glanced over at the pair, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Your best friend’s going to lose, you know. She’ll throw in the towel before Larry does.”

Camila lifted her gaze to the towering water slide in front of them. It had to be at least ten stories tall. Just the thought of speeding down from that height made her stomach flip.

“I wouldn’t be so sure. Back in college, Sarah and I used to go on some pretty wild adventures together.”

Dennis chuckled. “Larry’s always been chasing after me. When I joined the military as a psychologist, he enlisted too. He’s jumped out of planes, rappelled out of helicopters… He’s faced far scarier things than this.”

He paused, a shadow of old memories flickering across his face. “He only left the service because of a leg injury. Trust me, when it comes to stamina, Larry’s on a whole different level.”

Camila was momentarily speechless. So, Sarah really didn’t stand a chance. No matter how tough her friend was, she was still just a regular woman—how could she compete with that kind of training?

A thought struck her and she turned to Dennis, curiosity lighting her eyes. “Did you go through all that training too?”

He nodded. “It’s the bare minimum for joining Special Operations: top-notch fitness, hand-to-hand combat skills, and a whole arsenal of other abilities. You need all of that to handle the missions, and to think on your feet when things go sideways.”

The admiration in Camila’s eyes deepened. She was genuinely impressed. For someone his age, he’d already done so much. The more she got to know him, the more she realized just how many incredible things he’d accomplished. It felt like she was discovering something new about him every day.

While they chatted, Lillian floated nearby, draped over her inflatable ring. She called out to them in her sweet, childish voice, “Daddy! Mommy!”

Since Dennis had started helping out with Lillian, she’d been balancing her schoolwork and hobbies with some extra physical training. Dennis had even found someone to teach her basic self-defense.

As he always said, “My daughter is too precious. She needs to know how to protect herself—just in case.”

And if she was really good, maybe she’d be able to fend off not just bad guys, but also any smelly boys who tried to bother her.

Camila beamed. “Our Lillian is amazing!”

Sarah grinned at her goddaughter. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Next time I’m free, I’ll take you out again!”

Larry chimed in, “If Camila’s busy, any of us can bring her along.”

Audrey raised her hand eagerly. “Me too! Camila, you can focus on your work—Lillian’s got all of us looking out for her.”

After all this time together, Audrey had come to love Lillian like her own, just as much as Dennis did. And after spending the day with Camila, she found herself genuinely approving of the woman Dennis’s brother had chosen. Camila was gentle, considerate, and kind-hearted—a perfect fit for their family.