Audra’s ladle stopped in midstir. She couldn’t take her eyes off Seth. He was gorgeous, and he looked so sweet and vulnerable. He was close in height to his brothers, and his hair was dark and cut raggedly short. His bone-white cheeks were raw and nicked from being shaved and having no sun on them, probably for years. And his eyes were a shining blue that seemed more alive than any eyes Audra had ever seen. She rose from where she crouched by the fire, and Rafe hurried over to balance her. She jerked her elbow out of his hand. “I can stand up myself.” Rafe rolled his eyes. Audra winced. “I’m sorry. Thank you. I’ve just . . .” Her eyes cut to Seth and Ethan, both of them listening to every word. Well, fine, they could hear what she had to say. “When I was so scared about Julia being missing and Wendell was being so ugly about it, I . . . I made a promise to myself to stand on my own.” “From a campfire?”
