Jackie Braun - A Woman Worth Loving

Ali didn’t answer. Instead, she asked a question of her own.

“Why are you here, Audra? The island was never good enough for you when we were growing up.”

“That’s not true.”

Ali merely arched an eyebrow. “Why?” she asked again.

“It’s home,” Audra said quietly.

Something in her sister’s countenance seemed to soften, but then she shook her head.

“Don’t expect me to roll out the welcome mat. Dane might do that. But then our brother was always one to try to keep the peace.” She cocked her head to one side. “He just got back from L.A., by the way. He flew out to see you right after watching CNN’s account of the attack. By the time he got to the hospital, though, you had checked out and disappeared.”

It warmed her heart that her big brother still cared so much after all of the hurt she had caused, and it hardened her resolve.

“I’ll apologize to Dane when I see him,” Audra replied. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to apologize to you, too. I’ll be here when you’re ready to listen.”

“Just let it go.”

Ali turned and walked away, leaving Audra to wonder if she meant let go of the need to explain or let go of her sister. Neither was an option.

Seth watched what appeared to be a heated exchange between the two women with interest. What’s the story there? he wondered, as the brunette stalked away. He told himself that it was only because he couldn’t curb his curiosity that he crossed the lobby to where Audra still stood. It wasn’t the fact that she looked so alone or so utterly dejected.

“Is that the family you said you were coming here to meet?” he asked.

She started at his voice, and when she turned he swore tears glittered in her blue eyes, but then she blinked and they were gone. Or maybe they’d never really been there. A trick of the light.

“My sister,” she confirmed.

“Oh? Younger, older?”

“Twin,” she murmured.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. His research had never turned up that fact, but then he hadn’t really been interested in learning anything about her family, only avenging his own.

One side of her mouth lifted in a wry grin. “Don’t say it. I know.”

“What?”

“We don’t look anything alike.”

Seth shrugged and divided a considering look between Audra and her sister, who now stood behind the reception desk a couple dozen feet away, talking with a guest. The women were the same height and polar opposites in every other way: Blond to brunette, blue eyes to tawny-brown, voluptuous to slender. Still, they did have one thing in common.

“Oh, I don’t know. You’re both beautiful.”

She acknowledged the compliment with a small smile and Seth pressed his advantage.

“Let me buy you a cup of coffee. We can take it out onto the porch and make use of a couple of those rockers. The view of Lake Michigan is incredible and the coffee’s not too bad, either.”

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