He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, the sun glinting in his hair. "What about you, Miss Shepherd? What's your drink of choice at a royal tea party?"
"Lukewarm mystery juice with a side of half-chewed biscuit." She held up a slobbery cracker, which Audrey had abandoned mid-snack. "Parenting is glamorous, didn't you know?"
He laughed, watching her gently wipe Audrey's hands. There was something magnetic about the way Mara moved, the effortless blend of strength and softness. The mother. The warrior. The woman who had survived so much and still found a way to smile.
"You're really good with her," he said softly to think she didn't even know if she was ready to be a mum. Ethan should have been here, her son should have been alive. That was the life she had dreamt of and wanted.
Mara looked up, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "I try."
