Audra Barkley was just nineteen years old. The pride and joy of the Barkley family and showered with more love a girl could ever need or want.
She was a tall blonde beauty with sparkling aqua eyes. Many men lost themselves looking into those eyes but quickly found themselves when looking into the protective eyes of her four big brothers. Jarrod, at thirty, was the eldest. He remembered the day Audra had been born. More clearly, he remembered his father's endless pacing in the study. After what seemed like hours, the midwife came down with tired eyes but a huge smile. Immediately his father questioned her.
"How is Vicky? How's the baby? Are they alright?"
"Mr. Barkley, Mrs. Barkley, would very much like for you to come to meet your daughter."
Jarrod would never forget the look on his father's face. A girl! A girl was something his mother had longed for all these years. Having already had three boys, and secretly so had. Jarrod. Shock then joy registered as his father took off. He could hear him laughing and then crying with his mother as they embraced their fourth child. Jarrod waited patiently for his parents to summon him. Ten minutes later, he was rewarded for his patience as a resounding "Jarrod!' throughout the house. He slowly climbed up the stairs, heart pounding. Upon entering his parents' bedroom, he was greeted with big smiles from his exuberant father and tired mother. She held out her arms for him to take his little sister. After making sure he wouldn't drop her, he gazed down at her sleepy face. She had tiny tufts of baby blonde hair, and her eyes were electric blue. She stared at him curiously, and in that one instant captured his heart.
"Hey, there, sweetheart. I'm Jarrod, your big brother. You came into the best family. I want you to know I'm gonna watch over you every single day of my life. "
Placing a gentle kiss on her tiny nose, he handed her back to his mother, who was watching the exchange between her eldest and youngest with glistening eyes.
While out on the range, Nick thought about his sister. He couldn't believe how lucky he and the whole family was to have her. Sure, they gave her a fair amount of teasing with him leading the charge, but she held her own. Nick admired her spirit and was secretly pleased when people mentioned that Nick and she were so much alike. On the day she was born, he was riding home from school when his father's loyal hand, Ciego, came galloping towards him full speed.
"Senor Barkley come quick.
Your sister has been born."
At seven years old, he didn't want a sister. He wanted a little brother whom he could teach things about the ranch and get into all sorts of mischief. He tried to hide his disappointment as he went up to meet his family. Yet the minute Nicolas Barkley saw his little sister, he forgot about his displeasure. He took her into her arms and whispered,
"Hey there, sis. Do you see Jarrod? He's gonna teach ya to read and all, but me and you, we're gonna have some real fun times together. "
The baby just smiled up into his sparkling eyes and grasped his finger as if to agree. From that day on, nobody messed with Audra and got away with it.