woman? How would I feel then? I’d be upset by her actions, but would I feel this disappointed and disheartened?” Amy locked gazes with her. “It’s because she did this to you that I find it hard to see a path to redemption for her. I’m not sure that I can forgive her, and I’m not the one she hurt.”
“I feel guilty that this has fractured the family and that it affects your relationship with her and her relationship with Mom.”
“She’s the one who should feel guilty.”
“I can’t help it. I thought moving back here would mean we’d all share our lives. Our kids would grow up together. We’d have birthday parties and holidays together. It would be so fun and the kids would take those memories into the future and have that with their kids. The years and distance made our relationships less intimate, but I hoped we’d grow closer again and things would be like they used to be.”
“Where we bickered but loved each other.” Amy smiled, nostalgia in her eyes along with the humor in that all-too-true statement.
“Yes. We three are so different from each other, but we always managed to get through the rough patches.”
“Because we’re family.”
“Now what?” Sierra asked Amy, because she really didn’t know how to get through this, this time. An “I’m sorry” wouldn’t fix it. She couldn’t look at Heather without thinking about what happened. She couldn’t trust her.
“I wish I knew, sis, because this sucks.” Amy downed the last of her wine in one gulp. “All I know is you can’t let what happened stop you and Mason from moving forward with your relationship. Marry him. Make a beautiful blond-haired, green-eyed baby with him. Live on that ranch and spend every day grateful for your second chance and the happiness you deserve.”
Amy painted a beautiful picture of what could be.
No. What would be. Because Sierra wanted that life.
And nothing was going to stand in her way of having it. Not even herself.
“I think I’ll talk to the kids tonight about moving in with Mason.”
“Great idea. While you’re at it, pack them up and just show up on his doorstep.”
Sierra laughed. “Mason wants to fix up two of the rooms in the house and surprise them.”
“See, that’s a good man, thinking about making it fun for the boys. He wants them to see that he wants them there. You can’t give up a guy like that.”
“I have no intention of letting him get away again.” But she did want to find a way to put all this other stuff in the past where it belonged, so she could move on with Mason with a clear and open heart.
Amy checked her watch, then settled back in the seat, closed her eyes, and turned her face to the sun. “I’ve been making myself learn to do nothing but relax.”
“Self-care is important.”
“I’m not very good at it yet, but I’m trying. Rex and I are taking the kids out to dinner tonight. I don’t have anything to do until then that absolutely has to be done.”
“I bet Rex and the kids will play for at least another twenty minutes.” Sierra settled back in her chair much the same way as Amy and let the sun warm her face.
“It’s going to be okay,” Amy whispered.
The talk with her sister helped Sierra to settle many of the thoughts running around her mind, but sitting in the silence out in the garden with that whispered promise eased her heart even more. It came with all her sister’s love and understanding that there was no easy answer, except to move forward and accept that eventually everything would work out the way it was supposed to because Sierra had people who loved her in her life.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Sierra stood outside the car, the boys ready to go home and in their car seats, and stared up at Mason. “Thank you for dinner.”
“My pleasure. I’m glad your talk with Amy earlier helped.”
Sierra put her hand on his chest. “It affirmed for me that moving forward is the best way to put the past behind me. I don’t want to get lost in what happened, the why, the how, the what-ifs. It’s just so overwhelming and disheartening. It takes all the energy out of me. I loved coming back here and watching you and the boys man the barbecue.”
“They need to know how to make the perfect burger.”
“I think they’ve got it now, thanks to your expert tutelage.” She couldn’t help the smile.