will, but still, it’ll be nice to have the house to myself again. I hope my grandsons find their way here often.”
“I bet they will.” After all, they only had one wide pasture to cross to get here. She smiled for her mom. “And so will I.”
“That’s a promise, then.”
Sierra nodded. “Good night, Mom.”
“Good night, sweetheart.”
Sierra made it up the stairs just as the boys turned off their bedroom light, leaving the room in shadows, the heads of their beds bathed in a soft glow from the night-light.
Danny held two books on his chest. Oliver sat on Danny’s bed, waiting for her to take her place next to Danny so Oliver could sink between them.
“Mom?” Danny studied her, his eyes serious.
“Yeah?”
“Is everything okay? Everyone seems upset about something.”
Of course the boys had picked up on the strange vibes. She tried to hide her anger, but they knew something was off.
“You’re right. I discovered some upsetting news when we were at Mason’s house.”
“Did Aunt Heather make you mad?” Oliver played with the ends of her long hair.
“Yes. She did. She took something that belonged to me.”
Danny turned on his pillow to face her. “I hate it when Oliver takes my stuff.”
Oliver crossed his little arms over his chest. “I do not.”
“Yes, you do! All the time.”
“Enough. Anyway, it made me angry and I needed to be by myself for a little while to think about it. But then I talked to Mason and I felt better.” She wanted to turn this conversation to the future. “He made me think about everything that’s happened and all we’ve lost, and you know what? It made me think of all the new things we can have now.”
“Like new Legos.” Oliver looked up at her, hopeful he’d get a new set soon.
“Maybe. But I was thinking about us moving into a new place and you two having your own rooms.” She didn’t give them time to ask questions about where and when. “What color would you like your room to be?”
“Blue.” Danny’s favorite color.
“Green and orange.” Oliver could never pick just one.
“Those are great colors for your rooms.”
“We’re moving in with Mason, aren’t we?” Danny eyed her, a soft smile on his face.
“What do you think about that?”
“It would be awesome!” Danny’s smile grew and brightened his eyes. “He said if I keep working at it, I’ll be able to ride one of the horses by myself soon.”
“I want to, too, but he said only in the ring and only if he holds the rope. I told him Horse won’t run away with me, but he didn’t believe me.” Oliver scrunched his face, not happy with that at all.
Sierra tried to hold back a laugh. “He’s concerned about your safety, honey. That’s all.”
“I can ride by myself.” Oliver frowned far too grumpily for such a sweet little boy.
“Well, if we live with Mason and you get much better at riding I’m sure it won’t be long before you can ride Horse all by yourself.”
Oliver nodded his approval of that like it would happen when he said so. She let him believe that for now.
Danny fidgeted, trying to dig deeper into the mattress. “Are you going to marry him?”
“He hasn’t asked me, but I hope so. I love him a lot.” She wanted the boys to know that.
“He watches you all the time. At first I didn’t like it, but . . . I like the way he looks at you now.”
Mason had won Danny’s approval.
It touched her to know her son had been looking out for her.
Sierra brushed her fingers over Danny’s hair, understanding completely. “Loving Mason doesn’t change that I loved your dad. My heart is big enough to love both of them, just like I love both of you.”
It wasn’t easy to say that out loud, but in her heart she knew that the love she had for David, the love that created their two perfect sons, was still buried deep inside, waiting for the day when she could look back on it and remember the good times they shared, not just the bad stuff she discovered after his death.
“It’ll be fun to live with Mason. He’s good at bedtime books. He does voices.” Oliver handed her the first book, his eyes already drooping.
“I guess if we move in with him you’ll want him to read all the time.”
Oliver shook his head. “You can share.”
She chuckled. “That’s a great idea.”
Danny turned his head away.
“What is it?” She waited him out, because Danny had