*
Sierra was still smiling, every nerve still tingling with the memory of their first night together, when she knocked on her sister’s door to pick up her kids feeling like a completely new woman.
In the very back of her mind she wondered, with everything that had happened these last two years, if this abundance of joy would last or whether the other shoe would drop soon.
Chapter Twenty
Sierra stared at Amy and didn’t know what to say about her frazzled state. It had been years since she’d seen her sister in complete disarray. Hair a mess, no makeup, her eyes swollen and underscored by dark, puffy circles, she appeared to have smeared pancake batter or butter or both on her black pajama shirt. Her sister didn’t usually rub her dirty hands on her clothes. No, she’d have her handy Wet Wipes standing by for such things.
“What happened to you?” Anxiety tightened her gut. She worried Amy was in the midst of some sort of crisis.
Amy’s bloodshot eyes narrowed. “I gave up my life to have kids.”
Those kids were making a ruckus in another room down the hall.
Amy’s gaze bore into her before moving to Mason standing behind her. “Looks like you two had a good night.”
Sierra couldn’t help smiling up at Mason, thinking of the wonderful night they’d spent in each other’s arms and what it meant going forward.
Looking back at her sister, she felt a bit guilty. But not much. It was too hard not to feel this good.
Mason put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.
“Yeah, you two look cozy now, but that won’t last.” Amy swung the door open wider, revealing Rex sitting on the couch, a blanket draped haphazardly across his lap as he rubbed the heel of his hand into his eye socket. He was still wearing what looked like yesterday’s clothes: slacks and a wrinkled dress shirt. “The party’s over.”
“Amy, I’m not sure what’s going on here, but I can take all the kids out to breakfast and give you and Rex some time alone.”
Amy’s eyes glassed over and filled with frustration and desperation. “I already made the pancakes.” She combed her fingers into her hair, loosening the messy topknot even more. “It’s fine. Everything is fine.” The desperate tone didn’t back up her words.
Rex turned and stared at her. “Everything is a mess.” The announcement made Amy pale.
Yes, the house looked wrecked. The kids had done a number on the living room. Toys littered the floor. The coffee table was covered in scraps of paper. A paper airplane stuck out of the leaves of a potted plant by the window. The kitchen looked like a tornado hit it. Frozen pizza boxes lay discarded on the counter. The makings for pancakes and eggs cluttered together at one end. Two pans were on the stove. And the house still smelled like burnt pizza from last night.
To Sierra, it wasn’t so bad. Messy to the eye, but easily cleaned up. But this was Amy’s house. She liked things in their place. Everything scrubbed clean and immaculate.
Amy herself looked like she was a second away from losing her shit.
Guilt settled in Sierra’s heart. She wished she’d known her sister wasn’t exaggerating about the kids running wild. Overwhelmed, Amy had lost control of the situation.
Mason stepped into the house, taking charge. “I’ll go get the kids to settle down and make sure they’re dressed.”
Amy stood immobile by the front door like she couldn’t make a decision about what to do next.
The only way to get her sister back on track was to put things back to the way she liked them. Sierra tried to be normal and keep things light. “Morning, Rex. Can I get you a cup of coffee?”
Rex turned and stared over his shoulder but he didn’t look at her; instead, he locked eyes with Amy. “Sure. That would be great.”
Sierra went into the kitchen, got a mug from the cupboard, poured him a cup, added a dollop of milk like she remembered he liked it, took it to him in the living room, then went back to the kitchen.
Yep. Definitely taking the kids out.
With that settled, she put the kitchen to rights, tucking the food back in the fridge, then loading the dishwasher. She found some plastic wrap in a drawer, covered the bowl of pancake batter, and set it in the fridge for later.
“You can have breakfast for dinner. The kids will love that.”
Amy hadn’t moved from the entry. She stood there like a zombie