rolled her eyes. “I pulled off a full day of pampering for you. And you can use my employee discount, too.”
“Really?” Tears glistened in Amy’s eyes. “That’s so nice.”
“Oh god. You’ve really lost it if you’re crying over a discount.”
Amy sucked in a steadying breath. “You know me. I love a coupon.”
Heather rolled her eyes. “Me, too.” These days it was all she could do to get by on her salary and keep her growing little girl in shoes and clothes. Recently she’d been looking into preschools. She nearly choked on the monthly cost. She’d had a wonderful sitter these last few years at half the cost, but soon Hallee would need to be in a class, working on her primary skills before she hit kindergarten.
Heather reminded herself the exorbitant childcare costs wouldn’t last forever but would diminish over time, especially when Hallee spent most of the day in public school and only a couple hours in day care until Heather picked her up after work. But that was a few years off.
She wished she had a husband and could work part-time or even be a stay-at-home mom. She’d love to give Hallee a brother or sister. She’d considered doing it on her own. Why not? She’d been doing just fine with Hallee. Of course, Hallee’s father had provided financial support until recently. Now everything was different . . .
She stopped that train of thought and focused on her emotionally drowning sister.
“Come with me. I’ll get you set up for your massage. That will relax you and maybe you’ll start thinking more clearly about the amazing life you have with Rex and the kids.”
Amy’s shoulders sagged. “It is amazing. Most of the time. But lately . . .”
Heather hooked her arm around Amy’s skinny waist and drew her away from the counter and toward the massage room. “Give yourself a break. There’s no contest for raising your kids with the most skills and talents. So what if they can’t play an instrument or score a million soccer goals? No one cares if they don’t make the swim team.”
“I don’t want them sitting around the house staring at a screen all day.”
“They’re barely home at all.”
“You sound just like Rex.”
She didn’t want her sister to think she’d taken sides. “Do you like doing all that stuff with the kids? Do they like it?”
Amy stopped in the massage room, turned, stared at her, and shrugged.
Her sister without words didn’t compute. Amy had an answer for everything.
Heather took Amy’s purse and set it on the chair. “Strip. Climb on the table. Put the sheet over you. Lie there. Think of nothing. Do nothing. Allow yourself to be quiet and still. Take it in, Amy, and see if you can let things go.”
“I won’t let Rex take the kids from me.”
“From what Sierra said, he wants to spend more time with all of you.”
“He was talking to Mason.”
“I’m sure that was nothing but two friends catching up.”
Amy’s bottom lip wobbled. “I’m not so sure.”
“Mason knows both of you. If anything, he’d try to talk Rex into making up with you. Everyone knows you two are meant to be together.”
“I used to think so, too.”
“You’re best friends. You love each other. He makes you laugh and you spoil him. You two just work like it’s supposed to.”
“It used to be so good and easy.”
Heather hugged Amy. “You’re tired, sis. Take a breath. Relax. Things will get better. You’ll see.”
Amy sighed. “I hope so.”
Heather couldn’t help herself. Ever since she’d seen Mason, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. “How did Mason look?”
“Good. It’s Mason. He always looks great. He doesn’t have two wild kids and an upset spouse to deal with.”
“Do you think he wants a wife and kids?” Hope filled her heart and made it beat faster. She’d really love a real, grown-up relationship. Mason had always seemed the strong, steady, reliable type. She needed some of that in her life.
Amy found a halfhearted smile. “He sure looked like it earlier.”
Heather had heard he’d been spending time with Sierra’s boys lately, teaching them to ride and watching them when Sierra worked late. He and Sierra had always had an easy kind of friendship.
Mason might have always been the guy next door, but now Heather saw him in a whole new light. She wanted more than a friend in the successful lawyer. She wanted love. Uncomplicated and real and out there for everyone to see.
Maybe then her family would see that she’d grown up and found