“I was just talking to Amy.”
Heather glanced over at their sister spying on them from across the yard. “She hates me, too.”
“No, she doesn’t. And I don’t want to hate you, either. But you made it damn hard not to. You’re my sister. I used to clean and bandage your skinned knees and push you on the swing and talk to you about boys and kissing. I’m pretty sure I’m the one who gave you the sex talk.”
Heather’s cheeks pinked. “Mom’s idea of a sex talk was telling me not to do anything you and Amy were doing.”
They shared hesitant smiles and it felt like it cracked the shield Sierra put between them to keep Heather away. “I suppose we should have taught you to be careful who you fall in love with.”
“I’m sorry, Sierra. I never meant—”
Sierra held her hand up to stop her. Heather’s mouth snapped closed. She deflated, her shoulders sagging.
“I don’t want to hear any more apologies. What I told Amy was that if you were David, I’d make an effort to be civil. That’s probably the best I can do right now. The kids deserve at least that much from us. I don’t want to necessarily tell them they’re siblings right now. But I don’t want to keep them apart, either.”
Heather’s gaze went to Emma and Hallee out on the lawn, rolling a soccer ball back and forth between them. Danny and P.J. sat nearby eating a bunch of grapes from the fruit plate they served earlier.
Sierra sighed. “I don’t want them to miss birthday parties and holidays together because you and I can’t be in the same room with each other.”
“I don’t want that, either. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to make things up to you in some way. I didn’t want to do this today, but I went to my boss and applied for a promotion that I deserve but probably would have gone to someone else because I tend to think everything will be handed to me, and that’s not how things really work.”
Sierra had pointed that out to her.
“I told my boss that I deserved that position. I’d earned it. I did half the work already without being paid.” Heather stared down at the table, then met Sierra’s gaze again. “I want to provide for my daughter and give her the best life I can. I want her to know that I worked hard to better myself. And I’m working on it.”
“What does this have to do with us?”
“I want you to know I’m working on being a better me. And that starts with standing on my own two feet, taking responsibility for what I’ve done, and finding a way to pay you back for the money David gave me. So I got the promotion I deserved and the raise that goes with it, so I could get a loan to pay you back half the money David gave me.” She shrugged. “I didn’t do it for the whole amount because I believe David should support his daughter.”
Sierra reluctantly agreed with that.
“I’ll get the check to you this week. I didn’t know he took out the loan. I didn’t really think about him taking money away from you and the kids.” Heather sighed, her eyes filled with regret. “Let’s face it, I tried really hard not to think about you.”
Sierra appreciated the honesty, even though it stung.
Heather kept going. “I will never be able to apologize enough or make this right, but if you’re willing to set this aside, at least for the kids, then I’ll follow your lead on how you want to handle getting them together and how and when we tell them the truth.”
“Hallee is too young to understand. The boys might get the concept, but they’re still too young to grasp the gravity of what having a sister means. Maybe when Hallee is old enough to understand the concept of siblings we’ll tell them. Until then, let’s stop rehashing what happened and live in the moment. We can be civil. Who knows, maybe one day we can even be friends again.”
Heather pressed her lips together, eyes watery, and nodded. “Thank you. It’s more than I deserve.”
“No more talk like that, either. All the energy I poured into being angry, all the energy you put into thrashing yourself over this, it’s not good for either of us.”
“Why are you doing this now? Or at all?”
“I’m about to get married to a man I really, really love. I have a chance to have the life I always wanted with a man who only wants to love me back and make me happy. The last thing I want to do is carry this with me and let it drag my heart down. I don’t want to carry this weight with me into something that is so . . . perfect.”
Heather gave her a sad smile. “I’m happy for you.”
Sierra stood and stared down at her sister and gave her the truth. “I hope one day I’ll be happy for you, too.” She turned to go and spotted the kids playing Duck, Duck, Goose on the lawn. She smiled when Oliver goosed Hallee and the little one jumped up and tried her best to chase Oliver, who was faster and steadier on his legs than the toddler. Hallee lost, but the sweet grin on her face said she didn’t care. She started around the circle of kids, touching each of their heads, saying Duck each time.
Sierra hadn’t put a lot of thought into the wedding details, but one thing she absolutely wanted was all the kids to participate. Danny and Oliver would share the duty as best man to Mason. She’d ask Amy to be her matron of honor. But Emma and Hallee would be adorable flower girls. P.J., though older than the rest of them, would still make a great ring bearer.
She turned back and found Heather staring at the kids, too, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
“I’d love it if Hallee was a flower girl in my wedding.”
Heather’s surprised gaze shot to hers and she gasped.
“I’ll get her a pretty dress. All the kids will be included.”
Including Hallee in her life seemed an easier way to move forward. With Heather, she’d need to take baby steps to rebuild the trust that had been shattered. It would take time. Maybe they’d never get back to what they had, but Sierra would try to find peace with what happened and with her sister.
She left Heather and went back to Mason and their celebration, content she’d not only salved the discord with her sister but made wedding plans that amped her anticipation for their big day.
She couldn’t wait to get married and look back on it knowing she’d done her best to leave the past behind and start fresh with the man she knew would be her perfect partner.
Chapter Forty-Two
Sierra stood at the back of the ballroom in her gorgeous white wedding gown feeling like a princess. The wedding coordinator handed her the bouquet. The heady scent of white roses filled the air. The simple bouquet complemented the lavender hydrangea, pink peony, and white spider mum bouquets decorating the tables at the back of the ballroom and the aisle leading to the temporary stage in the middle of the dance floor.
Mason stood there with Danny and Oliver waiting for her grand entrance. They all looked dashing in their black tuxes. P.J. stood just inside the door holding a white satin pillow with the rings tied to it. He tugged at the collar of his dress shirt.
Amy stood next to him wearing a gorgeous fuchsia A-line chiffon off-the-shoulder dress, looking spectacular. She brushed P.J.’s hand away from the offending collar. “Stop fidgeting.”
Emma and Hallee stood behind them in their matching pale pink dresses with the tulle overlaid skirts and, tied around their waists, fuchsia satin ribbons that matched Amy’s dress. So sweet and cute.