Page 30 of Totally Off Limits

“Austin and I are old friends. Everything will be fine.”

“That’sexactlywhat I’m wanting to avoid,” Rebecca said, scooping Mia up in her arms before sliding the gate to the stairs aside. As usual, Sierra’s mother was not so much a force to be reckoned with as a storm to be weathered. With a sigh, she followed her mother up the stairs as the older woman continued her thought. “You have to stop thinking of this as a friendly get together and look upon it as a date. It’s not good for your father’s position in Winchester to have his oldest daughter perpetually unwed with a child.”

“You just want me to get married? Is that it? Then why don’t we get a matchmaker instead? Just pick my husband and plan the wedding.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Sierra. Stop being so dramatic,” Rebecca snapped, pulling open the top gate before marching down the hall. “We all know it would be much better if you actually liked the man you were going to marry—and vice versa.”

Sierra locked the gate and rushed down the hall as her mother entered her bedroom. Fortunately, she was still in the habit of making the bed, just like her mother had drilled into her, so she wouldn’t hear about a messy room. “Why do I have to get married at all? It seems like the only people judging me for it are my own family.”

Rebecca’s face grew frosty as she set Mia down on the floor. The child fussed, holding her arms up, opening and closing her fists to tell her grandmother she wanted to be held—but Rebecca was on a mission, sliding Rebecca’s closet door open.

Thatwas where she was going to find the mess.

“Shoes everywhere. It’s a miracle you can find anything. I didn’t raise you this way.” Before Sierra could even try to respond to that, Rebecca tackled her earlier comment. “And the only reason you feel judged by your family is because we bear the burden of being judged by everyone in Winchester. Not a week goes by that your father or I aren’t asked if you’re going to get married.”

“Really?” Sierra’s voice was as dry as she could make it, because she thought this shit had been long buried. Of course, nothing ever stayed dead with her mother. Any past infraction could be pulled out at a moment’s notice to be wielded as a weapon in the form of a guilt tactic or any other clever emotional manipulation. “You’re telling me that random people go out of their way just to ask you and dad if I’m getting married?”

“Well, it’s not likethat.” Mia continued to fuss, so Sierra picked her up while Rebecca moved one hanger after another. “And it’s no wonder you’re not dating much, considering all these frumpy clothes.”

Sierra almost countered her mother again and decided to save her energy. Arguing would get her nowhere, and she had plenty of historical evidence to prove it. Trying was simply a waste of time.

“What aboutthis?” her mother asked, pulling out a black dress that ended mid-thigh. Sierra could practically feel the blood draining from her cheeks as memories flooded her brain. She’d bought that cute little thing on a whim. It had a push-up feature in the breast area, enhanced by the straps that wrapped around the back of the neck, practically framing her assets, dishing them up for all eyes to devour. After she’d gotten over the horror of sleeping with Mickey back in the day, she’d begun fantasizing about dating him—and how she might be able to win him over with a simple little dress.

But after waiting a month, she hadn’t been able to track him down, not knowing he’d skipped town—and then, of course, the pregnancy ruined all notions of that.

Why the hell had she even kept it?

“This still has the tags on, Sierra. You’ve never worn it?”

“Obviously not.”

“Then you must. I insist.”

“I’m not—”

“Just humor me. Try it on. If you don’t feel comfortable, you can change back into the one you have on.”

“Fine. But I’m not doing it while you’re here.”

“Si—”

“I have to draw the line somewhere. I promise I’ll try.”

And, if her mother knew anything about her, she knew that to be true. Much as Sierra had tried to rebel over the years, the need deep within to please her parents trumped it ninety-nine percent of the time.

“All right.” Turning to find her granddaughter turning pages in a large textbook on a chair by the dresser, Rebecca said, “Ready, baby doll?”

“Let’s go, grandmama!”

“Oh!” Rebecca exclaimed. “Yes, we’re going now.” Raising an eyebrow to Sierra, she said, “All that work is paying off.”

Needless to say, Sierra bit her tongue.

“Let’s go, Mia.” That directive was unnecessary as Mia had already come to her grandmother, but Sierra supposed her mother just couldn’t help herself. She’d been far too bossy for far too long. Why change now?

When Sierra started to pick Mia up, Rebecca said, “I’ll get her. You’ve got to try that dress on. We can find our way out.”

“With the stairs?”

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