Page 61 of Totally Off Limits

“Why? Is he an evil son of a bitch?”

Hearing her grandmother curse sent Sierra into a gale of laughter. “No, he’s not evil. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. We’re not meant for each other anyway.”

“Sierra, sometimes the man you think isn’t meant for you is the exact man you should give a chance. Something to think about.”

When her mother popped into the room to ask, “Well? How’s your grandmother?” Sierra knew the conversation was over. And it was for the best. Grandma would simply encourage her to pursue something unrealistic.

“She’s just fine, mom. When’s her next doctor appointment?”

Then she looked at her grandmother who winked at her as if to tell herYour secret’s safe with me, child.

But her words would roll around in the recesses of Sierra’s mind, giving her ideas she shouldn’t entertain.

* * *

Sierra had donea great job of not texting Mickey. And even Austin hadn’t reared his head during the past week, still on his tour of various gold refineries. Although it had hurt cutting Mickey off, it really was for the best—and he’d apparently taken the hint.

That was what she’d thought—until she received a text weeks later.

We’re gonna be leaving town soon, but we’re doing a concert at Bad Boys and I was hoping you’d come watch us.

Before her brain had engaged, her thumbs had already sent her reply.Hell, yes. When?

Friday night. Playing mostly new stuff. Practicing live before recording next month.

And so, without much more thought, she broached the subject with her mother when she picked up Mia that night.

“Mom, do you guys have plans Friday night?”

“It sounds likeyoumight.”

Sierra wasn’t in the mood for the verbal banter her mother often enjoyed, but she’d have to go back and forth a bit to get an answer anyway, much less even persuade her to do it. Although there were bound to be plenty of qualified babysitters out there, she’d been spoiled by having her mother as her child’s caregiver, and it was hard to imagine anyone else doing it.

If Sierra ever planned to leave this godforsaken town, she’d have to get used to the idea.

“I’m considering it—but only if you can watch Mia.”

Cocking a blonde eyebrow that had been carefully penciled in, Rebecca turned around to look directly at her daughter. “Would you mind telling me what you have planned that you can’t take your daughter with you?”

For just a split second, Sierra almost blurted out every single thing she knew would horrify her mother:I’ll be drinking, wearing skimpy clothes, dancing to heavy metal music in a crowded bar, surrounded by bikers, and then I’m gonna fuck one of the band members.

Telling herwhothat band member was might have had the same impact.

And was that true? Was she already planning that?

Instead, Sierra told her mother the truth without going into the sort of detail that would make the woman ask even more questions. “Johnny’s band is playing a free concert downtown and I promised a friend I’d try to watch and support them.”

“Johnny Church? Are he and Katie back from their honeymoon?”

Ah…it had worked. “I hope so. Their wedding was the end of April.”

“All right. I suppose that’s a noble cause. I’ll just keep Mia the whole day, so just pick her up Saturday morning.” Then, just for that extra guilt factor that Rebecca Hayden loved to deliver so expertly, she added, “Just make sure to spend extra time with her over the weekend. You don’t want her to forget who her mother is.”

“I don’t think a few extra hours will—” Why was she bothering? She knew her mother knew better and had just said it to get her goat.

Something the woman was an expert at.

So she decided to instead tell her a little more—enough, she hoped, to get her mother to drop it. “One of my old friends is in Johnny’s band, and this is probably my last chance to spend time with him.” The last word of her sentence was softer than it should have been, but she hoped her mother would drop it, considering Sierra had squatted down to see what Mia was playing with.

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