Page 9 of Totally Off Limits

Seriously, theonlything.

Sierra also knew she shouldn’t have plopped her child in front of the television, but Sunday mornings were the exception.

Glancing at the time, Sierra realized she probably wasn’t going to get much more done—so she might as well get ready for the weekly torture that posed as Sunday dinner at the Hayden house. And maybe she could put a movie on for Mia tonight and try to finish her homework then…or wait until her bedtime and then stay up late.

She’d figure it out.

Had she not already played the not-feeling-well card last night, she’d use it today to bow out of Sunday dinner—but Mia always looked forward to it. It was the one time a week she got to spend extra time with Uncle Layne, Grandpa, Great Grandma, and her aunties, aside from the wedding yesterday, of course. Sierra also couldn’t tell the family she had homework to return to, because they had no idea she was pursuing a higher degree—and she wasn’t about to tell them till she, like Mickey, planned to kick the dust of this town off her shoes.

For now, however…duty called.

“Let’s get you in the bath, baby girl.”

“Yay!”

At least one of them was excited about it.

* * *

The Hayden homeloomed in the distance, and Sierra could see it from the road, even though it was hidden behind a couple of evergreens and a few lush ash trees in full bloom. They’d moved to this house when Sierra was in middle school, and that had pretty much been the end of her having any super close friends till college. Sure, she’d had friends, but no one to confide in. Back in the day, it had been hard finding empathy with her friend Jenny, whose parents weren’t poor but weren’t well-to-do, either. Jenny had to share a room with her younger sister and that didn’t seem likely to change. So, naturally, they drifted apart. Her other friendship might have made it had they been able to spend time together, but thanks to middle school classes and the inability to visit each other’s homes once Sierra lived out of town, that would no longer happen.

Trying to make friends who were more upper class—who might actually understand overbearing parents or living away from town—didn’t work, because they wanted nothing to do with her. The Haydens might have finally come into money, but they weren’t part of the already established network in Winchester—and while the adults had embraced her father, reluctantly or otherwise, because his intelligence and experience had made him the perfect candidate to become President of the local community college and the board had wholeheartedly agreed that he should run the school, it didn’t work out that way in Sierra’s favor. The snotty rich girls were still snotty rich girls who looked down their noses at her. They seemed more aware of her after that point, but they weren’t interested in letting her into their cliques.

That was fine. Sierra had some acquaintances she got along with just fine and she was only at school to get her education anyway.

But, for that reason and more, she’d always resented this fucking house. While she would never call it amansion, she realized it could possibly be classified as such, considering it was huge and surrounded closely by acres and acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and then forest beyond. The only thing that sincerely put them in mansion territory was her mother’s ridiculous spa area in the basement level. Looking at it from an adult’s perspective, Sierra could see how it could possibly be viewed as such.

To her, however, it was a slice of hell where she sacrificed a few hours of her week.

From her car seat, Mia said, “Grandmama!” That child was the only reason she ever came here anymore. And it wasn’t that Sierra felt as if creating lasting familial ties was so important. It was, instead, motivated by the fact that her mother provided daycare for her daughter for fifty-plus hours a week. Even with a good-paying job, Sierra wouldn’t have been able to afford student loans, rent, a car payment, and other bills if she were paying for quality daycare. And although she and her mother didn’t always see eye to eye about a lot of things, one thing was for certain: her mother adored Mia and not only took immaculate care of the child, but she also threw in a lot of education during the day. As much as Sierra hated to admit it, that shit was priceless.

It didn’t help that Mia, in turn, also adored herGrandmama.

“Yep. We’re almost there.”

As she pulled her car into the curved driveway in front of the stately, sprawling cream-brick three-story home, Sierra took a deep breath, just as she often did when driving here, as if to fortify herself.Just a few hours.It didn’t hurt that she didn’t have to cook, either.

But that certainly didn’t make it a picnic.

After pulling the car near the front of the house, she shut off the engine. Out of the five Hayden siblings, Sierra was the only one to have moved out so far—so hers was the only vehicle not in one of the garages off to the side. As for moving out, she figured loser Layne would be her parents’ lapdog forever. It seemed that her siblings could do no wrong in her parents’ eyes, and so they loved being around. Who could resist parental praise, especially when the criticism and scorn directed at the oldest sister merely amplified how adored they were?

The triplets, like good little girls, attended Winchester Community College wheredaddyworked but, like Layne, they would likely transfer to a four-year university at some point. Sierra tried not to ask too many questions, because all it did was stir up animosity and resentment inside her. Had their treatment been similar to her own, perhaps not.

After closing the driver door, Sierra walked around the car to the back passenger side. Then she opened the door and unbuckled Mia from her car seat. The child was practically bouncing, eager to see the family. One thing Sierra had to admit was that Mia absolutely adored her grandparents—but in the future if she so much as saw one discouraging or disheartening word from her mother directed at Mia, she would cut them off without another thought. She might regret it when having to pay for childcare but at least now that she had a job during the day, it would be more manageable—and far more affordable. She’d do anything for Mia, and boosting her child’s self-worth and self-esteem were more important gifts than anything else Sierra could ever possibly give her.

Barely had she unbuckled her daughter than the child all but leapt out of her arms—and when Jasper, Layne’s sweet golden retriever, came bounding across the spacious yard to greet them, Mia started giggling. God, that was the sweetest sound Sierra had ever heard, and she’d never grow tired of her daughter’s infectious laugh. Sierra was grateful that Jasper wasn’t an asshole like his owner; the dog was sweet-natured and gentle, and he loved Mia. The feeling was mutual. Mia held out her little arms as Jasper slowed his approach and she hugged his neck. The dog had a huge smile on his face as Mia greeted him.

“Hey there, Jasper. At least one of us is excited to be here.” Sierra rubbed her hand on top of his head before holding it out for Mia to grab—but the child wasn’t having it. Who wanted mom’s hand when she could love on the dog?

“Jasper!” came Layne’s voice from the side of the manor.

“He’s here with us!” Sierra shouted back.

After a few seconds, Layne came around the corner, running his hand through his short light-brown hair. Completely disregarding his sister, he said, “Aw, my sweet Mia is here. No wonder Jasper ignored the frisbee.”

“Chopped liver compared to Mia.”

Layne gave a nod and let out a long breath of air before smiling. “Mia, want Uncle Layne to carry you inside the house?”

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