Page 63 of One Reckless Moment

“Really?”

“When your father and I got together, so many people told him I wasn’t good enough for him. I was a single mom in my twenties. My family all but disowned me, and I was a waitress at the Iron Saddle. Everyone saw me as an irresponsible kid. He was a little older and came from a successful family. He had a reputation he was expected to uphold.”

“But Dad’s parents loved you,” I said, taking another sip of my coffee.

“They did once they got to know me, but your father never let the talk of the town affect us. He loved me regardless, and raised Walker as his own. We moved quickly. Got married and pregnant in about six months of knowing each other. It was the best decision I ever made with the love of my life. And I’d make that decision over and over, regardless of the townies who had something to say about it.”

My eyes were glued to my thumb as it rubbed back and forth over the rim of my mug. I knew my parents’ story, but it never occurred to me that there were similarities. Maybe my mother was so okay with Cash and me because it reminded her so much of her and my dad.

“Lottie and I have never fought like this.”

“Oh, sure you have.” My mom laughed. “I’ll never forget when Lottie got that pink dress for her freshman homecoming. You wanted it so badly that you tried it on and ran outside to show the boys, only for Reid to push you into a pile of mud. Lottie and you went at it so bad I thought one of you might set the house on fire.”

My lips tipped up at the memory. “That was pretty bad.”

“You told me your sister was the devil and the fact that I gave birth to her meant that evil DNA was also in your body. You requested an exorcism.”

I burst into laughter. “But we worked that out.”

“Yeah, after the boys locked you in a room and said you couldn’t come to dinner until you talked to each other.”

“This feels so different, though. That was one accident…this is years of built-up tension coming to a head.”

“It’s not really different if you think about it.” She glanced up at me. “You felt like Lottie was getting all the attention because she was older and had other opportunities. That is a tale as old as time with you two.”

“Why didn’t you send me to California with her?” I didn’t look up to see the look in my mom’s eyes when she told me Lottie was the first choice because she was just naturally better at everything.

She took a deep breath. “There were a lot of factors that led to her being sent to California. None of which had to do with you, sweetie. Lottie has a degree in event management which just made it natural for her to go to manage the event space. Your talents were needed here.”

I stayed quiet. It did always make sense for her to go, but it was never a conversation about who wanted to go or how it would affect our family for her to leave.

Lottie was handed the opportunity to leave Montana while I stayed in the same place I’d always been.

“Did it hurt your feelings that she went and you didn’t?” my mom asked.

I shrugged. “Yes…no…maybe? I don’t know. She left and never came back.”

My mom rounded the island and leaned next to me. “I see. I don’t think this is about her working the resort.”

I shook my head and dropped my head into my hands. “She left me behind for her new life.”

“Oh, baby, she didn’t leave you behind. She has a life there now, which is great, but you also have a new life that she isn’t part of.”

I looked up at her. “How?”

“Look at it from her side—you had this secret boyfriend under everyone’s noses and ran off to get married without her there. The way you feel about her having a new life that you aren’t a part of, maybe she also feels that way about the life you have here that she isn’t part of.”

I let those words sink in. Was Lottie upset because she felt like I cut her out of my life?

No. She never asked about my life or wanted to be part of it.

“It isn’t my sole responsibility to force her to care about my life,” I said coldly.

“No, it isn’t. But maybe you both need to take more time to make each other part of both of your lives. Everyone talks about how hard long-distance relationships are when they talk about romantic partners, but it isn’t any different for sisters. Sometimes you both have to put in effort if you want the relationship to work.”

“She said terrible things to me.”

“I know. I think you both have a lot to get off your chests.”