Page 28 of Against All Odds

I looked out of the floor-to-ceiling window of my office, which framed the peaks of the Elk Mountains, their tops still glistening with snow even as the spring thaw crept up the valley. The resort bustled quietly below; its sleek architecture nestled into the landscape like it belonged there. I was proud of this place—not just for what it was, but for the work I’d put into making it the crown jewel of Aspen’s ski scene. The tourists came for the slopes, the high-end amenities, the exclusivity, but for me, it was all about balance. Business thrived here because I kept the chaos in check.

I was a man who liked order, and my office was, as my assistant liked to tease me, the oasis of order. I had needed tofixit up before I parked my butt in here because the previous GM had a style that was Las Vegas meets Switzerland.

The walls that used to be dark purple were now painted a neutral slate gray, and the furniture was simple and modern. A glass desk with chrome accents sat at the center of the room, replacing the vintage shitshow the previous guy had. My desk was meticulously organized: a laptop, a leather-bound notebook, and a stack of files sorted by priority—I like to have my reports printed out. A low bookshelf against the far wall held a few framed photos of Juno, some books on leadership, and an award or two that the resort had picked up over the years.

I glanced at my watch. I had three more emails tosend, a Zoom call at noon, and a lunch meeting with a potential partner who wanted to pitch a new eco-friendly ski lift design.

Everything was on schedule.

I picked up my phone, debating whether to text Sable to see if she had time to meet up before the following Monday. We hadn’t made any specific plans, but if this was going to be a casual relationship, maybe it was okay to be spontaneous.

I’d barely started typing when a knock at the door interrupted me. “Come in,” I called, and Ellie, my assistant, stepped inside.

Ellie was the only thing I’d inherited from the previous GM’s office that I had kept. She’d been with the resort for six years now, a sharp, no-nonsense professional who could juggle half a dozen tasks at once without breaking a sweat.

She came inside, closing the door behind her. “Your wife is here.”

“Ex-wife,” I automatically corrected her.

“Well, whoever she is, she is?—”

The door behind Ellie pushed open, and Alexa stormed in.

“Thank you, Ellie.” I waved her off before she became witness to my family drama, which, seeing Alexa’s expression, was impending.

Ellie hesitated, her sharp eyes darting between Alexa and me. Then she nodded and disappeared into the hallway from my office to hers, closing the doorbehind her.

“How dare you?” Alexa did not disappoint.

I had no idea what she was talking about. “Good morning, Alexa,” I greeted dryly, leaning back in my chair.

She ignored the sarcasm, crossed her arms, and stared at me with fire in her eyes. She wore a tailored cream blazer, and heels sharp enough to stab someone. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail. She looked like the sophisticated woman she wanted everyone to see—beautiful, intense, and about as subtle as a grenade.

“Are you out of your mind?” she snapped, not bothering with a greeting.

I sighed, gesturing to the chair in front of my desk. “Please, sit. Let’s start with what this is about before you burst a blood vessel.”

She didn’t sit. She stalked toward my desk, her voice rising. “It’s about you gallivanting around town with Sable Nees! Are you kidding me, Heath?”

I should’ve known, a part of me had known—but I had thought it wouldn’t become an issue. Now, nearly two and a half years had passed since we separated. Did Alexa expect me to remain celibate? I didn’t expect that from her.

“I didn’t know that what I did had anything to do with you.”

“Goddamn you, Heath!” she barked. “Taking that slut out on private skiing lessons like it’s some kind of fairytale? Do you have any idea what people are saying? About you? About her? About us?!”

“Don’t use that kind of language about a woman I consider a friend…or, in fact, any woman in front of me.” I didn’t bother to temper my tone. “And, Alexa, there is nous. We. Are. Divorced. You do remember that, right?”

That only seemed to make her angrier. “Oh, don’t pull that with me. You know damn well people are watching! What you do reflects on me, Heath. On Juno. And you’re out there making a spectacle of yourself with someone likeher.”

My teeth clenched. I hated the way she saidher—like Sable was beneath her, beneath me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Alexa leaned over the desk. “It means you’re running around with trailer trash who everyone knows has a reputation. She slept her way through half this town and probably is still doing it…well, she is since she’s fucking you.”

I pushed back in my chair, my voice cold now. “Didn’t I just tell you to be careful about the words you use to?—”

“And don’t call her your friend. She’s your fuck buddy.” Alexa was breathing hard. “You couldn’t pick someone better? You had to go slumming?”

“Jesus, Alexa. You know high school is fucking over.” She was pushing my buttons, no matter how much I didn’t want her to. Outwardly, I kept my calm, but inside, I was a fucking raging forest fire. How dare she come here and talk about Sable? And how the fuck did she already know about our date? It had been like half a goddamn minute since Sable left my bed.

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