Page 31 of Against All Odds

“Sable, darlin’, how are you?” The woman behind the counter looked at the bottle of generic ibuprofen I had set in front of her before scanning it. “You okay?”

“Thanks, Renay, I’m fine. Just have a headache.”

“You coming down with somethin’?”

I shook my head, and since that hurt, I held it as still as the plastic smile on my face. “Just didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

Renay gave me a knowing smile as she rang me up. “I hope you wereupall night with that handsome hunk you’re seeing.”

You’ve got to be kidding me! I had a headache, and she thought it was because I’d spent the night getting pounded by Heath.Well, hon, that was two nights ago, and since this clusterfuck of gossip, I doubt I’m going there again.

I forced myself to keep the smile on my face. “I’mnotseeing anyone. Don’t believe everything you hear.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I don’t.” Her eyes brightened with malice and mischief. “But if I were you, I’d be careful. I hear Alexa is on the warpath. She’s hoping for a reconciliation with her husband.”

Ex-husband!

“Right.” I held out my credit card.

“So, enjoy yourself, but don’t expect much, okay?”

I held back a sigh and a snort. Everyone had a fucking opinion, like everyone had an asshole. “I’ll see you at trivia night on Tuesday, Renay.” I took my pills and my receipt and stuffed them into my bag.

Ben had been doing Tuesday Trivia Night at the Wildflower for years, a tradition that I was continuing.

I walked quickly to the door to get the hell out before Renay decided she had some other piece of insulting wisdom to impart.

On my way back to the car, I passed by the new Italian restaurant, Amore. Its big picture windows were glowing warmly. My footsteps faltered when I saw the people inside.

Heath was sitting at a table with Juno and Alexa.

My stomach twisted painfully.

Juno laughed, her smile bright and genuine. She was happy. Of course, she’d want her parents together. Of course, she’d be thrilled to have them sitting across the table from each other, sharing a meal like they were still a family.

And Alexa, well, mean girl, was making a statement for all of Aspen to see, and especially me. She was getting her ex back. She was putting her family back together, and I could go on and fuck myself.

I stood there on the sidewalk, staring at them through the glass, as the hammers inside my head pounded harder.

They were a picture-perfect family. I was the interloper who’d had a brief taste of a good relationship before being reminded that it wasn’t mine to keep.

Heath had slept with me, and now he was having dinner with his ex-wife and daughter as a family in public.

Talk about putting me in my place. Both Heath and Alexa had done that.

I was such a fucking fool. I’d thought we had a connection—okay, so I was planning to sever it because of the whole shitstorm it started—but I hadn’t thought that he’d fuck me and then go right back to his ex-wife.

It was humiliating.

I could hear the gossip mongers.

“He screwed her and then screwed her over. He’s back with Alexa.”

“Of course, he is. Sable is good for what she’s got between her legs, but no decent man wants to be with her.”

“Jack did.”

“Yeah, and guess what? He dumped her skanky ass, too.”

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