Page 46 of Against All Odds

“I’ll have a finger of Basel Hayden.” She pointed to the bottle.

I poured her a finger.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

I was about to snap that I owned the freaking bar but realized this was her way of extending an olive branch. “Thanks.”

I poured myself afinger as well.

We raised our glasses and clinked them. Then, we took a sip and set our glasses down.

One of the last few patrons waved at me. “I’m just going to close him out,” I told Natasha.

Once all the last guests had left, it was just Natasha, Mackenna, and I.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to help finish up?” Mackenna asked, suspiciously examining Natasha.

“Go home, Mac.” I gave her a reassuring smile—my,it’s all good.

Mackenna left almost grudgingly. The people who I’d gotten to know in the past two months since I took over the Wildflower were, as they said, Team Sable. It was cute and comforting. I’d never had many friends—not the way I grew up—so it was special to have people at my back who supported me and didn’t want to leave me alone with Alexa’s sister.

“I heard what happened tonight with Alexa,” she began.

“I’m sure the whole town’s talking about it by now.” I tried to make it sound like a joke, but it came out weary.

“I’m not here to pile on, Sable. I’m here to apologize.”

That stopped me in my tracks.

“You didn’t make a scene in my bar, Natasha.”

She shook her head. “For…for what I did to you in high school.”

Now, there were things I thought would never happen—the Cubs would win the World Series, theBrowns would make the Super Bowl, or Natasha Vikar would ever apologize to me.

“I’m not asking for forgiveness because I don’t deserve it. But I want to tell you that I’ve regretted what I did for years. For the rumors, the pranks, all of it. Alexa, Leslie, and I—we were awful to you. And then…then there was that tape.”

“Well, everyone famous has a sex tape,” I flippantly replied because I had no clue how to respond to her apologizing to me. Especially after her sister had proved she was still stuck in high school, and my reaction—though I didn’t show it—had been about as mature as if I were back there, too.

“I know my saying anything doesn’t erase what I did. It was horrible—I was so cruel. But I wanted you to know that I’m glad you and Heath are together.”

Were we together?I wasn’t sure what we were, especially after the conversation we just had, where he decided not to take my side right away.

“Heath’s a good man,” Natasha continued. “He deserves someone like you. And honestly? You deserve someone like him—strong and with integrity.”

I downed my whiskey. “Ah…I don’t know how to respond to any of this,” I admitted.

She smiled ruefully. “Give me a chance.”

“To do what?” I asked, confused.

“To be your friend.”

She was sincere, no doubt about it. “I don’t think so, Natasha.”

Her eyes filled with sudden tears, and Ifelt like a jerk.

“I…did you know that he was my first?” I asked.

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