Page 51 of Against All Odds

I closed my eyes, fighting the rising panic in my chest. “How do I fight this, Ben? I can’t compete with the Vikars. I’m just...me.”

“You’re not just you,” Ben snapped, his voice cutting through the haze of my fear. “You’re the woman who took over this place and gave it a heartbeat again. The Wildflower is more than a bar—it’s home to the people who need it. People like Casey. Elijah. Hell, even me.”

“Ben, that’s great to say, but words aren’t going to pay my bills,” I said bleakly.

“No, they won’t,” he agreed. “But giving up won’t, either. You’re smart, Sable. You’ll figure this out. Did I tell you about the time…it was like years ago. People got food poisoning at the fucking summer party we threw. Shut the place down. You’re doing fine compared to what happened then. It took a while to get the locals back in and get the tourists to stop listening to rumors about people dying after they ate here. The Wildflower survived that. Alexa Vikar is a bug you can squash.”

I smiled at his confidence in me. “Yeah?”

He reached across the bar, restinghis hand over mine. “Absolutely. You don’t have to do it alone. You’ve got people in your corner. Don’t forget that.”

I nodded, blinking back tears that I refused to let fall. I’d never had people in my corner. I had no idea what that felt like.

By the end of the night, trivia was over, and the small group of locals had filed out, leaving the Wildflower quiet and empty again. I stood behind the bar, staring at the rows of clean glasses lined up on the shelves, feeling despondent as hell.

Ben had helped me close up. After, we both sat at the bar with a nightcap. I went for scotch, he for bourbon.

“Do you regret it yet?” he asked me, genuinely concerned.

“Regret what?”Being with Heath? No…and yes.

“Buying this place.”

“Not at all,” I replied without hesitation.

I was so proud when I signed the papers. I was so happy to see this place full of people, music,andlife. It wasn’t just a tavern to me. It was a chance to prove myself. To the town. To everyone who thought I wasn’t good enough. To myself.

“But I’m afraid I’m going to be the reason this revered establishment will fail,” I added.

Ben stood, pushing his glass toward me. “Shit happens, Sable, and you know that since you’ve had more shit than most. This too shall pass.” He winked at me. “Maybe like a kidney stone—but itwillpass.”

I laughed. “Aren’t kidney stones supposed to hurt like a mother?”

“Yeah.” Ben grinned widely. “It’s gonna get a lot worse before it gets better. I speak from experience.”

“And what if it never gets better?” I asked forlornly.

“You left the trailer park and emerged successful. You’re a fucking warrior, Sable. So, you know italwaysgets better.”

Well, it first had to get worse, which it did.

CHAPTER 17

heath

Sable was behind the bar when I walked into the Wildflower. She was looking through her computer. The place was quieter than usual for a Friday night—locals filled a few tables, and a small cluster of tourists gathered near the dartboard, but the energy didn’t match what I usually saw here.

I leaned against the bar, catching her attention. “Slow night?”

She glanced up at me, her face unreadable, but I could see the tightness in her jaw. “It’s been a slow few weeks.” The way she said it made it clear that I should’ve noticed and that this was somehow my fault.

I frowned. “What’s going on?”

She closed her laptop and let out a sigh. “You don’t want to know.”

“I do, babe.” I held out a hand to her so she could slip hers in. She shook herhead. “Sable?”

She poured me my whiskey and slid the drink close to my extended hand.

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