Page 52 of Against All Odds

“Alexa has asked everyone to stay away from here, and her father intimidated townsfolk at some BBB meeting.”

I blinked, taken aback. “I don’t think so, Sable. I’d have heard about that, and I’ve heard nothing.”

Sable crossed her arms. “I have no idea why you haven’t ‘cause I’m the talk of the town.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but she kept going.

“The locals have been told to avoid my place. Business is down. It’s not a coincidence.”

I straightened, not liking her insinuation. The Vikars were snobs, no doubt, but even if they wanted to, they didn’t havethatkind of power. Also, it was too petty for them.

“Sable, you’re imagining things. This kind of dip happens whenever there’s a change in management. People are just waiting to see if you can handle it.”

Her eyes narrowed, and I could tell my statement didn’t land well.

“You don’t think I can handle it?” she asked, her voice sharp.

“That’s not what I said, so don’t put words in my mouth,” I warned. “I’m just saying that you’re taking this too personally. This isn’t high school, Sable. Alexa doesn’t have that kind of power. People talk, sure, but they’ll move on. They always do.”

She stared at me for a moment, and I could see she was hurt. “Wow, you think I’m overreacting.”

“I think you’re letting this get to you more than it should.” I smiled reassuringly at her and kept my tone gentle. She was stressed, and she needed me to hold her together and not get upset with her because she was unfairly blaming Alexa for this.

She shook her head, her lips pressed into a tight line. “You don’t get it.”

“I do, Sable. I know you’re fighting for respect in a town that’s been judging you your whole life. Just give it time. People will come back to the Wildflower. This stuff happens in business.” I knew because I worked in hotels and restaurants my whole career.

Before she could respond, one of the guests at the other end of the bar raised his hand. Sable smiled at him and walked over.

I was irritated with Sable. I felt like she was expecting me to fix her business problems for her somehow. But what was I supposed to do? This wasn’t the first time someone had to deal with rumors in a small town, and it wouldn’t be the last.

She needed to toughen upandnot look to me as her savior. We were grown-ups, right? That meant we solved our problems. Sure, we were in a relationship of sorts, but that didn’t mean I could rescue her.

While she took care of the guest, I decided that maybe I should just go home and not spend the night with her. She was in a piss poor mood, and I’d had my share of an angry woman in my bed for years. This…whatever this was, was supposed to be fun and easy—now it was getting messy and complicated, and I didn’t like it. I also didn’t like that Sable was badmouthing my kid’s mother.

The last guests left, and I was almost done with my whiskey. She didn’t let me pay for it, saying it was the friends-and-family benefit drink.

“Hey, it’s going to work out,” I told her.

She wasn’t angry anymore as she had been, just sad. “I hope so.”

“I feel like…I feel like you think I am somehow to blame for this.” I waved a hand around the tavern.

She looked so contrite that I felt like an asshole. “I’m sorry, Heath. This is on me and not on you at all.”

Good. She was getting it. I was glad.

“I have an early meeting tomorrow,” I lied. “Would it be okay if I just went home tonight?”And you went to your place.

“Okay.” She didn’t look like she was okay with that at all. I understood. I had Juno the following week so we wouldn’t be sleeping together for a week, at least. Tonight would have been the last time before….

“Or maybe you can come to my place and?—”

“No, it’s fine,” she cut me off. “I think I’m getting a migraine. I’m just going to take some pills and zone out.”

“Take care of yourself, darlin’.” I kissed her and walked her to her car before driving home, feeling uneasy as fuck about how she seemed to have shut down, wondering if I was being unfair to her. We may be casual, but I could be a friend to her, couldn’t I?

Fuck! When had companionship and sex become complicated and stressful?

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