Page 68 of Against All Odds

“Sable, you’ve already started over. Right here.”

I shook my head, frustration bubbling up inside me. “This doesn’t feel like a fresh start. I feel like I’m treading water, barely keeping my head above the surface. I’m tired of fighting so damn hard just to exist in this town.”

His eyes softened. “You’ve been through hell. I won’t argue with that. But you’ve also built something here. The Wildflower is yours. Are you really ready to walk away from it?”

“Yes,” I mumbled. But the word felt hollow, like a lie I was trying to convince myself of.

Ben tilted his head. “Let me ask you something. Are you tired of the Wildflower, or are you tired of everything else? The gossip, the judgment, the way this town makes you feel like you don’t belong?”

I didn’t answer because I wasn’t sure I could get the words past the tears in my throat.

“You like running this place, Sable.”

“I do,” I admitted. “But…I can’t face the gossip anymore.”

Was I being a coward?Hell, yeah. Did I give a shit?Absolutely not. I’d paid my dues. It was time to collect.

Ben moved my computer farther away on the counter and took both my hands in his. “I believe you need to give yourself some time before making a life-altering decision. Get through the upcoming ski season. See how you feel after. If you still want to sell and leave, I’ll help you. I’ll even repurchase the place—no loss to you. But don’t make choices when you’re feeling like this.”

“I’ve always felt like this,” I snapped, the sharpness in my voice surprising even me.

“Like you’re drowning?”

“I’m tired, Ben,” I confessed.

“I know,” he remarked softly. “But tired isn’t forever.”

I shook my head, blinking back the sting of tears. “I feel like I’ve given everything I’ve had. There’s nothing more left.” But the truth was that my heart was broken this time in a way I wasn’t sure it would ever mend.

“You’ve got more than you think,” he assured me. “And you’ve got people who care about you. Casey, Mackenna, Hillary, Natasha, me. You’renotalone.”

I didn’t respond, too afraid that if I opened my mouth, I’d break.

“Run towards something, Sable, not away,” he advised.

CHAPTER 23

heath

When my assistant Ellie told me that Daniel Vikar and a couple of his cronies had a tee time at the Royal Golf Club, I grabbed my clubs and headed straight for the course.

The golf club at the resort was one of the finest in the state—a pristine, sprawling course set against the backdrop of the mountains. It offered some of the most challenging holes in the region, along with breathtaking views of the Elk Mountains. Exclusive to the core, its astronomical membership fees ensured that only a select few could afford it. Naturally, Alexa’s father was one of them.

When I found them, they were on the third hole, already well into their game.

Daniel was lining up his shot while two other men watched, friends of his, big names in Aspen’s social and business circles. I knew them both—Tom Barclay, whoran a construction firm, and Joe Camden, a real estate developer with an ego the size of the Rockies.

“Mind if I join?” I stepped onto the green, with a casual smile.

“Heath!” Daniel said, looking up with an inviting nod. “Didn’t know you were free today—if I had, I’d have asked you to play with us from the start.”

“I’m working today, but you know, GM privileges,” I replied smoothly. “Heard you were here, so I thought, why the hell not.”

Tom clapped me on my shoulder. “Glad you’re here. It’s been a while.”

Like never!I didn’t golf with these assholes.

Joe wasn’t thrilled. He cleared his throat. “We’re already halfway through the round.”

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