Page 57 of Against All Odds

Later, as we lay tangled together in my bed, I stared at the ceiling long after he’d fallen asleep.

We could be so much more, I thought. So much more if Alexa wasn’t hell-bent on screwing everything up. But I couldn’t say that to him. I couldn’t even let it show. Heath didn’t respond well to his ex-wife being mentioned because he worried about the impact on his daughter. And as much as I hated it, I understood. In his head, Alexa and Juno were connected. And until he found a way to separate them, we were always going to feel like this—pulled in two directions, caught in a fight I wasn’t sure I could win.

I snuggled into him, holding him close, and even in his sleep, he adjusted, wrapping his arm around me like we’d been doing this for years. I pressed a kiss to his bare chest, the urge to confess my feelings almost overwhelming. I was in love with him—head over heels, in a way I’dnever felt before. What I’d felt for Jack paled in comparison to the depth of my feelings for Heath. And yet, we’d only just started, barely more than a heartbeat into this relationship—one already piled high with challenges.

If I’d known that was the last time we’d make love and that everything would change a few days later, I wouldn’t have rushed off in the morning for a meeting at my old bank with the manager to talk about a loan—I would’ve stayed, had breakfast, and made love again.

But you know what they say about hindsight? She’s one clear bitch.

CHAPTER 19

heath

Ihad a crisis at the resort, so I was late getting to the farmer’s market, where Juno was waiting for me.

Alexa was to drop her off, and I would pick her up. When I texted Juno that I was running late, she sent me back a thumbs-up emoji.

Now that summer was in full swing, so was the market, bustling with a vibrant, chaotic energy. Booths lined the street, filled with fresh produce, handmade jewelry, and overpriced artisanal candles that tourists bought by the dozen. Locals mingled with out-of-towners, chatting about the weather, the trails, and everything in between. It was the kind of scene I’d come to appreciate since moving here—a blend of community and energy that reminded me that maybe a small town wasn’t all bad.

I was walking through the stalls, looking for Juno, when I spotted Sable first. She was standing near a booth selling wildflower honey, her arms crossed tightly overher chest and her shoulders rigid. I frowned, slowing my steps.

That’s when I saw Alexa. She was facing Sable, her chin lifted in that haughty way she always got when she was spoiling for a fight. Juno was standing off to the side, her arms wrapped around herself like she wanted to disappear into the crowd.

“I guess it would’ve been too much to ask for you to be a decent person. You’re sabotaging my business, and now this,” Sable snapped at my ex.

I’d never seen Sable like this. Sharp, biting, unmistakably rude. Alexa’s smile vanished, and I saw fury in her eyes.

“How dare you say that?” Alexa almost screeched.

Sable was about to speak when Juno put a hand on her shoulder. “Sable, please.”

“No, Juno, it isn’t right.” Sable shrugged Juno’s hand away, and my daughter looked crushed.

I sawred.

What the hell was Sable doing?

People were staring, their whispers buzzing like angry bees around us. I didn’t give a shit. No one, but no one was rude to my daughter, not especially a woman who I was about to dump.

I grabbed Sable by the arm, ignoring her startled expression.

“We’re walking awaynow,” I said through gritted teeth, pulling her from the crowd.

She stumbled slightly, but I didn’t let go until we were far enough from Alexa and Juno to avoid more ofa scene. But not far enough to escape the eyes of Aspen.

“What the hell was that?” I hissed, my voice low but furious.

Sable yanked her arm out of my grip, her eyes blazing. “That was me?—”

“Actually, I don’t give a shit. Juno was standing right there, Sable. My daughter. And you thought antagonizing her mother in public was a good idea? And when she tried to stop you, you?—”

“Heath, listen?—”

“No,” I growled. “I’m sick and tired of you blaming Alexa and the town and how they fucking treat you for the Wildflower failing.”

Sable stopped struggling against my grip, so I let my hand drop away from her. Her eyes went wide and then blank. Guilt tried to raise its head inside me, but I was furious at Sable for letting her insecurities hurt my daughter.

“This isn’t about Alexa.” I couldn’t stop myself from going nose-to-nose with her. “This is about you. You put on a nice act, babe, but it’s obvious that you deserved all that you got in high school and even now.”

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