Blackstone Ranger Chief

out of there. “Lead the way,” she said.
Not that she thought Gabriel was lying, but she definitely would not have made it all the way back to the bar—The Den, as he called it—on foot. Damon lived in the middle of nowhere, deep in the mountains, and it took them nearly an hour to drive all the way into town. Blackstone looked like any small mountain town, with a bustling little Main Street with mom-and-pop shops, cafes, and restaurants, though she did see signs of development, such as modern condos, recreational areas, and shopping and entertainment complexes.
Gabriel continued to drive them out of the main town area, and soon they were pulling into a parking lot off the main road. “Over there,” she said, pointing to the lone car in the middle of the lot.
He whistled. “Nice ride.”
Her silver Mercedes was about a year old, a Christmas present from her father. “I think I lost the keys in the bar,” she said sadly. But at least it was still here, and it appeared intact. “If you want to leave me here, I can wait until the bar opens up and check inside.”
“The Den won’t be open until at least lunchtime, and that’s still a couple of hours away,” he said.
“I don’t mind.”
“Damon’ll kill me if I left you alone,” he grumbled.
“Huh?” She cocked her head to the side. “Why would he care what happens to me? He seemed like he couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”
Placing his hands on the wheel, he let out a sigh. “Don’t let him get to you. Damon’s just … well … it’s hard to explain.”
“No need,” she huffed. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll be outta here soon. That is, once I get my keys. I think I have some gym clothes in the trunk, so I can give these clothes back to you. Or I can mail them back.”
“Keep ’em. My sisters have tons of clothes. But still, I can’t leave you alone out here. Even if it is my day off.”
Now she really felt bad. “I’m so sorry, Gabriel. Really, you don’t have to—”
“Say, how about we go get some brunch? I know a place that serves up some good pies.” He turned that megawatt smile on her. “I mean, at least you can pass the time somewhere warm with great food and coffee.”
“I—why would you do that?” she said. “You hardly know me.”
There was an unreadable expression on his face. “Let’s just say, I have a feeling about you.”
“A feeling? What kind of feeling?”
“I’ll tell you another time,” he said.
“Another time? I won’t be staying here long enough.”
He shrugged. “Anyway, how about it?”
“Well …” She didn’t get a chance to finish the breakfast Damon had made for her. “If you don’t mind.”
“I was going to meet a friend for brunch anyway. And I’m already running late.”
“Oh. I wouldn’t want to intrude—”
“Nah, don’t worry. J.D. won’t mind, you’ll see.”
“I guess that’s okay. My purse is in my car though, so you’ll have to pay first. I promise I’ll pay you right back.”
“Sure.” He put the car into gear. “You’ll love Rosie’s. She has the best pies in the world.”
Gabriel turned the Jeep around, and soon they were back on Main Street. He pulled up into an empty spot in front of an establishment that proclaimed “Rosie’s Bakery and Cafe” on the sign above the door. After parking the car, he slid out the door, and she followed suit, letting herself out of the Jeep’s passenger side. He opened the door and motioned for her to go inside first.
The smell of buttery pastries and fresh coffee hit her nose, making her stomach grumble. “It smells divine in here.” The interior decor was all pink and cheery, and at the far end was a large display case full of pies. “Oh my God. They make all those here?”
“From scratch,” Gabriel proclaimed proudly. “This place is the best.” He scanned the dining room before his face lit up in recognition. “Looks like J.D.’s already here.”
They crossed the room, with her following behind him until they reached a booth on the other side. There was someone already sitting at the booth, whose face was obscured by a trucker hat. “Jesus, Russel, we all know it takes, like, five hours to get your hair done, but you could have called that you’re running late. I’m starving.”
Anna Victoria double blinked, surprised at the feminine voice. The person waiting for Gabriel was a woman, apparently. A pretty, delicate face peeked out from the under the hat’s brim, and hazel eyes framed by thick blonde lashes flickered with annoyance.
“Really?” she groused. “You kept me waiting because of a girl?”
Anna Victoria swallowed. “I’m sorry,” she glanced worryingly at Gabriel. “I didn’t mean to—”
“Shush, sweetheart.” He put a hand up. “Why you ridin’ my ass hard this morning, J.D.? You on the rag or something?”
“Fuck you, pretty boy,” she scowled. “You’re late, so you’re paying.”
Gabriel grinned. “Fine, but you won’t believe what I got to tell you, and who this is,” he nodded to Anna Victoria.
J.D. rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I haven’t heard before.”
“This is her,” Gabriel said. “The one I told you about last night. The girl at The Den who got Damon all riled up.”
Hazel eyes went wide as J.D. stared up at her. “The chick in the wedding gown?”
Anna Victoria felt heat creep up neck. That’s what Gabriel meant when he said it was you, this morning. “You were there last night?”
“Yeah. I saw you walk into The Den, plant yourself on that barstool, and start knocking back tequila like a fucking champ,” he chuckled, then turned to J.D. “I thought I was seeing things. Little did I know she and Damon had gotten busy—”
“We didn’t. Nothing happened. I just passed out, and he helped me.” Humiliation flooded her veins. “I’m not like that … I mean, that’s not … something I do regularly.”
“Huh.” His eyes narrowed. “I wonder why he was so—hey, what’s wrong?”
Her bottom