Blackstone Ranger Chief

lip trembled. They must both think she was some kind of … hussy. After all, she was in a wedding gown, then wound up in another man’s bed. “This was a mistake. I should go—” She attempted to turn around but a hand on her arm stopped her. “Gab—” But to her surprise, it was J.D.’s hand on her.
The other woman’s expression was that of sympathy. “Hey, don’t mind this idiot here,” J.D. began. “He may think he’s smooth with the ladies, but his sisters have spoiled him so rotten he doesn’t know when he’s acting like a dumbass.” She glared at Gabriel before asking, “So, what’s your name?”
“Anna Victoria.”
“Well, Anna Victoria, I’m J.D. Obviously, you’ve been through—or are going through—a lot, and I’m sorry for that. But why don’t you stay and have a bite to eat?”
“I’m intruding on your date.”
“Date?” J.D. laughed. “If this is a date, then I’m the fucking prom queen. C’mon, girl. You don’t have to talk or bare your soul, but you do gotta eat, right? Gabriel will make up for being an asshat by paying for both our meals. God knows he can afford it.”
Well, she was still hungry, and those pies in the display case looked amazing. “All right.” She slid in beside J.D., and Gabriel took the seat opposite them.
“So,” Gabriel began. “Why were you in a wedding dress when you walked in The Den—ow! Dammit J.D.!”
The other woman had taken her trucker cap off, reached over, and smacked Gabriel on the head with it. With a smug smile, J.D. tucked her messy blonde ponytail under the cap and turned to Anna Victoria. “I mean it, you don’t have to tell us anything if you don’t want to.”
“T-thank you.” And she really didn’t want to. J.D. and Gabriel seemed like nice people, and she didn’t want to involve them in her personal affairs.
“I do want all the details about last night.” She pointed her finger at Gabriel. “You said you’d make it worth my time.”
Gabriel glanced nervously at Anna Victoria. “Why don’t we order first?” He waved to a passing waitress who was holding a pot of coffee. “Rosie, my love,” he said. “You’re looking even more beautiful every day.”
The woman stopped and turned, her lips curling up into a grin. “My, my, Gabriel Russel. To what do I owe this honor?”
Anna Victoria tried to guess the woman’s age, but it was difficult. Though there were some lines around the corners of her mouth and eyes, her skin was still smooth, her hair was a vibrant red, and her vintage-style dress with polka-dots hugged her trim figure. Her piercing green eyes, though, made her seem like an old soul.
“The honor is mine.” He bowed his head. “And you do have the best pies in town.”
Rosie patted him on the shoulder and laughed. “What can I get you? The usual for you, Gab? A slice of cherry, a slice of pecan, and a slice of lemon merengue all with extra whipped cream?”
He flashed her that million-dollar smile. “You know me so well.”
“Yeah, well you never order anything else, even when you were this”—she held her hand about waist high—“tall. And, ladies? What can I get ya?”
“Just apple for me this morning, Rosie,” J.D. said.
Rosie’s green eyes narrowed at Anna Victoria. “I’ve never seen you here before. Are you new in town?”
She bristled. “I’m just passing through.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, honey.” Rosie smiled at her. “I’ve known most of the patrons here since they were kids, and now they bring their kids here. So, I usually already know what people want.”
“Oh.” She didn’t mean to snap at the older lady, but it had been a trying twenty-four hours. “Well, what would you recommend?”
“We have the classics; apple, pecan, key lime, pumpkin, chocolate, etcetera. But,” she tapped a finger on her chin. “I’ve got a new employee in training who’s been experimenting with some new flavors. How does chai latte cream pie sound?”
Gabriel grimaced. “Chai latte cream pie? What the fuck is that?”
“Actually, that sounds amazing,” she said. “I’ll have one please.”
“Give me a slice, too, will ya, Rosie?” J.D. added.
“Ugh.” Gabriel made a face. “Rosie, my love, please don’t tell me you’re turning this place into some kind of hipster hang out.”
Rosie chuckled. “No way, kiddo. But, sometimes we gotta innovate, you know, to keep up? Blackstone is booming with all these new cafes and businesses, so I need to stay competitive.”
“I’ll eat my weight in pie everyday if that’ll help,” Gabriel offered. “Just please don’t change a thing.”
“Thanks, hon. You’ve always been my favorite.”
“I bet ya say that to all the guys,” he retorted playfully.
“But with you, it’s the truth.” She patted him on the cheek. “All right. I’ll get those orders in for you and two more cups of joe.” Her skirt twirled as she turned on her heel and walked toward the counter of pies.
“Now,” J.D. said as she hunched forward and cupped the mug of coffee in her hands. “Last night. Spill.”
Anna Victoria wasn’t sure she wanted to hear this, but then again, it might solve a few burning questions in her mind, like, how the heck she ended up in Damon’s bed.
“So, all of us—Anders, Daniel, and me—finally get one night off together, so we decide to head to The Den, of course. And Damon, well you know him—because of that freak blizzard last week we’ve all been pullin’ doubles—”
“Which means he’s been there the entire time,” J.D. finished with a cluck of her tongue.
“Yeah. Didn’t sleep for three days straight until we found every single person caught out in the storm. Anyway, he’s been wound up tight, so we guilt him into coming with us, since it’s a Tuesday and all. We’re there having a couple of drinks when Anna Victoria walks in.”
She tensed as the memory came back to her. Why, oh why did she even choose to go into that bar?
“Anyway, Anders is doing his usual shtick, but it’s Damon who goes to