Blackstone Ranger Chief

by Alicia Montgomery

  “Anna Victoria Hall.” She gestured to the clothes. “Uh, these yours?”

  “Nah, they’re my sister Ginny’s.” He tapped a finger on his chin. “Or maybe Giselle’s. Could also be Gwen’s.”

  How many sisters did this man have? “I’m sorry to have troubled her. And you.” The idea that the clothing wasn’t a wife or girlfriend or one-night stand’s made her sigh in relief.

  “No trouble at all. My sisters leave their shit around my apartment all the time.”

  “Eat.” Damon had placed a plate and a mug of coffee on the breakfast nook, on the end farthest away from Gabriel. “It’ll help with the hangover. You were pretty drunk last night, so I imagine it’s a killer.”

  Her cheeks warmed at the reminder. Oh God, what else did she do last night? The humiliation nearly made her turn tail and run out the door. But the bacon smelled too good, so she sat herself on the stool and took a bite, the greasy, crispy strip breaking into pieces as it melted inside her mouth. “Hmm,” she moaned and closed her eyes. It was perfectly cooked. “Oohhh,” she said, licking her lips.

  Gabriel let out a chuckle, which made her snap out of her near-orgasmic state. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she realized Damon was staring at her again, and those clear green eyes were fixed on her lips. A sizzle of heat went up her spine, but he turned his back to her before she could react any further.

  “So, Anna Victoria,” Gabriel began. “Tell me more about yourself. How did you meet Damon?”

  “I … uh, don’t remember,” she confessed. “I had too much tequila last night and then … I woke up in his bed.” Oh God, the way that sounded. “I didn’t … I mean we didn’t …” Did someone come in here and set her cheeks on fire? Because it sure felt like they did. She took a sip from the mug. “Maybe I should start again.”

  Gabriel glanced down at the paper bag by her feet, then looked at her. “Oh. My. God. It was you.”

  You? How did this man know who she was?

  His jaw dropped, then he slowly turned to Damon. “You have some explaining to do.”

  “It’s not what you think,” Damon said in a gruff tone as he began to clean up the stove. “I didn’t exactly have a choice.”

  His dismissive tone stung much harder than it should have. “I can explain.” At least she thought she could. The small burst of caffeine was working into her system, so she could piece together the events of last night. “I had too much tequila at the bar, and I walked outside to get some air. Then I passed out. Mr., er, Damon found me and brought me here because, as he said, he didn’t have a choice.” His back stiffened. “I’m sorry. For all the trouble.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’ll get out of your way now.” She slid off the stool and walked out of the kitchen, making her way to the door.

  Why did he act so cold all of a sudden? When she woke up this morning, he’d been anything but. She even thought he was so sweet, getting those clothes for her and making her breakfast. Then there was the unmistakable heat in his eyes she couldn’t get out of her mind.

  Now he acted like she was a complete inconvenience, which in retrospect, she was. Had she read him wrong? But still, he didn’t have to make her feel so … unwanted. The thought bristled at her, and for the umpteenth time that morning, she asked herself why the opinion of a stranger should matter to her.

  Yanking the door open, she stepped outside onto the porch. “Holy—”

  Everything outside was covered in snow. Though they got snow in Albuquerque, it was never like this. The scene was almost magical—if she wasn’t so cold. The thick socks weren’t enough to keep the chill out, and her body gave an involuntary shiver.

  Now what am I going to do? She had no car, no money, and nowhere to go. Maybe running out at her wedding was a mistake.

  No, marrying Edward Jameson would have been the biggest mistake of her life.

  “Anna Victoria?”

  She whirled around, and couldn’t help but feel disappointed when she realized it was Gabriel who had chased after her. “Hey,” she said. “Um, I’ll be out of your way, as soon as I figure out how to get to my car. How far is it to walk to that bar?”

  “What? Are you crazy?” he said. “Way too far. You’ll never make it. The ground’s still frozen, thanks to this crazy blizzard we had over the weekend.”

  “Oh.” Her lip trembled and her throat tightened. “I guess I could call a cab.” There was still money in the purse. And then there was the duffel bag stashed in the trunk. “Hold onto this, for me, okay, darling?” her ‘fiancé’ had asked. “I’ll take it back after the honeymoon. It’s just some old junk I need moved out of the penthouse.”

  Old junk, my behind. But thinking about where the money came from made her shiver again—and it wasn’t because of the cold.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Gabriel said, knocking her out of her thoughts.

  His words made her double-blink. “I-I’m not?”

  “I mean, not without me.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’ll take you into town,” he said. “To your car.”

  “Oh. Wow. Thank you so much, Gabriel.” Normally, she would have protested, but what choice did she have? It was better than being stuck here with that man scowling at her and making her feel so unwelcome.

  “Don’t thank me. Damon pretty much ordered me to do it,” he said with a chuckle. “He’s my boss and all, but also my best friend, so we’re good.”

  Boss? She wanted to ask what they did, but bit her lip. It wasn’t like she was going to be around long enough for it to matter.

  “Are you ready?” he asked. “I got this for you too.” A paper bag dangled from his fingers.

  She grimaced at the sight of the tulle peeking from the top and grabbed the bag. “I wouldn’t want to leave it behind for him to clean up.”

  “I also have a pair of boots for you, but I left them in my truck.” he cocked his head at the shiny red Jeep in the driveway, “if you don’t mind being barefoot for a couple more feet, we can get out of here.”

  Pausing, she glanced back at the front door, as if she was waiting for something … for him to come after her? She snorted. Highly unlikely. Damon looked like he couldn’t wait to get her 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.”

  “Kee
p ’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 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.”