“Berry pie?” she asked.
“Bear-y Hero pie,” she chuckled. “Like the animal. It’s named for a local celebrity. But yeah, it has blueberries, strawberries, and boysenberries.”
“Um, I’ll just have a slice of the apple pie and coffee, please,” she said.
“Coming right up, sugar.”
Sarah waited a few minutes, then Rosie came back with her order, which she finished in minutes. Not wanting to waste any more time, she turned her head, searching for Rosie so she could ask for the check. However, something—or rather, someone—caught her eye in the booth behind her. The blond man facing her was wearing a familiar khaki uniform, as was his companion.
Rangers. Like Daniel Rogers. Were they coworkers? On impulse, she cleared her throat. “Excuse me. Are you guys rangers?” Her gaze dropped knowingly to their uniforms.
It was the other guy—the dark haired one right behind her—who spoke. “This guy”—he jerked his thumb at his friend—“isn’t anymore, but I am.” He wiggled a brow at her. “What can I do for you, sweetheart?”
Oh, brother. She recognized that gleam of interest in the man’s eyes, having seen it many times from players at the casinos. However, she also knew how to use that to her advantage. Smoothing down her lacy top, she slid out of the booth and turned to face them. “I was wondering,” she said sweetly, “do you guys know where I can find Daniel Rogers?”
The dark-haired man’s face fell and he slumped back. “I’m so fucking tired of hearing that name.”
The blond man rolled his eyes. “Sorry about my friend, he’s a drama king. Can I ask why you need to know where he is?”
She detected no hint of attraction from Blondie, so she switched tactics. Crossing her arms under her chest, she gave him a challenging stare. “You could.”
Seconds ticked by as they played a silent game of chicken. When Blondie shrugged, she knew she’d won. “He should be at HQ—that’s the Blackstone Rangers Headquarters,” he said. “It’s on the road that leads up to the mountains, you can’t miss it.”
Finally. “Thank you.” Pivoting on her heel, she dropped a couple of bills on the table and then headed toward the exit. However, a voice calling out to her made her stop.
“Hey, baby, what do you need him for when I’m here?” It was the dark-haired ranger. “Those tats are a piece of art, you know.” He nodded at her arm. “And so are you. Maybe I can—”
“Nail me to the wall?” she finished with a scoff. “Please. Like I haven’t heard that one before.” Sadly, she wished she was joking, but it was one of the hazards of her job. However, soon she would have her own business and shop, and she would no longer have to endure catcalls, innuendoes, pinches, and gropes from horny gamblers. But first, she needed to find Daniel Rogers so he could sign the annulment papers.
Heading back to her car, she was about to reach for the door handle when she heard someone running up behind her.
“Miss! Hey, miss!”
Turning, she let out an exasperated grunt when she saw who it was. “If it wasn’t obvious, let me make it plainer: I’m not interested.” she said to the dark-haired Ranger. He was attractive, she had to give him that, but she had other things to do right now.
The man skidded to a halt in front of her. “Whoa!” He held his hands up defensively. “I wasn’t going to hit on you again.”
“Then why are you following me?”
“I want to help you,” he said. “Find Rogers, I mean.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Why?”
“Why would I help you?” he asked. “Why not? But why are you looking for him?”
“I’m just …” She bristled. “I just need to speak with him. That’s all. I’m not going to hurt him or anything.”
His eyes narrowed. “Talk to him, huh? Well, you won’t be able to get near him or past the door, but I can get you in, no prob. But, you’re not a crazy stalker or a reporter trying to catch him doing something bad, are you?”
“I don’t have any bad intentions, I swear. I just need a few minutes of his time.”
There was something about the way he looked at her that was unnerving. Like he was sizing her up. She wondered if there was more to this guy than meets the eye. “All right, just follow me,” he nodded at the dark blue pickup truck parked a few spaces away, “And I’ll lead you up to HQ and get you inside so you can talk to Daniel.”
“I … thank you, uh …”
“Anders,” he said, holding out a hand. “Anders Stevens. And you are?”
She hesitated, but shook his hand quickly. “Sarah.”
“Sarah …?”
“Just Sarah,” she said.
“All right, sweetheart,” he began. “It’s about a forty-five-minute drive. Try to keep up.” Pivoting on his heel, he strode off toward his truck.
Sarah bit her lip, hoping she wasn’t making a mistake. Still, the thought of facing Daniel Rogers was making her stomach tie up in knots. Truthfully, she didn’t know what she was going to say to him. Did he remember her at all? Or would he believe her? Well, she had the marriage certificate, and surely, he would at least remember being in Vegas that weekend. All he needed to do was sign the papers, and they would never have to see each other again.
With a deep, calming breath, she got into her car and turned the key in the ignition to start the engine. Still, it did nothing to soothe her nerves or make the butterflies in her stomach disappear. Just think of the loan, the business, the boutique, she told herself. Think
