The Billionaire Glitch Date (Billionaire Online Dating Service Book 6) Read online

  The Billionaire Glitch Date

  Billionaire Online Dating Service Book #6

  Elle James

  Twisted Page Inc

  Contents

  THE BILLIONAIRE GLITCH DATE

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  Hellfire, Texas

  Chapter 1

  About the Author

  Also by Elle James

  THE BILLIONAIRE GLITCH DATE

  BILLIONAIRE ONLINE DATING SERVICE BOOK #6

  New York Times & USA Today

  Bestselling Author

  ELLE JAMES

  Copyright © 2020 by Elle James

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Dedicated to my husband who understands when I need to write like my hair is on fire and clears the path for me to do so!

  Elle James

  Author’s Note

  Enjoy other books by Elle James

  Billionaire Online Dating Service

  The Billionaire Husband Test (#1)

  The Billionaire Cinderella Test (#2)

  The Billionaire Bride Test (#3)

  The Billionaire Daddy Test (#4)

  The Billionaire Matchmaker Test (#5)

  The Billionaire Glitch Date (#6)

  The Billionaire Perfect Date (#7)

  The Billionaire Replacement Date (#8)

  The Billionaire Wedding Date (#9)

  Visit ellejames.com for more titles and release dates

  For hot cowboys, visit her alter ego Myla Jackson at mylajackson.com

  and join Elle James's Newsletter at

  https://ellejames.com/contact/

  Chapter 1

  “All right, we’re all here. What’s up?” Dillon Jacobs asked his little sister Emma as he and his three brothers sat around the shiny black conference table in the high-rise executive offices of the Billionaire Online Dating Service.

  Emma stood hand in hand with her new husband, Billionaire Frank Cooper Johnson. She turned to Leslie Lamb, the owner of the exclusive matchmaking company and nodded. “I’ve asked Leslie to help each of you find your perfect match using BODS.”

  Her brother Colton held up both hands. “Whoa there, little sis. Who says we need help finding our perfect mate?”

  “That’s right,” Dillon backed up his brother. “I thought you brought us here to talk us into investing in Leslie’s little venture.”

  Leslie smiled. “I don’t need additional investment capital. The system is generating a sustainable income stream. I really am here to help you all find your matches.”

  Brand shook his head. “I’m out. Once bitten and all that. Matches, mates and marriages give me the hives.”

  Ace, who’d been standing by the door, crossed to stand beside Emma. “Our sister has our best interests at heart. She and Coop want to start a family.”

  “That’s right,” Emma said, a smile spilling across her face. “And I want my children to grow up with cousins their own age.” She pointed to each of her brothers. “In order to do that, each of you needs to quit stalling and man-up to the challenge of finding wives.”

  “That’s some serious talk for a woman who only a short time ago didn’t want to date,” Brand said, his lips twitching.

  “And my meddling brothers forced me into it,” she said crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s my turn to meddle now, and you four men are going to give BODS a go. It worked for me and Coop and all of Coops friends. It’ll work for you,” she said, her chin held high with confidence.

  Ace grimaced, but then shrugged. “Look, it’s not going to hurt any of us to give Leslie’s online dating service a try.”

  “If you’re so set on doing this,” Dillon said, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, “you can go first.”

  Ace’s mouth stretched into a grin. “I offered, but Emma thought of a way to make it fair deciding who goes first. She brought straws from the ranch. Whoever draws the shortest straw wins.”

  Brand frowned. “You mean loses.”

  “No,” Ace said. “I meant what I said. Short straw wins the opportunity to go first.”

  “For this round,” Emma said. “Remember, I was the first of the Jacob family to try Leslie’s system. And you all know how successful the results were.” She leaned into Coop. “Tell them.”

  Coop grinned. “Guys, I would not have met and fallen in love with your beautiful sister if not for BODS. The system matched us perfectly. You should give it a shot. At the very least, you’ll go on a date.”

  Emma’s eyes narrowed, and she looked at each of her brothers, one at a time. “When was the last time any one of you went on a date?”

  “I went on one last Saturday,” Brand said.

  Emma snorted. “Picking up a one-night stand at the Ugly Stick Saloon doesn’t count. It wasn’t a real date, and do you even remember her name?”

  “Of course I do,” Brand said. “It was…Susan, I think.”

  “Her name was Desiree, you dufus,” Colton said. “And you haven’t asked a woman out on a real date in forever.”

  “Not since before you married the wicked witch of the west, Bridgett,” Ace said. “That’s been over four years. You need to move on.”

  “I don’t need a wife,” Brand said. “They’re high maintenance and cost too much in the long run.”

  “That’s what prenups are for,” Colton said.

  “Didn’t think I’d need one,” Brand muttered.

  “Yeah, and she cleaned you out, didn’t she?” Dillon said. “Where are the straws, Emma? Let’s get this show on the road. I have a project falling behind as we speak. Come on, long straw. I don’t have time for this right now.”

  Emma held out her hand curled around four hay straws that appeared to all be the same length. The bottoms were hidden beneath her fingers.

  Emma swung her hand toward Ace. “Oldest first.”

  Ace drew a straw and looked at it. The straw was approximately three inches in length. “Is this a long one or a short one?”

  “Guess you’ll have to wait and see,” Emma said with a sly grin.

  Brand drew next, his straw longer than Ace’s. He whooped. “Ha! You’ll have to play guinea pig this round, bro.”

  “We’re not finished yet,” Emma said.

  Colton took the next one and grinned. “Mine is even longer than Brand’s.” He wiped his hand across his forehead. “Dodged that bullet.”

  “Which leaves one more straw.” Emma turned to Dillon. “Your turn.”

  “Sucks to be the youngest brother,” Dillon muttered. “Next time we should start drawing straws from youngest to oldest.”

  “Take the damned straw,” Ace said.

  Dillon yanked the straw out of Emma’s hand and swore. His straw was only two inches long. The shortest of all four straws. “I really don’t have time for this right now.”

  “Yeah, but you’re the one who said you wanted to get started on your own place and have it ready for when you found a bride to bring home to it,” Ace said.

  “He said that?” Emma�
�s eyes widened, a smile spreading across her face. “Then this is perfect timing.”

  “No,” Dillon said. “Perfect timing would be after I build my house. Not before I even break ground.”

  “It takes time to woo a woman,” Emma said.

  “Precisely my point,” Dillon said. “The construction project I’m supervising is on the verge of falling behind. I promised I’d have it completed by the end of the month. That’s only three weeks from now. I don’t have time to date.” He held out his hand with the short straw. “Someone take my turn. I’ll do the next round.”

  Each brother leaned back in his chair, hands up.

  “Dude, you’re it,” Ace said with a grin.

  “Your turn will be soon enough,” Emma said. “You’re all going to do this if I have to hold your hands through the data entry process.”

  Dillon raked a hand through his hair. “Sweet Jesus, how long is the data entry process? I have subs to call and a construction site to visit tonight.”

  “If you’ll quit belly-aching and get started, it’ll take less than an hour.” She glanced out the window of the high-rise. “And you’re not going to any construction site tonight because it’ll be raining, if those storm clouds are any indication.”

  “Damn,” Dillon said. “I knew I should have gone there first.”

  “And break your promise to your only sister?” Emma’s lips twisted. “Come on. Leslie will show you to the computer room where you can enter your data. I’ll help you get started, but then Coop and I have a reservation at Perry’s tonight. My mouth’s been watering for steak all day.”

  Dillan brightened. “Then you fill out my questionnaire, and I’ll go eat steak with Coop.”

  “Sorry, man. It’s date night,” Coop said with a twisted grin. “You’re not my type.”

  Dillon grumbled beneath his breath. “Fine. I’ll fill out the questionnaire.”

  “And you’ll have an open mind…?” Emma coaxed.

  Dillon never could resist his little sister. “I’m not against this whole dating service. I’m just up against a bitch of a deadline.”

  Ace pushed to his feet and clapped a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Maybe having a woman in your life will help relieve some of that stress.”

  “Fuck you, Ace.” Dillon shoved his brother’s hand off his shoulder. “You’re not the one having to stay to fill out the questionnaire.”

  “No, I’m not.” Ace grinned. “But my time is coming. For now, I need to get back out to the ranch and batten down the hatches before that storm hits.”

  Brand stared out at the darkening sky. “Don’t think you’re going to make it. Looks like it’s already raining west of the city. Which means it’s probably already raining at the ranch.”

  Ace grinned. “Then I might as well join Emma and Coop at the steakhouse.”

  “You heard the man,” Colton said. “They’re going out on a date. No brothers allowed.”

  “Then you, me and Brand can hit the Firehouse Lounge for drinks. Dillon can join us when he’s done painting a pretty picture of himself for the girls.” Ace winked and headed for the door.

  Emma and Leslie each hooked one of Dillon’s arms.

  Dillon frowned down at them. “You’re not ganging up on me, are you?”

  Emma grinned. “Nope. We just want to get you started so we can get going. Remember? I have a date.”

  “And I have another client arriving any minute,” Leslie said glancing at her watch. “I want to get you logged on, and your picture taken for your profile, before I leave you to your questionnaire.”

  “I’m sure I can figure it out,” Dillon said. “How hard can it be to take a photo?”

  “You’d be surprised how many clients can’t get their faces in the center.” Leslie led him into a small, comfortable room with a padded, white leather chair, white desk and a computer. She pulled the chair out and pointed. “Sit.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Dillon took the seat, feeling more like a trained dog than a candidate for her dating service.

  In a few short minutes, Leslie had the system up, Dillon’s logon created, and a decent photo saved to his profile. She brought up the questionnaire and stepped back. “The rest is up to you. You can enter as much or as little as you like, but the more information about yourself, your likes and dislikes you enter into the system, the better chances of the software finding your perfect match.”

  “So, don’t sell yourself short,” Emma said with a stern look. “You’re a great guy, and some woman is going to be lucky to find you. Please, give it your best.” She kissed his cheek. “You know I love you, and I want you to be as happy as I am. And remember, you pushed me into dating when I didn’t think I ever wanted to again.”

  Dillon squeezed his sister’s hand. “You were dealt a pretty rough blow when Marcus died in Afghanistan. But now, you have Coop.”

  “Exactly. And you could find someone to love as well. If you give BODS a chance.” Emma hugged her brother and stepped back. “Now, I have to go. Be sure to put all your good attributes in there. Some lucky lady is going to get a wonderful guy.”

  Leslie crossed to the door. “I’m going to get my other client set up. Then I’m out of here. I have to drop my car off at the dealership before they close. All you have to do is fill out the questionnaire. When you leave, just pull the office door shut. It will lock automatically.”

  “You trust your clients to close up shop?” Dillon asked.

  “I screen my clients before I invite them to enter my system,” Leslie said. “Besides. I know where you live.” She gave him a big smile. “You’re a good guy.”

  Emma and Leslie left Dillon in the room, closing the door behind them.

  Dillon sighed and focused on the monitor. “Name. Dillon Jacobs. Age. Old enough to know better.” He chuckled, glanced at his watch, and then got busy answering the questions. He hoped the woman he was matched with would be punctual, orderly, well-kempt, a business professional who could whip up a spreadsheet with her eyes closed, early riser, liked dogs and who also liked to ride horses. After all, if things did work out—which he wasn’t convinced they would—she’d be living with him on the ranch. Oh, and she should be tall so he wouldn’t have to bend down too far to kiss her. He pressed enter to save his profile, straightened the keyboard and mouse and pushed back his chair to stand when a huge crash of thunder rattled the building.

  Damn. He needed to get to the Firehouse Lounge before the sky opened up. Dillon hurried toward the door.

  Chapter 2

  Ariana Davis waited at the empty reception desk of her friend Leslie Lamb’s office. As Leslie had mentioned, Ava, their friend and the receptionist wasn’t there, having taken off the afternoon to go with her daughter to the dentist.

  The logo on the front of the desk read BODS. She frowned, wondering what BODS stood for and regretting coming. She would have turned and left, but she’d promise Leslie that she’d at the very least give her dating service a try.

  One date.

  Her pulse kicked up a notch, and her breathing grew slightly ragged at the thought.

  “I’m not ready for this,” she murmured, feeling her anxiety level rising.

  Using some of the techniques she’d learned about meditation, and now taught at her studio, she inhaled deeply, closed her eyes and pictured a placid lake where the water was still, the moon reflected off the surface and all was calm.

  Her heartbeat slowed, and she breathed normally again.

  “Ariana, I’m so glad you came.” Leslie’s voice pierced the placid lake and brought Ariana back to the office and the reason she’d come.

  Opening her eyes, Ariana forced a smile to her lips. “I have to admit, I almost called to say I couldn’t come.”

  Leslie’s brow wrinkled. “Oh, sweetie. Are you that worried about dating again?” She came around the desk and pulled Ariana into her arms. “We all talked about it at the Good Grief Club meeting. You won’t completely move on with your life if you don’t ge
t back out there.”

  Ariana signed. “But it’s such a crap shoot. I’ll never find a man as sweet and perfect for me as Sam was.” Her eyes welled with the ready tears.

  “I know you feel that way. Emma felt the same about Marcus and look how happy she is with Coop. We’ll find someone for you. Trust me.”

  “What scares me is the thought of finding someone else and losing him, too,” Ariana said. “I think it’s safer to live alone than to give my heart away a second time, only to have it broken all over again.”

  “You can’t live life expecting the worse,” Leslie said softly. “You don’t teach that at your studio, do you?” She took Ariana’s arm and walked her around the desk to the hallway leading into her suite of offices. “No, you don’t,” she answered for her. “You help your clients to see the beauty in life that makes it worth living. You show them how to let go of the things they can’t change and change the things they can. You help them find their mental balance as well as their physical balance.”

  “Life is all about balance,” Ariana said, nodding. “When you lose someone you love, it shifts the balance.”

  “And it’s up to the individual to redefine their balance.” Leslie grinned. “I learned that from you. In your yoga class.”

  Ariana smiled. “I said that, didn’t I?” She drew in a deep breath. “Change can be good. But not all change can be controlled.” Her brow furrowed. “Sam proved that. Since his death, I try not to let the little things bother me.”