bringing Mel and me together. We’ve discovered we’ve run many of the same races. We should know each other by now.”
“We’re headed to a juice bar back in Austin. Thanks for introducing us,” Melanie said. To Dillon, she said, “It was fun, but I think you’re in the right hands now. Don’t let her go. She loves you.”
Melanie and Jared left.
“If you don’t need us to keep your woman in line, we have some beer to drink and friends to hang out with,” Colton said.
“Yeah, and about BODS and female tricks,” Ace sent a pointed look toward Emma, “you better not be messing with me when it’s my turn at BODS. I won’t play your games.”
Emma held up a hand. “I swear, I won’t monkey with a system that works.”
Ace’s eyes narrowed. “Not exactly the promise I was looking for.”
“Don’t worry. My meddling days are over,” Emma said, drawing an X over her chest.
Ace smirked. “Yeah. I’ll believe that when I see it.” He waved as he, Colton and Brand wandered toward the beer tent. As they walked away, Ace and Brand pulled their wallets out, handing Colton a couple hundred dollars each.
“Are you two sticking around for the fireworks?” Emma asked Dillon and Ariana.
Dillon captured Ariana’s gaze. “It’s up to you. But I know of a place where we can set off some of our own fireworks.”
“If it involves fireworks in a hot tub, I’m with you.” With tears drying on her face and her heart bursting with hope and love for this man who’d bumped into her in the dark, Ariana couldn’t be happier.
“Let’s go home,” Dillon said.
“Are we going to the ranch?”
He shook his head.
She looked up at him. “I thought you didn’t consider the condo home.”
“Anywhere I can be with you is home.” He took her hand, waved at his sister and led Ariana away.
She couldn’t wait to get home with Dillon. “Are we making pizza?”
“I think the only thing we’ll be making tonight is love.”
She laughed. “I think we have that recipe memorized.”
Epilogue
“It’s been a month since Dillon took the plunge into BODS waters. Who’s up next?” Emma asked.
The Jacobs brothers were lounging on the porch, drinking beer after a completely satisfying dinner of home-raised beef steaks, baked potatoes and corn on the cob.
“Can you give it a break, Emma?” Brand leaned his head back on the rocking chair and closed his eyes. “I, for one, am in no hurry to find a woman.”
“Not every woman is like Stacy,” Emma said. “She was clearly not a good match for you. BODS would never have picked her for you.”
“You say that, but it would take a special woman to appreciate ranch life. Especially if she didn’t grow up on one.” Brand shook his head. “Nope. Once bitten, twice shy.”
“You’ll change your mind when BODS finds the right one for you,” Emma said.
“I’d offer to go next, if Leslie would let me examine her code,” Colton said. “I’m fascinated with what kind of algorithms she used.”
“No way. BODS is Leslie’s intellectual property,” Emma said. “Just trust it. You need a woman in your life to balance your inner nerd.”
“Why are you pushing this?” Ace asked. “You seem to be on a mission. Are you not telling us something?”
“As a matter of fact, there’s a very good reason why I’m so determined to get my brothers married off.” Emma turned to Coop and smiled.
“Are you going to tell us or keep us hanging in suspense?” Dillon asked from his seat on the porch swing, Ariana nestled up against him.
“You want to tell them?” Emma asked Coop.
He smiled and shook his head. “You tell.”
“Someone tell us what’s going on,” Ace said. “I need another beer, and I’m not going in for it until you do.”
Emma blurted, “Coop and I are expecting a baby.”
Her brothers all pushed to their feet at the same time.
“You’re expecting?” Ace asked.
Emma nodded, tears filling her eyes. “We are.”
Ace pulled his sister into his arms. “Congratulations, Sis. We’re happy for you.”
One by one her brothers hugged her.
Dillon and Ariana were last.
“I guess you want some cousins to grow up with your little one,” Dillon said. “That’s why you’re in such a hurry to marry us off…?”
She nodded, her hand going protectively to her flat belly. “I want my baby to know his uncles, aunts and cousins.”
Ariana pulled Emma into her arms. “I’m so happy for you. For us. Our babies are going to grow up together.”
Emma’s eyebrows rose up her forehead. “Our babies?” She looked