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,”