The Billionaire Glitch Date - Elle James Page 0,15

know if you’re compatible.”

“I can leave at fifteen?”

“Honey, you don’t have to go, but unless you both mutually agree to call it off after fifteen minutes, I’d stay for the thirty.” Leslie said something to someone in the background. “I have to go. Tag’s helping me reload the backup. I’ll have my phone if you run into any difficulties.”

“Thanks, Leslie.”

“I’m sorry about the mix-up. Hopefully, it’ll be fixed soon. Bye.” Leslie ended the call.

“In the meantime, I have a date with someone who might not be a match for me.” Ariana sighed. “Oh, goodie.”

The wrecker was just pulling away as her digital clock on the dash blinked 2:00.

And she was going to be late. Well, if he got tired of waiting for her, he’d leave. She could text and let him know she’d gotten tied up in traffic. Feeling a little better about being late for a date that shouldn’t have been, Ariana called on her Zen and drove the rest of the way to the coffee shop, parked and hurried inside.

She looked around, realizing they hadn’t arranged for a way to identify themselves to each other. If he’d had the same issues with the app as she had, he hadn’t gotten a picture of her.

Ariana walked through the place slowly, searching for a man sitting alone. Unfortunately, there were several. She walked toward one man wearing nice trousers and a white polo shirt. He had his cellphone in front of him, keying away with his thumbs. When he looked up, she gave him a tentative smile.

He frowned and looked back down at his cellphone, turning away from her.

If he was her date, he hadn’t liked what he saw.

That was depressing and rude.

Ariana chose to believe he wasn’t her date and moved on to the next man. He sat in a booth by himself. His hair was long, pulled back in a man-bun, and he wore a set of headphones. He nodded his head in time to whatever music he was listening to.

She paused in front of his table and cocked an eyebrow, hoping he would take it as, Are you my date? Without her having to say it out loud.

He looked up, his eyes narrowed, and he looked from side to side. He pulled one side of the headphones free. “What? Is my music too loud?”

“No. Sorry. I thought you were someone else.” She hurried away. The other man who sat in a booth by himself looked up as she neared. He wore a button-down shirt only half buttoned. He had several gold chains around his neck and as many rings on his fingers. He didn’t look like he’d ever been on a horse, and his lips curled in a lounge-lizard sort of smile that made the hackles stand up on the back of Ariana’s neck.

Nope.

She turned away from him and got in line behind a broad-shouldered man wearing a cowboy hat, waiting for his turn to order a cup of coffee.

The woman in front of him placed her order and moved aside.

“Coffee,” he said.

Something about his voice captured Ariana’s attention. She leaned forward and caught a whiff of his cologne. She knew that cologne. But from where?

“Would you like whipped cream on top or a sprinkle of cinnamon?” the barista asked.

“No. Just plain and black,” he said.

Oh, yes. It came to her as the barista finished ringing up his purchase and he paid. He turned a little too fast and bumped into her. “I’m sorry,” he said, touching her arm.

Though she knew who it was even before he turned, Ariana’s heart fluttered, and she had to swallow hard to keep from gasping out load. “I’m okay.”

He smiled down at her, his brow furrowing as he stared into her eyes. “It’s you.”

“Yes, it is,” she said with a shaky laugh. “And it’s you.” Wow, she hoped she didn’t sound as stupid as she felt.

“How is it we keep running into each other?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Just lucky, I guess.”

“Ma’am, can I take your order?” The barista waited patiently for Ariana to pull herself together.

“Yes, please,” she said, tearing her gaze away from the man in the cowboy hat. “I’d like an English breakfast tea, plain. No flavoring added, please. Just plain tea”

He laughed. “That’s the way I like my coffee.”

“Your name?” the barista asked, pen in hand, ready to write it on the cup.

“Ariana,” she answered.

The tall cowboy blinked then laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No, my name is Ariana.” She looked at him, her brow dipping. “Is that a