by Elle James
When she walked through the door Ava, Emma and Fiona clapped and cheered.
Heat filled her cheeks as she closed the distance between them. “What’s all this about?”
Emma grinned. “Ava told us all about it.”
“You’ve come over to the dark side,” Fiona said.
Leslie frowned. “What do you mean, the dark side?”
Ava grinned. “You finally jumped into BODS with both feet.”
“And all I have to say,” Emma said, “is it’s about damn time.”
“That’s right,” Fiona agreed. “It’s about time you waded out into the dating pool. The rest of us did.”
Leslie snorted. “The three of you weren’t in the dating pool for that long.”
Ava hugged her arms around herself and smiled. “Yeah, we weren’t, were we? But that’s the beauty of BODS. Your system got us out of the dating pool so fast we didn’t have to drown in one loser after another.”
“That’s the beauty of the system you designed.” Fiona draped an arm around Leslie’s shoulder and gave her a quick hug.
As Leslie slid into the booth beside Ava, all three of her friends leaned toward her.
“Now, spill,” Emma said.
Leslie hedged. “Why do you want to hear about my day? Emma, you’re getting married in three days. We should be talking about the wedding.”
Emma shook her head. “The wedding is all under control.” She counted off on her fingers. “The dress is ready. Jane’s making the cake. I hired a wedding planner to do everything else. All I have to do is show up and get dressed.” She looked around the table at her bridesmaids. “You guys are ready, aren’t you?”
“I am,” Fiona said.
Leslie said, “I have my dress hanging up, ready to go.”
“I’m ready as well,” Ava said.
Emma turned to Leslie. “So, spill.”
“That’s right,” Fiona said. “We want to know what BODS came up with for you.”
Ava grinned. “And we want to know what it came up with for Tag.”
Emma’s brow twisted. “What’s this about the two of you going into the room together? I thought this was an individual thing.”
“I think Tag felt sorry for me,” Leslie said. “He agreed to help vet my matches on BODS.”
“Matches?” Emma asked. “What do you mean matches?”
“Yeah, right. I only had one,” Fiona said.
Ava frowned. “Me, too.”
Leslie shrugged. “I left some of the answers vague. Maybe that’s why I got more than one match.”
“How many did you get?” Emma wanted to know.
“Four,” Leslie confessed.
“Four?” Ava exclaimed. “That’s a lot.”
“I guess it’s because we’ve gotten a lot more entries into the system,” Leslie said. “And there are a lot more matches to pull from, now.”
“You mean if I’d waited and entered my info today, I might have had three or four different applicants for a date?” Fiona asked.
Leslie shrugged, “Maybe.”
Ava, Emma and Fiona all looked at each other.
“Well, I’m glad it ended up the way it did,” Ava said. “I couldn’t be happier than I am with Sean. And Mica thinks the world of her new daddy.”
Emma snorted. “And I couldn’t have done better than Coop. He’s amazing.” She sighed dramatically. “He had my brothers won over on the first date.”
“What do you mean he won your brothers over on your first date?” Fiona asked. “Your brothers went on your first date with Coop?”
“Kinda,” Emma said. “I had him come out to the ranch and put him through the cowboy gauntlet. I didn’t know he was a rancher himself. I thought he was an accountant, a desk jockey who didn’t know one end of a horse from the other. Not only did he know the animals, he helped us haul hay. And he was very good at it. He impressed my brothers from day one.” She shook her head. “No, it couldn’t have turned out better. And I’m marrying the man I love so much in three days.” She smiled.
“Back to the important stuff,” Ava said. “Tell us about your potential dates.”
Leslie shrugged. “Well there were three I was able to check out all at once, and one who was a little covert.”
“What do you mean covert?” Emma asked.
“The first three all had clear pictures and information about themselves so I could make informed decisions about whether or not I wanted to date them.”
“And do you?”
Leslie’s lips twisted. “There’s no reason not to.”
“No reason not to?” Emma clucked her tongue. “Were there reasons you should? I mean, did you like what you saw?”
Leslie lifted a shoulder and let it drop. “Pictures never do justice. It’s what’s inside that counts.”
Ava looked at her in horror. “They were all butt-ugly?”
“Not at all,” Leslie said. “But looks aren’t important. It’s what’s inside that counts.”
“That’s what desperate women say,” Fiona said. “Honey, you’re far from desperate.”
Leslie rolled her eyes. “They all looked fine and had a lot going for them on their profiles. I’m going to go out on a date with each of them.”
“So, you can pick from the menu?” Ava grinned. “I like it.”
“Why did you say the fourth guy was covert?” Emma asked.
Leslie frowned. “His picture was so blurred I couldn’t tell what he looked like.”
“You said it didn’t matter what he looked like,” Fiona pointed out.
“True. However, if I was to meet him somewhere, I’d like to know I got the right guy,” Leslie said. “Anyway, in his profile, he stated he wanted to communicate via email to get to know me before we met.”
Ava, Emma and Fiona exchanged worried glances.
“You sure he’s not a serial killer?” Emma asked.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Leslie exclaimed. “Tag said the same thing.”
“Why else would he leave a blurred image of himself?” Ava asked.
Leslie sniffed. “It could be that he’s not technically savvy when it comes to webcams and photographs. He might have moved when the webcam snapped his picture.
“Sounds suspicious to me,” Fiona said.
“I’m not too concerned,” Leslie said. “It’s not like I’ll meet him in person right away. We’ll get to know each other through email to start with.”
“Okay, that’s one guy,” Emma said. “What’s his name?”
“Joe Fox.”
Ava frowned. “Joe Fox?”
Leslie nodded. “I know the name sounds familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Joe Fox.” Fiona rolled the name around on her tongue. “Joe Fox.”
Ava’s eyes widened. “Joe Fox. As in Joe Fox from You Got Mail?”
“What are you talking about?” Leslie asked.
Emma laughed. “That’s right, Ava. You Got Mail. The movie with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, where he’s the big chain bookstore owner, and he puts her little book shop out of business. They met online and were talking to each other without knowing who the other was.”
“That’s right,” Fiona said. “There are like three versions of the story out there. Jimmy Stewart in The Shop Around the Corner, and the Judy Garland film, Good Ol’ Summertime.”
Leslie smacked her forehead. “That’s where I heard that name. Joe Fox was Tom Hanks’s character.” She shook her head, a little disappointed. “Why would he do that?”
“Obviously, he doesn’t want you to know who he is to begin with,” Emma said.
Ava said, “I could dig into the database and find out what his real name is.”
Leslie mouth twisted. “I don’t know. If I were anyone else on the BODS system, I wouldn’t have that kind of access. It doesn’t seem fair to dig into the guy’s background and find out who he is, until he’s ready to let me know.”
Emma snorted. “I think you should know up fron
t. What does he have to be ashamed of?”
“Emma, if I recall,” Leslie reminded her, “you didn’t know who Coop was to begin with. You said it yourself that you thought he was an accountant. If he had told you he was a billionaire and a rancher, you probably wouldn’t have gone out with him. Being a billionaire can be a little intimidating on a first date.”
Emma’s lips twitched. “I would never have guessed he was a billionaire when he first came out to the ranch. He looked just like one of the guys. I think that’s what makes Coop, Gage, Sean, Tag and Moose different from other billionaires. They’re all real and grounded,” Emma said. “They all wanted to find women who were more interested in them than in their bank accounts.”
“So, we know you’ve got Joe Fox. Who are the other three?” Fiona asked.
Leslie gave a brief description of the other three candidates, ending with, “And I have a date tomorrow night with Otis.”
“Wow,” Ava said. “That was fast.”
“Yeah, I kinda agree.” Leslie tilted her head to one side. “I’d like to treat them all like Joe Fox. I think I like the idea of getting to know them online before we go through the awkwardness of a first meeting. At least, I’ll get to do that with Joe while I check off the other applicants. Hopefully, by the time I’ve gone out on a date with each of the first three, bachelor number four will be ready to meet in person.”
“I understand where you’re coming from. It was hard not knowing this person I was supposed to go out on a date with. But it all worked out in the end,” Emma said. “I don’t have any regrets.”
“Neither do I,” Fiona said.
“Nor I,” said Ava.
“Well, the good thing is that Tag and I have arranged to make it more of a double date,” Leslie said.
All three of her friends looked at her, brows raised.
“Really?” Emma asked. “How are you going to do that?”
“I can’t imagine any of your BODS clients wanting to go out on a first date with three strangers instead of just one.”
“Oh, we’re not going to tell them it’s a double date,” Leslie said. “He’s just going to show up with his date at the same place as my date is taking me. We’ll get into a conversation, and then end up sitting together, hopefully.”
“Wow,” Fiona said. “You’re making this more complicated than has to be.”
“Even if we don’t sit together,” Leslie said, “at least he’ll be in the same restaurant with me. I won’t have to worry about that serial killer taking off with me and dumping my body in a ditch.”
Ava nodded. “Good point. Now that I’m thinking about it, I think it’s a good idea. You never know who these people are. Just because they pass a background check doesn’t mean they haven’t committed a crime.”
“That’s right. It only means they haven’t been caught committing a crime,” Fiona said.
“That’s right,” Emma said. “Jeffrey Dahmer killed seventeen men before they caught up with him. He hadn’t shown up on a police report before they finally caught him.”
Leslie rolled her eyes. “That’s what Tag said.”
“You know, if you feel more comfortable being around Tag,” Emma said, “why don’t you date him?”
Heat rose up Leslie’s neck into her cheeks. “Tag’s been my best friend for so long. He and I and Randy used to go out together before Randy and I got married.”
“Why did you choose Randy over Tag?” Ava asked.
Leslie smiled. “I actually loved them both. But Randy was ready to settle down, and so was I. Tag had a lot of maturing to do. I don’t think he was ready to get into a long-term relationship.”
“And now?” Ava asked.
Leslie’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know. I think now he’s grown up, and he’s ready for a relationship. BODS is going to be a good thing for him. He’s a good man. He deserves happiness.”
“And you don’t?” Emma asked.
“I had happiness with Randy.” Leslie smiled.
Emma shook her head. “We all had happiness with our first loves. But it’s quite possible to have love again. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t die with Randy.”
Leslie squared her shoulders and looked her friends in the eyes. “Hey, I entered my name in BODS. I’ve committed to going out on some dates to meet new people. What more do you want from me?”
“All we want is for you to be happy,” Fiona said.
“And to be happy,” Emma added, “you have to be open to a new relationship.”
Leslie held up her hand as if swearing in court. “I promise I’m going to give it my best shot.”
Chapter 5
Tag’s cellphone rang through his truck’s speakers. The caller ID displayed Sean’s name. Tag pressed the talk button on his steering wheel. “Hey, Sean.”
“Wanna grab a beer with me?”
“Sorry,” Tag said. “I have a hot date.”
“Wait. What?”
“You heard right. I have a date. I’m on my way to meet her now in Cedar Park.”
“Hey, that’s good news,” Sean said. “Need any advice on what to say and how to act?”
Tag snorted. “No way. All I’ll get out of you is sarcasm and bad jokes.”
“Seriously, I can tell you all the lines not to say. And the ones that could get you slapped in the face.”
“Thanks, but no thanks.” Tag chuckled. “I’ll take my chances on my own.”
“So, who is she?” Sean asked.
Tag shook his head. “No one you’d know.”
“I don’t know. I used to know a lot of women. Try me.”
“I promise, you won’t know her. She’s a programmer. A technical geek. Her name is Twyla Stratton.”
“Okay, you’re right. I probably don’t know her. I don’t remember that name. But I do know a thing or two about dating.”
“Yeah, right,” Tag said. “You went out one time with Ava, fell in love and now you’re happily involved in a relationship.”
“I’ve dated a lot more than you have, buddy. I just didn’t find the right person until I met Ava. My main advice to you is don’t settle. When you meet the right person, you’ll know. And stick with that woman until you convince her that you’re the right person for her.”
Oh, he knew who the right person was for him. He had her in mind already. He just had to convince Leslie that he was the right person for her.
“Well, don’t let me keep you away from your love life,” Sean said. “Just think, this Twyla woman could be the future Mrs. Bronson.”
Not a chance, Tag thought. “I hope you find someone to catch a beer with.”
“Let me know how it goes,” Sean said. “Later, dude.”
Tag arrived at the steakhouse five minutes early. His plan was to meet Twyla at the door at exactly six-thirty. He searched the parking lot for Leslie’s white Lexus SUV and didn’t see it. He frowned. It wasn’t like Leslie to be late. She was usually fifteen minutes early to everything.
An auburn-haired woman climbed out of a silver DeLorean. She wore a royal blue dress with a black waistband that had white lettering that read Police Public Call Box on it. She looked like she was wearing a Tardis from the Dr. Who television show.
Tag studied her face. She looked like the woman from the picture he remembered on BODS. He glanced at the parking lot one last time before getting out of his truck. Leslie still hadn’t arrived. All of a sudden, Tag was feeling awkward about meeting this woman he knew nothing about. All along, he’d only been concerned about being there when Leslie arrived, not to get to know Twyla Stratton. He squared his shoulders. He’d promised the woman a date, and he had to live up to that promise. As he walked across the pavement, a white Lexus SUV skidded sideways into the parking lot and came to a shuddering halt.
“What the hell?” Tag frowned.
Leslie never drove fast or recklessly.
She backed into a parking slot and climbed out of her vehicle.
“Hi, you must be Tag Brons
on,” a voice said beside him.
Tag dragged his gaze away from the white Lexus and glanced at the auburn-haired woman. “And you must be Twyla Stratton.”
She nodded, her gaze taking him in from head to toe. “It’s a good thing you look like your photo. I was afraid I wouldn’t recognize you.”
He smiled and glanced at her dress. “Dr. Who fan?”
She grinned and nodded. “Guilty. I did put in my profile that I’m a sci-fi geek. I guess I was putting it mildly. I hope that doesn’t bother you. I like to think of myself as quirky, not crazy.”
Tag gave her a reassuring smile. “That’s good to know. I like action adventure and science fiction movies and books. I thoroughly enjoyed all the Star Wars and Star Trek franchise offerings.”
She let out a heartfelt sigh. “Good. Then we’ll have something in common.”
“Tag?” a voice said behind him. “Tag, is that you?”
Tag’s pulse pounded. He turned to face Leslie as she crossed the parking lot, wearing a bright red sundress with narrow spaghetti straps that complemented her sandy-blond hair.
He played along with the ruse. “Leslie?”
She laughed. The sound was strained and nervous to Tag but probably not noticeable to anyone else. “Fancy meeting you here,” she said.
Tag smiled. “What brings you out to Cedar Park?”
She glanced around the parking lot. “I’m here to meet a date.”
A short man wearing dark trousers, a white shirt and a bow tie got out of his sedan and walked toward Leslie.
Based on what Tag recalled from his picture on the BODS application, this had to be Otis Peebles.
Leslie turned toward to him with a smile and held out her hand. “Are you Otis Peebles?”
“I am,” he said and took her hand. “And you must be Leslie Lamb.”
“I am. Nice to meet you, Otis.” She turned toward Tag. “I just ran into an old friend. Otis, this is Tag Bronson. Tag, Otis Peebles, my date.”
Tag took the man’s hand, even though Otis’s grip was limp with no bones or muscle behind it. He gave the man a firm shake and nodded. “Nice to meet you.” He turned toward his date. “And this is Twyla Stratton, my date. Twyla, this is Leslie Lamb and Otis Peebles.”
Twyla held out her hand to Leslie and shook it briefly. “Nice to meet you.” Then she turned her attention to Otis, her eyes narrowing on his bow tie. “Oh, my gosh! Is that a Dr. Who bowtie?”
