New Beginnings (The Billionaire’s Baby #4)(13)
Author: Helen Cooper

Chapter 8

Ella

Ella was anxious to get home so that she could check her reallove.com account. Capri had helped her create her profile and she had been receiving notifications all day on her phone from men who had sent her messages. She was excited to see what sort of men had contacted her and was hopeful that she would also like a few of them. For the first time in months, she had gone through the day without thinking about Joseph and wishing that he were still in her life.

“Hey Sophie,” she answered the phone with excitement.

“Hey Ella. What you up to?” Sophie sounded frazzled.

“Just going home.”

“I’ve never heard anyone sound so excited to be going home.” Sophie laughed.

“Okay, don’t laugh but I joined a dating website. I’m going to check my messages.” Ella laughed.

“Oh wow, exciting.” Sophie grinned and then sighed as Jacob started crying again. “Oh my gosh, hold on a second.” She went and picked Jacob up and patted him on the back.

“How’s my nephew?” Ella asked softly into the phone, she had completely forgotten all the drama of yesterday and was hopeful that Sophie and Max were doing okay.

“He’s good, I think.” Sophie spoke softly. “Aside from being a baby.”

“Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Sophie sighed. “Anyway enough of my daytime TV life, let me hear about your dating stuff.”

“Want me to read the emails out to you?” Ella’s excitement was infectious.

“Sure.” Sophie smiled into the phone. “Let me get comfortable on the couch and put you on speaker phone.”

“That’s okay. Hold on a second, I’m just opening the door.” Ella ran to her room and turned on her laptop. Then she took out a pen and a pad so that she could take some notes. “Hold on, let me a glass of water.”

“Sounds good.” Sophie sat back and rubbed Jacob’s back. He turned his face up to hers and smiled and she felt her heart melting. When she looked at him she felt nothing but tenderness, though, her heart still ached that he was Max’s son with Alexis.

“I’m back,” Ella squealed into the phone. “Okay, loading the page now.”

“Exciting.” Sophie laughed softly.

“Oh my gosh, I have twenty-five messages.” Ella exclaimed in excitement. “Goldengirl lives.”

“You did not call yourself Golden girl?”

“Capri helped me choose the name.”

“Who?”

“Oh, a new friend I made. She told me about the site, I’ll have to introduce you. She is awesome.”

“Oh ok.” Sophie tried to keep her voice light but she was jealous. Ella had gone out and gotten new friends and she was still practically friendless. She thought back to Nick, the guy she’d met at the park. He’d been fun and friendly and made her feel like she was just a normal young girl again. She wished she had exchanged numbers with him. He could have been a good friend.

“O.M.G.—listen to this pervert.” Ella groaned. “I can’t believe he thinks that this will win a girls heart.”

“Okay, let me hear.”

Ella cleared her throat and read, “Dear Goldengirl, I love your photos. You look hot as f**k. I could do you like you’ve never been done before. I have ten inches and I’m not scared to use all of them. Holla back if you’re interested. Eminemsbro.”

“Oh my.” Sophie laughed. “He really called himself Eminemsbro?”

“I want to know if he really has ten inches.” Ella laughed.

“He sounds like a pervert for sure.” Sophie groaned.

“Tell me about it. Ooh, this guy looks cute. Let’s see what he said.” Ella tapped on the message and started to read. “Goldengirl, you are drop dead gorgeous. In fact, I just got back from the hospital because after seeing your photo my heart stopped! In all seriousness, I am very interested in taking you on a date. I work on Wall Street as a broker, yes I make a lot of money but no, I’m not an ass. I enjoy going to museums and fine wines. I’d love to take you out for dinner. Imakebigmoola.”

“He seems ok.” Sophie laughed. “Kinda.”

“He does talk about money a lot but I’ll put him in the maybe pile.”

“That sounds like a plan.”

“Okay, this guy is a no, and this one is a no as well and ooh, this guy looks super-hot,” Ella squealed with excitement. “O.M.G.—Sophie, I wish you could see this one.”

“Let me hear what he sent to you.”

“Okay hold on.” Ella sounded breathless. “Wow. Here goes.” She cleared her throat again. “Hello Goldengirl, I take it you choose your name because you have blond hair? I like the pixie cut, it is very cute and suits your face. I also have blond hair and think I should have called myself Goldenboy, so that I would have a more witty and appealing message. But hopefully, this one works just as well. I’m new to online dating and decided to join because my friend found his wife on the site. Some things about me: I like dogs, walking in the park, sushi and interrupting strangers conversations! I would love to meet for coffee one day if you aren’t put off. Iliketolisten.”

“He sounds funny.” Sophie’s voice was enthusiastic. “You should message him back.”

“Right now?”

“Why not?”

“Doesn’t that look too eager?” Ella sighed. “Maybe I’ll wait until tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Or tonight then.” Ella laughed. “This is so exciting.”

“I’m glad you’re happy, Ella.”

“I know. I’m so over Joseph.”

“You don’t know how happy that makes me, El.” Sophie’s arms were starting to ache and she adjusted Jacob. He opened his eyes briefly and then closed them again and she kissed him on the forehead. She never thought she would have a maternal instinct for someone else’s child.

“Okay—here’s one more that sounds promising.” Ella laughed. “Is it wrong of me to only read the messages from the guys I find cute?”

“Well, you may be missing out on some nice guys.” Sophie spoke earnestly.

“But if I’m not attracted to them, what’s the point?”

“No point, I guess.”

“Okay, this is from surfgod77.” Ella laughed. “I even love his name. Okay here is his message.” She studied the photo of the hot blond man on her screen and grinned. “Hola, You are one hot mama. I like that. I hope you look as good in person. I’m a Pro surfer. I live in Hawaii, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and Australia because I travel a lot. If we hit it off maybe you can join me on the road. Check you later. Surfgod77.”