New Beginnings (The Billionaire’s Baby #4)(43)
Author: Helen Cooper

“Max, you are my heart. Our family is my life.” She fell into his arms and they held each other tight.

“You make me complete, Sophie.” He stared at her in wonder. “I never knew I could be so happy.”

“Max, I want to read you something.” Sophie looked embarrassed and ran from the room. She came back a few moments later with an old diary. “This is my diary from childhood. I want you to hear something.” Max stared at her in shock, his heart beating.

Sophie cleared her throat and started reading:

“We went to the park today. Maxwell chased us around and I think I saw him staring at me. I want to tell him my feelings very badly but I don’t think he would be interested in a teen like me. Ella says that I’m too serious and that boys don’t like that in a girl. I suppose she is right. Maxwell is handsome and kind and I don’t know if I could ever capture the heart of someone so wonderful. Dear Diary, please don’t tell anyone but I love him. I love him with my whole heart. I know it’s wrong because he is Ella’s brother and he’s older but I want so very badly to be with him. It’s my heart’s desire to marry him one day. My heart is full of love for him. I hope that one day he comes riding in on a black stallion and carries me away to a new land where we can be together forever. Today I vow that my heart belongs to Maxwell Van Harkel, forever and always.” She stopped reading and she and Max stared into each other’s eyes in silence.

“Momma loves Daddy,” Jacob whispered up to Ella and she nodded. Her brother and Sophie had found something special and awe-inspiring. She tried not to sigh but her heart was heavy and sad as she stared at Jacob. She saw her lover’s face shining out through Jake’s eyes. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pain in her heart. Looking at Jake and playing with him reminded her of Frank, the love of her life. What would her life had been like if she had met Frank when he was younger? She sighed as she opened up eyes again to see Jake staring at her face.

“Don’t be sad, Auntie. I love you.” He pressed his face to hers and she kissed his forehead. What if she had been Jacob’s mother? How different would her life have been? She thought about the text message that Frank had sent her that morning. He had filed for a separation from his wife. He said he was willing to give up his position for a chance to be with her but she knew she could never tell her family about their relationship. She wasn’t even sure how it had happened. She had been in such a dark place back then, but when she had met him at The X Club she had felt an instant connection with him. He had been an ass**le but when she had met him again at an AA meeting, they had somehow connected and eventually they had fallen in love. She knew that no one would understand and she knew why it was impossible for them to be together. Frank had tried to ruin too many people’s lives; she didn’t know how anyone could ever forgive him. And they would think that he was just another married man that she had taken up with. They’d think that she hadn’t changed. That she was still the love-starved and sex-driven young girl that she had been. And there was nothing she could do to stop them from thinking that if she tried to have a future with Frank.

“I love you too, Jacob.” She kissed his cheeks and held him tight. “And I love your daddy even more,” she whispered into his ears and let a single teardrop onto the top of his head. She breathed in his baby scent and hugged him close to her. “I love you Jacob, more than you will ever know. But you have wonderful parents and they will shower you with more love then you will ever need.” She kissed him one more time before she jumped up. “Okay guys,” she called out to Sophie and Max, who were still embracing. “Enough with the love fest, let’s go celebrate.”

Sophie and Max sprung apart and looked at Ella guiltily. “Sorry.” Sophie smiled. “Sometimes we just get caught up.”

“I know, I know.” Ella grinned at them. “You guys are my inspiration to not give up on love.” She walked out of the room, “But let’s go and toast to my new move and hope that I have a wonderful new beginning in my life as well.”

“Amen to that.” Max went over and rubbed his sister’s back. “I know about Frank, Ella, and I forgive you and love you,” he whispered in her ear and she looked at him in shock.

“I…what…how?” she mumbled back at him.

He shook his head. “It’s not important, sis. I love you.”

“I loved him, Max,” she whispered, trying to explain how she could have dated such a man.

“You can’t choose who you love.” He smiled at her with such love that she hugged him tight. “It’s not for me to judge you, darling.”

“Thank you, Max.” She felt herself finally relaxing and releasing the guilt that had built up in her. She couldn’t believe that he’d known all along and he hadn’t judged her or tried to tell her what to do. He still loved her. He was finally the brother she had always wanted him to be.

“Momma, Auntie is hugging Daddy,” Jacob sung. “We one big happy family.”

“Yes we are, Jake.” Sophie picked up her son and kissed his cheeks. “We are one big happy family, forever and always.”

“You, me, Auntie, Winter, Daddy, Grandpops, Grandma and Boom Boom,” he shouted and they all laughed.