Eloise

I was in the middle of shooting a couple’s engagement pictures in Central Park when my phone dinged. As we were on our way to our next location, I pulled my phone from pocket and checked my text messages.

“Hi! I was just thinking about you. How are you doing? I’m surprised I haven’t heard from you.”

I glared at the number and realized it was from Luke. He was surprised he hadn’t heard from me? Was he serious? My fingers went to typing town.

“Why are you thinking about me? By the way, I’m doing fantastic! I would ask how you’re doing, but I don’t really care, which is the reason why you haven’t heard from me.”

A few moments later, he replied.

“Wow. Just wow! Where the hell did that come from?”

“#Delete,” I quickly responded and then deleted his number.

“What does that mean?!” His number popped up again.

I ignored him, swiped to the left and deleted his number because I couldn’t spend any more time or energy on his dumb ass. I finished the photo shoot and headed to Starbucks for a coffee and to start writing my blog post about my date last night. I had a couple of hours to spare before I had to get home and change for another date.

As I was typing away and sipping my coffee, I heard a loud voice enter through the door.

“Hey, you!” Claire smiled as she walked over and hugged me. “What are you doing here?”

“I just finished a photo shoot and I’m blogging.” I smiled. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

“I’m on a coffee run for the guys.” She rolled her eyes. “Hey.” She sat down in the chair across from me. “My boss is having a party this Saturday at his place and invited me. Kenny is going on that camping weekend with the guys and said I wasn’t allowed to go unless you, Nat, or Scarlett went with me.”

“Is he really that worried about your boss?” I cocked my head.

“He has insecurities. You know that. Remember, his last girlfriend left him for another guy.”

“I get that, but he needs to get over it! Why are you with him if he doesn’t trust you?”

“He trusts me. It’s the other men he doesn’t trust. Say you’ll go. Please. Pretty, pretty please.”

“I have a date Saturday night, remember?” I arched my brow.

“BFFs before dates. You know the rule, Eloise. Think of the guys you’ll meet at the party. You can blog about them!” She smirked.

“That defeats the purpose of #Delete.”

“Maybe not. Get their number, go out on a date, interview them, and then #Delete their ass!”

As she was trying to convince me to cancel my date for Saturday night, my phone dinged with a text message from Mobile Man. The corners of my lips curved into a small smile.

“Top of the day to you. Hope it’s a good one. And I hope the numbers have stopped in your head.”

“Who texted you?” Claire asked. “Why are you smiling?”

I hadn’t told any of them yet about Mobile Man because I didn’t think we’d be talking as much as we were. I guess it was time to let the cat out of the bag.

“I’m talking to Mobile Man.” I casually smiled as I sipped my coffee.

“Who?” Her brows furrowed.

“Last week, when I was telling off Luke via text, I accidentally sent it to the wrong phone number. This guy responded and we just started texting each other, like every day.”

“Who is this guy?”

“I don’t know. I call him ‘Mobile Man’ and he calls me ‘Digits.’”

“Okay, that’s fucking weird. What’s his name?”

“I don’t know and I don’t want to know. The mystery of it is exciting!” I smirked.

“So you’re texting some random guy every day and you don’t know anything about him?”

“You are correct.” I lightly nodded.

“You, my friend, have gone completely insane. He could be married for all you know.”

“He’s not. He was on a date last night just like I was. We were both bored so we started texting each other.”

I picked up my phone and replied to him.

“Hi! Top of the day to you too! The numbers have stopped, thank god! How’s your day going?”

“Put that phone down and tell me more!” she demanded.

“There’s nothing more to tell. I know not one thing about him except that he doesn’t sleep with every woman he takes out.”

“Yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes and then looked at her watch. “Shit. I need to order the coffees and go. So, yes to Saturday?” She stood up and placed her hand on her hip.

“Fine. I’ll go.”

“Yay! It’ll be fun. Just you wait and see!”

As soon as she walked away, my phone dinged again.

“The day is good. A lot of contracts are being signed today and money is being made. Couldn’t ask for anything more.”

“So you’re in corporate business? Just a simple yes or no, please.”

I didn’t want to know anything about him. This game was fun and it allowed me to be anyone I wanted and anyone he wanted.

“Yes. I’m in corporate business. What do you do?”

I needed to think quick.

“I’m in the social media relations business.”

“Ah, I see. Care to elaborate on that?”

“I like to write.”

“Are you like a journalist or something?”

“Something like that.”

“Listen, Digits, I have to head into a meeting. Catch ya later?”

“Okay. Catch ya later.”

****

I slipped into my tight-fitted, spaghetti-strap black dress and shoved my feet into a pair of black Kate Spade heels with a peep toe and a bow. Tonight’s date was with a man named Aaron. According to his profile, he was thirty years old and a high school science teacher. As I was walking out the door, a text message came through from a number I didn’t recognize.

“Hi, Eloise. I really enjoyed our night together last night. How about we set up another date?”

Shit. It was from Frankie, the financial guy. Because he was too busy trying to feed my soul full of financial advice, I didn’t get to ask him many questions when it came to women. The only thing I could get out of him was that he liked to wait a couple of days after a date to text the girl back. So why the hell was he texting me already?

“Hi, Frankie. You’re a nice guy, but I don’t think another date is such a good idea. I really wasn’t feeling a connection. I’m sorry.”

“No problem. I wasn’t feeling it either, but I thought I would give you a second chance,” he replied.

Rolling my eyes, I swiped to the left and deleted his boring ass.

When I reached PRINT, a restaurant over in Hell’s Kitchen, I walked inside and looked around.

“Can I help you?” the young redheaded hostess asked.

“I’m meeting someone here.”

“Aaron?” she asked.

“Yes.” I smiled.

“Follow me, please.”

I followed her to the table where Aaron sat. He was cute, I won’t lie. Clean cut, dark hair, baby face. I was sure the girls in his class swooned over him every day.

“My God.” He grinned as he stood up from his chair. “You are more beautiful in person.” He kissed my cheek.

“Thank you.” I smiled.

“I took the liberty of ordering a bottle of white wine. I hope that’s okay.”

“I like white wine.” The corners of my mouth slightly curved upwards as I took the seat across from him.

We talked about his job, my job, his family, and my family. We had a few things in common and he seemed easy to talk to. I was anxiously waiting for the perfect opportunity to slip my questions in. He caught me off guard when he reached across the table and took hold of my hand, interlacing our fingers.

“Can we just get married? Because I’m ninety-nine percent sure that we’re soulmates and one hundred percent sure that I’m in love.”

I sat there staring at him in disbelief. Suddenly, I let out a light laugh.

“That’s sweet. You’re funny.”

“Why is that funny?” he asked in a serious tone. “I mean it. I know when I’m in love, and right now, I’m in love with you, Eloise. You’re gorgeous, you have a great personality, and I know you’re my soulmate. I can feel it in every fiber in my body.”

Pulling my hand away from his, I spoke, “Well, Aaron, can you please tell the fibers in your body to stop feeling it.” I smirked to try and lighten the moment.

“No, I won’t!” he loudly voiced.

I glanced around the restaurant to make sure no one was staring at us. Slowly getting up from the table, I grabbed my purse.

“I think I’m going to call it a night.” I pulled some cash out from my wallet and threw it on the table. “I can pay for my own dinner. Thanks.” I scurried out of the restaurant and climbed into a cab that was sitting at the curb.

This date was one that went very wrong. Pulling my phone from my purse, I deleted Aaron’s number and then sent a text message to Mobile Man.

“I just had to exit a date early because the guy told me that he was in love with me, he knows we’re soulmates, and we should get married.”

A few moments later, he replied.

“How long have you known this guy?” he asked.

“I just met him tonight. What the hell is wrong with these guys?”

“Lol. You must have made his heart stop. I will say that is unusual behavior. The guy must be desperate.”

“He’s not desperate, he’s weird. And now I can see why he’s single. Shame, though, he was really cute.”

“You can’t always go by looks, Digits,” he replied.

“Oh please, Mobile Man. You’re not going to tell me that you date not-so-attractive women. It’s purely physical for you guys.”

“Fine. You caught me.”

“Thought so.”

“But it’s the same with you women as well. If you don’t think a guy is hot or sexy, you won’t give him the time of day.”

“That is not true.”

“Yes, it is and you know it.”

I sighed. I knew he was right, but I didn’t want to admit it to him.

“Come on, Digits. Admit it.”

“I’m pleading the fifth,” I replied.

“Ha. That right there is your answer.”

“I’m home now and going to soak in a hot bubble-filled tub. Catch ya later, Mobile Man.”

“Enjoy the rest of your evening, Digits. Catch ya later.”