I'm running out of ideas for flashbacks, so please help?

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"Hey, baby," I answered as I picked up the phone and smiled at the wall, happy that Cash had called me.

"I want you to come feet my friends," he said, getting straight to the point.

I laughed lighly. "Like your business partner friends?" I asked.

I imagined him rolling his eyes. "No, like the people that I've known in college and high school."

The concept of meeting his friends excited me because so far, I had only met his co-workers and family. Not the people he had hung out and spent his childhood and teenager life with. "Where to?" I asked.

Cash chuckled. "I knew you'd agree. We're meeting at a bar. I'll pick you up at eight."

"Can't wait," I replied and hung up.

By the time it was eight, I was ready in dark blue skinny jeans, a white sleeveless top and heels. I didn't feel the need to dress formal since it was just the bar to visit his friends. When Cash arrived, I yelled bye to my roommates and ran out the door to his car.

"You look hot." His eyes twinkled and I giggled, leaning over to kiss him on the lips briefly. He smiled under my lips and then drove towards the bar, which ended up being one of those expensive ones only rich people went to. I wasn't surprised, to be honest.

I was ready to get out of the car, when Cash stopped me with a nervous look in his eyes. "Before we go inside, I just have to tell you something, okay? Don't get mad."

Narrowing my eyes, I stared at him suspiciously. "What is it?" I asked.

"I had a girlfriend back in high school and we were kind of serious, but she broke up with me because I didn't love and care for her the way she wanted me to," he said. "And she's kind of...here. Her best friend is my best friend's girlfriend," Cash said, apologetically.

I rolled my bottom lip into my mouth. "Is she going to cause problems?" I asked her.

Cash winced. "She's always...insulted my past girlfriends and kind of scared them away," he admitted.

"Well, she is not going to scare me away," I said firmly, getting out of the car. Cash grinned at me and did the same.

It was safe to say that the meeting went pretty well because in the end, Cash's ex wasn't the one who did the scaring - it was me.

-

The rest of the day went by nicely without any interruptions from jealous ex-girlfriends. For that I was grateful. But I couldn't help, but wonder if that was the only relationship Pierce had had or were there more? But then I laughed at myself for thinking that. Of course there was more. This was Pierce I was talking about. Pierce, the gorgeous, all masculine, perfect man. His bad boy appearance, that sex appeal, he couldn't have only dated one woman after me.

When Pierce dropped us off, I let Pierce take Tanner's carseat inside while I carried the bags. Pierce was adamant that he could put Tanner in his crib, so I leaned against the doorway watching him. I tried to conjure up a memory of Cash ever putting his son to bed, but my mind was blank. The thought itself made me sad.

Afterwards, I walked Pierce to the door and smiled up at him. He took 'towering over me' to the next level because I had to tilt my head back to look at him. He probably had at least four inches on Cash. And about ten inches on me.

"Thanks for taking me to the beach, Pierce. I had fun," I told him truthfully. His lips curled up and I couldn't help, but smile back at him. His happiness was so contagious.

Pierce reached over and fingered my hair, staring at the gold locks just barely catching the light of the sun and shining. "Thanks for agreeing to come," he replied back, his hand sliding into my hair and tugging my head closer. "I loved spending time with you and the little man."

My breathing quickened the tiniest bit and I bit my bottom lip in anticipation. Was he going to kiss me? Even though I'd told him before that I didn't want a relationship so fast out of my divorce, I couldn't help, but want Pierce. I wanted to love him again and him to love me.

"Pierce?" I murmured.

"Shh," he whispered and pressed his mouth softly against mine.

I sighed softly, contently and my hand reached out to cup his face. Six years since I kissed him and I missed him. My mind went blank as he carressed my lips with his, the pads of his fingers messaging my scalp and I swooned against him, taking a step closer so that our chests were almost pressed together.

He still tasted the same. There was that sweet, strawberry flavor on his lips that I remembered and his breath was minty. It was probably a weird combination to some, but I loved it, especially when his cologne wrapped around me as I leaned against him.

"So sweet," he murmured, pulling back and smiling down at me. I looked up at him with dazed, half-lidded eyes and tilted my head back for another kiss. Only to be left disappointed when he just put his finger to my lips and shook his head. "Patience, Tessa." His eyes twinkled, looking lighter than ever. "Let me take you out on a date. Just you and me. I want to know everything, and I mean everything about you. Your college experiences, your new friends." A strange look crossed his eyes, but then he replaced with a mock pout. "And, okay, your ex-boyfriends, too."

I giggled and wrapped my arms around his torso, resting my head on his chest. "You got it. Pick me up at seven?"

He kissed my head. "Dress nice," he told me, before pulling away. "I promise, after the date, you can kiss me as much as you like," he said teasingly. My face colored and he chuckled. "You're beautiful."

I stuck out my tongue before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Bye, Pierce."

"I'll be counting the hours," he said with a goofy grin. I giggled and waved, closing the door and pressing my back against it. Pierce and I were going on a date tomorrow. Holy crap.

-

To pass the time, I went to visit my mom at her boutique. She loved designing and making clothes, but her specialty was in dresses. She made prom dresses, wedding dresses, evening gowns, anything. Growing up, Paige and I always would have the best dresses at parties and dances at school because ours was made by my mother. She'd always save the best one for us and it'd be completely unique and different from everybody else's.

Walking into her boutique gave me a sense of nostalgia. I used to help out at the boutique sometimes when my mother was busy or I'd watch her work on her dresses with hope that someday I'd find something that I was passionate about like my mother did with her dress making.

Tanner was in his baby sling against my chest, sleeping like he usually did as I walked into the cozy boutique. There were pretty dresses everywhere, but one section was dedicated to all wedding things. I breathed in the familiar scent of sweet pea and noticed a few pink candles burning in little glass cases.

"Hey, baby," my mom appeared from the back room, smiling when she saw me and Tanner. "Is he asleep?"

I nodded and smoothed my hand over his honey brown hair. "Knocked out cold," I confirmed and went to sit on the counter. The boutique was empty, which surprised me because it was hardly ever empty. It was around the time the high schools and middle schools had Spring Flings and dances and mom's boutique was always popular then. "How was your outing with Pierce?" my mother asked as she fixed a flowing white, wedding dress hanging on a mannequin.

"Relaxing," I replied, leaving out the incident with Julia. "I think Pierce already loves Tanner." I sighed softly, my lips curling up happily.

My mother looked back over my shoulder with a smile that was a little strained. My eyebrows furrowed. I thought she'd be happy that I was reconnecting with Pierce. She'd always loved him. He was like the son she never had, but always wanted.

"What's wrong?" I asked, frowning a little.

She paused. "Tessa, love, Pierce is...." She hesitated. "Nevermind."

"No, I want you to tell me." What was everyone's problem with Pierce all of a sudden? First Paige, now my mother. What could he have done that would've changed their opinions of him? Determination filled me. I was going to find out today one way or another.

"Tessa, Pierce...changed after you left," she said slowly. "In a bad way. I mean, he got more violent and he started doing drugs and alcohol."

That wasn't new. My parents knew everything there was to know about him. I couldn't blame Pierce. He hadn't come from a good household. His mother slept around for money and his father was a druggie - Pierce was repeatedly abused by him. But he didn't over-do it and controlled his urges. He never let it get to his head and he never went overboard.

"He was fine when I was with him, Mom. He didn't smell like drugs or alcohol or anything," I said, lines marring my forehead.

My mother sighed and then smiled again. This time it was genuine, only with a tinge of worry. "You're my only baby. I guess I just want to keep you safe. You're right. Pierce would never hurt you. He loves you." Warmth spread across my cheeks and a huge grin spread across her face. "Blushing like a teenager," she tsked playfully.

I rolled my eyes and looked down at Tanner briefly to check if he was okay before glancing back at my mother. I did originally have a reason to come visit her and that question had vacated my mind when the topic directed to Pierce, but it was back in my head now.

"Mom, I have a question," I started, my eyes on her as she fixed the dresses in the display window, making sure the light hit it just the right way and it looked perfect.

"Hm?" she asked, distractedly.

"I was wondering why you and Dad never told anybody about my...," I trailed off as she turned to face me, now interesteed. "About my marriage and Tanner."

She rolled her lip into her mouth and chewed on it, something she did when she was thinking. I watched her beautiful, but aged face, taking in those green eyes, that soft blonde hair and realized that I had missed my mother, even though I almost saw her everyday now. I guess it was because we never actually spent time together anymore. We were never alone, it was never just us two.

Finally she spoke. "I didn't tell anyone because it wasn't our news to share. I always thought you'd come back here with Calvin one day and reconnect with your friends. But you never did." Her voice was sad and the guilt pierced me.

"Oh," I breathed out, deeply. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, baby." She smiled at me, pretty red lips stretching out over white teeth.

"I know. But still. It was wrong of me to just...leave you all behind. I didn't even visit." I frowned and looked down at the ground. "I don't even have any reasons, either. No plausible excuse."

She came closer and wrapped her arms around me from the side since Tanner was in the way. "I'm just glad you're here now," she said. I sighed softly and leaned into her, closing my eyes. It felt good being in my mother's embrace.