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I wasn't sure about going with Cash to his little work party, but he was begging me, so I had to say yes. Cash never begged; he had too much pride. We had been dating for four months and I was really flattered he wanted to show me off to his colleagues, but was I ready to meet all the powerful people who he worked with when I was just a small town girl with a waitressing job?

I was wearing a classy black dress and to-die-for heels Cash had bought me as a birthday present, my make-up done to perfection. When Cash peeked his head into my bedroom, he eyed my body up and down with appreciation before grinning at me.

"I'm guessing you're ready?" he asked.

Sighing, I nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Thirty minutes later and I was at his work place. He was pretty important, being the CEO of the company and I was stuck to his side, being the faithful arm candy. I don't think I'd ever seen so many designer dresses on different women and so much expensive jewelry in all my life. The women were the definition of class.

I suddenly felt very little with their disdainful eyes staring at me.

"Calvin, darling!" A stunning brunette strutted elegantly forward in a dress that barely reached her mid-thighs and heels that looked sky high.

Cash smiled at the brunette and untangled me from his arms, moving to hug her. "Hello, beautiful," he murmured in her ear. She looked at me with triumphant, icy blue eyes that made me feel like there was something thick in my throat.

"Oh, me? Beautiful?" She laughed, a sweet, tinkling sound that made me want to punch her in the face, even though I wasn't a very violent person in the first place. "You are too kind, darling." Why couldn't she stop calling him darling? She wasn't supposed to call him by an endearment! Only I was entitled to do that. And his mother.

"Melanie, you're the most gorgeous woman in the world."  I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. How could he disregard me so easily?

Blinking rapidly, I stepped back on my heels. "Um, I'm just going to go to the bathroom," I mumbled. It was like Cash finally noticed me, but I walked away before he could say anything. By the time I was in front of the sink, there were tears dripping down my cheeks.

Staring into the mirror, I wiped at my eyes, smearing my make-up, but did it really matter? I wasn't like all the other women here. They were born into this world and I just didn't fit in. Not with this cheap dress and flat blonde hair.

"I know what you're thinking and it's not true." Hearing the female voice startled me and I spun around to look at a pretty, short redhead who was gazing at me with a sympathetic smile on her face.

"What do you know?" I spat harshly, trying hard not to cry again.

She smiled. "I'm Cash's secretary, Dana. I know that probably doesn't mean much to you, but he does trust me a lot. And I know he really likes you. And he's just being an idiot right now - he didn't really mean what he said about Melanie being beautiful. She's the daughter of an important client and umm...a whore."

"That doesn't help me feel better," I admitted. He had casted me aside like I meant nothing. And I wouldn't stand for that, even if it was to please his client's daughter.

Dana shrugged. "I just don't want you to give up on him, yet. He's a good guy, you know."

I paused - but only for a second. Then I walked out of the bathroom, pausing again when I saw Cash and Melanie, arm in arm, laughing with an older man. A pained look crossed my face as I realized how good they looked together and I slipped out of the room and out of the building.

It was a little cold outside. I hugged my arms, my lips wobbling as I tried to hold in my tears. I had come to the party with Cash, so I was left to walk home...alone. I hated this feeling of utter helplessness. I couldn't even fight for the guy I was beginning to give my heart to. I should've stood up for myself. Instead, I had just let a spoiled, rich brat steal my boyfriend.

About ten minutes passed before I heard running behind me. I was getting ready to bolt, my imagination running wild and conjuring up images of me getting kidnapped and tied to a chair, but then all those disappeared and my mind went blank when I smelled his Clive Christian perfume. I stopped and so did he, inches away from me and his sweet scent surrounded me.

"Why did you leave?" he asked.

I didn't turn around. "I couldn't handle being second best."

Cash sighed softly and he came forward the slightest bit. I exhaled as well as his arms came around me and he held me to him from behind, face buried in my loose hair. "You'll never be second best to me. You're always first," he whispered. And even though he had hurt me badly before, I leaned back against him. Closed my eyes and trusted him.

-

His answer to this question would either make or break me. It was that easy. I could never pursue a relationship with a man who wouldn't - couldn't - accept Tanner. Nobody what happened, Tanner would always come first. His wants came over my needs. Anything else was unacceptable. I desperately hoped that Pierce loved me enough to also love a piece of me.

Pierce remained silent for a horrible, two minutes, icy eyes piercing into mine. I felt like I was dying in those minutes, my heart beating uncontrollably fast and my breathing becoming erratic. Why was he just staring at me and not answering? Did he want me to have a heart attack or hyperventilate?

"Okay," he finally said. "Okay, because he's a part of you. He came from you." His hand touched my stomach, tenderly. "And if he's a part of you, then I can love him, too."

I beamed, his words taking my breath away. Pierce was the best at sweet talking, but I knew what he said to me was always true. He had no reason to ever lie to me. I grasped his hand and led him towards the nursery, only this time he knew what was waiting for him there.

As I had predicted, Tanner was occupied with the musical mobile, his tiny hands reaching out to bat at the little starfish, seahorses and shells hanging from it. I stopped at the doorway and watched his little body move through the darkly polished, wooden bars.

"Does he look like you?" Pierce asked from behind me.

I looked over my shoulder and smiled at him, a little sadly. "He has my eyes. But he is definitely his father's son."

Pierce squeezed my fingers. "It must suck to look at your kid's face and see his asshole dad." Chuckling weakly, I dragged him towards the crib and looked into it. Tanner smiled up at me joyously and I reached down to stroke his cheek. "Well, he definitely loves his mother. But I'm not surprised by that." I laughed and so did Tanner, which made me laugh even more. I could tell Pierce was smiling as he lay his chin on my shoulder and looked over them at my baby.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" I gushed, running my hand over Tanner's growing hair. "He's such a beautiful baby."

He nodded. "He's cute."

I turned around and realized I was trapped between the crib and Pierce's body. Wide-eyed, I looked up at him. He was grinning mischievously. "Pierce? What are you doing?" I asked quietly.

"I'm not doing anything," he replied, shaking his head.

"Come on, let me out. I usually give him a bath after he takes his daily nap," I explained.

 Pierce paused a little, then he looked at me with an almost hopeful expression on his face. "Can I...help?"

I raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "I didn't know you liked babies."

"I didn't," he replied instantly. "Until I met yours."

Chuckling, I reached into the crib and held up Tanner. He was such a fast learning baby. He could hold up his head by now and he was staring at the tall, broad man standing by Mommy with open, huge, curious eyes.

"You think he'll let me carry him?" Pierce asked.

I pursed my lips thoughtfully. "Maybe. He wouldn't even let my parents hold him for more than a minute," I admitted and leaned Tanner towards Pierce. Pierce held out his arms, but my baby only retreated back and buried his face in my neck.

Pierce look disappointed, but shrugged it away. "He'll get used to me, eventually. I'm not leaving you alone."

"You aren't?"

"No," he laughed. "Why would I?"

I carelessly lifted and dropped my shoulders in an 'I dunno' way. "It finally came in my mind that you might already have a girlfriend or something."

First he only just stared at me silently. Then he cracked up, doubling over. "G-girlfriend, Tessa? A-are you s-s-serious?"

I huffed. "It was just a thought."

"Would I be flirting with you if I had a girlfriend?" he demanded. I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head ."Tessa, there has been no girl I've ever been even close to liking after you. Do you know how hard it is to find a girl like you? Wait - no. Scratch that, it's impossible to find a girl like you. Tessa, you're the only one for me."

 I reached up, having to stand on my tippy-toes and ruffled his silky black hair, playfully. "Springfield's notorious bad boy does have a heart."

He just smiled and followed me as I walked to the bathroom. Tanner turned his head so his face wasn't hidden by my neck and his hands grasped my hair, pulling the strands in different directions, gazing at in wonder. I kissed his head and set him on the couch, holding him up, my hand behind his head.

"Are you going to help me?" I looked over at Pierce.

Suddenly, he began to fidget uncomfortably. "I don't have any experience with babies. What do I do?" he asked. I had hardly ever seen Pierce so nervous in our years together, so I had to take advantage of this moment.

"Come on, Pierce, twenty-four years and you know nothing?" I teased.

Pierce frowned, lines married his forehead. "How would I know anything about babies?" he demanded.

"Home economics?" I reminded him.

He waved it away. "I barely paid attention to those."

"I'm still wondering how you passed." I rolled my eyes and took off Tanner's adorable little onesie, lifting him up over my head. "Ready for your bath, my baby?" I asked, bring him closer to kiss his plump lips.

"I'm smart, you know. I just don't see the point of school." Pierce came a little closer. "Where do you give him his bath? In the tub?"

"Yeah. Can you go to the closet across the hall and get the blue towel and a sponge?" I asked as I turned on the water, holding Tanner at my hip, watching it fill. I turned it off when the bathtub had a few inches of water and carefully put Tanner down in the water. He squealed and his hands splashed down, senting droplets flying. "Tanner," I laughed.

He smiled up at me, showing only gum and no teeth. I couldn't explain how much love filled me when he looked at me like that, pure joy on his face. I ran my hand down his face as I leaned over the edge of the bathtub, barely taking notice of the footsteps coming in from behind me.

"Here's the towel and sponge," Pierce said, kneeling down beside me.

"Thank you. I'm glad you're here, Pierce. It's hard to give him a bath, he's always wiggling around," I explained.

"Didn't your ex ever help out?" he asked, reaching over and grasping Tanner gently. My baby looked up at him with pouted lips, like he was examining him and I cupped water in my hands and poured it over his shoulders, gently rubbing the sponge over his skin.

 "No. He was always at work. I stayed at home and took care of Tanner. I think that should've been my first clue that maybe he didn't really love Tanner as much a father should," I admitted, ducking my head when Tanner splashed me.

"He's messy," Pierce laughed, his shirt already wet, since he had to move closer to hold Tanner as still as he could as I washed him.

I smiled and watched Tanner and Pierce interacting. Myy baby was babbling away as the huge man next to me nodded and replied like he understood exactly what Tanner was saying. It was highly amusing and I continued to watch them as I washed Tanner, being careful with his head.

"You're good with him," I commented, after telling Pierce to take Tanner out of the tub so I could dry his body.

He did so and I gently patted the towel on his skin. "I guess so."

"I know so," I insisted. "We never talked about it before, Pierce, but did you ever want children?"

Pierce handed Tanner over to me and I bundled him up in the towel, getting up and walking to his nursery. I set him down on the changing table and instructed Pierce to watch him as I went to get an adorable, green onesie. I put a diaper on him and then dressed him in his onesie.

"Well, yeah. You wanted kids and I wanted you," he said bluntly with a careless shrug of his shoulders.

"Oh," I murmured, hugging Tanner to me. I looked down at him, kissing his cheek, then looked back at Pierce. "Want to try holding him now?" I asked.

Pierce hesitated for a second before he nodded. Tanner turned away from my chest and looked at Pierce for a second, then went willingly into his arms. And I don't think I would ever forget the look of complete elation on Pierce's face for as long as I lived.