So some of you guys wanted to see the downsides of Cash and Tessa's relationship, so here it is! :) 

There will be some drama next chapter. ;)

PS. Read my friend's story. :) Luvr522. Her story Happily Never After is really good even though she has one chapter up so far. :)

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Miranda and I were standing side-by-side, taking sips of our Sex on the Beach, as we watched the scene unfold in front of us.

"I don't know how you can stand this, Tessa. If I was in your spot, I would rip that stank off my boyfriend and give him a verbal ass whooping he'd never forget," she told me, not bothering to turn her eyes away from the dancefloor.

I wanted to do exactly what she said. I didn't like how easy Cash just casted me aside sometimes. I didn't doubt his love. We'd been dating for nine months and he always remembered to tell me what he felt for me. But now that we were at the club, it was like I was a stranger.

My nostrils flared angrily as I saw the brunette grinding her perfect, little ass against his crotch, her arms wound back to wrap around his neck. And he was allowing her to rub her body all over his, his hands running slyly over her thighs and hips.

"Seriously, Tessa?" Miranda demanded, as the pretty brunette turned in his arms and pressed her breasts against his chest. I saw her lips moving as she whispered something and he laughed, his palm pressing against her lower back and bringing her even closer. "If you don't go over there and stop your boyfriend and his hoe, I will. Who does he think he is, disrespecting my girl like this?"

"My boyfriend?" I suggested, taking another sip, my eyes narrowing as the girl flirtatiously feathered her fingers over Cash's hair.

I had been letting it slide all this time, but when she pressed her lips to his, I was done. All I saw was red. I put my drink down and stormed over to them, pushing the bitch away. She cried out and called me some inappropariate names.

"Seriously?" I asked, laughing sarcastically. "You're going to let some other girl grind her body all over yours while your girlfriend is in the same room? Screw you, Calvin Gallagher." I turned and stalked towards the entrance.

When I was outside, I felt his presence behind me. "I didn't kiss back. I was just dancing. Tessa, please."

"Have fun with your whore," I called and hailed a cab to go back home.

-

Tanner had fallen asleep an hour after I had gotten to Paige's house, but was now wide awake as we drove back at eight o clock. I shouldn't have let him sleep because now, chances are he wouldn't want go to bed anymore, so I'd have to entertain him until he was tired out.

We listened to songs and I sang along to Titanium, making Tanner laugh because I kept changing my voices from high to low. I found myself chuckling along because the sounds my baby made were so adorable.

"I don't know why your father doesn't want you, Tanner," I said, glad he couldn't really understand what I was saying. "You're such a beautiful baby. And even if daddy doesn't love you, mama does. I love you so much, Tanner. Nothing will change that," I told him, looking at him through the rear view mirror. He just chewed on his fist, gazing back at me, unblinking. I wanted to cry. He was so innocent, so perfect. He deserved the best father. He deserved everything.

Finally inside our own home, I took off our shoes and gave him a bath. He loved the water, always splashing around and soaking my clothes to the skin. And I loved watching him play because seeing him happy made me happy.

I dressed him into a white onesie and laid him down in the crib before going to change into shorts and a tee shirt, going braless. Who would be here to see me anyway? I could hear Tanner whining through the baby monitor, so I walked back into the nursery and picked up a few books. I'd read that since Tanner was beginning to talk in his baby language now, it would help him talk earlier if I read to him.

So I began to read 'The Monster at the End of This Book' to my baby, the level of my voice ranging from high to low and my tone varying to make it more entertaining for him. Tanner couldn't necessarily understand the words or the story, but he loved my facial expressions and the way I spoke the words, giving each one extra emphasis.

 I gave a mock, flustered look as I spoke the last words, "Oh, I am so embarrassed." And bowed playfully, only for Tanner to get a hold of my hair, kicking his legs happily, sweet waves of laughter rolling of his tongue.

 I giggled and kissed his chubby, rosy colored cheeks. "No touch Mommy's hair, you silly boy." I tickled the soles of his little feet. "You're my silly boy."

Tanner kept babbling and he looked like he was not even close to sleeping yet. Me, on the other hand, I was tired and ready to hit the hay. Taking care of a three month old baby was harder than it sounded and it'd be a lot harder when I started working at the diner. I was just glad that my parents were going to look after Tanner while I was busy.

I decided to take Tanner to bed with me. I surrounded the open side of the bed with pillows so he wouldn't have a risk of falling off and I lay on my side, watching Tanner affectionately. Running my fingers down his cheek lightly, I couldn't help, but he utterly awed. I couldn't believe this little human being had been growing in my womb for nine months. I had nurtured him and taken care of him. He was a part of me. I would never stop loving him.

My eyes closed and I was ready to fall asleep when my phone rang. I bit back the curse that threatened to leave my lips and got up reluctantly to get the phone. Sighing, I crawled back in bed and finally looked at the caller ID. However, as soon as I saw the name, my heart jumped and I slid my thumb left to right and put the phone to my ear.

"Hi, Pierce." Saying his name made me feel giddy. Being around him or even just hearing his voice made me feel like I was a teenager again with those same butterflies fluttering around in my stomach.

"What are you doing, baby girl?" he asked, his voice sending shivers down my spine. Even through the phone.

I looked at Tanner, who was back to trying to put his whole foot into his mouth. "Lying down with Tanner."

He was quiet for a few seconds. "Were you trying to go to sleep?" he asked. I didn't want to make him feel guilty, so I replied with a soft 'no'. "You sure? You sound tired, Tess."

Smiling at his worry, I said, "I'm fine. Promise. What have you been doing?"

"Some stuff. You know," he said vaguely. I honestly didn't know, but I remembered how Pierce used to deal drugs when he was young and I hoped it wasn't that. I couldn't have my baby around a drug dealer, even if that was my beloved Pierce. Tanner would always come first.

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say.

"Can I talk to the kid?" he asked hesitantly.

My breath caught at his willingness to spend time with my son. That meant the world to me, that my childhood sweetheart, who I might just end up falling for again, seemed to genuinely be interested in my son. I knew he had said that he wished that Tanner was his, but wanting to a baby over the phone? Cash should learn something from Pierce.

"He's only three months old," I whispered, running my hand through the wisps of Tanner's honey brown hair.

Pierce chuckled. "Don't matter. Put him on, Tessa," he ordered. And I complied, putting the phone against Tanner's ear. I didn't want my baby to put it in his mouth, though, so I kept it in my hand.

"Tanner, baby, say hi to Pierce," I said, tickling his sides. Tanner giggled and I heard Pierce's voice faintly on the other end of the line. Awed by the voice coming through the device, Tanner began to speak in his infamous baby language and I leaned closer to I could hear Pierce's answers. He was talking back and it was the sweetest thing. I found my camera and began to video tape it, leaning close and hoping that Pierce's voice would be heard through in the video.

Finally when Tanner yawned sleepily, I took the phone away. "He's getting tired."

"I heard," Pierce replied. "Let me take you and Tanner to the beach tomorrow. I'm free the entire day," he said.

I bit my lip. "Okay."

"Good. Be ready by ten. It's an hour drive," he instructed.

A smile made its way to my face. A lot of people would probably be annoyed by Pierce's tone of no arguments, but I loved it. I liked when guys took charge. "Alright, Pierce."

"See you soon, Tessa." Then he hung up.

-

I dressed Tanner up in shorts and a cute shirt to fit his tiny frame. I was basically the same thing, my blonde hair in a ponytail and glasses placed on my head. I was wearing a modest blue bikini underneath. It was sunny and I was looking forward to just spending some time with my baby and Pierce.

He drove up in a black mustang and I bit my lip because I remembered making so many memories in that car. He wanted to take me on a picnic, but it had started raining, so we ate in the car and listened to slow jams with the sky crying as our background. Then we went on a road trip, just us two, only the car had broken down in the middle of nowhere, so we had to wait three hours for someone to help. And another time, he had kissed me so sweetly and took me to the backseat to make beautiful love to me...

The last memory made me blush and I quickly took Tanner's carseat and put it in the backseat, making sure it was perfectly situated. I put his baby bag and the beach bag in the trunk and then went to sit in the front, besides Pierce. He leaned over to kiss me cheek, then tickled Tanner's foot.

"Hello, gorgeous." Pierce shot me a perfect smile, his barely-there dimples flashing.

My face darkened again. There was something about Pierce that made me feel like I was eighteen again and still young and naive. "Hi," I murmured.

"I almost forgot how pretty you looked when you blushed," he said, turning his body to face me. Reaching out, he clasped my chin and raised my head, so I was looking at him. Pierce gazed at me for a few seconds, then dropped his hand to face the front. He turned the car around and began to drive.

He switched on the radio and we listened to songs with Tanner cooing over every little thing he saw through the window. I smiled and leaned back. This was so familiar, being with him, sitting on this seat and I loved it.