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I round the corner into the kitchen just as Melissa lifts her head up from the bag she’s unpacking and smiles, but the smile fades when she sees that it’s me.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, looking like a deer caught in headlights. I have a feeling that look of fear has something to do with her visit to our place, and seeing it confirms my suspicions that she went to torment Ashley of her own accord, not to deliver any messages for Tanner.

I know I should tell Tanner and Alex about the visit now, but if I stick around any longer, I’ll probably end up shoving my stiletto up her ass, and the last thing I need is a night in jail because of some skank.

“I was asked to help Tanner win back the girl he loves, and she isn’t you. Your little game is up. Did you honestly think anyone was going to believe that Tanner would send
you
to our house? Who the hell are you? You were never more than a piece of ass to him. You’ll never be on the same level as Ashley. You’re pathetic, and I can’t wait until your friends figure you out for the fake bitch that you are.” I smile as sweetly as I can at her before turning back toward the hallway I’ve just come from. “Alex, can we go to dinner now?” I call out to him. “All of the cheap perfume in this room is giving me a headache.”

Chapter 8

Tanner

I didn’t see Melissa’s encounter with Quinn before I walked into the kitchen, but I know something must have happened. Melissa tried to hide the worried look on her face as soon as Alex and I came into the room.

I’m annoyed that she’s just shown up unannounced. Thank God Quinn didn’t change her mind about helping me because of it. I still can’t believe she agreed to help in the first place. I don’t know what Alex was thinking bringing her here, but I’ll have to thank him later. Now that they’re gone, I ask, “What are you doing here, Melissa?”

“You haven’t answered my calls all week, so I figured I’d pop by with dinner and check in on you,” she says with a smile as she grabs forks from the drawer and sets them on the counter.

“I don’t need checking on,” I tell her. Why does she think that she can come over without any warning? She’s never done that before. That’s not how things have worked between us—ever. Her audacity could’ve derailed everything that I’m trying to do to get Ashley back. Quinn is my best chance at fixing this mess, and Melissa could’ve fucked it all up.

“I remember how you were after the Carrie incident, and I figured you might need me.” She sidles up next to me, molding her body to my side.

I step away from her. “The two situations are not the same,” I say frustrated. I don’t like the way she’s comparing Ashley to Carrie, and I don’t care if I sound like an asshole.

“How are two gold-digging whores trying to trap you with a baby not the same?” She drops the Styrofoam container on the counter, where it pops open and pasta spills everywhere. Even with the mess, her attention is one-hundred-percent focused on glaring at me, the anger evident in her eyes.

“First of all, I know I was angry with her, but Ashley is not a gold digging whore, and that better be the last time I hear you refer to her like that,” I bark, slamming my hand on the counter. “Second, she isn’t trying to trap me with anything. She hasn’t even contacted me since she first told me about the baby. She isn’t out for any money or whatever it is you think she’s after. Third, I
will
be doing whatever is necessary to fix our relationship and get her back.” Melissa had better get that through her damn head now because I don’t need her making this situation any worse with her misplaced anger.

She throws her hands into the air in frustration. “Get her back? Are you insane? Have you forgotten that she got knocked up, most likely on purpose, and hid it from you?” she asks, her tone laced with hate. Melissa has never reacted this way before. It’s completely out of character. What the hell happened to that girl who’s always been drama-free and sensible?

I know it’s probably my fault she thinks Ashley has some ulterior motive, but I don’t give a shit if she’s not going to listen. Either way, Melissa’s feelings on the subject really aren’t important. I’m starting to realize I should never have told her about anything that happened between Ashley and me.

“She didn’t get pregnant on purpose, and she didn’t try to hide it from me. I was wrong,” I admit.

“How you can seriously be so naïve about this situation? Have you forgotten everything that happened, Tanner?” she asks in disbelief, clearly still thinking Ashley is setting me up.

“I’m not being naïve. I’m finally pulling my head out of my ass and seeing the truth. The woman I love is pregnant, and I was a complete asshole to her.”

Melissa’s expression turns cold and she looks at me with a rage that I’ve never seen before. “The woman you
love?”
She says the word
love
as if it’s poison in her mouth. “Please, Tanner. You don’t love her. She’s brainwashed you into thinking that you do. That’s what lying bitches like her do. You’ll see eventually.” She grabs her purse from the counter. “Call me when you take off the blinders that you’re wearing. I can’t hang around and watch this girl make a fool out of you,” she spits before storming out and slamming the door behind her.

Wow, I definitely didn’t see that coming, but it’s not my fault if she doesn’t understand. Based on what Quinn said to me earlier, Melissa’s only going to be a hindrance in getting Ashley back anyway, so it’s probably for the best that she stays away for a while. That’s fine with me. Football, Ashley, and our baby are the only things I’m concerned with right now.

It’s Christmas, and this is the last week of regular season games. We’ve already clinched our playoff spot, so it’ll be an easy week. Since we’re leading the division, we don’t have a game next week. Coach has given us the usual speech about not expecting anything and still needing to play this last regular season game like it matters. Even so, everyone’s basically treating this week as a glorified practice, but none of us would dare say that to Coach. We don’t want to lose, but we all want to take it easy and enjoy the holidays with our families.

I’d spent the beginning of the week orchestrating Ashley’s Christmas gifts with Quinn’s help. The day after she and Alex had been at the house, I’d called her and begged her to help me. I want to show Ashley that I’m invested, and I’d thought getting her what she—no
we
—needed for the baby would do just that.

Quinn hadn’t thought it was the best idea to buy all the baby stuff for Ashley because she might want to do it herself, but I got her to come help pick out things that Ashley would like in the end. Since she’d pointed out that she knows nothing about baby things, so we also brought my sister along to make sure we got everything important. We practically cleared out that Babies “R” Us store, and I’d arranged for it all to be delivered to her on Christmas morning.

I’ve told Quinn that Ashley is more than welcome to take everything back and get what she wants if she doesn’t like what we’ve picked. It’s more about the statement to me than anything else. I want her to understand that I’m ready to be a part of this family with her and support her in every way possible. Apparently, that was the right thing to say to Quinn at least because she got all teary-eyed when I did.

I’ve also called an organic specialty store and set up weekly deliveries of organic fruits and vegetables to Ashley’s house as a way to show her that I care about her health and what she’s eating. I want the best to be available for her and the baby. High-quality food is expensive, but I know even without asking she would never take money from me, so I’m hoping this will help.

The third and final gift I’ve set up is a delivery of some pregnancy books. One of the books I ordered was one of those scrapbook things that women can write in about all the things they go through while pregnant—doctor’s appointments, sonograms, cravings, and whatever else pregnant women think about. That gift has a dual purpose. While I want her to be able to keep track of all of her feelings and appointments and the like, I also want to be able to read all about it when things finally settle down and she lets me back in. It kills me that I’m missing out on all of those things. I pray to God that my efforts don’t all go to waste.

Yesterday, after making all the necessary arrangements for all of my gifts to be delivered to Ashley, I gave out a very different collection of presents. I gave out PlayStation 4s and new computers to ten different children’s homes. The Mathis Foundation bought accessories to include in the packages, like controllers and video games. The looks on the children’s faces were more than worth the money spent. Watching the boys and girls go insane over the new video game systems and freaking out about being able to go online on decent computers was all that I needed this Christmas. Well, aside from a certain woman’s forgiveness.

I’m on my way over to Ma’s for Christmas dinner and presents, daydreaming about the way things used to be between Ashley and me, when my phone rings. Seeing her name flash across the screen makes my heart speed up, and I can’t help but think she might be calling to say thank you and finally accept my apology.

Those hopes are squashed the moment I answer the phone and she starts screaming at me.

“Merry Christmas, Ashley,” I answer.

“How dare you? Who do you think you are? You don’t get to go AWOL for weeks and then decide that you now want to play daddy,” she yells so loudly I have to turn the volume down on the radio as she echoes through the car.

“I’m not ‘playing daddy,’ Ashley. I am the daddy.” I hope that her hearing me take responsibility will soften her rage.

“You aren’t shit, Tanner. You gave that up the minute you called me a lying whore and claimed you didn’t believe the baby was yours. You lost your right to be daddy then and even more so when you sent over your little messenger. I don’t give two shits who you are, Mr. Garrison. You can’t buy your way out of this.”

Tapping my thumbs on the steering wheel, I try to figure out who this messenger is she keeps talking about. It’s the second time she’s said something about it, and I still have no fucking clue what she means.

“Ashley, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I never sent you any messages. Anything that I’ve wanted to say to you, I have said myself. But this is my baby too, and like it or not, we’re raising it together.” I don’t want to take it to a legal level, but I do want her to understand just how serious I am about being in my child’s life. I wish she could see I’m trying to be involved, not simply trying to buy my way back in.

“No. We’re. Not!” she says, her voice strained in anger. “I don’t want your gifts. I can and will get my own stuff for
my
baby. I don’t need your organic fruits and vegetables either, and I already bought my own books. Thanks for the reminder that you think I’m an incompetent moron and that I don’t know how to take care of myself.”

Wow, this is really backfiring in my face.

“Ashley, calm down,” I say gently. I’m pretty sure that her being this upset and yelling can’t be good for her or the baby. “I don’t think you’re a moron, and I know that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself. I just wanted to do something nice for you. I know the way I reacted at first has pushed me out of your life. I fucked up, but I’m trying to make up for it. I want to be there for you and our baby, and since you won’t physically let me near you, this was the only thing I could think of. I have no hidden agenda…”

“Don’t tell me to calm down! I don’t need you to do shit for me, Tanner,” she says before hanging up on me.

Well, there goes that.

Chapter 9

Ashley

“Do you like that, Ashley?” he asks, blowing on my nipple. He covers my stiff peak with his mouth again and swirls his tongue around it in the most delicious circles.

“Mmm,” I hum as he kisses along the valley between my breasts, making his way over to my other nipple, all the while kneading my breasts with his hands.

“I know you do. I haven’t found anything that you don’t like,” he murmurs against me, sending vibrations through my entire body and lighting my core on fire.

“Please,” I whimper. “Please, Tanner. I need you.”

He smiles up at me before starting his descent down my body. “I know you do, baby.”

Goosebumps cover my body as he leaves no spot unkissed. He worships me with his lips, setting me ablaze. When he reaches my center, he kisses and licks everywhere except where I need him to most.