Chapter One

"Argh! People! They all have a false sense of importance these days."

Tess Barker glanced up from her latest client to see her boss and friend, world-renowned hair designer to the stars, Gracie Gene or GG to her friends, scribbling away at the booking sheet, scratching her head and mumbling under her breath. Tess had no idea what was going on but she knew enough to tell GG was stressing about overbooking as usual.

"If you weren't so stubborn and would agree to get a personal assistant or at the very least go digital instead of using that old dinosaur of a book, we could alleviate a lot of stress you know," Tess said with a sigh.

She'd been working at the salon for the last five months and not a day went by that she didn't thank her guardian angel for throwing her in the path of the great GG.

***

When they'd first met she'd been unemployed, alone, and newly pregnant with rapidly depleting savings, Tess's future appeared less than pleasant. She'd scoured the streets trying to find a job but no one was interested in hiring a pregnant, pink-haired woman in a tutu.

Standing in the elevator, fresh from being rejected at yet another hotel, Tess recognized GG immediately as the glamorous woman breezed into the elevator and double hit the ground floor button.

Tess straightened her spine and smoothed her hair. She was addicted to GG's guest spot on Fashion Cops, her favorite television show. Tess tried to act cool, really, she did, but she was alone in an enclosed space with the great GG.

Squeezing her eyes shut tight, she begged the fashion gods to create a fault with the elevator. Just let it get stuck for an hour or so. Nothing drastic like plummeting to their deaths or running out of oxygen. Just a nice glitch to give her a chance to get GG's autograph.

When Tess opened her eyes, GG was staring at her with a furrowed brow.

"Are you alright sweetness?" GG asked.

Tess placed her hand over her heart. GG the magnificent had spoken to her, her life was complete, she swayed as a sudden dizzy spell hit her. GG rushed forward and grabbed her just as she began to swoop.

When the elevator dinged and the doors flew open Tess was vaguely aware of GG screaming for the concierge to help. Before she knew it, she was propped up on a sofa with worried GG inches from her face, tucking cushions around her to ensure she didn't topple over again. A man in a suit delivered a cold glass of water and was promptly waved away by Tess who whose cheeks burned with embarrassment as she cursed the fashion gods for taking her too literally.

She'd prayed for a slight glitch, not a full-blown fangirl incident.

GG lounged next to Tess and talked. Tess sat like a sack of blinking potatoes, not able to fathom why this goddess seemed interested in her. Realistically it was more about GG wanting to ensure she was alright and wouldn't keel over, than a deep-seated interest in her as a person. Especially in her borderline catatonic state, she wouldn't be winning a Miss personality pageant any time soon.

Regardless, there was something about GG that had Tess lowering her walls instantly and wanting to confide in her. It'd been a tough few months and it was nice to have someone to talk to.

"So, what are you doing in this hotel, when you should be somewhere with your feet up?" GG asked.

Tess screwed up her face. "I'm job hunting."

"In this condition? Can't it wait?" GG indicated the beginnings of Tess's swelling stomach with a nod of her head and Tess rubbed her tiny bump protectively.

"I have nowhere to live right now." Her skin burned as she said the words out loud. She'd always been careful with her money and worked hard to stay employed. "It was a surprise pregnancy and I really need to work for as long as I can so I can secure some sort of accommodation before this little one joins the world."

GG nodded. "Where is the father? Can't he help you out?"

Tess sighed. "Not really. What I mean is... he doesn't know... exactly. He kicked me out before I knew about the baby and I'm not going to go back to someone who doesn't want me. I don't need his sympathy or help." Words dribbled from her mouth, she couldn't stop babbling on and on, and GG just sat and listened.

At least Tess had made an impression, GG was unlikely to forget the madwoman who accosted her in a hotel lobby and drowned her in her tales of woe. To Tess's surprise, GG didn't run or call security or even dose off during her brief life story, instead, she seemed to sympathize. Nodding and sighing at all the appropriate times.

"How do you feel now? Do you need some sugar or something?" GG asked as she scanned the lobby seemingly looking for somewhere to buy a chocolate bar.

"No, I'm fine really. I think I just forgot to eat. Thank you for being so kind." Tess stood to leave. She'd already been luckier than she'd ever thought possible and had taken up so much of GG's time, guilt was beginning to kick in. "It was wonderful meeting you. You're a fashion icon."

"Me?" GG said with a laugh. "Look at you. This should be a uniform for strong women who know themselves, like themselves and who give zero fucks about anyone else's opinion." She flicked Tess's pink tutu.

"I really shouldn't dress like this while trying to get a job in a stuffy hotel. But how desperate do I have to be to compromise myself you know?" She shrugged.

GG's face lit up. "Exactly. You know when I started out, everyone had an opinion. They slaughtered me and my work in the papers. She uses too much color, she's too young to have a solid education, she hasn't got enough experience, her Asian heritage doesn't blend with western fashion, her latest hair cut looks like she's been attacked by a weed whacker.  Well, they can go and whack themselves because look where I am now." She stretched her arms out and did a little spin.

"Stuck in a hotel lobby being accosted by a fan?"

GG laughed. "Well yes, but isn't it wonderful? Speaking of wonderful, who cuts your hair?"

Tess tugged at her tresses, not for the first time since running into GG. "I do." Her skin burned.

"In that case my dear, I think you just found yourself a job. What do you say? Want to become my prodigy?"

***

True to her word, GG took her under her wing and gave her a job. She taught her how to design far-out hairstyles for the famous and more conservative ones for the rich. They'd become fast friends and GG was the only person Tess had trusted to tell the whole story about Cole and how she'd ended up pregnant and alone.

GG would make a perfect godmother to her unborn child.

Rubbing her belly protectively, she was rewarded with a small kick.

"So, what's up GG?" Tess called out as GG flipped wildly through the pages of the booking sheet.

In the five months, she'd worked there, nothing had changed. GG always tried to fit in as many clients as possible. She hated letting people down and constantly found herself double-booked. Especially with her media commitments growing every day.

Tess showed her client to the basin where she would wash the excess black dye out of her hair, revealing shimmers of multi-colored flecks. It was a new skill she was trying out; she'd fallen in love with it when GG suggested it.

GG made her way across the polished cement floor and sat on the spare basin. The pained look on her face told Tess she needed a favor.

"I'm sorry to ask sweetness but do you think you could cover for me? I've got some rich matriarch, type needing a cut and style. Apparently, it's a hairdressing emergency, she has some fancy-schmancy charity gala tonight and her usual stylist ran off with a French man and he hasn't been seen for a month."

"Some stylists get all the luck, hey?" Tess joked.

She looked down at her feet that were already swelling out of her shoes. They looked like overstuffed muffins, poking out of every shoe gap and hanging over the edges. There was no chance of her running off anywhere and especially not with a man.

GG noticed her hesitation, "God, I know you're ready to pop and I know I said I'd stop asking you for favors so you could rest more, but I'm desperate."

How could she say no to GG? If it wasn't for her she would be living on a street corner begging for chocolate and using a pigeon for a pillow.

"Of course, I can cover you, it's just a simple cut and style."

GG jumped down from the basin and scooped Tess up in a bear hug. She caused Tess to lose her grip on the hose and it slithered and snaked around, spraying her client in the face and drenching Tess from head to toe. Her client, a well-known rocker, laughed and Tess let out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry about that," Tess said and handed her client a towel.

"Part of the experience of having you chicks as my stylists is never knowing what to expect. It's part of the fun." Her client said still laughing and wiped the water from her face.

GG grabbed a handful of towels and threw them on the wet floor, before switching on the stereo and welcoming in the next client.

Normally Tess would be all for the overtime, she really needed the money but the weight of her belly was starting to get to her and the swelling in her feet made every step feel like she was walking on a bed of nails.

She finished her client's hair, quietly singing along to the tunes that invaded the salon but left the dancing to GG.

As the salon calmed down at the end of the day and GG prepared to leave, Tess couldn't stop wondering what would happen to her when she took time off to have the baby. The pain in her feet and back, a constant reminder that her baby's birth was looming.

"GG, what will we do when I can't work anymore?" GG turned to face her. She twisted her mouth in thought. "I'll need a bit of time off before the baby is born and a few months afterwards. If I'm honest, I need to stop working soon. Every day gets harder and harder to stay on my feet for so long."

GG made her way over to her and placed her hand on Tess's belly. "Sweetness, you are free to stop whenever you're ready, well anytime after this client tonight. Your job will be waiting for you when you're ready to come back."

Tess sighed. "Thank you, but I'm really worried about what I'll do for money. I'm barely paying the bills as it is."

"I told you, you have maternity leave waiting for you and I'll help you as much as I can. You're not just an employee Tess, you're my best friend. I've got you." GG snatched up her bag and started towards the door. Turning back she smiled reassuringly. "Don't stress gorgeous, we can talk through the details at lunch tomorrow? But right now, I've got to get to the studio."

"Sure, knock them dead GG and I'll lock up when I'm done."

"Thanks, sweetness. I'm out."

With that, GG disappeared in a cloud of perfume and hairspray. Tess forced herself back to her feet and fought the urge to kick her shoes off until the client arrived. If it wasn't impossible to lay on her stomach she would almost consider getting a massage for the first time in her life.

Instead, she swept up all the discarded hair and wiped down the countertops, if she cleaned up now and could avoid making too much mess with the last client, she may still make it to the retro diner on the corner before it closed. Otherwise, she'd be having toast for dinner again. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of real, solid food and she rubbed her belly. "It's okay little guy, I'll get you some dinner soon, just hang in there." She soothed her unborn baby.

The ding of the bell over the door sounded, interrupting her daydream. She glanced up and saw a slim, woman with greying hair, with her back to her. The woman removed her coat and hung it on the coat rack.

"Please come in and get comfy, I'll be right with you," Tess called to the woman's back.

She dashed out the back to the small storeroom they used to mix colors and prepare chemicals. They had nicknamed it 'the lab.' Tess snatched up everything she was expecting she'd need and plastered a smile on her face despite how weary she felt. Her problems weren't the customers she reminded herself. It was a catchphrase she'd learned during her years of being a maid. It seemed to be playing over and over in her mind of late.

The woman had made herself comfortable in the chair closest to the basins. She had her head down and was shuffling through her purse looking for something. Tess stood behind her, watching in the mirror.

"So, what can I do for you this evening?" Tess asked.

The woman removed a small packet of mints from her bag and placed one in her mouth. Before raising her head to stare back at Tess's reflection in the mirror.

Tess gasped a rough intake of breath when she saw the familiar face staring back. It was that of Cole's mother. The very woman who'd fired Tess from working at their ranch in Virginia while unknowingly a baby was growing inside of her.

Her heart raced and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. The woman, who Tess knew to be Ms Washington, spun the chair to look at her. Tess was sure the jig was up, she'd recognize her and tell Cole about her condition.

The last thing she needed was him knowing she was pregnant with his baby. Up until this point, she'd made the decision not to tell Cole about his child. The last thing she needed was a man who rejected her, possibly rejecting her sweet child as well. Or worse still, tolerating her and the baby out of some false sense of obligation.

Ms. Washington looked her up and down, stopping briefly at her bulging stomach and then up to her pale complexion and the beads of sweat that were now trailing down her face.

"Are you alright, dear?" Ms. Washington asked.

She looked genuinely concerned and there was no sign of recognition in her eyes. She was still the lovely woman Tess remembered.

"I'm fine, sorry it's just a little warm in here." Tess fanned her face in the hope of distracting her.

"Oh, that's to be expected when you're expecting dear. It's all the extra weight you have to drag around. You just take your time. I don't need to be at my function until eight. I'm after a cut and style, just a small bit off the ends."

Tess swivelled her chair back towards the mirror and nodded, she needed to stay calm. The last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to herself. Picking up a water bottle, Tess sprayed the ends of the hair, the entire time her heart pounded so loudly in her ears she could hardly hear the small talk Ms Washington was attempting to make.

"How far along are you dear? It would appear you don't have long to go." With every word Ms. Washington spoke, Tess tensed.

"Not long now." She smiled sweetly. There was no way in hell she was going to give her exact dates, just in case something jogged her memory and she recognized her.

"Shouldn't you be resting? Not up on your feet working all hours," Ms. Washington persisted.

Tess shook her head, "I need to keep working, just a little longer. I still need a few things for the baby, besides I love my job."

Trust Ms. Washington to be a chatty one. Every word that passed between them created more of an opportunity to be recognized. Tess snipped away at the ends of her hair, using a diagonal cut to give the style more movement.

"Well," Ms Washington continued. "You have a great work ethic and that's to be commended, but you need to look after yourself." She raised her face to look Tess in the eyes. "You're in a very vulnerable condition."

Tess froze, scissors suspended in midair. "Wh...what do you mean?" she croaked out.

Cole's mother picked up a magazine, "You need to rest and take care when you near the end of a pregnancy dear. The beginning and the end are always the hardest."

Her demeanour was sweet. Tess breathed a sigh of relief as Ms. Washington appeared to get lost in an article about cupcakes. She was pretty certain she hadn't been recognised and finally, the matriarch's focus was somewhere other than staring back at her face. Tess squinted her eyes, trying hard to focus on the hair. The sooner she got her primped and preened the sooner she could get her out of the salon and out of her life.

When she was done with the cut, she indicated towards the basin and Cole's mother followed her, she lay back so Tess could rinse her hair. Without a magazine to entertain her, Ms Washington got chatty again. Tess didn't mind as the elderly woman had her eyes closed so there was less chance of her recognizing her.

If only she could have kept her at that sink and snuck away to the bus stop, and hot-foot it right back to her apartment.

"I live in Virginia, quite away from New York City. I don't much like it out here, I'm only here tonight for a charity do."

"Oh, that's nice," Tess mumbled. She wasn't really interested, she was just going through the motions and being polite.

The only thing that truly interested Tess was getting this woman on her way.

"I'll likely stay here tonight. My son, Cole, has an apartment here."

At the mention of his name, the color drained from her face, her heart raced again and she knew beyond a doubt she would look like death if she were brave enough to cast a glance in the mirror.

"He's a very successful businessman. Unfortunately, he's needed to take a small break. He had an accident, riding a horse of all things."

Cole had been hurt? Tess swallowed back the lump that seemed to wedge itself in her throat.

"Was it serious?" She managed to choke out.

"Well yes, yes it was. It was touch and go for a while there. Luckily he's so strong otherwise, he may not have survived. He's much better now but he's had to cut back on his obligations and move home to the estate for a time. He's adamant he'll recover and get back to work as quickly as possible. I'm actually forcing him to be my date tonight. He wasn't impressed but he'd do anything for me. He's such a good boy."

Tess threw a towel over Ms. Washington's head and squeezed the moisture from her hair before leading her back to the chair where she finished drying her off. Cole could've died and she would have missed the opportunity to tell him about the baby. He would have never known he was going to be a father. Her throat went dry as she still struggled against the lump that refused to budge.

Tess was a big believer in fate, when the mother of your baby's father walks into your salon, when you shouldn't even be working and she lives nearly seven hours away, to deliver the news that Cole nearly died, it had to be a sign.

Didn't it?

If she was honest, the closer she got to having her baby, the more guilt she felt at keeping it from him. He had missed so much already and the baby wasn't even born yet.

Was she selfish to not let him be part of it? Guilt had taunted her at every checkup. When she first heard the baby's heartbeat, it sounded like little horses running around clicking their hooves in her belly, she couldn't help but think of Cole and his family's ranch.

Then there were the ultrasounds where she saw her angel's little toes and watched him wiggle and of course when she found out the sex of the little guy.

The guilt underlined the joy at every milestone.

Tess pulled at Ms Washington's hair while running the hairdryer over each section, creating curls with the brush. It wasn't just Cole who was missing out, Tess had always assumed she would share something like this with someone special.

A husband.

Images of weddings and children always danced above her head when she'd been with Cole.

Ms Washington had the same hair color as Cole, almost black, with a blue shimmer. Obviously, the older woman had a lot of greys scattered throughout, that Cole, at the age of thirty-two, didn't yet have. Tess combed it out and it bounced back, it was a nice cut, it'd come out well.

Tess wanted someone to rub her belly and talk to her unborn child. A pregnancy magazine she'd been reading at the doctor's office said the baby is more likely to recognize the voice of its father than its mother. The deeper tone of a man's voice travelled through the tummy more effectively than the higher-pitched voice of the mother. Her son would be born, un-bonded and confused and it was all her fault.

Maybe she should practice saying hello in a deep voice, she could try to sound like Cole. She shook her head, frowning, now she was getting silly.

"There, you look great." She smiled sweetly at Ms Washington. Relieved that the woman had seemed to display no inkling of recognition. It was true what they said about rich people, no matter how nice they were, as soon as you put on that servant uniform they couldn't see past it. With the addition of a maid's uniform, you became almost inhuman, merely a walking tool for them to use or call on at their desire.

Although Ms Washington had been the one to officially fire her, she had been as sweet about it as possible. It wasn't her choice. It was Cole that swung the axe and wanted her gone.

She cursed her stupidity for sleeping with the boss's son. Where did she expect it would lead? Did she really think he'd marry his pink-haired maid? Her stomach lurched at the memory of her and Cole in bed together. It seemed inappropriate to be thinking about what they got up to on that night, while she was standing, running her fingers through his mother's hair.

It was all romance and flowers until he got what he wanted and then he threw her away. Even worse he sent his elderly and confused mother to do it.

He was no sort of man, he couldn't even look her in the eye and break it off himself.

"I love what you've done with my hair dear. It's much nicer than my normal stylist, he always seems so pre-occupied. Not focused and artistic like you," Ms Washington gushed.

Holy hell, what must that guy have going on in his life to be more distracted than me at this moment?

"I'm so glad you like it," Tess said evenly.

Ms Washington paid in cash and left a hefty tip. Tess felt strange taking money from Cole's mother, but she desperately needed it.

"Here, let me show you out."

Ms Washington's back foot hardly hit the pavement when Tess swung the door shut and turned the closed sign around. She leaned with her back against the door and let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Her mind swam with all the things she needed to tell GG. Talking to GG always allowed her to see things clearer. She didn't want to make a decision about potentially telling Cole about their baby until she'd hashed it out. She grabbed everything she needed and dashed out the door, locking it behind her.

Instead of catching the bus at her normal stop she crossed the road to catch the one that would deliver her practically to the door of the studio. Once there, she allowed herself a moment to catch her breath and shuffle her thoughts into some sort of logical order to prevent a tidal wave of emotions, smacking the air out of GG when she finally arrived.

Pulling out her phone, she texted GG, to tell her to meet her at the coffee shop around the corner when she was done. While she waited she flipped the phone over and over in her hand until she gave in and slid the screen on again.

Her hands shook violently as she typed 'Cole Washington' into the search box. Her finger poised above the enter button, she hesitated. She'd promised herself she wouldn't do this. If she saw photos of him with another woman it would break her heart. Not that she should care and not that she had any claim on him but she knew enough about herself, to know she'd dissect the picture in a likely vain attempt to find what this woman had that she didn't. On the other hand, not knowing was just as bad. Her mind would attempt to fill in the blanks. The women she imagined were probably better in her mind than in reality and the outcome of his accident likely worse.

That's it, I'm doing it. She let her finger drop down on the search icon.

Immediately a photo of Cole, wrapped in a blanket and sitting in a wheelchair popped up on her screen. Her heart lurched, and her pulse beat in her ears. She pinched the screen and watched as the picture was enlarged so she could see the detail.

He was being pushed out the doors of a Virginian hospital by his mother and a man she figured must be his father. He looked pathetic, sad and nothing like how she remembered him.

Was he paralyzed?

Was he still in the chair?

The urge to run to him was overwhelming her.

Where the hell was GG?

As if she summoned her, GG breezed through the door and ordered a coffee before plonking down on the seat opposite Tess.

"So, what's up sweetness? What's the emergency? That client didn't do a runner without paying, did she?"

"No, but you will never guess who it was," Tess began.

"Oh, I love guessing games! Was it Madonna?" GG ignored Tess's deadpan response. "Oh it was Gaga, wasn't it? That sweetie's been trying to get a booking for six months but our schedules never lined up."

"GG! Focus. It was Cole's mother. COLE'S MOTHER, GG. Do you understand what implications that could have had?" Tess knew she sounded frantic but she couldn't seem to stop herself. All she had fought to hide could have been thrust out in the open.

Tess filled GG in on the nights happening, every little detail. Right up to the point of Cole potentially being paralyzed.

He would hate that, he'd been so active.

Her brain searched to gain some equilibrium.

Cole in a chair, she couldn't imagine it.

"I shouldn't have cut his mom's hair; I shouldn't have Googled him. Do you think I should go back to him?"

Tess was in babble mode while GG sat quietly watching her and sipping her latte.

"Calm down darling. Take a breath. One, you can't go back to him. He left you. Remember? Two, even if he declared undying love to you, you still can't go back."

"Why not?"

GG looked down her button nose at her and lowered her perfectly made-up eyelids. "Because I won't let you. You might be going back out of pity and if he took you back you would never know if it was because he truly loved you or because he needed you."

"Being needed isn't so bad. It could lead to him loving me." Tess's voice wavered.

GG glared at her over the top of her coffee mug. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you say that. If you weren't my dearest friend, I'd be forced to slap you. Have some self-respect woman. How would you know he doesn't want you just to get close to your baby?"

Damn.

GG was right.

She was always right.

There was too much history and too much hurt.

She would never go back and she would never tell him about her pregnancy.

All it took was to talk it out with a good friend to realize her reasons for making the decisions she had, in regards to Cole and the baby, were still valid all these months later. Possibly even more so.

"Come on." GG stood up and slapped Tess playfully across the arm. "I slapped you anyway, just for thinking of it. Now get in the car, I'll drive you home."