to live for the hope of it all.

Chapter 82

August 19th, 2024

"Boy, I think about it every night and day,
I'm addicted, wanna drown inside your love..."

Bailey

"Like it wasn't yours."

That was the line I kept repeating in my head the whole way home, Beckett's hand holding mine from where we sat in the backseat of Caleb's truck. And just like when he said it, my body felt flushed, and my heart was racing at a speed that I'm sure would send me into cardiac arrest soon.

Beckett was obviously an affectionate drunk, and I was loving every second of it. This was the first time he had truly let himself go at a party, and every word that came out of his mouth either had me laughing or flushing a dark crimson.

It took a lot to get him in the truck, because drunk Beckett is also a social one, and he was determined to say goodbye to every single person there. Including Paige, who smiled politely in my direction.

You said hi to me today, didn't you, bitch?

"I've got to get home," Caleb says, putting the truck in park. "I will be here Thursday to help y'all load everything up."

Wren turned from where she sat in the passenger seat, and her eyes held a look of worry as they met mine. I felt my brow furrow as I took her in, and that's when I realized what was wrong.

She has to go home.

"It's okay," I smiled reassuringly, and Wren's gaze searched my face for any sign of me lying. "Go Wren, you still have to pack a few things anyways."

"I'll be back in the morning," she says earnestly, watching as I climbed out of the truck.

"See you then," I told her, and then reached back inside to grab a sleepy Beckett. "Come on, sleepy guy."

"Bye Caleb and Wren," Beckett beamed, suddenly wide awake as his arm found its way over my shoulder. "Thanks for giving Bailey and I another thing in common!"

What?

"What are you talking about?" Wren laughed through her rolled down window, and I watched as Caleb glared at my boyfriend in warning.

"Oh you know," Beckett smirked, winking at Caleb. "Just that our two best friends are in love with each other and too oblivious to realize it."

Wow, yeah. I love this guy.

Wren's face paled and her cheeks flushed as Caleb flipped Beckett off before rolling up the window and driving off, leaving us alone on his driveway.

"When Wren recovers, she might kill you," I laugh.

"Payback for that pile of snow she dumped on my head," he smiled, pushing open his front door and moving to walk in. His steps halted when I stopped outside his door, and we both met each other's eyes with a look of confusion.

Was he not going to say bye to me?

"What are you doing?" He asked, and the sleepiness from earlier was back in his voice. "Come on."

"Uh, I was just gonna go home," I said softly, and his brow furrowed. "I just wanted to say goodnight and make sure you got inside okay."

"Wren isn't staying with you tonight," he states, and I feel my own thoughts about being alone in that house for the first time without my grandfather sinking in. "So you're staying with me."

I wouldn't mind that either.

No Bailey, just go home.

Home.

That's a house, not a home anymore.

Beckett feels like home.

"I uh, I need to shower," I say, feeling uncomfortable in my wet swimsuit that has soaked through the shorts and t-shirt I'm wearing. "I hate the smell of chlorine after a while."

"It's a good thing I have a shower then, huh?" He smirks, and before my knees have a chance to give out from it, Beckett is dragging me inside and pulling me upstairs to his bedroom.

The house is dark, and I worry we're gonna wake Anna and Delilah. Beckett closes his bedroom door behind us, and then he's moving to his drawers. I shift awkwardly behind him, because a part of me still feels like I should go back to my house next door.

"I really want you to stay here tonight," Beckett says softly, as if he read my mind, stepping closer to me and handing me a set of clothes before pointing to the bathroom. "You shower here, I'm gonna go use the guest one."

"Okay," I smile softly, gripping the clothes in my hand. Stepping forward, I press my lips to his cheek before heading into the bathroom.

In the end, the shower takes me almost 25 minutes. Which is longer than I usually take, but I got momentarily distracted by the fact that I was in Beckett's shower. Using his hair and body wash. His scent enveloped me, and I smiled at the thought of smelling like him.

It wasn't until I got out and was about to change that I inspected the clothes he gave me. One of his t-shirts, that would probably swallow me whole. And then a pair of his boxers, that made me thankful he couldn't see me right now because of how red my entire body had gone. Worse than earlier when I basically told him I got jealous of Paige talking to him.

Trying to shake my erratic heartbeat from my mind, I pulled the clothes on. I had to roll the boxers a few times until they felt tight enough not to fall off, and was using the hairbrush he had on the counter to brush out my hair when there was a knock on the door.

"Bailey," Beckett said softly. "I grabbed you a toothbrush, can I come in?"

"Yeah, you're good," I told him, and had my breath stolen from me when he walked in shirtless. Shirtless, in nothing but a pair of boxers similar to the pair I was wearing. My cheeks flushed a darker crimson, and I was suddenly finding it very hard to breathe as I took him in.

He held the toothbrush out to me, and I swallowed the lump in my throat before turning to the sink.

Guess this is how sleepovers are gonna go from now on.

"Ilikeyouinmyclothes," Beckett said after a while, but it came out jumbled from the toothbrush in his mouth as he smiled giddily.

Someone is definitely still drunk.

"What?" I laughed softly, rinsing the toothbrush I just used before faltering mid movement.

Where do I put it?

My question was answered when Beckett took it from my hand before rinsing his own, and then I watched as he placed them side by side in his toothbrush holder. My stomach warmed at the sight of something so simple, and I think I fell a little bit more in love with him.

"I said, I like you in my clothes," he beamed, grabbing my hand and dragging me back towards his bed. "I never understood what guys meant about seeing their girlfriends wear their clothes. But I get it now, I really get it."

"Do you?" I asked, amusement coloring my tone.

"Yup," he said, pulling back his comforter and motioning for me to climb in. "It makes my heart race."

"Mine too," I admit, climbing under the covers. I expected Beckett to walk around to the other side of the bed, so I'm surprised when he moseys right in next to me. The warmth of him is comforting, and I snuggle further into his frame.

Mental note: Drunk Beckett is really, really affectionate.

"I love you, Bailey," he says tiredly, wrapping his arm around my torso and burying his face into my neck before placing a kiss on my pulse point.

Woah.

"I love you, Beckett."

More than I know what to do with.

__________________________________

Leave chapter feedback here :)))

__________________________________