Finding myself in you

3.

"Can I know why you're wearing your funeral dress?" He raised an eyebrow as I took a seat across from him. "more specifically, why you're wearing the dress we bought for if I were to die?"

"Let's just say that I had a nightmare that was way too real and I woke up in my funeral dress?" I shrugged. Confusing myself as I spoke.

"I have customers. You bet your ass that we're coming back to this." He pointed at me as he stood up and walked to the counter. He glanced at me, shook his head, and he smiled. I felt warmth flood through me.

"Hey Leighton, what's your favorite movie?" Beckett shouted across the small shop, startling a customer he was serving. I laughed slightly. He smiled.

"Tangled, or Lilo and stitch." I smiled.

"Still?" He laughed as he gave a woman her change back. He then came back over to the table. then his eyes directed to the corner of the table beside me.

"You still have that old thing?" He drew his eyebrows down in confusion. I looked over to where he was looking. My notebook.

"When I get down, or if I'm lonely, which basically I am all the time, or if I think of you I read the cute but dumb little notes you would write me." I spoke awkwardly.

"I see. How have things been, Leigh?" He replied as he looked at his watch.

"What do you mean?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Like with your new friends and your parents. Just in general basically." He shrugged as he glanced to the door.

"Actually, pretty lonely." I whispered as I glanced away from his piercing stare.

"What about your friend and your boyfriend?" He drew his eyebrows down.

"I wouldn't really call Adrianna a friend. She's only my friend when I will boost her ego. And then I don't even know what's going on with Bryson. I'm not happy."

"Well, make yourself happy again, Leighton." He spoke as if it were the easiest thing ever.

"That's kind of what I'm doing here, Beckett." I whispered. He smiled. I looked into his eyes, a sad look deep beneath them.

"You seem happier, Leighton."

"Far from, Beckett." I scoffed as pain tinged in my chest.

"You put on one hell of a show." He spoke as the bell to the doors rang. We both glanced back. It was Maryanne and Sarabeth.

"Leighton, sweetheart! What are you doing here?" Maryanne exclaimed as she rushed over here and hugged me.

"I'm trying to patch things up with Beckett." I smiled as I hugged her back.

"That's great! I've missed having you around." She smiled as she walked up the spiral, iron staircase.

"Baby steps, mom." Beckett chuckled with a small smile towards his mom.

When did he become so gentle?

"Maybe now you'll stop talking about her all the time." Sarabeth scoffed as she went to the stairs. Heat flowed to my cheeks.
Beckett bit his lip and ran his hand through his hair. A nervous habit he has always had.

"Um.. I missed you, Leighton. I didn't think you missed me. Like I said, you put on a hell of a show." Beckett shook his head as he released a deep breath.

"More than I ever thought was possible." I laughed slightly.

My phone began buzzing rapidly.

"Do you need to get that?" He raised an eyebrow.