Chapter 3
They spent a lot of their time walking, heading to the river each evening and finding parks during the day with long breaks at the hotel in between. Chloe insisted on filling out and mailing postcards to all the Bellas, insisting someone might start a collection from their travels.
“Why not mail one to us so we can collect them with the international stamps and postmarks?” Beca suggested.
Chloe clapped enthusiastically. “You’re brilliant. That’s exactly what I’ll do.” She found another postcard in the stack she’d bought and started writing.
Beca chuckled and went to the fridge for a beer. It was Thursday afternoon and their flight was midday Saturday. Tossing the cap, she returned to the table and stood across from Chloe. “Anything special you want to do tomorrow while we’re here?”
Chloe looked up from writing. “Honestly? I think it’d be great to stay in till evening. We’ve walked a lot already, and traveling is hell. We can take tomorrow to mostly relax.”
Beca nodded her agreement. She was really glad they had stayed the extra week, but she was also ready to go home. They had plans to make and implement back in New York, and eventually she would have to start working. “I know we said we’d wait till we got home to make plans, but…” Her voice trailed off.
“That’s okay, love. If you wanna talk about something, we can.” She put the postcard on the pile to go to the post office and put the pen down. “What’s up?”
“We’re gonna need a new – and bigger – apartment. No less than 2 bedrooms, preferably 3 so I can use one as a studio and office.”
The ginger nodded. “You’re right. We can start looking as soon as we get home. Do you want to make a list of requirements and preferences? It may help with narrowing down choices.” Beca agreed and sat while Chloe found a pad of hotel paper, and together they drew up the lists.
“I think that covers it,” the brunette finally said. “We can always add or change it.”
Chloe stood and moved behind her partner, rubbing her shoulders. “Do you feel better, knowing we have a list we agree on?”
Beca sighed with relief as a knot at the base of her neck released under Chloe’s probing fingers. “Yes, I do. I’m just… really excited to start fresh with you. New job, new apartment, new partner. Like a clean slate.”
Chloe smiled and kissed the top of her head. “I’m excited, too, Becs. I kinda wish we could skip packing and unpacking though. I hate that part of moving.” She kept working on Beca’s naturally high tension, hoping to provide some relief. “I don’t know how you function knotted up like this,” she commented, finding another knot and shifting her hands to work it out.
“I don’t usually notice it anymore. It’s been a long time since I was fully relaxed like this.” She leaned her head back to look up into sky blue eyes. “Don’t kill your hands, love. I’m okay.”
Chloe leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Okay, babe. Just wanted to help a bit.” She moved to sit in Beca’s lap, feeling Beca’s free arm wind around her waist.
“You did help. I just don’t want you to get hurt.” Chloe nodded, and they fell into a comfortable silence, sharing the rest of Beca’s beer. When the time came to eat, they agreed on room service before their now-routine walk.
They had stopped walking for Chloe to take some pictures when a voice they recognized came from behind them.
“The river is beautiful, isn’t it?” Calamity asked as she came to stand with them. They both looked at her, startled.
“I… Yeah, it is. But, sorry, what are you doing here?” Chloe rambled out.
The singer smirked. “Decided to take a vacation since I was here. The others went home. What about you?”
“Well… we did pretty much the same,” the ginger replied, feeling Beca’s eyes on them.
Calamity nodded slowly. “Listen to the CD yet?”
Beca finally said something. “We’ve been busy being tourists.” She took Chloe’s hand in hers as obviously as she could. She didn’t like the vibe she was getting from the other woman. It felt challenging and confrontational.
Chloe gripped Beca’s hand tight. She didn’t know why the tall, tattooed singer made her trip over her words like that. “Well, anyway. We should head back. Enjoy your vacation.”
Calamity smirked again. “Yeah, you, too. Remember to let me know if you want to see a show.” She winked at Chloe and turned back the way she’d come.
“What were the odds of running into her here?” Chloe asked as they turned toward the hotel.
“Probably higher than we realized. I doubt it was an accident.” Beca tried to unclench her jaw even as she felt her shoulders knotting back up, undoing Chloe’s work.
“What do you mean?”
Beca shook her head. “I need a drink first.” They walked a bit faster till they were back in their suite. Beca kicked off her shoes and went in the bedroom, Chloe following.
The ginger could feel that something was wrong, but she didn’t know what. She stayed close so Beca could say something whenever she was ready. They both changed into robes, and Chloe followed Beca to the kitchen. The brunette mixed herself a drink and stood at the counter for the first few sips. Chloe hovered, wanting to cling but not knowing if she should.
Halfway through her drink, Beca glanced at her partner. “She’s out to take you from me,” she said quietly.
“Why do you think that?” Chloe asked, not really sure she wanted to know.
“I could feel it. I could see it in her eyes. She’s set her sights on you and she doesn’t care if I’m in the way.” Beca took a long sip of her drink.
Chloe put a hand lightly on Beca’s wrist. “You have nothing to worry about, Becs. I’m with you. I love you. She can’t do anything to change that.”
Sighing, Beca lifted Chloe’s hand to kiss it, then leaned close for a soft, lingering kiss. “I know, Chlo. I really do. I’m sorry,” she murmured against her lips.
Resting their foreheads together, Chloe replied, “It’s okay, love. I would feel like that if it were you, too. I understand.” She raised her hand to lie along Beca’s jaw. She wanted to completely reassure her partner that she was never going anywhere. “Come to bed with me, Becs. Let me show you.”
Biting her lip, Beca nodded, drained her drink, then followed Chloe to the bedroom.
***
“I will take you anywhere, babe. But next time, we’re flying first class.” Beca tossed her keys on the table and flopped onto her bed in the apartment they shared with Amy, who appeared from behind a clothes rack.
“You finally got home.” She sat at the small table as Chloe took a seat next to Beca. “Tell me everything.”
Chloe chuckled. “We will, but we need to chill and eat something first.” She looked over her shoulder to where Beca was sprawled on the bed. “What do you want for dinner?”
“Burgers. The biggest cheeseburger I can get,” came her reply before she sat up. Chloe kissed her cheek and called in the order. While they waited, they started telling Amy all about their time in France. They were almost done eating by the time they finished their stories.
“So, how are we handling things here?” Amy asked. “I guess you’ll want a bedroom for privacy.”
Chloe and Beca exchanged a glance. They hadn’t made any real plans yet, but they could also hear in their roommate’s voice that she didn’t like the idea. “We haven’t really made any decisions,” Chloe said. “Though for now, I imagine we’ll at least share a bed.”
“Well, don’t rush on my account. I’m gonna miss you twig bitches if you move.” She stood up. “Anyway, I have a date. Welcome home.” With that, she headed out the door.
Beca took her partner’s hand and drew her into her lap. “We may need to consider sharing a bigger place with Amy. I don’t know if we should leave her.”
The ginger draped an arm around Beca’s shoulders. “We can look into that, especially now that Amy can contribute. So we need at least 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Gonna be a big place.”
Beca nodded. “Yeah, it’ll take some time to find what we need. But for now, bed. I’m exhausted.”
Chloe was up first Sunday morning. Beca’s arm was wrapped snugly around her, soft, adorable little snores coming from behind her. Smiling, she laid her arm over Beca’s and basked in the feeling of Beca holding her. It had only been a week, but this feeling never got old, and she doubted it ever would. Park of her wondered how they had let so much time go by, but she pushed those thoughts away. It didn’t matter now; they were together and no one could take that from them.
Half an hour later, Chloe felt Beca shifting, pulling her closer. “Been up long?” Beca asked in a sleepy voice.
“Nah, not too long. Sleep okay?”
“Like a rock. Jet lag is a bitch.” Beca kissed the back of Chloe’s neck. “I’m glad we’re home.”
Chloe turned over for a soft kiss. “Me, too, babe. Do you want me to make coffee, or do you want the café down the block?”
“I don’t want to go anywhere today,” Beca asserted. “I want to stay in with you and recover.”
Chloe kissed her forehead and slid out of bed to make coffee in the tiny kitchen several feel away from Beca’s bed. She was looking forward to having more room in general. Soon enough, she carried two mugs to the bed, where Beca propped herself up against the headboard. “I guess Amy never came home last night or she would have come running for coffee.”
“You know Amy. She does what she wants, when she wants.” Beca sipped her coffee and yawned. Chloe sat on the edge of the bed next to her and nodded. Their Australian roommate had what seemed to be a permanently carefree attitude. Chloe wished she could be that carefree.
They drank their coffee quietly, letting the caffeine kick in. Both had spent years depending on coffee and Red Bull to get through early mornings and late nights, so the coffee was still an important part of the day.
As they neared the end of their first cup, Chloe asked, “Was there anything specific you wanted to do?”
“Well, if Amy shows, we should talk about shopping for a place to live. If not, or until then, I’m content to cuddle now that we aren’t tourists.”
Chloe chuckled as she took their cups for a refill. “I can definitely get behind a day of cuddling with you, babe. I’ll take every moment of it you have to give.”
Beca smiled. She knew how Chloe felt. They had waited so long to admit their feelings, she felt like they should make up for at least some of that time. Bellas cuddle piles weren’t the same as just holding her partner. As Chloe got comfortable next to her, she wrapped an arm around the redhead’s shoulders. “I’ll cuddle you whenever you need, love.”
Chloe kissed her jaw. “You’re such a sweetheart. Why…”
“Why what, Chlo? You can ask me anything.”
“Why do you hide the nicest parts of you? If I hadn’t been determined to know you, I would never guess you’re so… I don’t have a word. But it’s the opposite of what you show most of the world.”
Beca took a deep breath. “Honestly, it’s usually easier – safer – to not show it. If only a few know, only a few can take advantage. I would do anything for my friends, I just don’t want to be used.”
Chloe nodded. Some people would take advantage of someone like Beca, willing to put it all out there. “That makes sense, I can understand that. And… thanks for letting me see this side of you.” Beca drew her into a long kiss as they heard a key in the lock.
Amy came in balancing a bag of bagels, a block of cream cheese, and a tray of lattes. “A little welcome home breakfast,” she announced from the kitchen table. Beca and Chloe laughed as they joined her for a morning meal.
***
“If we really need 4 bedrooms, we’re better off looking at houses than apartments,” Beca said. They were sprawled on the couch and chair that served as a living room.
Chloe nodded her agreement. “Much better for three grown women than a box like this.”
“I can just buy whatever we need,” Amy threw in. “It’s the least I can do after Fergus almost killed all of you. We can figure out details later.”
Beca perked up a bit. “Really? That would be excellent. So much better than renting. Why don’t we all look for places and compare notes in a few days?” The others agreed, and they moved on to other moving topics they would need to sort out and get done.