Page 46 of Teach Me to Laugh

Deep breath in, Amara, I thought as I asked, “So, we’re on grocery duty for the cabin, right?”

“Yep. You got a meal plan?”

“Why would I have a meal plan?”

“Because you and Kai are the only ones who really cook and Kai is probably thinking of nothing but his proposal.”

“So I’m left on cooking duty?”

“You really are good at it.” He tossed me a wink over his shoulder and my teeth started to grind. I was thinking; if my teeth were grinding maybe my heart wouldn’t be fluttering. I was wrong.

“I don’t know why you think flattery will get you anywhere. It has never worked before.”

“Are you flattered, beautiful?” He came to sit beside me, and the smell of Italy (as I imagined it) and cheese seduced my olfactory senses. “Because I happen to think you are.”

“No.” I dug in, preferring to scald my tongue on the lasagna than continue this conversation.

“You lie.”

“Whatever you say, Beck.”

“Yeah,” the lazy happy sound was back in his tone—the one that made me get all shivery and melty. “I like it when you say my name.”

“I have no idea what your game is, but you can quit playing. It won’t work.” Honestly, if I failed to get a handle on myself, the man was going to succeed in melting all my ice, like it or not. I, for one, definitely did not like it.

“It’s already working, peanut.” He said, stunning me speechless. And then he gave all the attention I didn’t, but kind of did want him to give me, to his lasagna.

“Amara,” I hollered, knowing it would piss her off before I did it. “Let’s get a move on or we’re going to be late.”

“How can we be late if we’re going out a day early?” She called back from her bedroom and I smirked. We wouldn’t be late, but I had a thing for razzing her.

“I’m a responsible adult. Responsible adults haveschedules to keep,” I was cracking myself up with this shit, so I added, “Don’t want to be driving in the dark.”

“It’s nine o’clock in the morning, Beckett.” She huffed, tugging an obnoxious black and yellow suitcase behind her. She wore a pretty off-white sweater that looked like it would be soft to the touch and a pair of dark snug jeans. But it was her fluffy purple socks that looked more like slippers that had me grinning hugely.

The woman was fucking adorable.

“Nice socks. You’re really bringing back the Two Headed Monster, babe.”

Her chin tipped down before angling to the side. Her cute little nose was scrunched when she asked disbelievingly, “Are you talking about the monster fromSesame Street?”

I shrugged, “If it’s purple, got two heads and scraggly fur like your socks—yeah.”

“Wow,” she moved forward to the sound of wheels on hardwood, dragging her bumblebee suitcase. “I guess you really do learn something new every day.”

“Well, Amara Bloom, you wouldn’t be teasing me now, would you?”

“Beckett,” her little kitten hiss was starting to sound. “Will you get a move on? We don’t want to belate.”

I barked laughter, holding the door open for her as she strutted through with her bumblebee suitcase on her heels. She didn’t smile, laugh, or tease. But I knew the girl well enough to know that somewhere inside, even though she wasn’t feeling safe enough yet to let it show on the outside, that she was happy.

It was my intention to make this week the week Amara failed at her vow never to let herself show her happiness. I had all the arsenal I needed to do just that in my suitcase in the pretty purple box with the pretty purple ribbon.

It was in the elevator when I pressed the ground floor, that Amara huffed a sigh. I didn’t understand her sigh until the doors rolled open and she shook her head when I gestured her forward, “I’m driving myself.”

“Don’t think so, babe.” I pushed her gently forward with a hand to the small of her back. She dug her little heels in.

“I can drive myself, Beck.”

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