Page 58 of Teach Me to Laugh

“Like a plan.” I took her drink and drank deep when she turned to leave, feeling lighter in my heart than I’d felt in years.

I felt lighter because I set on the path of releasing the pain I’d been carrying inside. I felt lighter because I had someone I could give my pain to—someone who loved me enough to take my pain, understand it, and not judge me for it.

I finally had family I could trust.

Skiing in the mountains with Beckett was most definitely sketched into my book of “life highlights.” He was good. I wasn’t nearly as skilled, but he was patient and gentle in his teachings. Like everything Beckett did with me, there was a ton of teasing that had my heart fluttering wildly in my chest.

Both Raina and Kaiden were insanely good at skiing, andhad long since ditched Beckett and me on the hill. Maddy was in the chalet, working on writing another book. Her first had been picked up by a publisher—totaleekmoment—and although this second one she was writing had been top-secret, it made her happy, so it made the rest of us happy. The last time we’d been in the chalet had been for lunch and Maddy had been on her tenth, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit here, cup of coffee. She was jittery and excited and rosy-cheeked with happiness while the rest of us were rosy-cheeked from the December chill.

It was the last run of the day and we were expecting to return home to Raina and Kaiden’s parents at the cabin. Beckett had hidden a key for them and told them where they could find their rooms, so we weren’t in a hurry to return, but I had to admit my legs were sore and I was getting cold. A warm bath was definitely being scribbled into the plans for tonight.

I was thinking about this when I stopped, like a girl who knew a thing or two about her skis, beside Beckett outside the chalet. I twisted out of my skis, feeling a little wobbly as I stepped onto the packed snow.

“You’ll be an expert by the end of our trip.” He said, grinning hugely. “We’ll have to get you your own pair so we can come out more often.”

Maybe I could afford skis—my rent was cheaper now and I had a tiny bit of savings stored in my account. Maybe . . .

I shrugged, “We’ll see.”

He chuckled.

I followed Beckett to the ski return cabin, thinking that I was actually excited for tomorrow. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. We had plans to lounge around the cabin, spending time with the family and, although Raina didn’t know it, Kaiden wasgoing to propose. I was so freaking excited to see her face—and the ring. Honestly, I couldn’t believe the guy hadn’t shown me already. Admittedly, I was a little peeved about this, but my excitement for my friend was greater.

We grabbed Maddy from the chalet on our way to meet Raina and Kaiden beside Beckett’s truck. Raina had pulled the box open and was sitting, swinging her booted feet from side to side as she drank from a can of pop.

“Finally,” she hopped down, grinning. “How much did Beckett teach you?”

“Not enough for me to keep up with you.”

“She’s pretty good.” Beckett said, and then he started laughing. “She sings.”

My head swung to the side and my wide horrified eyes landed on him. “You heard me?”

“Fucking hell,” he smirked. “Adorable.”

“Okay,” I shook my head in defense. “I sing when I feel a little afraid. It calms me down.”

“Beckett’s right, Mar,” Maddy said her eyes were laughing. “That’s adorable.”

“Whatever,” I made my way to the passenger side of the truck, ready to be done with this conversation and not bothering to hide that fact in the slightest.

It was nearly a half hour later, when we were rolling into the driveway of the cabin, that I saw another really big truck parked in the drive. The lights were on in the cabin and judging from the chimney, the parents were here and they’d made a fire.My toes wiggled happily in myUggsas I thought of stretching out beside the fire.

“The parents are here!” Raina screeched excitedly bouncing in the middle seat.

Beckett parked and Raina was practically pushing Kaiden from the truck, clearly eager to see her mom and dad. Again, I felt my heart squeeze in want, and when my eyes moved to Beckett, I saw he was watching me.

Then he leaned in, whispering low in my ear. “And that look on your face is why you’d make a good mom one day.”

My heart. It didn’t flutter; it melted.

Then Beckett was opening his door and climbing down from the truck. Bringing all the skis inside so they didn’t rust, the front entrance was a disaster as we piled into the cabin. I instantly caught the scent of something warm and nicely spiced, and my belly rumbled. Thank goodness parents were here—that meant no cooking for me tonight because someone had taken it upon themselves to make what smelled like chili. Freaking yum.

“Mom!” Raina shrieked, bolting for her mother’s open arms. Isabelle Andrews was a stunning woman who looked like a gracefully aged version of her vibrant daughter. And smiling the way she was right now, holding her baby girl in her arms the day before she’d be an engaged woman, I knew she loved her more than life.

“How was skiing?” Isabelle asked. “And how have you been?”

“Good and great!” Raina answered, beaming a grin up at her father. Daniel Andrews was what I’d call a solid man. He had morals that were his, and he’d pressed them on his daughter,but he wasn’t the type to hold a grudge when she made her own decisions for her life. Decisions like moving in with her boyfriend before marriage. He took her in his arms, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

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