Page 21 of Teach Me to Laugh

“Okay, Dr. Davis, but you still need more than a few hours of sleep a night.”

“I think med school stretches you so thin so it can prepare you for the hours you might keep on shift.”

“What?” I frowned. “Are you telling me doctors don’t sleep?”

“Pretty much.”

“Right,” I snorted, sipping the hot liquid. “Well, I better get ready for the gym and you should get your butt back to bed.”

“Do you work today?”

“Yeah.”

He dipped his chin, eyes back on his paper. “I’ll be ready for our show tonight.”

I stiffened. “Is that why you’re up so early? So you can watchGame of Throneswith me?”

“No.”

He was lying. I could practically smell the stench of it. “Don’t push yourself, Beckett. I have plans tonight anyway.”

“You do?” He was the one frowning now.

“Yes.”

“With who?”

“What does it matter?”

“You’re ditching our show for someone else. I want to know who trumps dragons.”

“Maddy and or Raina.” I said. “But definitely Maddy.”

I didn’t actually have plans quite yet, but by the time I was done with the gym, Maddy and I would have plans for tonight like it or not.

“Right,” he rubbed his temples. “Well, I think I’ll take your advice and catch a few hours of shut-eye so I can get back to it.”

I nodded, started walking from the room and paused. “Take care of yourself, Beckett.”

His warm eyes softened in a way I didn’t, butsodid, like.

I didn’t give him time to respond as I turned and moved down the hall.

“The guy is going to burn out,” I said around a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Raina gave me big eyes and Maddy looked contemplative. “I mean, he has so much going on. Yet every second or third day, whenever I’m nearing the end of my raspberry juice, he comes home with a new one. And healwayswatches at least one episode ofGame of Throneswith me. It’slike . . .” I huffed, letting my back fall against the couch as I pushed my quart of ice cream away. “I don’t know what it’s like.”

“I think he’s trying to impress you.” Raina waggled her brows and Maddy scoffed.

“Or he’s trying to be a man of his word, as good men should be.”

“Well,” Raina stabbed her spoon into her caramel swirl tub. “That’s a possibility too.”

“How do you feel about him trying so hard?”

“I feel like a burden.” I replied to Maddy’s question, hating that I felt that way. “I’ve told him he doesn’t have to do these things, but he always does.”

“Well maybe you should do something for him.”

It was when Raina said things like this that I felt untrusting. Yes, she was my friend. Yes, I loved her to the moon and back. But the woman was a little crazy. She was all about skinny-dipping and gypsy living, while I was a little more restrained.

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