Paper Bride ✔️ (Book 4 - DP Series - COMPLETE)

18. Ice Water

I can physically feel the fire in my chest simmer down to a dull roar as I allow my gaze to swing over his sleeping form. I decide to give him the benefit of the doubt. If he is innocent, then he deserves my trust. So, deciding not to hate him for something he might not be doing, I decide to do the exact opposite.

I carefully remove myself from our bed and head towards the kitchen. Emma and Trevor are still sleeping, so I've got some time to get breakfast made. I pop open the fridge and lean over to peer at our food options. Nothing. We've got nothing.

An idea clicks into place and I quickly grab my keys and wallet from the dining room table and head out for the grocery store. I know I look ridiculous, but it doesn't matter because I'm going to Walmart, and all people are welcome at Walmart—no matter how ridiculous you look. Thankfully, I slept in my sports bra, so I don't have to worry about putting one on. Though, it is slightly unfortunate that I chose to wear my pajama bottoms that read "Hazardous Gas" on the butt.

I scurry into the store, throwing various food items into the cart before hightailing it out of there. I'm relieved to arrive back home to a quiet house. Apparently, ten o'clock is still too early for most.

I get to work slicing fruit into a salad before setting it in the fridge. I then start whipping batter together for pancakes. I've got a small stack cooked up by the time the first zombie-like human emerges from their room. Emma looks like a crazed clown. Clearly, she didn't get a chance to take off her make-up before going to bed, and she's paying for it dearly now. I don't think I've seen a scarier human in my life, to be honest.

"Geez," I mumble, horrified at her appearance.

"Don't," she growls, stumbling into the kitchen, hands searching the counters blindly.

"Can I help you?" I ask carefully. I won't deny the fact that I almost fear for my life right now. She looks like she's in that mood where if I speak too loudly she could tear open my skull and start eating my brain. We wouldn't want that now, would we? I happen to like my brains.

"Coffee." The single word almost drips from her mouth like a blob of saliva. She sounds delirious and desperate, and I suddenly realize that most people on earth survive on coffee alone.

I start backing away from her as I timidly admit that I didn't make any.

Her eyes find mine, pinning me in place against the countertop, and I hold my hands up as a plea, a smile fighting to release itself—though I know the consequences of laughing at her right now could be detrimental.

"I hate you."

That's all she has to say and I'm a laughing mess. She's so serious. Serious people always bring out the stupid in me. It's like my body has to find humor in the things they can't, so instead of trying to make them happy, I just laugh for them. It's gotten me in trouble a fair amount of times.

"Okay, okay," I chuckle, wiping tears from my eyes. "Right there," I tell her, pointing at the cabinet above her head. Luckily for her, Seth loves coffee more than his own life, so we're never out of stock.

"No energy," she whines dramatically, staggering to the living room and dropping her entire body onto the couch. I swear the couch actually eats her, that's how much it dips when she throws herself into the cushions.

"You will regret this," I tell her, but I make sure to say it just quiet enough that she won't hear me. I want to be able to inform her later that I did warn her, and it's not my fault that she wasn't listening.

I get to work scooping coffee into the machine and filling it with water. Once I see the brown liquid trickling from the spout, I get back to work on the pancakes. I've already burned three while attending to Emma's needs, so it's time to focus now.