Cozy • An Embry Story

.41

It's been too long since I've updated. I felt like I wrote my fic into a corner and just don't know how to progress. I kept starting a new chapter but nothing worked. I have 6 drafts sitting and waiting but none were right for the plot. So unfortunately this is more of a filler chapter.

Sorry everyone for the inconvenience.

I really appreciate everyone who waited and continued to support me.

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Embry's POV

It was just as bad as waking up from a nightmare.

The type where you start to fall, where your brain tips over into a free fall then you're plunging face first towards waking up. I roll over, feeling the other side of the bed empty, then I jerk up.

Always a heavy sleeper, I can sleep through anything but realizing Winnie isn't in bed sends an uneasy jolt all the way up my spine.

Disappointment sinks low in my gut. I'm not even sure Winnie was even here last night. A part of me thinks I missed her so much I dreamt her up. Balancing on my palms, I fight the sheets on my way to sit up then spot the neatly folded stack of fresh laundered sheets at the far corner of the bed.

Winnie was here.

And she's already left for work hours ago.

Falling back into the pillows, I try not to let the disappointed feelings eat away at me, but I'm too mad that I was too tired to set an alarm the night before. Patting around for my phone, I'm already thinking of the voicemail I'll leave Winnie when I smell smoke. Just as I open my bedroom door, the smoke detector starts, sounding off in high urgent pitches.

There's clattering in the kitchen, the sound of pots and pans bumping into things along with the sound of someone hurrying. Rounding off the hall I walk right into a cloud of smoke, hazy and gray and smelling like burnt toast. Winnie is propped on her tip toes on a chair, fanning a dish cloth in urgent strokes under the smoke detector.

I've never been so relieved with a near fire in my house.

"Are you smiling?" Winnie goes a shade of red when I take the dish cloth out of her hand with a quiet chuckle. Not needing the chair, I fan away the smoke with a stretch of my arm. In a minute the alarm quiets down.

"You were trying to make breakfast," I deduce. Winnie doesn't answer, just hides her face in her hands to mumble some curse words at herself. "What were you making?"

"Eggo Waffles." My laugh only helps eases her embarrassment into her own laugh.

"I'm impressed you keep trying breakfast foods even after that fiasco with the eggs."

"I was so sure I couldn't mess up with a toaster." Winnie sighs, dropping down from the chair in a defeated hop. She drags the chair back with sagged shoulders and a frown.

"Toasters burn toast all the time." I point out to cheer her up which does get the frown off her face. "I was so sure you left." I admit to Winnie. It's eight in the morning, Winnie is suppose to be at work right now.