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

4. Was It A Woman?

I've busied myself refurbishing an old antique side table and it's going better than I predicted. I'm a couple of days ahead of schedule, which is why I've been doing basically nothing these past few days. But, I can only handle living a stagnant life for so long. Two days is pretty much my max before I have to leave the house or risk complete chaos breaking through in the form of me going wild.

Seth is the introvert and I'm pretty sure he basks in the quiet whenever I'm gone. He actually encourages it. I'm sure he does it as a way of not having to spend time entertaining me, but I can't help but think it's sweet. He knows I need activity and socialization, and he's glad to give it to me... as long as he doesn't have to be involved. So, I go hang with my girls while he watches ESPN with no other company except for his bowl of popcorn and a six-pack of Blue Moon.

I smile faintly just thinking about how opposite we are. I guess we're one of those couples that proves the 'opposites attract' cliche to be correct. Not that I'm complaining. I think we balance each other remarkably well... or, we did.

Running a hand over the freshly sanded wood, I take in the nearly finished product. I step back to admire my work and that's when I suddenly realize it's dark outside. I pull my phone from my pocket and instantly groan when I see the time. Dinner should have been made two hours ago. Washing my hands in the large industrial sink I had installed a couple of years ago, I begin the walk back inside.

It's then I realize the lights are on inside the house. It was still daylight when I'd left, and I'm pretty sure I hadn't turned any of them on. Which means only one thing...

Seth is home early... again. I find Seth is his usual spot on the couch as he watches Animal Planet. Just the few seconds that it takes me to walk past the TV has me wilting with boredom. People actually find pleasure in watching animal life prance around the wilderness. I don't know how he watches that stuff for hours, but who am I to judge. He probably views my beloved "House Hunters" show the same way. Though, there's no way for me to really know since we never actually talk about it.

He glances at me as I pass, offering a tight smile, before turning his gaze back to the herd of gazelles running for their lives. I watch in mild fascination as a lion leaps, sinking its teeth into one of the straggler's hind legs, bringing it down.

Hmm... guess I could get used to Animal Planet.

I enter the kitchen, flick on the light, and begin rummaging through the fridge. I'm so tired of our routine. I'd almost sell an arm just for the chance to go out for dinner. A date would be nice. I spend all day, every day, in a pair of sweats and oversized t-shirts. The chance to shave my legs and slip on a slinky dress sounds massively appealing. But I know Seth would never be down for that. Even when things were good with us, he always preferred to stay at home after a long day of work. Understandable, I guess, considering I'm pretty sure the term 'homebody' was invented after examining his lifestyle. He'd probably be glad to never leave the house again.

I'm doing a horrible job of making him sound like a desirable guy, but I promise he's not a bore. He has actually taught me a lot about being creative and learning to enjoy the peace and quiet of solitude. I can recall coming home from school one day to find that he'd ordered pizza and planned an entire evening of games. Hide and seek was one of them. Actually, that's the only game we got around to because anytime the hider was found, they had to pay a penalty. Which usually just meant the finder could request anything they wished.

My requests included: he had to massage my knees (I don't normally enjoy being touched, but touch my knees and I'll almost be tempted to worship you), he had to dye his hair vomit green, and he had to wear eyeliner to work the next day.

His requests included: well, let's just say they were all the same thing, and they all included the bed.

Sighing, I blink back the memory and throw a bag of tomatoes on the counter before setting a pan of water to boil.