You and Tequila

Chapter Fourteen

"Emma."

She groans, because her eyelids are too heavy and the idea of waking up is just plain stupid at this point. Why can't she seem to find a decent night sleep during this tour?

"Miss Swan."

"It is way too early to deal with your snobby attitude right now," Emma mumbles and buries her face deeper into the fluffy pillow that smells of beaches and clouds. Yes, clouds.

"Snobby?" Regina defensively reiterates. "Well, fine. I will take my snobby coffee and leave you to fend for yourself."

"Coffee?" She pries one eye open to find the most immaculate and put together Regina imaginable. "I'm up," she grumbles, sliding up in bed and wiping away the sleep and blurry haze surrounding her.

Regina is perched beside her at the edge of the bed, fashionable in a tailored white pantsuit that has Emma questioning her sexuality all over again. She swallows as Regina places a hot cup of coffee from Starbucks into her hand and quickly averts her eyes. As if she was the one gawking when they both know it was Emma.

"Is it time for our flight?" Emma asks into her cup as she blows away the steam.

"Change of plans."

"Can you do that?"

"My mother can, she is my manager."

"Cora, right," she deadpans, rolling her eyes and slowly sipping her scalding hot beverage that she imagines tossing into Cora's wicked face and burning away her cruel scowl.

"There's a charity event in Dallas tomorrow evening. So, we will drive to Dallas and I will be the surprise guest and then we will leave right after and drive to New York."

Emma blinks, her sleepy mind still trying to follow Regina's rushed words. "Will we make it to New York in time for your concert?"

"Of course. It's only a two day drive. We will be there before you know it." Emma nods along numbly because her brain is still half asleep. "You should probably jump in the shower, we need to be on my bus in thirty minutes," Regina states, her eyes staring at the watch on her wrist.

Emma hums as she swallows the hot coffee, appreciating the way the liquid runs through her tired veins and warms her body back to life. She feels a heavy weight boring into her, persuading her sleepy eyes to flick toward Regina. The woman is pretending to be reading her watch, but it's so obvious that her true attention is on Emma.

"Is this coffee a peace offering? You're finally accepting that we can be friends?" Emma blurts out because she needs something to break apart the intense gaze raining down upon her.

"If you would like to view it that way, then I suppose."

Emma's face morphs into disbelief as her lips purse and brows furrow. "I meant what I said, you can trust me, but I do ask for respect. No more talking down to me like I'm not worth your time."

"I can't promise anything," Regina instantly replies, but Emma smirks because she can see the playful glint twinkling in those brown orbs as Regina suppresses her own grin.

"Right." Emma sips her coffee and runs her fingers through her straggly hair.

"I would like to say, that I apologize for my behavior-"

"Regina," she exasperates, because she doesn't want another political apology.

"Wait, just hear me out please," Regina softly whispers and the sincerity in her tone, snaps Emma's mouth shut. "From one friend to another, it's only fair that I say sorry for how I acted when I was intoxicated. I didn't mean to cause a mess and I certainly didn't want to drag you in, nonetheless."