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Lea hummed. “Distractions are typically always welcomed.”

“Somehow I don’t think tonight it would be.”

“As much as it would be welcomed, I still have to finish this before morning.”

There was Lea, practical as always in every way. Jewel stared at the television across the room from her. She supposed she was going to have to make do on her own for the night. It wasn’t the first time, but it was the first time that she really didn’t want to do it. “Can we do lunch tomorrow?”

“If you can make it to the high school in time.”

“I can.”

“Then yes, we can eat in my classroom.”

Jewel grinned. “I’ll let you work, then, so you’re not trying to cram in any extra work in that thirty minute window.”

Lea’s light snort was welcome. “I’ll see you tomorrow, J.”

“Yes, yes, you will.” Hanging up was hard, but she knew it was the right decision. Jewel fell asleep with thoughts of Lea and love blooming between them.

Lunch came faster than she expected. Jewel kept her head down as she raced from the grade school to the high school, hoping no one stopped her on her way out. She’d finished her morning classes with the littles and was on to her afternoon classes with the bigs. But right in the middle, she had thirty minutes with her girlfriend. The thought of that brought the biggest smile to her lips.

Lea’s door was open, and Jewel snuck in, setting her lunch bag on one of the long black tables. Lea turned to smile at her. “Shut the door, would you?”

“Yeah.” Jewel turned back around and closed the door. They would at least have some privacy, even if there were windows on every door. She pulled over a stool and sat next to Lea who already had her lunch out on the table. “I’ve missed you.”

Lea tensed. Jewel wondered if she’d taken it too far already. All she was doing was trying to be honest. Everything was so new between them, but it was exciting in a way she hadn’t felt before, and it all felt so different. It was as though everything clicked the right way this time.

“You should come over tonight then,” Lea’s voice was gentle and barely above a murmur.

“Would you mind if I did?”

Lea raised an impeccable brow, giving Jewel a hard look. “I wouldn’t have offered if I meant anything else.”

“Right.” Jewel took a bite of her sandwich, glancing toward the door and into the hallway. She decided to take a chance, a risk, one she knew could cost both of them. Leaning in, she turned Lea’s chin so their lips could meet. It was a tender kiss, a sweet and very brief moment. She knew Lea would be worried about someone walking in on them, student or staff, and she wanted to avoid any damage that might be done but she needed the comfort, the confirmation that she knew her heart was right.

“What was that for?” Lea’s eyes crinkled at the corners as her lips twitched upward.

“Just wanted it.”

“All right.” Lea gave her a suspicious glance, but Jewel thought she detected a hint of amusement in her tone and in her look.

Settling in for the thirty minutes they had was easier said than done. Jewel wanted to tell Lea what she’d discovered, but she wasn’t sure Lea was any readier for that confession than she had been two nights before, though she’d pretty much told her for years what was already true.

As they finished their meal, Jewel cleaned up her area while Lea wiped down the table quickly. They walked to the connecting hallway with the sinks for certain labs and the preferred trash can for food. Dumping items there, Jewel bit her lip and gripped Lea’s wrist to keep her from moving out of the room. Kids would start piling through the door soon enough, and they hadn’t locked anything, but she wanted this last minute alone and secluded.

Her eyes locked on Lea’s blue ones, curiosity and concern flitting through them before it turned into impatience. Leave it to Lea to always be on time for everything. Jewel lifted her free hand, cupping Lea’s cheek gently. Lea tilted her head to the side, moving into the touch just enough.

“I love you,” Jewel whispered.

A smile graced Lea’s lips. “I know you do.”

“How?”

Lea covered Jewel’s hand for a moment before stepping in a little closer. “Sunday night, when you were frustrated with me and yelling, you said ‘I’m sorry I didn’t fall in love with someone who is my exact clone.’”

Jewel tensed. She barely remembered throwing that insult at Lea, but it did sound like something she would say.

“I think I knew it before then, though. When we were at Indigo, on that walk that first day, you told me you loved me. It’s nothing you haven’t said before, but that time…I don’t know, it was so different.”