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Lando sat up in the bed, brushing her fingers through her short dark hair until it stuck up in all different directions. “So…the teacher does have a life outside the classroom.”

Violet’s cheeks flushed hot. “Yes, just like I suspect you do as well.”

“Not much of one.” Lando grinned. “Least not anymore since becoming sober. My life is a lot less dramatic now.”

Violet didn’t know what to say to that. She stared into Lando’s cool blue eyes and saw the seriousness under the teasing tone. She couldn’t imagine what Lando’s life had been like growing up, or the struggles she’d endured so young, but she was proud Lando had seemed to find her feet so far.

“Sometimes the calm is nice,” Violet finally commented. “After my ex left me, it was much more peaceful.”

“And you got to hog the whole bed.”

Snorting, Violet smiled. “Sure, the whole bed, and all the covers.”

“Living the dream right there, teach.”

Violet paused. The nickname had seemed to turn into something else. No longer did it give them the separation they’d first had, but now it seemed almost a term of endearment with a much deeper quality to it. Especially with Lando’s warm body pressed so close to hers. Pushing the stray thought from her mind, Violet glanced at the computer screen that had fallen asleep.

She moved the mouse to wake it up and concentrated on the maps in front of her. Even a little storm would be a welcome sight, but all the storms she found were where they’d left in Colorado. Annoyance with Diane’s insistence filtered through her chest and into her belly again. She was going to have to get over that. While Lando had managed to pull her out of herself for a few minutes, the tug to withdraw again was strong.

“Did you sleep at all?” Lando asked as she leaned over Violet’s shoulder to see the screen.

“Not really,” murmuring Violet, flipped to a map that was closer to where they were in western Kansas. “I can’t figure out why Diane brought us here.”

Lando didn’t answer but pointed at the computer. “Is that a storm?”

Violet’s brow furrowed, and she narrowed her gaze to see exactly what Lando was pointing at. “A small one.”

“Doesn’t look like much activity.”

“No, but it’s probably the closest we’ll get to anything today. The skies are clear for hundreds of miles.” The storm did look like it promised to at least give them some lightning. Perhaps they’d be able to get some photos they could sell if Diane let her have control of the camera for a bit. That’d be a new battle to fight if they went out. Better yet, perhaps Diane would stay behind and Violet could go by herself.

“Are we going to go?” Lando’s breath was warm on Violet’s shoulder. If anyone else had walked in at the moment, surely they would have thought something else was going on. Violet had been getting far closer to Lando in the last few days than she normally would have allowed herself. She and Erik had been close, but not like this. Something simmered under the surface between her and Lando that Violet couldn’t put her finger on. It had always been there, a kind of energy she enjoyed. She’d always just thought it was Lando’s enthusiasm for learning, but being out of the classroom, she wasn’t so sure it was that anymore.

“If you want, we can. It won’t be worth much of anything.”

“Experience,” Lando answered. “Everything is worth the experience.”

“Sure. It looks like it’ll be swinging our direction in the next few hours.”

“I can ask Eli where a good place is to go see it, some place with high ground so we can get a good view before it hits.”

Violet was surprised. She hadn’t expected Lando to think of something like that. “That’s a good idea.”

“Since there’s no sign of tornados we don’t need the low ground.”

“True.” Violet kept her gaze trained on the computer in front of her. “Let’s give Diane another hour of sleep before we wake her. She’s not very friendly in the mornings.”

“I’m not usually either, but I guess waking up to storms first thing changes my mood.”

“I love morning storms.” Violet’s tone sounded so dreamy. She wasn’t even sure it was her speaking, but Lando’s echoing grin was answer enough.

“I’m getting dressed. Eli said she gets up early, and I want to catch her before she goes out into the fields.”

“You and she seem to have gotten close.”

“Sure.” Lando slid to the edge of the bed, her legs hanging over the side of the mattress as she turned and looked at Violet over her shoulder. “She’s cool.”

“Cool?” Violet raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure there isn’t something else going on there?”