“Figures.” She plopped them onto her face and gave Lea a huge grin. “Hey, good to see you finally.”
Lea shook her head, laughing. “Good to see you, too.”
Jewel sat down on her couch and put her feet up on the coffee table. “I assume you already ate breakfast?”
“You know I don’t. It’s fried chicken Sunday at the diner.”
Jewel wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want to see people.”
“Tired of us already?” Lea joined her with her own mug filled.
“Always,” Jewel scoffed. “Never you, just everyone else. Spring break really needs to get here sooner.”
“I hear you on that. The past couple weeks have been tough. I think the kids are ready for it, too.”
“Any plans?” Jewel asked.
Lea shook her head. “None so far.”
“Not going to visit family?”
“They’re all busy.”
“Ah.” Jewel pressed her lips together. Originally she and Brady were supposed to take a trip together, but that was obviously not going to happen. That meant all of her family had planned trips of their own without her, and she really didn’t want to beg them to let her tag along.
Seemed they were in the same boat, which meant they’d probably end up spending most of the week together doing nothing, which was perfectly fine with Jewel. She wanted to veg out on the couch and not think about school or work or anything she had to.
They fell into a comfortable silence while they finished their coffee. Jewel finished hers first and stood up to grab herself a second. “Are you staying for lunch or going to get fried chicken?”
“I’m sure it’s all gone by now.”
“True.” Jewel refilled her cup. “So are you staying then?”
Lea narrowed her gaze. “Is that your way of asking if I’ll cook lunch?”
“I have stuff for sandwiches, so it’ll be easy.” Jewel gave her a sweet look to try and encourage her. “Really I didn’t take a shower last night and I reek like cigarettes.”
“Fine. But be quick.” Lea pointed a finger at her.
Jewel grinned. “You’re such a good friend.”
“I want the details on your date when you’re done.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Jewel took her coffee with her to the bathroom and turned the water on. She shut the door after watching Lea walk into the kitchen. A shiver ran down her spine.
Closing her eyes, Jewel pressed her forehead to the door and let out a breath. All night all she could do was think about Lea. She had wanted to go on that date with Lea, not Brianna. It took her until three in the morning to admit she might have a growing crush on her best friend, and it took her until four in the morning to fully admit it so she could finally fall asleep like the rest of the world.
What the hell was she supposed to do about a crush on her best friend? Someone who didn’t want to date? Someone who didn’t want to see if love was out there? Someone who didn’t even know Jewel liked women? Groaning, Jewel pushed off the door and stripped out of her pajamas. She could slowly work toward making a move if she wanted, but at the same time, did she?
She did not want to lose her friendship. That was more important than anything to her. She needed Lea’s calm balance to her energetic one. She appreciated that balance more than anyone knew. Jewel got into the shower, letting the hot water ease her weary muscles. Four hours of sleep was not a lot, and she was feeling it. She was someone who liked her sleep and preferred nine to ten hours a night, unlike Lea, who could survive easily on six.
The heat of the water helped calm her, but it did nothing to ease her wandering mind. What would it be like to date Lea? Assuming Lea was even interested in her in that way, would they make it as a couple? Jewel didn’t exactly have the best track record. She was bullheaded, pansexual, and slightly neurotic. All accusations that had been thrown at her by past boyfriends and one girlfriend. She was not exactly dating material. Well, she was dating material. She wasn’t long term relationship material.
Squeezing a dollop of shampoo into her hand, she scrubbed her hair before rinsing. She would ruin Lea, and she wasn’t sure she could do that to her. She would just have to learn to live with her crush or wait for it to fade. That was the best thing for both of them. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore. With the conditioner rinsed, Jewel cleaned off her body and stepped out into the steamy room. Normally she would have left the door open, but with Lea there, she’d opted for privacy.
She wrapped the towel tightly around her chest after drying off her hair, then opened the door. A billow of steam rolled out from the doorway, and she cursed too late. She had it happen before, and there was no way she’d be in luck then. The smoke detector in the hallway, and subsequently right next to the bathroom door, went off.
“Damn it,” Jewel muttered as she tried to figure out how to reach up and turn it off while not letting go of the towel.