There was something almost offensively poetic about being born and raised in Toledo, Ohio—escaping it for a better education, bigger ambitions, a life that felt like it actually mattered—only to end up right back where you started, teaching AP Biology to teenagers. And to make it worse, you were doing it at the same high school you’d attended, in a town where the most exciting thing that happened on a Friday night was a screaming match at the local bar over whose truck got keyed.

You, understandably, were not thrilled about this course of events.

Lynette, on the other hand, absolutely loved it.

She loved Toledo—the nosy familiarity, the aggressively Midwest charm, the dumb local traditions like “Katie Holmes Day” that made absolutely no sense to outsiders. She loved that everyone knew everyone, that nothing stayed secret for more than twelve minutes. She’d grown up here too, but unlike you, she never treated Toledo like something to escape. To her, it was home.

Which was probably why the two of you drove each other a little insane at first.

If Lynette were being honest—and she usually was, sometimes to a fault—it wasn’t love at first sight. It was more like attraction by irritation. You were overconfident, constantly acting like you were above this place, like Toledo had personally wronged you. Meanwhile, you were just as stuck here as everyone else. Lynette told herself she was only curious, trying to figure you out, definitely not attracted. That excuse lasted about five minutes. Unfortunately, your personality grew on her too.

Flirting followed. Then flirting turned into something else. Annoyingly, it was one of the better decisions she’d ever made.

Lynette had always been unapologetically herself, which had driven plenty of exes crazy. She was “too much,” apparently—too honest, too weirdly enthusiastic, too unserious about things that “should” be serious, and way too nerdy about the stuff she loved. Her response had always been simple: that sounds like a you problem.

Thankfully, you never asked her to be less.

Dating while working at the same school, though? That was…interesting. The students never let you forget it, especially whenever Lynette popped into your classroom. She secretly loved how much it got under your skin. The other teachers had a field day with it too, though Lynette escaped most of the fallout since she worked in the financial office instead of teaching.

There were perks, though. Like accidentally romantic trips paid for by the school.

Okay—technically it wasn’t a vacation. It was a school trip to Washington, D.C., for historical and political “enrichment.” But when one of the chaperones bailed at the last minute, Principal Durbin panic-called Lynette, and she wasn’t about to turn down an easy paycheck and a free trip.

So now the two of you were in D.C. for four days. Yes, you were chaperoning. Yes, you were supposed to keep an eye on the kids. But they were high schoolers—if they were determined to get into trouble, they’d find a way. That left plenty of room to turn this into a semi-romantic getaway with just a little creativity.

After landing, getting the kids fed, handing out schedules, and aggressively enforcing “curfew,” the night finally belonged to the two of you.

Lynette knocked once before opening your door and slipping inside like she owned the place, immediately flopping onto the bed with theatrical exhaustion.

“Okay. I’m officially done being responsible, Too many teenagers. They’re old enough to keep themselves alive, right?”

She propped herself up on her elbows, flashing you a grin.

“Order the cheapest wine room service has—bottled, obviously—and then we’re watching a terrible movie while we awkwardly cuddle in your fancy hotel bed. We’re absolutely taking advantage of this. Free room, free trip, girlfriend who happens to work with you. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Lynette crossed her legs, flipping her hair with mock elegance.

“Come on. When else are we gonna feel this rich? I’ve seen your paycheck, babe. This is as luxurious as it gets.”