Page 42 of Evergreen

Cass moved deeper into the space, his eyes tracking across the familiar landscape of my life. The plants by the window, the sketches pinned to my board, the books stacked haphazardly on my shelves. He’d been in here dozens of times now, but he still moved through it like he was seeing it for the first time.

“My parents want me to come home for spring break,” he said finally, turning to face me. “And I was thinking... that I don’t want to go.” He looked up at me. “What would you say about staying on campus with me?”

I felt my stomach do a little flip. A whole week with Cass, the campus pretty much to ourselves. We couldn’t do whatever we wanted. And that meant no work at the greenhouse either, so we’d have all the time in the world to fuck, talk, hang out, fuck again.

“I do have to make a trip back to the grove during that time,” I said. “But you’re welcome to come with me.”

He smiled. “I’d love that.” Then, wrapping his arms around my neck, he pulled me down into a soft kiss. “Now I think you promised me a good fucking, big guy.”

I grinned. “Anything for you, Sparks.”

Chapter 18

Linden

Cass had to recast the barrier on the conservatory two more times before he finally finished the glass. But by the time he was done, the place looked better than it ever had. In fact, it was starting to make me wonder if the lightning had been some sort of blessing in disguise. Even Professor Paulson was impressed and that, especially for Cass, was no small feat.

The final pane of glass went into place the day before spring break. The moment it did, the greenhouse enchantments snapped into action and began to heat the space once more, driving out the February chill. Cass’s barrier came down next and sunlight poured through the glass, heating the earth and filling the space with the scent of moss, plants, and growth. All at once the place seemed alive again and it smelled like home.

“So?” Cass asked, standing there with his hands on his hips, looking proud of the work he’d done. There was soot smeared across his nose. “What do you think? Not bad for a fuckup, huh?”

I gawked openly at the beautiful glass work he’d done. “I don’t think you’re allowed to call yourself that anymore, Sparks,” I replied, smiling at him. “You’re basically a glass master now.”

“You really think so?” he asked, and I could hear the vulnerability beneath the bravado. He wanted me to mean it. After everything he’d been through, all the ways he’d doubted himself, he needed to hear that he was actually good at something.

“Of course I do,” I said, snaking an arm around his waist. “This place is beautiful because of you. This is all your doing.”

He leaned into me, and I felt that familiar warmth spread through my chest, the one that had become a constant companion over the past few weeks. My magic responded instinctively, golden light flickering beneath my skin in those patterns that Cass had started to recognize and smile at.

“I’m proud of you,” I said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Genuinely. You took something that was supposed to be a punishment and turned it into something worthwhile.”

“Yeah, well.” He shifted against me, his arm wrapping around my waist too. “I had good motivation.”

I knew what he meant. Or at least, I hoped I did. But I also knew that Cass had done this for himself too. He’d put in the work, faced his fears about his wild magic, and come out the other side stronger for it. That had nothing to do with me and everything to do with his own determination.

The greenhouse felt different now that it was whole again. The air was warmer, yes, but it was more than that. There was a sense of completion, of potential finally being realized. The surrounding plants seemed to sense it too. I could feel their life force responding to the restored enchantments, their roots digging deeper into the soil, their leaves unfurling toward the restored sunlight. It wouldn’t be long before all evidence of the stray lightning bolt was erased and buried in humus.

“Come on,” Cass said, tugging me toward the exit. “We should probably get out of here before Professor Paulson shows up and decides we need to do something else. I want to grab some stuff from my dorm because I don’t plan on leaving your room for the next week.”

I laughed, letting him drag me along. The truth was, I didn’t need much convincing. The thought of having an entire week with Cass, uninterrupted and without the constant threat of someone walking in on us, was incredibly appealing. Spring break on campus meant most of the student body would scatter like leaves in the wind, leaving just a skeleton crew of people who either had nowhere else to go or had decided to stay for their own reasons.

As we made our way out of the greenhouse, I caught sight of my reflection in one of the newly installed glass panels. My skin was glowing faintly with that golden light, my eyes bright with happiness. I looked like someone who was genuinely, deeply content. It was a strange feeling, one I was still getting used to.

“You’re smiling like an idiot,” Cass observed as we stepped out into the cool February air.

“Can you blame me?” I replied, letting my hand slip down to his lower back. “Beautiful greenhouse. Amazing boyfriend. Spring break coming up.”

He tensed slightly at the word “boyfriend,” and I felt a flutter of worry in my chest. We hadn’t really used labels before. It had all been so casual, so undefined. But it felt right to me, calling him that. It felt like acknowledging something real and solid that was growing between us.

“Yeah,” he said finally, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “I guess that is pretty good.”

We walked across campus in comfortable silence, our steps in sync as we headed toward the residential buildings. The late afternoon sun was casting long shadows across the quad, and I found myself thinking about what Professor Paulson had offered me. The graduate assistant position. Two more years on campus. Two more years with Cass, potentially.

I still hadn’t told him about it. Part of me was waiting for the right moment, and part of me was terrified that if I mentioned it, he’d realize he was stuck with me. That the novelty would wear off, and he’d start resenting the fact that I wasn’t going anywhere.

But another part of me knew that was bullshit. Cass had chosen this. He’d chosen me, over and over again, in small ways and large ones. He’d shown up to the greenhouse. He’d taken those lessons with Professor Blackwood. He’d opened up to me about his parents, his fears, his dreams. That had to count for more than a little something.

We stopped by Cass’s dorm first. True to his word, he already had a bag packed. He scooped it up and we headed across the quad to my building. When we reached my dorm room, Cass immediately dropped his bag on the floor and threw himself onto my bed like he owned the place. Which, honestly, at this point he basically did. He spent more nights in my room than in his own. I was starting to really enjoy having something to wake up next to each morning.