Page 35 of Moonflower

“How much homework do you need to get done today?” he asks.

My face falls. “Oh.” To be honest, I’ve been so wrapped up in these two for the past twelve hours that I forgot about school. “I have a lot, actually.”

“That’s okay,” he says. “I have some to finish up, too.”

“And I’ve got a shit ton to work on,” Wilder says tiredly.

I frown. When Wilder took the tutoring and content creation job, I worried it would be too much for him. But he likes it. And it gives him a job for after he’s graduated.

“Don’t worry about me, Cora,” he says, forcing a smile. “I’ll be fine.”

As I start protesting, he slides off the counter and comes to stand right in front of me. I have to tilt my chin up to look at him. He kisses me, and I know it’s just to shut me up, but if he’s going to do it then this is definitely the way I prefer.

“One and a half more semesters,” he says when he’s done. “And then everything will get a hell of a lot better.”

It’s true, I hope. Our futures are all looking a little unstable right now, what with finding—and keeping—jobs that hopefully pay enough. Plus there’s the possibility that we might not all be in the same city. Wilder can work from anywhere, and it depends on what Ezra does, but I have no idea where I’ll end up.

“You look like you’re panicking,” Wilder says.

Ezra comes up behind me, placing his hands on my hips. Being sandwiched in between two men might make some people feel trapped, but with these two, all I feel is safe.

“I just want us to be happy,” I mumble.

One and a half more semesters.

And then what? We graduate, and hopefully we move in together. But so many things could get in the way.

“We’ll take it one step at a time, Moonflower,” Ezra says.

Wilder nudges me. “Speaking of taking steps . . .”

“Shut up.”

The corner of his mouth lifts up. “Never.”

Ezra lets out something between a growl and a groan. I turn, placing my hands on his chest. The expression on his face is one of deep discomfort, and it breaks my heart seeing it.

“What’s he talking about?”

He shrugs. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Don’t worry about it?” Wilder snaps. “Ez! It’s very worrying.”

My stomach drops to the floor. “Ezra. What’s going on?”

Chapter eight

Ezra

Coming right off of promising not to hide things from each other by admitting that I’ve been doing just that is a horrible look. Ever since last night and agreeing we’d communicate with each other, I’ve known this conversation was coming. But dammit, I don’t want to have it.

Cora knows about my depression. Of course she knows. But she has no idea how much it’s affected me.

“Ezra,” she says softly, tugging on my shirt.

Sighing, I lean my forehead against hers. What if she looks at me differently after this? Half the time Wilder is the only reason I somehow manage to stay alive. He’s always reminding me to eat and making sure there are easy-to-prepare meals in the apartment.

When things get especially bad, he’s the one who drags me out of bed. He’s the one who’s always down to go on a walk with me or talk or do literally anything if he thinks there’s a chance it’ll make me feel better.