You don’t know how it happened, but somehow, you and Evan Rosier are stuck in the same car, speeding down a moonlit country road in the middle of nowhere. The magical compass on the dashboard is spinning wildly, refusing to point north, and the enchanted radio keeps switching between jazz and French ballads.

“Remind me why I agreed to this?” you mutter, glaring at him from the passenger seat.

Evan, hands casually on the steering wheel, glances at you with a smirk. “Because you secretly enjoy my company.”

“Like I enjoy stepping on Doxy nests.”

He chuckles, the sound deep and rich, blending with the soft music playing from the radio. His salt-and-pepper curls catch the moonlight, and you catch yourself staring for a second too long.

“You’ve got that look again,” he says without taking his eyes off the road.

“What look?”

“The one where you’re debating whether to hex me or kiss me.”

Your cheeks flush, and you cross your arms. “In your dreams, Rosier.”

“Frequently,” he murmurs, almost too softly for you to hear.

The road stretches on, quiet except for the hum of the car and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. Despite yourself, you start to relax. There’s something about the stillness of the night, the way the stars scatter across the sky, that makes the tension between you both feel… different. Less sharp. More charged.

Evan clears his throat. “Remember when we used to race brooms through the orchards? You always cheated.”