Page 108 of Cherry on Top

“And because he wants to. He’s spent all these years working for you. He wants to work for himself now. It’s time,” Enzo retorted.

It was Patrick’s turn for his jaw to drop.

For a moment, everyone was stone still and silent.

Absorbing what they’d just said, no doubt.

“Your first date,” Giana said hesitantly, “it wasn’t at Rudy’s? The first week you came to town?”

Enzo shrugged awkwardly. “We did go out to dinner that night.” He looked over at Will. “What do you think? Should that count?”

“I don’t think it matters when it happened, for real. Only that it did,” Will said steadily, meeting Giana’s dismayed gaze straight on.

“I suppose I can accept that,” Giana said. “But Patrick is right! You can’t leave Will here all the time. You don’t even live here, Enzo! You don’t live anywhere. How can you be together if you’re not together!”

“And uh, that’s the second part of it,” Enzo said, rubbing the back of his neck. A few people had come in to order coffee and if he wasn’t mistaken they were all listening to the family drama play out. He supposed he couldn’t blame them, really. It would’ve been entertaining, if he hadn’t been a part of it.

“I moved into Enzo’s apartment,” Will said. “And he’s going to be coming back to Indigo Bay more.”

“Between every job,” Enzo added.

Will’s parents only looked partially mollified at that. But clearly, they wanted the best for Will, even if, just like Giana, they were apparently the ones who decided what that was.

“It’s not going to be easy for sure,” Will said, glancing down at Enzo, and it was so easy to fall into the resolute certainty in his eyes. The steadiness. The ride-or-die loyalty. Everything he loved about the man—though it wasn’t like his gorgeous body wasn’t a good enough reason on its own. “But I don’t care. I love him. That’s all that matters, in the end.”

There was chaos then.

Giana cried.

Carla hugged him, then Patrick shook his hand—and that was slightly awkward; Enzo hadn’t made it a habit to meet his hookups’ parents, for exactly this reason—and then Giana embraced him over and over.

“It’s alright,” she said, right before she pulled away the final time. “I know you’ll marry him someday.”

“Mom,” Enzo groaned.

“I mean it,” she said. “And we’re going to talk more about the fact that you felt like you needed to lie to me.”

He’d already known that was the case. And that wouldn’t be a conversation that would happen around Will or his parents. He nodded.

“I’m working today, or trying to anyway, but I’ll find you later tonight, alright?”

Giana just waved a hand. “Of course.”

“You’ll be at home?” Enzo pressed. It seemed like she was never at home anymore.

“Naturally, where else would I be?” He knew she was lying. He could see it in her eyes. And that baffled him more than anything else. He’d been honest; what was holding her back?

Well, he’d be sure to find out.

They didn’t need any more secrets between them.

“Alright,” Enzo said.

“I’m just gonna grab a coffee to go. Maybe two. I’m meeting Joy,” she said, as Enzo watched Will saying goodbye to his parents out of the corner of his eye. He was hoping they would actually leave and go to Tybee Island this time around.

“Have fun,” Enzo said. He turned to say goodbye to Will’s parents, too, because that was a thing he had to do now. Being in a relationship was sure an adjustment. A good one, but an adjustment nonetheless.

“Enzo,” she said, and he turned back. She cupped his cheeks with her palms and looked him deep in the eye. “I’m so proud of you, you know?”

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