Page 30 of Cherry on Top

“Love is funny like that. It’s part hope and part magic, in the face of uncertainty,” Joy added. “Then the storm blew in. It was the worst hurricane anyone could remember for a hundred years. They said it was like the hand of God, reaching out and touching the space between the land and the sea. When the weather finally cleared, the residents of the town could see a ship that had hit the rocks. And floating on a timber, in the wreckage, was a man with long dark hair and a thick beard that obscured almost all of his features.”

“With blue eyes everyone recognized,” Will said.

Joy nodded. “Everyone knew it was Nathaniel. Knew it had to be him. But Betsy hadn’t waited for him, of course. She was married now, with three children. There was no room for him there. But Eliza took him in, despite the town’s protests that it wasn’t right, wasn’t proper, and she nursed him back to health, physically and mentally. Winter turned to spring, and her love was so steadfast, he realized he’d fallen in love with her as well. They married a year later, and had five children.”

“And one of them is your ancestor,” Will said, smiling.

“Yes, indeed. I have a copy of Eliza’s journal. The original is in the state history museum, but I don’t need it, because every word is up here.” She pointed to her head. “All her love, all her longing, all her faith. Her belief that he’d return. Then her unselfishness. She never asked him for marriage. Never expected anything would happen, because she thought he still loved Betsy.”

“I could never be that unselfish. I’d have demanded his love,” Enzo observed thoughtfully.

Will smiled, because he could see that. Could actually visualize Enzo in front of a man he loved, not letting him feel any differently than he himself did.

“I still think it’s the most beautiful story I’ve heard. And you tell it so lovingly, Joy,” Will said.

“Thanks, Will,” she said and put her arm around him, tugging him into a quick hug. Then she stood. “It’s late, but you got what you needed, Enzo?”

Enzo nodded. When she left, the tinkling bell of Cherry’s indicating her departure, Will wanted to lean forward, memorize every line of Enzo’s drawings, but he figured that would be rude if he hadn’t been invited to, so he forced himself to look away.

To give Enzo the time he needed.

But when the silence drew out between them, he couldn’t resist looking over, just a quick glance.

“Joy was telling me earlier, before you came over, how prickly Morettis can be,” Enzo said quietly, leaning back in his chair, as he tapped the pencil against the shiny surface of the table.

“I don’t know if I’d call it prickly necessarily.” Difficult, was more what Will would’ve called them. Challenging and charming and persuasive, even when you didn’t want to be persuaded.

“I don’t always think I’m a very good Moretti,” Enzo said thoughtfully. “Maybe I’m not. But it means I’m willing to say I’m wrong, when I was wrong.”

He pushed the open sketchbook towards Will, who glanced down at it.

“You were right. It’s the perfect story to paint on your wall,” Enzo continued.

As he stared at Enzo’s drawings, he could feel the impact of the story in the images Enzo had created. Had an idea, already, of how beautiful it would be when it was done.

The high cliff, Eliza’s figure on it, her hair swirling around her, her hand reaching out, towards the ocean, towards the big-masted ship, crashing against the shore, a figure in the water. The wild fierceness of the storm that raged around them.

“Are you sure . . .I’m a newcomer . . .” Will trailed off. He didn’t want anyone assuming that he didn’t deserve to have his building hold such an important piece of Indigo Bay history.

“You love it. I can see it in your eyes that you believe it. That you connect to it. That it matters to you. That’s all that matters to me.” Enzo paused. “All that should matter to anyone is your inspiration ignited my own.”

Will didn’t think he’d ever heard Enzo sound so earnest, so heartfelt. From what he’d seen of the guy, he liked to cultivate an easy, breezy, unbothered, snarky exterior but Will could already tell that there was more going on underneath.

What exactly? Will wasn’t sure yet, but he knew he wanted to find out.

Enzo Moretti was a mystery he wanted to solve.

“Are you sure you’re Enzo Moretti and not some imposter, taking his place for the next few weeks?” Will asked with a teasing tone.

Enzo made a face. “Let me guess, my reputation has preceded me. Who told you?”

“Uh.” Will hesitated. Remembering everything Kate had told him about Enzo, before he’d ever showed his face in Indigo Bay.

“I’m sure they led with the disastrous date. How Oliver didn’t want to date me, and I resented him for it.”

“Well, yeah. They did start with that.” Will squirmed uncomfortably. Recalling how he’d believed that because of that, Giana must have to recruit all his dates.

But the Enzo Moretti in front of him wouldn’t need anyone’s help getting a date.

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