Page 33 of Cherry on Top

“Uh.” Will hesitated.

“You two can go off to the park. It’s nice and cool on the grass, under the shade.”

“Mom,” Enzo said, forcing himself not to roll his eyes. “Will’s too busy to go off and share a romantic picnic with me.”

She did not look deterred. “Who said it was romantic, Enzo? You said it was romantic.” She shot Will a conspiratorial look. “Will, I hate to break it to you, but I think my Enzo might have a little bit of a crush.”

Enzo stifled a groan. “I’ll take this,” he said, pulling the basket off her arm. “If it’ll make you stop.”

“Stop what?” Butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth but she looked so secretly thrilled Enzo was afraid that maybe he had been giving out too many vibes that he’d been actually open to dating Will. He was attracted to the guy—he wasn’t dead, thank you, Rocco—but that didn’t mean he was looking for his very own happily ever after.

“All of this,” Enzo said, gesturing between him and Will.

“Enzo,” she said, ignoring his entreaty and giving him a little friendly whack on the forearm, “do make sure you put your shirt back on. We don’t want Will thinking you’re not a perfect gentleman.”

“Of course not,” Enzo grumbled.

Will shot him a sympathetic smile. “Thanks for the food, Giana. We’ll be happy to share it. Maybe not in the park. I’ve got work to do. And it’s so hot. Enzo could use a break. Maybe Cherry’s back room would be romantic enough?”

Enzo lost the war with himself and finally rolled his eyes. “If it’s air-conditioned, that’s all I care about,” he bit off.

“Wonderful,” Giana said. “I’ll leave you two to it.” She turned and left with only one additionally exaggerated wink.

“You don’t have to do that. Uh, invite me into your back room,” Enzo said after she’d cleared the corner. But he still kept his voice quiet. God only knew she might actually spy on them around the wall, thinking she was being subtle.

Except she was about as a subtle as a sledgehammer.

But Will waved his concern away. “You’re hot. You could use a break. And I just bet that Giana made me her famous artichoke spread, because she knows I love it. Who am I to turn that down?”

“You think she planned this then?” Enzo was pretty damn sure, but he thought it might be worth asking. He grabbed his T-shirt and the empty water bottle, trailing Will as he led them to Cherry’s entrance. The seating area was empty, probably because it was dinner time and the Indigo Bay residents had yet to become so obsessed with Will’s ice cream that they started indulging in it instead of regular meals.

Will laughed as he skirted around the corner of the counter, Enzo following him past the swinging double doors to the back. “You know she did,” he said. But he didn’t seem as perturbed by it as Enzo was. Probably because he wasn’t the guy who looked so desperate for a date his mother had decided to find him one.

A woman with red-streaked dark hair was standing in the large back room, sucking down an iced coffee like it was going to save her life. She looked familiar. Then, spotting him, she raised an eyebrow.

Enzo realized two things at the same time. One, he had yet to put his shirt back on, and two, this was Kate Stewart, who’d been a few years behind him in school.

“I think you picked up a gigolo, boss,” she teased.

Enzo pulled his T-shirt back on, flushing with embarrassment and hoping that Will didn’t notice.

“You know Enzo, I presume?” Will asked.

“Oh yeah, though not as well as you’re probably going to get to know him. I didn’t know Giana’s schemes were working out so well.”

“They’re not,” Enzo said flatly. “But it’s hot outside and she brought food.”

Will nodded. “Enzo needed a break and I thought we could get her off our backs at the same time.”

“Is that going to work?” Kate questioned.

Enzo wished he knew the answer.

“Come on back. I’ve got a little office. We can chat,” Will said. Clearly he wasn’t sure either, considering the way he ignored the question.

Will had not been lying about the little part. His office was only big enough for one chair and a small desk, a laptop and a charger sitting on it.

“Take the chair,” Will said, gesturing towards it. “You need the rest.”

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