Page 51 of Cherry on Top

Her eyes brightened when she saw Will and then dimmed when she realized he was alone.

Great.

It was going to be awkward enough to relate the story of his date with Enzo to Joy, but to do it in front of his mother?

Well.

Buck up, Buttercup, he could hear Enzo teasing in his head. Steady on, Stud Muffin.

“Good evening, ladies,” Will said, stopping in front of the pair of them.

“I hope your evening was good,” Giana said, a twinkle in her eye. “Especially since you’re here alone. I was expecting to see Enzo with you.”

I just bet you were.

“Ah, well, it was late, and we’ve both got an early start in the morning,” Will said, waving his hand. “You know how it goes.”

“Was it not delightful? Was Enzo not a gentleman?” Giana asked.

“G,” Joy said under her breath, nudging her, “leave him alone.”

“He was a perfect gentleman.” Kind of perfect in general.

“Oh, of course he was,” Giana trilled, clapping her hands together. “But no kiss goodnight?”

It would’ve been far easier to perform this just for Joy, but Will steeled himself. Winked at Giana. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to kiss and tell,” he said lightly. “But I appreciated how Enzo made sure it was very private, very personal. Very romantic.”

It had been unbearably romantic. The stars shining overhead, the rustling of the leaves the only sound breaking the silence around them. Enzo’s dark eyes intent on his. The way his body had fit so perfectly against Will’s.

Will was pretty sure he’d wanted the kiss nearly as badly as Enzo had.

But he’d restrained himself, because they’d drawn the line, the right line, and Will had to admit he admired and respected Enzo even more as a result.

“Oh, I knew it,” Giana said, turning to Joy. “Didn’t I tell you a hundred times they’d be perfect for each other?”

“A thousand,” Joy retorted dryly, but she was smiling too. “Enzo’s a good boy. A good Indigo Bay boy. He knows the right place to kiss a man he’s into, and it’s not my front porch, Giana.”

“Was it in the park?” Giana asked excitedly. “By the statue?”

Will had worried this would be hard, but it was actually way easier than he’d imagined. He nodded, and Giana shrieked in delight.

“This is the best news,” she said.

Will gave them both another smile, agreeing without words that, yes, it most definitely was. Then he bid them goodnight, heading into the house. As he walked up the stairs to his room, he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

They both ate it up, he sent to Enzo.

Enzo’s reply came in almost instantly. Both? You mean my mom’s there? With Joy?

Did you not expect that?

No. I didn’t know they were that close.

They were sitting out here on the front porch. Just chatting, I’d imagine.

Huh. So they both enjoyed it? Did you spin your tale well, Stud Muffin?

Will unlocked his door and settled against it as it closed. Squeezed his eyes shut. Wished, even as he tried to pretend the thought wasn’t spinning through his head over and over again, that Enzo wasn’t on the other end of a text conversation, but they were talking about it. Laughing about it. That he was right here, right now, and that in a minute, they’d settle into the bed together and their amusement would morph into white-hot lust.

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