Page 62 of Cherry on Top

“I can’t believe you’re embarrassed now. Trust me, you’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about.” Nothing, Enzo nearly repeated a second time, but he’d already made Will’s myriad attractions clear. He didn’t need to pump the guy’s ego up any further.

“Maybe I’m just jealous that you got a good look at my ass on the way out here, but I didn’t get even a peak at yours,” Will teased. “Fair play and all that.”

“Fine, fine. But don’t expect too much,” Enzo grumbled. He had a skinny ass. He knew it.

But when he walked out of the ocean, the sand crunching beneath his feet, he could feel Will’s gaze on him, and then came the inevitable wolf whistle.

Will caught up to him a moment later and Enzo smartly kept his eyes forward, on their way back to the dune.

“Trust me, I’m not disappointed,” Will said earnestly.

“Thanks,” Enzo retorted, but he was pleased. Undeniably.

“See,” Will said a second later, as they were clamoring up the dune and Enzo was actually very glad for the near-dark, “a towel would’ve come in real handy about now.”

And okay, yes, it was awkward. Enzo could admit that. But it had been fun too. So much fun. He wanted to say he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had this much fun, but it had been the other night, when they’d gone to Rudy’s and pretended they were wild about each other.

“Next time you’re in charge of towels,” Enzo said as he pulled out his briefs from the pile he’d shoved them into.

“It’s a deal,” Will said, pulling on his shorts.

Chapter Twelve

Their date at Rudy’s had been good enough, Enzo mused, but he needed something bigger, better, even more elaborate than a steak, a good bottle of wine and a faux goodnight kiss in front of Eliza’s statue for this next one.

So he went to his cousin.

Five years ago, he’d never have considered Luca an expert on romance. In fact, he didn’t think Luca would’ve considered himself an expert on romance. An expert on lots of other things, sure, but not romance. Not until he’d met Oliver.

When he took a break for lunch, Enzo texted Luca, and when he found out he was at the deli, he headed in that direction.

Found Luca in a T-shirt and an apron, gloves on, sleeves metaphorically rolled up, mixing up meatballs in a gigantic metal bowl in the back kitchen.

“Hey,” Luca said. “You’re lucky you caught me before I got my hands in this. What’s up?”

“What are you making?” Enzo leaned in, sniffed. The mixture was raw, sure, but it looked and smelled delicious.

“A variation of Nonna’s meatballs with ground chicken, roasted garlic, and blanched broccoli rabe,” Luca said. “Gabe said he’d done one, as a special, at the food trucks in Los Angeles, and it was popular, so I thought I’d try it here.”

“Sounds good.” Enzo’s stomach grumbled. “How long til they’re ready? I’m starving.”

“Been working all morning, huh? Give me twenty minutes and I can get them on a sandwich for you. You can be my first taste tester.”

“Perfect,” Enzo said. “And yeah. Just finishing up the outlines. I think tomorrow I’ll be able to start on the actual paint. I’m running out to Charleston tonight, to get paint. You need anything?”

Luca shook his head. “It’s coming along. I walked by it yesterday and I swear I can already feel the waves and the wind,” he said, giving Enzo an approving smile. He finished mixing with one last flourish, and turned to the sink, meticulously scrubbing his hands. “So, you gonna tell me why you really came by? If you just wanted food, you’d have called the main deli line and ordered.”

Enzo leaned against the long stainless steel counter and forced himself to relax. He’d told Luca about Will already. Talking about him more wasn’t a big deal. After all, everyone was supposed to be buying into the show, not just his mother.

“I’m taking Will out on Monday,” Enzo said.

To his surprise, Luca frowned. “Again?”

“Of course again. To hear the rest of the town talk about it, our first date was the greatest in the history of Indigo Bay.”

But Luca was still frowning. “No, that’s your mother who keeps saying that to anyone who will listen. I was convinced, after Rocco talked to me, that you were just doing it to get her off your ass. Not because you really liked him.”

“I . . .uh . . .that’s not true.”

---