Page 96 of Cherry on Top

Well, if that was all Rocco was doing, Enzo could hardly blame him for that.

Enzo’s hand, lingering on Will’s leg, squeezed his knee reassuringly. I’m here. I got you. He couldn’t say it out loud, but he could tell Will in every other way that they were a team in this. Setting boundaries was hard and painful. Nobody would leave this conversation happy, but it had to be done.

“It’s not,” Will argued. “How would you even know? You’ve just showed up here for the first time. And only because you needed something.”

“Well, it’s good we did, or we might never know you were hiding a boyfriend,” Carla said, amused.

“If Enzo’s traveling all the time for work, then I don’t see what the big deal is that Will travels, too,” Patrick argued.

He would think that. Enzo was beginning to understand why Will had gotten frustrated arguing with his parents. They were pretty damn slippery.

“It’s not about me traveling,” Will argued. “It’s about me setting down roots here. We’re trying to make a life here.”

“You just started dating,” Carla said. Enzo had a feeling she wasn’t trying to be dismissive but it came across dismissive anyway.

Enzo had been trying to not escalate the situation, but he wasn’t sure he had a choice anymore.

Enzo squeezed Will’s hand again. A warning. And something else too. A prepare yourself.

“Not just dating,” he said, working hard at keeping his voice even. “Will’s not just my boyfriend; he’s my fiancé. We’re getting married. Will can’t leave, not now. Not just because of his business. That’s the kind of life we’re building together.”

“What,” Carla exclaimed.

“I thought you said this was new!” Patrick argued. “How could you be engaged?”

Enzo was afraid to see the look on Will’s face when he turned to look at him, but there was no anger, no frustration, no anything except pure fucking relief.

He’d taken a risk, but he’d also known how it had felt, when he’d had to do this exact same thing with his mother. The guilt he’d endured.

Maybe if Will’s parents didn’t think that it was just a fleeting thing, if they knew it was serious between them, maybe they’d stop pushing so goddamned hard.

“We uh . . .we’ve been talking for a long time, before we met in person,” Will improvised. “His mom thought we’d be a good match and gave me his phone number. When we met in person . . .” Will trailed off and gazed into Enzo’s eyes, deeply. He’s really good at faking this. If he’s faking it at all. “I already knew he was the man for me. Seeing him in person, being with Enzo, it only confirmed what I already knew.”

“Oh. Well. That does change things a bit.” Carla appeared to have softened, considerably. “We’re very happy for you two. Congratulations.”

“A bit surprised,” Patrick added, but he was smiling now, “but yes, very happy. We’ll manage on Tybee.”

Enzo could barely believe that had worked. He’d hoped it might, but he certainly hadn’t expected it to.

“Thanks, Dad,” Will said dryly.

No doubt he was thinking the same thing Enzo was: they wouldn’t accept me saying no when it was about my business, but I meet a man and that’s all that matters.

It was ridiculous but Enzo wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Good, ’cause I’m not ready to let go of him yet,” Will said, and his voice wasn’t quite steady.

“I’d hope not,” Patrick said, “if you’re going to marry him.”

Enzo was insane.

Enzo was insane and wonderful and brilliant, and Will had never wanted to kiss him more than he did right now.

Or tell him he loved him. Because he’d thought he might, before, but when Enzo had walked in, cocky and confident and so sure, ready to face head-on the messiness of his parents even though Will had warned him off, he’d been sure.

It was the moment he knew.

Maybe not the moment he’d knew he’d marry Enzo, but the moment he knew this was serious for him.

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