Page 14 of Cherry on Top

Rocco laughed.

Maybe Enzo would’ve found it equally funny if he hadn’t been all butt hurt about Will’s graffiti accusations and then reverted back to his teenage form. Acting way too much like the stuck-up prick that he’d been before he’d ever left Indigo Bay.

“Ouch,” Oliver said softly. “Let me guess, you found out that info—both of you found out that info—in the worst possible way.”

Enzo nodded. “I knew on my way here for dinner I’d pass the building, so I thought I’d take a look at it. Test some paint on the brick. He caught me. Accused me of painting his building with graffiti.”

“Ouch,” Rocco said this time. “Were you your normal charming self?”

Enzo winced and figured that was enough of an answer.

“I know how hard he worked to get all the old graffiti off that building,” Oliver said slowly. “It took him a solid week. I told him it was a waste of time, but he refused to listen. Said he wasn’t going to let some punk kids win.”

“And then he thought you were one of those punk kids,” Rocco said, chuckling.

“Yeah.”

“Ouch,” Oliver said for the third time and when Enzo made a face, Oliver shot him an apologetic look. “I know I keep saying it, but it applies. Will’s really nice.”

“And hot, too,” Rocco added, again.

Enzo had been trying not to think about that particular fact, but it was hard when Rocco kept bringing it up.

“But I can see how that probably hit him the wrong way,” Oliver continued, only shooting Rocco a quick glare over his interruption.

“I bet you were pissed because you showed up all big shot artist and he accused you of vandalism,” Rocco said.

“It . . .it could’ve gone better,” Enzo agreed.

“What could’ve gone better?” Luca asked, pushing open the glass door between the house and the patio.

“Everything okay?” Oliver asked his husband as he leaned in, dropping a kiss on the top of his head.

“Yeah, I just had to grab another three-gallon bucket of vanilla bean from Oliver. Someone left it too close to the freezer door—you know the spot—and it got weird and crystallized. Thawed and then re-froze a few times.” Then Luca grinned, soft and earnest in a way he’d never been when he’d first come here. “But the good news was I got Will to give us a few pints for dessert.” He set a paper bag, white and striped with the same bright cherry pink as the new awning over the old hardware store, on the table between their chairs.

“Speaking of Will,” Oliver said, “Enzo met him tonight.”

“Oh?” Luca opened the bag and began passing out little cardboard pints, all printed in that same distinctive pink and white stripe.

“You know how Giana told you Enzo’s painting a mural while he’s here? Apparently it’s Will’s building and she didn’t bother to ask him.”

Luca glanced over at Enzo as he handed him a container and a spoon. “I’d heard that,” he said carefully. “From Will himself. Ouch.”

“Can everyone stop saying that?” Enzo complained.

“And Will totally thought Enzo was painting graffiti on the side of his building,” Rocco added.

“Ouch,” Luca repeated, shooting Enzo an apologetic smile.

“Clearly I’m gonna have to apologize.” He didn’t sound happy about it, because he wasn’t happy about it.

“I kinda think that should be Auntie,” Rocco said.

“Oh, she will,” Enzo promised darkly. “But I will, too. I just want to know before I talk to her—before I talk to Will—why would she do that?”

Oliver shot him a commiserating glance as he popped the lid off his ice cream and made a satisfied noise. “Rocco already told you why,” Oliver said, then turned to Luca. “You got me the tuxedo,” he said, giving him the kind of gooey smile that would’ve made Enzo crazy with jealousy five years ago, but only made him glad his cousin had found someone so good to love now.

“Of course I did. The rest of us got a flavor Will says he’s trying out. Cherry Brown Butter Brickle. So feedback’s welcome.”

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