Page 26 of Cherry on Top

Enzo wondered if it was because of him.

That thing inside him clenched harder.

“Hey,” Will said, giving him an even deeper, sweeter smile. “How’s it going?”

“Good. You?”

“Oh, we’ve been busy, but like I expected, it’s been slowing down.” The smile deepened even further, like nothing could have delighted Will more.

Enzo was helpless to smile back, even though there were probably half a dozen people in the shop who were going to report back to his mother—and to anyone else who would listen—that he and the newbie in town had been flirting over ice cream.

“Lucky for me,” Enzo murmured. “I don’t know what I want, so you’d better suggest something for me to try.”

“I got you,” Will said confidently, conspiratorially. “You like chocolate?”

Enzo shot him a look. “Doesn’t everyone?”

“You’d be surprised. But I’m not surprised you do.” Will’s voice lowered and leaned in, right over the counter. “Your eyes are like the best Valrhona in my storeroom.”

Enzo knew he had the Moretti good looks but it was still one of the best compliments he’d ever received. “I’d say thank you, but I didn’t have much to do with them.”

Will nodded, once, decisively. “I’m gonna make you my tuxedo milkshake. You good with that?”

“I trust you,” Enzo said and realized, to his own surprise, that he didn’t necessarily distrust Will.

“Go ahead and take a seat and I’ll bring it out. Joy’s already out there, and I’ve told her what I’m hoping for. She’s very excited,” Will said, waving towards the seating area.

Enzo wanted to warn him that he hadn’t made any promises, but it was hard to burst the happy bubble that seemed to envelop him.

“Alright,” Enzo said.

When Enzo turned around, sure enough there was an empty chair, right next to Joy Billings, who appeared to be halfway through her dish of ice cream.

“Hi, Joy,” Enzo said, sliding into the chair after giving her a quick embrace. “It’s good to see you.”

“Oh, Enzo. Welcome home.” There’d been a time when Joy’s voice had been downright chilly, back when he’d resented Oliver for the failure of their date, but so much had changed.

He’d changed, and then he’d done everything he could—save move home to Indigo Bay—to make it right with both the mother and the son.

“I see you’ve discovered how delicious the ice cream is here,” he said as she scooped up a bite of ice cream the exact color of coffee with cream.

“Ugh, it’s so good,” Joy said, making a face. “It’s become my favorite new way to procrastinate when a book’s giving me trouble.”

“Your secret’s safe with me, if you do me a favor.”

She raised an eyebrow, gone mostly gray. Unlike her hair, she didn’t dye those. Today her short wavy locks were a sweet shade of lavender. “Is this the same favor Will asked me for?” she asked.

Enzo nodded.

An excited gleam appeared in her hazel eyes. “Are you really going to paint the story?”

“I’m thinking about it,” Enzo said. “Will wants me to. But that’s not normally how I do things. I’m . . .” He cleared his throat. “I’m trying to make an exception considering how my mom didn’t even ask him if it was okay.”

Joy nodded solemnly. “I told her she should have.”

“And you didn’t do it yourself?” It was a fair question.

“Ah, well, she said she would.” Joy shrugged. “I assumed she would.”

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