Chapter 23
23
MARNIN
T he fresh air nipped at our cheeks as Ennio and I strolled down the sidewalk of Main Street. His arm brushed against mine with each step, sending little jolts through my body. I tried to focus on our conversation but found myself distracted by the way the light caught his blond hair.
“I’m telling you, Marnin, that new moisturizer is a game-changer,” Ennio was saying, gesturing animatedly. “My skin feels softer than a baby’s bottom.”
I quirked an eyebrow at him. “And you know this from extensive baby-bottom-touching experience?”
He swatted my arm, laughing. “You know what I mean, you grump.”
I grinned despite myself. Ennio’s enthusiasm was infectious, even if I didn’t share his passion for skincare routines. As we walked, I found my eyes drawn to his hands—slender fingers tipped with shimmery blue polish that matched his eyes. He had such elegant hands. I’d never thought of myself as someone who would be attracted to hands, but his were as perfect as the rest of him.
And also, when the fuck had I started noticing things like that?
“Earth to Marnin.” Ennio waved a hand in front of my face. “You in there?”
I blinked. “Sorry, I was…admiring the view.” The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Ennio’s eyes widened slightly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. “Oh? See something you like?”
I caught myself a fraction of a second before leaning in and kissing him. In public. In broad daylight. In fucking Forestville. Not that the news about us hadn’t made the rounds already, but still. I was usually more discreet than that, never providing the town with fodder for gossip.
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “You look nice today. Very nice. I love your, erm, nail polish.”
Ennio’s smile stole my breath. “Thank you.”
My heart raced. What was I doing?
We lapsed into silence for a moment, the air thick with unspoken words. As we approached Billy’s General Store, Ennio headed for the door. “Oh, let’s pop in and say hi to Patty.”
I followed, breathing a sigh of relief at the change of subject.
The bell above the door chimed as we entered. Patty—who’d been working here for at least the last twenty years—looked up from behind the counter, her face lighting up when she saw Ennio.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite customer!” she called out. “And you brought the grumpy one with you.”
I rolled my eyes good-naturedly as Ennio made his way to the counter. “Now, Patty, you know Marnin’s a teddy bear under all that scruff,” he said, reaching back to pat my bearded cheek.
The casual touch sent a shiver down my spine. I stood there, frozen, as Ennio and Patty chatted away like old friends. Which, I supposed, they were. Ennio had a way of charming everyone he met, and his roots were deep here in town.
“…isn’t that right, Marnin?” Ennio’s voice broke through my thoughts.
“Hm? Oh yeah. Sure,” I said, having no idea what I was agreeing to.
Patty laughed. “You’ve got it bad, don’t you?” she said, looking at me with a knowing smile.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mumbled.
Ennio glanced between us, confused. “What am I missing?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly. “We should get going. Lots to do today.”
As we said our goodbyes and left the store, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something fundamental had shifted between Ennio and me. Yes, I had publicly affirmed we were seeing each other, but it was more than that. That statement had been a mere formality, a confirmation of what I’d known already, of the…
Jesus fucking Christ, I had feelings for him. Actual feelings. The soft, fuzzy kind that made me all discombobulated—and I didn’t do discombobulated. Period. Except apparently, I did, along with all kinds of other feelings I’d never done before. What the hell was happening to me?
“I wanna see if Collins has my tea,” Ennio said.
“Tea?”
“It’s a special blend they order for me.”
I frowned. “Wouldn’t it be cheaper off Amazon?”
“Probably, but not by a lot, and I want to keep them in business.”
I followed him as he stepped into Collins Family Grocer. The store was decorated in fall themes for Thanksgiving, with a veritable explosion of orange and brown with the occasional yellow thrown in. It came straight from the nineties, if not the eighties, yet it had a certain charm. The whole store was a throwback to an era long gone, and I had no idea how it had survived this long.
Ennio made a beeline straight for the counter. “Dottie, did my tea come in?”
“It sure did, honey.” Old Dottie—the woman had to be pushing eighty by now—slowly rose from her high chair and reached for a little orange tin on the shelf behind the counter. “Came in last week.”
“Sorry, I was in Seattle,” Ennio said with a sigh.
“Why on earth would you do that? People here are much nicer,” Dottie said, and for once, I agreed with her. I didn’t like people, but if I did, the ones in Forestville were more tolerable than the population of Seattle. Well, those I’d met anyway. Small-town friendliness was a cliché for a reason.
Ennio’s face fell. “I have a job there now, so I have little choice.”
Dottie made a sympathetic sound. “I’m so sorry The Lodge closed on you, honey. Maybe the new owners will want you back once they reopen?”
“Maybe. Could take months though.”
“You should open your own place. From what I heard, you did a stellar job catering your dad’s birthday party.”
Ennio swallowed, pain radiating off him. “I wish I could, Dottie, but that costs a lot of money.”
“Hmm, I suppose you’re right. It’s a shame because the building next to Brianna’s is empty, and it would be perfect for a restaurant.”
Ennio straightened. “That catering business left?”
Dottie snorted. “You knew they wouldn’t survive here. We’re not fancy enough for what they offered. We need a family restaurant with real, home-cooked food. None of that fancy rich people stuff. Couldn’t even pronounce half the dishes.”
I repressed my smile, instead leaning forward. “So the building already has a kitchen?”
Ennio nodded. “It has a full kitchen with a walk-in freezer and everything.”
“And there’s enough space for tables?”
“They only utilized half the property, but it has plenty of space. I mean, it would need to be properly updated and everything, but it has the space. And it’s already zoned for commercial use.”
He must’ve looked into this in the past. Otherwise, he would’ve never known all these details. Maybe he’d even been saving in the hopes of being able to buy or lease that specific location. I filed that bit of knowledge away.
“Anyway, thanks, Dottie, for my tea.”
“As always, a pleasure, honey. Don’t be a stranger now.”
As we left the store, Ennio’s hand brushed against mine, and I fought the urge to grab it. Since when was I a public-handholding kind of guy? I barely recognized myself anymore.
“Ooh, let’s stop at Brianna’s!” Ennio suggested, already heading toward the bakery. “I’m dying for some of her apple pie.”
I followed, helpless to resist the pull of his enthusiasm—and if I was honest, the promise of trying Brianna’s legendary pie. The sweet aroma of baked goods wrapped around us as we entered, and Ennio’s eyes lit up at the display case. “She still has some.”
“Aw, look at you two…” Brianna practically had hearts in her eyes when she spotted us, but apparently, the dark look I shot her was menacing enough to prevent her from saying more.
“Two slices of Dutch apple and two coffees, please,” Ennio ordered, then turned to me. “Unless you want something else?”
I shook my head, amused. “I trust your judgment.”
The Dutch apple pie came with a big dollop of freshly whipped cream, and it was the best thing I’d ever had. No wonder people drove down here from Seattle to eat her pastries. The woman was a genius.
We settled into a cozy corner table, our knees brushing under the table. I tried to ignore the jolt of electricity that shot through me at the contact.
“So,” Ennio said, taking a big bite of pie and closing his eyes in bliss. “Mmm, this is heaven. I love being back in town.”
A dab of whipped cream clung to his upper lip, and I reached out and wiped it away, then licked my finger. “Little has changed.”
“That’s the charm of small towns, that they change so slowly. It’s comforting.”
I took a sip of coffee, buying time to gather my thoughts. “I’ve always thought it boring, to be honest. But it feels a little different today. Seeing it through your eyes makes me realize it can be charming.”
“Like me?” Ennio teased, batting his lashes dramatically.
I laughed, feeling some of the tension ease. “Yeah, like you.”
Ennio’s smile softened. “I’m glad.”
We talked about everything and nothing as we sipped our coffee and finished our pie, and I let myself get lost in the cadence of his voice, in the way his hands danced as he talked, in the warmth of his presence across from me. I didn’t want this moment to end. I wanted to stay in this cozy corner with Ennio forever. The realization both thrilled and terrified me.
We stepped out of Brianna’s Bakery, the bell chiming softly behind us. The late afternoon sun bathed Main Street in a warm, golden light, and I was hyperaware of Ennio’s presence beside me. His arm brushed against mine as we walked, sending sparks of electricity through my body. Only this time, I didn’t resist it.
My hand slipped out of my pocket and reached for his. For a heart-stopping moment, I hesitated, hovering inches from his skin. Then, before I could lose my nerve, I took Ennio’s hand in mine.
His fingers were warm and soft, fitting perfectly against my callused palm. He looked up at me, surprise flickering across his face, followed by a slow, radiant smile that made my heart skip a beat. “Well, hello there,” he said softly, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.
A possessive warmth surged through me, and I tightened my grip slightly. “Hey,” I murmured back.
We continued our walk hand in hand, and I marveled at how natural it felt. How right. The world seemed to narrow to the two of us, the rest of Forestville fading into a pleasant background hum.
Before I knew it, we were standing in front of Ennio’s house. I reluctantly let go of his hand as he fished for his keys. A strange panic filled me.
“I need to…” I cleared my throat. “Would you mind if I stopped by to visit with your brother? Didn’t have much of a chance to catch up with him yesterday.”
Surprise flickered in Ennio’s eyes, but he hid it quickly. “Of course. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”
Before I realized it, I leaned in for a kiss. “I promise I won’t be long.”
Jesus, this sappy shit had to stop. I stalked away, not looking back until I’d rounded the corner.
The sheriff’s office was only a short walk, and when I entered the station, Waylon was manning the reception. “Hey, Marnin.”
“Deputy. Is the boss in?”
He nodded. “You know the way.”
I sure did. Auden’s office was neat as a pin, as usual, and he sat behind his desk, a deep frown on his forehead as he studied whatever was on his screen. When he looked up and saw me, his face broke open in a wide smile. “Thank fuck you’re here.”
I snorted. “That’s not a common reaction when people see me.”
“I was dying of boredom trying to write this report, so your timing is excellent, as always.”
He crossed the room and pulled me into a bear hug. I stiffened for a moment, then relaxed, allowing myself to hug him back. This was Auden. My friend. My rock.
“Good to see you too, you old coot,” I mumbled into his shoulder, the familiar banter coming easily despite my inner turmoil.
Auden pulled back, his hands on my shoulders as he studied my face. “Everything all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I barked out a laugh that sounded hollow even to my own ears. “Not a ghost. Just…can we sit? I need to talk to you about something.”
Concern flickered across Auden’s face, but he nodded, gesturing to the worn leather couch in the corner of his office. “Of course. What’s on your mind?”
As we settled on the couch, I found myself at a loss for words. How could I explain the storm of emotions raging inside me? The way Ennio’s smile made my heart skip a beat, or how his touch sent electricity coursing through my veins?
“It’s about Ennio,” I finally managed. “I… Christ, Auden, I think I’m in trouble here.” I ran a hand through my hair, frustration and confusion bubbling inside me. “I can’t stop thinking about him. Every little thing he does… It’s like I’m seeing him for the first time, you know? And I have all these feelings inside me that I don’t even recognize, this soft and mushy stuff. I’ve never felt like this, and I don’t know what to do.”
“I gotta admit I was shocked when you claimed him at the party yesterday.”
Claimed him? Was that how he saw it? But I’d…
Come to think of it, he wasn’t wrong, was he? I had claimed Ennio, had announced to everyone we were together. “It felt right,” I said weakly.
Auden leaned back, a knowing look in his eyes. “There’s a sentence I’ve never heard you utter before, Mr. I Don’t Do Feelings.”
“Tell me about it. I don’t even recognize myself. Today, we were just walking down Main Street, and I… I took his hand.” I let out a shaky breath. “I took his goddamn hand like a teenager, Auden. And it felt so right. Like our hands were meant to fit together, and I swear, I can’t believe the words coming out of my mouth.”
My friend nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I always knew that when you fell, you’d fall hard. Looks like that time has finally come.”
“Fall?”
“You’ve fallen in love with Ennio, my friend.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Love? Was that what this was? “I can’t be,” I protested weakly. “I don’t… I’ve never…”
“Never been in love before?” Auden finished for me. “I know, but you sure as fuck are now.”
I closed my eyes, memories of Ennio flooding my mind. His laughter, his kindness, the way he looked at me like I was something precious. I swallowed as I opened my eyes again. “Are you… Are you okay with this? With him and me?”
Auden never hesitated but took my hand and pressed it. “I am now.”
“Because you think I’ve fallen for him?”
“Because I can see you care for him…and that you’re changing. You may not recognize yourself, but I see glimpses of the boy I knew, that tender, caring, big heart underneath all your masks and defensive layers. He’s good for you…and you’re good for him. I’ve never seen him as happy as he was yesterday with you by his side. My best friend and my little brother.” He had to swallow. “It isn’t what I expected, but fuck if it isn’t the best thing ever.”
“What if I mess this up?” I whispered, voicing my deepest fear. “What if I hurt him?”
Auden’s hand came to rest on my shoulder, a comforting weight. “Love always comes with risks, but from what I’ve seen, you and Ennio… You’ve got something special. Don’t let fear hold you back from happiness.”
I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. “How do I…? What do I do now?”
“Be honest,” Auden said simply. “With yourself and with Ennio. Tell him how you feel. Love thrives on honesty and communication.”
Love. The realization hit me like a tidal wave, overwhelming and all-consuming.
I was in love with Ennio Frant.
And all I wanted was to make him happy.
“Listen, change of subject, but can I ask you something about that property next to Brianna’s?”