Page 21 of Reaching Roland

Me:For fuck’s sake. You’re not old!

Daddy Roland:lol. Go spend time with your friends. I’ll talk to you later.

Will cleared his throat—loudly. “Why are you smiling?”

“I’m not,” I said, attempting to pull my lips down into a neutral line. Glancing around, I realized John had left the room. “So how’s John?”

Will wrinkled his nose. “Really?” He sighed dramatically. “Fine, I’ll go first, and then you’re going to spill. My Daddy is actually a little frustrated.”

Since I’d been trying to put off the inevitable conversation about Roland, I was surprised. “He seemed like his normal self during dinner.”

“I know. He’s trying to hide it from me, but he’s sick of the rat race.”

“He’s a venture capitalist, right?”

Will nodded. “Yep. I keep telling him he should quit. He’s made a ridiculous amount of money between his career and his investments. We have plenty. But he said he’s too young to retire, and he’d get bored. I don’t know.”

I hummed. “I know, it’s frustrating. Roland doesn’t like what he’s doing anymore, either. Indie’s been trying to talk him into quitting and starting his own handyman business, but I don’t think Roland’s taking him all that seriously.”

“Roland, huh?” He arched his perfectly sculpted eyebrows.

Shit.“Yes, Roland. It’s no big deal. He comes into the salon, and we’ve hung out a couple of times.”

Will grinned slyly, like the cat who caught the canary. “I know. Indie told me all about your Daddy’s weekly visits. If I’m not mistaken, that’s where those strawberries came from, too, right? Your little strawberry date, shortcake.”

I huffed and opened the limeDum DumI’d placed next to my plate for after dinner and plopped it into the side of my cheek. “You little sneak. Is that why you invited me to dinner tonight?”

“I was going to have you over soon, anyway. It’s been too long. But, yes, I have to admit that you and Roland have been a hot topic in our Toby’s Crew Group Chat.”

My jaw dropped. I’d heard about this text message group. It included all of the boys who’d worked at The Tap and found their partners postingWanted: Daddysigns on the bar community board. They’d included Will, and his best friend, Timothy, whenTimothy had accidentally stumbled on the sign and found his own happily-ever-after. Since then, it had grown as their group of Daddies found boys of their own. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

He shook his head. “Nope.” He popped the P. “This is the most interesting thing to happen since Luca and Harrison got together. I have to admit, I ignored it at first since I’d never heard you express any interest in John and my lifestyle?—”

“Or the fact that Roland’s neither gay, nor a Daddy.”

Will pfft. “Roland’s so a Daddy. Maybe he’s never engaged in the lifestyle, but he can’t help himself. And now he’s calling you shortcake?” He threw his hands up in the air. “The guy is on the cusp of something brand-new.”

My pulse sped up, but I ignored it and glared at Will. “You’re wrong. He’s very paternal, that’s all. And come on, Will. You know me. The last thing I need is to fall for another straight man. Why would you give me false hope?”

His hand shot out and covered my clenched fist, his face going serious. “I’m sorry, Kenny. Shit. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Will could be a bit much at times, but he was a good man with a big heart. “It’s alright. I know you didn’t mean any harm.”

He squeezed my hand. “No, it’s not okay. I got caught up in all the chatter in our messages and didn’t consider your feelings.”

Groaning, I covered my face. “That’s so embarrassing.”

He snorted. “Luckily, I convinced Toby and Indie not to add you.”

“But I’m not a boy. Why would they do that?” Peeking at him between my fingers, I asked, “What is even happening? How did I become gossip material?”

He pulled on my wrists until I uncovered my face. “I don’t think anyone meant anything by it. Indie’s been worried about Roland and how alone he’s been since he stopped hanging out with his longtime friends.”

“I hate that he had to do that,” I said. There was a big difference between alone and lonely, and I worried that Roland was in the same space as me—lonely. I didn’t like the thought of the thoughtful man suffocating in the sadness that I’d been drowning in.

Will frowned. “Me, too. But I understand where Indie’s coming from. Getting Roland and Cameron back in his life was a huge win for him, and more than he ever thought possible. I’m not sure he’d have been able to handle it if all his parents’ old friends had found out that his father had actually abandoned him and sided with his dad. At least this way, he has hope that some of them would maybe react like Roland did.”

Which explained why Indie was hesitating about becoming a speaker for the Outreach center even more. “I get that. But it still doesn’t explain why anyone thinks he’s interested in me romantically.”

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