Page 14 of Reaching Roland

We really had. And he’d become more than just a client during that time. “Friends, right?”

He nudged me with his arm. “That's right.” We were both quiet for a few minutes, just finding the best fruit and dropping it into our buckets. I got lost in my head, thinking about the different people I’d met and the situations I'd been in since I moved here.

“You know, not everyone kept me hidden away, though. They just never turned into overly long relationships. Our interests didn't really line up, and I never felt like the other person was as invested as me. Maybe I came across as too needy.”

“I got lucky with Rhonda. She was always there, and I never had to hit the dating scene, but I imagine it’s hard. Especially when you’re searching for forever.”

“I think it's harder when I find someone to really date instead of when I spend a couple of days with someone and then realize they were just using me for a fuck.”Oops. I threw my hand over my mouth.

Roland barked out a laugh. “I hate to tell you, but I’ve had sex before.”

Recently, I wondered. Not wanting to be nosey, I let out a dramatic gasp and took a step back. “You have?”

Looking smug, he said, “In fact, I've even had sex since Rhonda passed, but if you ever breathe a word of that to my son, I'll deny it.”

I guess that answered my question. “Well, a man does have needs,” I teased. “But you said you really don’t do anything, so how are you finding a bed partner?”

Roland shook his head, looking at me with so much fondness it surprised me. “You’re impertinent. And I’m not telling.” I felt honored that he’d even shared that much, so I dropped it.

We kept talking as we walked up and down a couple of aisles, stopping here and there and filling our baskets with the most luscious berries we could find. When my stomach growled for the third time, Roland threw back his head and laughed. “Okay, that's it. Our containers are full enough, so let’s head back and feed your belly.”

Thinking eating now might get me out of the invitation to go to his house for dinner later, I nodded. “That sounds good. I snuck a few strawberries, but all they've done is make me hungrier.”

He side-eyed me. “A few?”

“What? It was only a few.”

“A few every bush we stopped at, maybe.”

Damn. Busted. “Daddy,” I whined. “Stop picking on me.”

Roland shook his head, chuckling, and we headed back to the spot where the truck stopped to give us a ride back to the area near the entrance where they had the children's games, petting farm, and food booths.

“What would you like?” Roland asked as he helped me off the truck. “Do you think you want to try one of those crepes with the strawberries?”

“I really want strawberry shortcake,” I said, my mouth watering at the thought of my favorite deliciousness.

“Hmm. If you come over for dinner, I’ll make it for you for dessert. I'll even throw in homemade whipped cream.”

I stopped short. “You make homemade whipped cream?”

The grin on his face turned smug. “I do, and it’s much better than that store-bought crap. If we grab something to eat now and leave, I'll even make a stop at the bakery for a nice fresh shortcake on the way home.”

“That's not fair. This is bribery,” I said, holding a finger in the air in righteous indignation. “I let you in on how much I love it, and now you’re using it to your advantage.”

Roland waggled his eyebrows. “They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.”

I didn’t know about that. In my case, I thought it might be caring about my shoes and pre-purchasing tickets. “You drive a hard bargain, Daddy, but you're on.” He directed me past the dessert stand with kettle corn, funnel cakes, and lemonade and toward the actual building that had the strawberry delicacies. When we were almost there, I saw a directional sign that pointed down a path for go-karts. “Can we go do that?”

Roland glanced down the gravel road skeptically. “I think I'm a little too old for that.”

Clucking my tongue, I planted one hand on my hip and tipped my head. “You are far from old.” He grinned and lifted his pail full of strawberries higher by his side, while pointing at my bucket with his other hand. “And what will we do with the strawberries while we drive go-karts?”

Hmm. I was pretty sure the farm had somewhere we could place them while we rode since they had the attraction all the way back here, so Roland’s excuse not to ride was ridiculous. But I also really wanted strawberry shortcake for dessert. I glanced at my watch. “The bakery will probably close before we get there if we stay here too much longer, right?”

“You’re willing to potentially sacrifice our strawberries to play games, but you're not willing to sacrifice your sweet treat?”

“Strawberry shortcake, Daddy. Strawberry. Shortcake. We need the shortcake. Strawberries and fresh whipped cream would still be good, but with the shortcake, yum.”

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