Page 210

Mollie Wilson: How are you faster than me?
Kerry Winsor: Oh, these thumbs can MOVE!
Openingday of the strawberry patches dawned so vibrantly that it felt like fate. I’d transformed the front field to be a parking lot, posted on every social media I could, and even ran a few ads to make sure people knew about us.
We had plenty of berries to go around, and I could only hope that my plan worked.
Early that morning, I did my usual walk of the fields, making sure there were enough ripened for everyone to enjoy.
Massive red berries dotted each field. It was obvious my work had paid off. They looked delicious, and while I was pretty sure Eric had snuck some, I hadn’t tried one myself.
I knew I couldn’t until someone else got the first one.
“Eric!” I called. “I know you’re out here!”
“I’m not doing anything!” he said. “I was just moving the flags.”
He’d “moved” the flags that would tell people where to pick four times yesterday.
“Sure.” I put my hands on my hips. “I won’t call you out if you go get your dad for me.”
A bright smile bloomed on his face, the same one that always did when someone used Cain’s new title. The check had gone through, and he’d officially started the adoption process, but Eric had called him his dad from the second he could.
Cain didn’t know it, but Kerry had taken to calling him Eric’s dad on every social media platform. He was aware the town knew, but I’d seen his new title more than his name.
Which was a lot, considering we were both in the town news frequently since the farm was opening again.
“You rang, princess?” Cain made his way to me. “I can’t stay long. I need to collect all the eggs before this place is swamped.”
“I won’t keep you.” I bent down and picked a berry. “Just making true on my promise.”
“The first berry, huh? I was so right about us.”
“Technically, the town was.”
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t ruin the moment.”
I handed the ripened berry to him and watched as he took a bite.
“Dammit,” he said. “These are as good as I remember.”
“Yes! Now it’s my turn.”
I grabbed my own and ate everything but the leaves in one bite. Sweet flavor exploded on my tongue, and I was transported to my childhood. I hadn’t had berries this good in years.
“I see why you ate a bunch,” I said to Eric.
He gasped dramatically. “I didn’t!”
“Lying doesn’t suit you,” Cain added.
“Fine, Dad.” He rolled his eyes in the same way Cain did. “I’m gonna gonotsteal more.” He winked and then ran off.
“That kid,” Cain said, but he was smiling as he watched.
“Are you ever gonna get used to being called Dad?”
“No.”