"You're in love with this woman or did you give her a child?"
"Please, don't ask me that."
"Are you in love with her, Daniel?" Francesco bowed his head, praying that it could finally be true.
"I don't even know what love for a woman is! I'm ashamed of that, but if you must know the guts of it all, I never even took her to bed! She is making me crazy! I can't stop thinking about her and now she's gone!"
Francesco listened to his son's voice crack more. "Come home, Daniel. You must be able to get to the airport and take a regular plane to New York. If you can't, I'm afraid you'll have to stay and earn the money."
"I have to tie some things up over here at the farm. This lady named Rosie is a sweetheart, and I can't hurt her. She took me in and gave me work, even cooks for me, and I won't leave until I know she's going to be okay."
"You mean to tell me you aren't just going to leave loose ends and go running out the door?"
"No, those days are done."
Francesco hung up the phone, sat down, and hit the buzzer on his desk. Carl walked into the study shortly afterward.
"Yes, Francesco, can I get you anything?"
"I want you to find out what you can about this Rosie Daniel is working for. I want to know why she's so important to my son. Maybe she knows who he really is and is using him."
"I'll get right on it, Francesco. Is Daniel coming home?"
"I hope so, I miss him."
Chapter 6
Daniel went outside and hoped he'd spot Rosie. The arguing he soon heard made him run to the side of the house. Sam was yelling, and Rosie was speaking in a firm voice that Daniel had never heard her use before.
"What's going on?" Daniel interrupted as his protective instincts kicked in. He stepped between the two and faced Sam.
"Nothing, John. We just agree to disagree sometimes." Rosie stepped in front of Daniel and smiled at him as Sam kicked the dirt and walked off.
"Why was Sam yelling at you?" Daniel didn't like the looks of any of it. He never heard anything but peace on this quiet farm.
"He's just crotchety, John. Sometimes he forgets that he doesn't own things and that he can't push me around. It's okay though, we're the best of friends and we'd never bring harm to one another." Rosie gave Daniel a hug and stared at him inquisitively. She knew there were things on his mind. She stared at his face for a minute, and finally he took a deep breath and sighed.
"What is it, John? What has you so out of sorts?"
"Rosie, can we sit down and talk?"
"Of course we can, sweetie. I was just getting ready to make a nice cup of coffee if you'd care to join me." Rosie hooked her arm in Daniel's as he produced a forced smile. They walked inside the house, and Rosie stayed hopeful that John had come to talk about his troubles. She hated to see him down like he'd been.
"Rosie," began Daniel when they were both seated. "Do you have someone who can take my place here at the farm?"
"Are you leaving? Is something wrong, John?" Rosie's face got both worried and sad.
"I'm afraid it's time for me to go back to New York, Rosie. But I want you to know that you did more for me than you'll ever know. I'm not going to leave you hanging. I refuse to go until I know you're going to be okay."
"John, that's awfully sweet of you, but I can get another ranch hand. I just need to put the advertisement back up." Rosie tried to smile so she wouldn't cry. She had gotten so close to Daniel.
"I'll stick around until you find another worker. You can't be working as hard as you do." Daniel had been concerned about the amount of work this older woman was doing for months. It just wasn't right. He reached out and gently held her hand.
"Nonsense, John. I thank you for your concern, but I've been doing this all my life. This farm belonged to my late husband. I played here when I was a little girl, worked the land when I got older, and eventually ended up marrying Albert Montoose, my childhood friend. When the land went up for sale, he bought it, and Albert and his father built this house." Rosie paused as she thought about how her life could have been so very different. She never wanted to run a farm, but her husband had been adamant about it. It was the role she married into, not one that she chose. Rosie looked at John's face and saw his worry. "I'm sure your mother and father will be happy their son is coming home!"
"Rosie, my father will be happy to see me. My mother died giving birth to me, and I'm their only child."
Rosie looked at him with such compassion, then stood up to give him a close hug. "I always wanted children, but Albert wasn't able to provide those. But I have my four-legged children!" Rosie laughed at her reference to the horses.
Daniel wasn't laughing. "Rosie, I'm going to give you ways you can contact me. If you ever need anything, let me know and I'll be on the first plane. I plan on coming back to visit you real soon. I promise you that."
"Oh, sweetie, you're young, and you shouldn't be worrying yourself about a stubborn old woman. Now you just go pack your things when you're ready to head on out, and I'll check on flights to New York for you."
"Thanks, Rosie. How about I stay just until you find someone--"
"John, if you don't go I'm going to fire you!" Rosie laughed and pecked him on the cheek, then turned to take the cups to the sink.
"I'll come and say goodbye before I take off, Rosie."
She could only nod in response while she got busy washing the empty cups. She didn't trust her voice. When she heard the door close, she sobbed.
Daniel went in his room and checked on his phone for flight times and ticket costs. He was pleased at how much he'd collected underneath the mattress. If he hurried, he could be at the airport to catch a flight that would depart in a few hours.
Daniel kept a thousand dollars just in case something happened and he ended up stranded. He walked up to the house and saw Rosie, busy typing at the old computer.
"You don't have to look, Rosie. I found a flight that leaves here in a few hours. I just came to tell you goodbye and to thank you for everything you've done for me. It's been a true pleasure working for you. I can't tell you how glad I am that I got to know you. You're incredible." Daniel wrapped his arms around Rosie and held her close. He kissed her cheek and promised to see her soon, while he slipped the remainder of all his money in her sweater pocket.
"You behave yourself out there, John. Remember that you'll always have a place here when you need one, with plenty of love to go around." Rosie started to tear up.
"Okay none of that or you'll have me staying here forever! And I love you too, Rosie. Take care and I'll see you again soon. Please believe that, okay?" Daniel stepped away and smiled at her.
"You got a deal, John. If you ever need me, you call."
Daniel made a quick call to his father to let him know he was on his way home, then got in his pickup and headed to the airport. He looked down at his feet and noticed he'd forgotten to put his work boots on and give Rosie back her husband's cowboy boots. I'll mail them to her. I'm not going back in that house just to say goodbye to her again. Daniel felt such pain in leaving this woman, and he had the feeling that even if she needed help from him, she wouldn't ask. She's the most selfless person I've ever met.
Daniel was midflight before it dawned on him that he didn't even know Katherine's last name. He never bothered to ask. He didn't know the last names of hardly any women he was with. He didn't care. Now he did.
The flight in coach went a lot smoother. He sat by quiet people, and the seat directly in front of him was empty. He was grateful for the extra leg room. After the plane landed, he worried about where the keys to the red pickup truck would be. He certainly didn't want to pay for a cab, or even worse, call his father and tell him he needed a ride home.
"Daniel!"
Daniel turned his head and saw Carl yelling out the back window of the limo.
"Carl, I was just wondering where the red pickup keys were."
"You were really going to drive that thing back home?" Carl laughed at the thought. When he saw how serious Daniel was, he stopped.
"Carl, if you're going to make jokes, I'll just pay for a cab."
"No, Daniel. Forgive me, please."
The ride back to the penthouse was quiet. Daniel tried to close his eyes and rest, not interested in looking at the dirty environment, the people hurrying, and the tall buildings. He definitely wasn't in the mood for more conversations with Carl. He didn't dislike the man, as he'd known him his entire life, but he didn't feel up to fielding questions.
"Here is your wallet, money, and cards, Daniel. In the wallet is the key to your penthouse. Call if you find yourself in need of my assistance. Goodnight."
Saying goodnight and thank you, Daniel got out of the limo and motioned for the guards to let him into the secured parking structure so he could quietly take the back elevators up to the penthouse. The guards paused, but only briefly. They didn't dare question Mr. Daniel Giordano. There sat his white Lamborghini. He stopped by the car and looked over its shine, its sleekness, and the waste of money. The cost of this one car would provide for Rosie for quite some time. Hell, it would even pay for most of Katherine's education and a decent car. Tomorrow, I'll sell it.
He listened to the bland elevator music on the way up to the twenty-fourth floor. Unlocking the door, his first smell was leather. Expensive leather. The fresh air he was exposed to was long gone. He looked out the windows and saw the Empire State Building. I've been there only once. Why was this view so important to me? I'd trade this for the view of the rolling meadow any day. The view of Katherine's face. He walked further around the penthouse that his father had paid tens of millions for. It had been a surprise for Daniel's birthday. Why do I need five bedrooms or five and a half baths? Why did I think I needed any of this? What I need is gone …