“Uncle Andy, do you remember John Williams?”
“Sure do, how ya been? I see ya found Katherine!”
“Good to see you, Andy. My real name is Daniel Giordano. It’s a long story which I’ll explain some day when you’re feeling better.”
Andy’s brow furrowed.
“Uncle Andy, how has the bar been doing?” Katherine needed to change the topic. The last thing she wanted was to get him riled up. Being lied to was a sure way down that path.
“Pretty bad. I lose money every month, and this last week I borrowed a few dollars just to make payroll.”
“Do you think it was the stress from that place?”
“I think so. That and the doc says my diet wasn’t anything to brag about.”
“I don’t think you should go back there and try to run that bar. I also don't believe you were seeing a doctor back home.”
“Katherine, I know you’re just worried, but it’s my job. If I don’t do that, what the hell else will I do? The town’s pretty dead, and I can’t survive on my good looks! The last thing I can afford to pay is medical bills. This is going to cost a mint.”
“Uncle Andy, we want you to come to New York with us. We’ll explain things later, but living out there with no one taking care of you, the bar failing, and the building falling apart isn’t a way to live. Besides, I miss you, and Daniel is going to help me get into the top design school in New York. I can’t stay in Tennessee with you, but you could come and be with me. New York is supposed to be an amazing place.”
“I’m not going to be a burden on anyone.”
“Andy, you’re not going to be a burden. We would love to have you, and I think you’d get along good with my father. He would enjoy the company, and he’s a good man. You also don't have any medical bills.”
“What’s your father do?”
“He’s in the shipping business.” Daniel was hopeful with Andy asking questions.
“Oh, yeah. Like packages and stuff. Does he have his own mail store like in Nashville? They got a pretty good one there.”
“No, not that kind of shipping. He has vessels.”
“Really? I never met anyone who did that. Does he get seasick? Even if he’s a captain, being on a boat can do your stomach in.”
“No he owns them. Many in fact.”
“So your father is a rich man I take it.”
“Uncle Andy, don’t worry about that. The point is, we want all of us to be together.”
“You’re a couple now?” Andy let out one of his laughs.
“No, not a couple, just friends.” Katherine’s cheeks turned red and Andy didn’t miss a beat.
“Bullshit. Look, I lost the woman I loved fifteen years ago. Don’t assume the person you long to be with will be there the next day. Stop wasting time.”
“We’re going to let you get some rest, Uncle Andy. We’ll be back in a couple of hours, okay? We have to get our luggage.”
“What the hell happened to your luggage? The airport eat it?”
“We accidently left it—“
Daniel cut her off. “Yeah, it’s in the car.” This was just too much information for Andy to take in. He was glad that Katherine was ending the visit, but knew he would definitely have to work on the ‘just friends’ part. There was no way he was going to lose her.
When the area for the horses was complete, Francesco came and got Rosie and led her outside by the hand. He did a good job by keeping her away from that side of the mansion so he could surprise her. He’d also warned all the staff.
“Okay, my sweet. Now you have to close your beautiful eyes.”
Rosie smiled, closed her eyes, and let Francesco lead her around the side of the estate. When he had her standing in front of the beautiful red barn, he bent down, kissed her lips softly, and told her to open her eyes.
“Oh my! Francesco, you did this for me? You told me you would make an area for my horses, but I had no idea you were doing all of this! Thank you so much!” Rosie wrapped her arms around him and whispered in his ear for the fifth time that day, “I love you, Francesco.”
“I love you too, my Rosie. Now I have one more surprise for you.” Francesco got his phone out and dialed a number, let it ring, then hung up.
As soon as Rosie was ready to ask him why he hung up on someone, she turned her head in the direction of a truck. As it rounded the bend, Rosie could see the trailer carrying her horses.
She let the tears come out and ran to meet the truck, then ran back to Francesco and kissed him, then ran back again to the truck. She helped Amos back the horses out and led them to their new home. The barn and stable area were spacious and beautiful.