After their shower, Katherine grabbed a towel and dried them both off. “Now I’m really hungry!”
“I’m pretty hungry myself. You sure do know how to make an appetite appear, and I’m not just talking about food.” Daniel smiled and winked.
“Daniel, my clothes are in my room!”
“Sweetheart, this is your room. That one doesn’t count anymore. I’ll go get your things because I don’t want you over there getting distracted and staying away from me longer than necessary.”
Katherine gave Daniel a huge smile as she approached him with outstretched arms.
“Katherine, you know how much I love you, but if you come near me like that, with nothing on, we’re not going anywhere.” Daniel chuckled and went to gather her things.
The limo picked Francesco up in Nashville and drove him to the hospital. He had a lot to get accomplished today, and most of it would depend on his conversation with Andy O’Brian. Ever since the death of his wife Lillian, he tried to avoid hospitals at all costs, but this was something he had to do for the two most important people in his life. Francesco stopped at the nurse’s station and obtained permission to see Mr. O’Brian.
“I think you have the wrong room,” said Andy.
“Are you Andy O’Brian?” Francesco slowly approached the bed. He knew he had the correct room.
“Yes, but who are you? If you’re here about the bar, I’ve already told the county that I’m working on fixing the place up. The repairs are expensive, so it’s going to take some time.”
“My name is Francesco Giordano, and yes, I’m here about your bar. But I’m not here to do anything other than offer you a business proposition.” Francesco stretched his hand out and, after some suspicious looks from the patient, his handshake was accepted.
“What kind of business proposition? And are you related to Daniel? I believe he said his last name was Giordano, unless he’s given me another fake name.” Andy let out a chuckle, but he remained guarded.
Francesco pulled up a chair. “Do you mind if I sit down?”
“Help yourself.”
“Andy, Daniel is my son and he’s a very good man. He used the name of John Williams because of me. I changed his identity and forbid him to use the family name. He had to grow up and learn to make it on his own before I could give him Giordano Seas, my shipping business. He proved to me many things, and in the process he fell in love with your niece, Katherine.”
“Oh, I’m well aware of their love, I just wish they’d hop to it. Daniel seems like a very fine young man.”
“I understand that you feel the need to go back to Prairie and run your bar.”
“Look, I know I’ll probably lose the battle, but if my bar fails, the people in that town will just continue to slide downhill. The place ain’t much, but it’s a welcomed reprieve for people.”
“Are you aware of Montoose Farm?”
“I know that a lowlife named Sam Montoose burned the barn down.”
“Rosie owned it. I love her deeply, and there are many painful memories that are buried on that land for her. Albert Montoose, her late husband, wasn’t a very good man. I now own the three hundred acres, and I’ve offered to hand it over to her but she doesn’t want anything to do with it. I thought maybe you could help me with turning it into something great.”
“Mr. Giordano, I can’t run a three hundred acre farm.”
“There is only one place in town where people can rent an apartment. A woman named Beatrice owns the small complex. It’s not suitable for living, and she has the financial means to clean the place up, but she refuses to do so. And please, call me Francesco.”
“What does that have to do with my bar?”
“I’m willing to build a very nice apartment complex there on the farm. I’d like to put in a pool and restaurant, and then rebuild your bar on that land. I’d like to move your business.”
“Wait, you want to move my bar?”
“Yes, you’ll still be the owner. The building will be bigger and brand new. I checked with the county and I have their permission to rezone, but the paperwork needs to be completed. I have my attorneys working on that, and I’m doing this with my Rosie’s blessing. You’ll have a nice apartment, and I’m willing to pay off any money or fines that are attached to your current business. I want to resurrect the barn and turn it into something nice. Perhaps a special dance place when a larger building is needed, for say, special events we could hold. I want to hold a meeting with the townspeople and find out what they’d like to see happen. The people in Prairie need to be involved. I’m not there to take over the town. I just want to help the people.”