"Carl, I don't really care how funny you and my father think this is. What you can tell him is that I'm not minding this little town at all."
"Very well, Daniel. I'll call you in a day or two to check in."
Daniel hung up the phone. He was done talking to Carl; done with the games. He had only one person on his mind and she wasn't around. Daniel was shocked at how worried he was about Katherine. He didn't like her feeling so sad. I really want to see her again.
Rounding the corner on the edge of town, he spotted her. His stomach hit the ground. Katherine was embraced in another man's arms. She kissed his cheek, then climbed into the passenger side of a Corvette. Are you kidding me?? Daniel wasted no time in flying right up beside the black sports car.
"Hello, Katherine. I'm so glad that you're feeling better," Daniel said through his clenched teeth.
"Katherine, who is this?" asked the tall, blond-haired driver of the Corvette.
"You like rich guys with nice sports cars? Is that it?" Daniel was so ticked off. "So, it's money that rings your bell?"
"Look, back off before I help you out." Blond Guy said threateningly.
But Daniel didn't stop. "You were so worried about me using you, and here you are using him. What you didn't want to do was come right out and tell me that I'm not the free ticket you wanted. Isn't that it, Katherine?"
Katherine sat there, embarrassed, pissed off, and hurt. "Get out of here, John."
"You heard the lady, leave."
"You women are all alike. Did you know that, Katherine? You are not who I thought you were."
Blond Guy gave Daniel a dirty look and revved the engine of his Corvette.
"I'm going to go, Katherine, and you're right, I guess this never was a good idea." Looking Blond Guy in the eyes, Daniel said "Your car's a piece of shit." He didn't dare say anything else for fear of exposing his identity, not to mention stepping out of his truck and kicking Blond Guy's ass.
Daniel drove back in the direction of the farm. His heart felt broken, and his head, confused. His mood was very foul. Wait a minute. She has to go back and cover for that Emily woman. Daniel wasn't happy with his thoughts or his jealous rage that was flaring. He found out one thing; when it came to Katherine he couldn't simply walk away.
Daniel raced his truck back to the bar. Inside he found Emily taking off her apron. He approached her without hesitation.
"So, I was kind of hoping that you'd share a dance with me before you left, sweetheart." Daniel gave her a sexy smile.
"Oh my, you're just what the doctor ordered!" Emily sauntered over to the jukebox and selected a nice, slow love song. She wasted no time walking into the yummy stranger's arms.
Daniel turned her slowly so he could face the door. When he saw it open he pulled Emily close to his body, whispered how sexy she looked, then buried his face in her neck. Her perfume was strong and suffocating.
Katherine stopped dead in her tracks when she opened the door. He really is a pig! She tried to hide her hurt and anger and proceeded to the bar like it didn't even phase her. She was heartbroken. Emily will definitely put out. What a bastard! She watched as the couple flirted and moved slowly on the dance floor.
Daniel knew that he was getting to Katherine. For a little added visual, he slid his hand down from her lower back and squeezed her behind some. Even Emily was surprised, but hell, she wasn't going to complain. She simply returned the sexy touch.
"Okay, Emily, you're back on and I'm out of here. Have a nice evening."
Daniel watched as Katherine snatched up her purse and keys and stormed out of the bar.
Daniel wanted to run after her. But no way was he going to bend. "Well, I have to get some shuteye, Emily. Thanks for the dance."
"Anytime, sexy thang. I will always have a dance for you, and if you ever want to ..." Emily smiled, blushed, and winked at Daniel.
He was getting more turned off by the second. Emily's bleached-out hair, heavy makeup, and raunchy perfume was getting to him. He couldn't wait to get away from this woman. All he wanted to do was confront Katherine. He had accomplished making her feel upset, probably jealous. But he wasn't feeling good about it at all now. He drove around for a while, trying to calm down and get the visual of Katherine in someone else's embrace out of his head. It didn't work.
Pulling into the driveway, he spotted Rosie walking over to him.
"John, could you come in and change a bulb for me? It's too dark to go haul the ladder in here, and I can't reach it even on a chair."
"Sure, Rosie." Daniel climbed out of the truck and headed toward the house.
Rosie spotted his mood quickly. "John, what's gotten under your hat this evening?"
"Nothing, Rosie, I'm okay."
Rosie shook her head in disbelief and walked with Daniel to the house. He quickly changed the bulb and silently walked out of the house to the barn.
The horses gave him their 'soft talk', as Rosie called it, when he entered the barn. He stopped to give them both some attention. At the moment, they were his two favorite females. They didn't talk. They didn't use him. They didn't play any games. "Since when am I, Daniel Giordano, not good enough?" He went inside of his room and lay down on the bed. He wished he could just shut off his thoughts. He could still picture Katherine in the arms of another guy. She was in my arms last night! A Corvette. Really?? Daniel began to question himself further. Without money and a flashy lifestyle, do I not have anything to offer?
The longer Daniel lay there thinking, the more pissed he became. He walked out to his truck, climbed in the sputtering machine, and headed over to the bar. He wasn't finished telling Katherine exactly what he was thinking. Hopefully a good fight with her would make him want to throw her far out of his mind, or bring her to her senses. His insides were hoping for the latter.
Blond Guy's Corvette was sitting in the parking lot. Damn! Daniel walked right in the front door of the bar with his fists clenched at his sides. There she was, standing at the bar, with a beer in her hand. Blond Guy's arm was around her. She was laughing and smiling.
Katherine felt someone's presence behind her. She turned her head and saw John about six feet away.
"I'm going to go upstairs. Are you coming?" She said to Blond Guy.
"Yep, I'm just going to finish this beer, then I'll be up."
Katherine smiled, kissed his cheek, and left the bar.
Daniel went right behind her.
"Why are you following me, John?"
"Katherine, what are you doing? You were in my arms last night and now you're in his? Are you really like this? Was I completely wrong about you?"
"John, you have the wrong idea … "
"The HELL I do!" Daniel yelled just as Blond Guy grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around.
"I thought we straightened out your ignorant behavior," said Blond Guy as he drew back his fist.
Daniel had enough. He blocked the punch and hit the poor bastard right in the face. "There you go, Katherine. He's already lying down for you and everything. Sorry if he can't kiss you for a couple of days."
"Oh my God! Jacob!"
"Jacob … yeah, you have fun with Jacob. Just remember one thing, Katherine, I could have made you a very happy woman."
With that, Daniel stepped over Jacob's sprawled out body and climbed in the truck. He knew that there was no other option than to get the hell out of Prairie. Get the hell away from Katherine.
Daniel spent his days busting his butt around the farm, sleeping, avoiding Carl's phone calls, and sleeping some more. He vowed to never step foot in that bar again. Weeks had passed and he still couldn't get Katherine out of his head. He avoided going into town as much as possible. The last thing he needed was to run into her precious Jacob. Daniel had lots of different names for him and would love to loudly verbalize each one to his face, but to avoid jail, he had to stay away from the guy.
He picked up the phone and dialed his father.
"Daniel, how are you?" Francesco got up and walked over to the large office windows that looked over Manhattan. He wanted to retire; he wanted his son to take over the business.
"Father, I'm sorry for everything. You were right, I needed to grow up and learn some things. I desperately need to come home though."
"What have you learned?" Francesco missed his son and couldn't hide the compassion in his voice. But he had to be sure. He weakened when it came to Daniel, and that's the worst thing he could do.
"I've learned about hard work, making it on my own, that women are crazy, and that I'll remain a bachelor for the rest of my life!" Daniel didn't realize how loud and fast he was talking.
"If you feel all of that, Daniel, you still aren't ready to come home. What you're doing is running, which you've done all your life. You run to escape decisions, emotions, and responsibility. I love you and I miss you, my son, but now isn't the time."
Daniel listened to his father hang up the phone.
The weeks were one big blur to Daniel. He felt as if everything had been stripped from him. Everything had. He was feeling that way each morning as he got up for work at the farm. Mornings turned into nights, nights turned into the dreaded mornings of knowing there was nothing for him to look forward to. He didn't even care about the family business anymore. He had definitely avoided the bar at all costs.
Daniel's body had gotten more muscular, but it didn't make the work any easier under the heat of the sun. He never planted a thing in his life, let alone rows of vegetables, corn, potatoes, and other things. What saved him was the daydreaming. Constantly dreaming of Katherine made the hours fly by. She had proved him wrong, though. She was no different than Marissa and the rest of the women he entertained.