‘This is so kind of you, Rosedale. But you know, I could’ve got to the airport myself. You didn’t have to go to this trouble.’
Rosedale carried Maddie’s bags to his car, where Cora was sitting patiently on the back seat talking to Mr. Crawley the Second. ‘Well that just wouldn’t feel right, Miss Maddison. Not after everything that’s happened. And I know Thomas wanted to come and see you off. He told me to send his apologies but I don’t think they’d take kindly to him missing another court-ordered session. So I’m here at your service. I want to make sure you get on that plane without any trouble.’
‘Rosedale, I’m going to the Prescott Municipal Airport, I’m not sure much can happen.’
‘Just like to be on the safe side. And whilst we’re speaking our minds I just want to say, I’m not real happy about you checking yourself out of hospital.’
‘I’m fine. I’m lucky. I lost a lot of blood, but I didn’t contract anything, so really all I was going to do in the hospital was lie there and rest. So I figured I might as well lie on a beach and rest. It’s more my head I need to get together, rather than my body. The bites will heal, but what happened over there is tougher to deal with. But I’ll be okay.’
You can be one stubborn woman, Maddison, you know that? Have you got all your medication by the way? The antibiotics?’
‘Yes and yes and yes. Now stop worrying.’
‘Yes?’
Rosedale kicked at the gravel and looked up at the sky and pushed his cowboy hat down over his eyes. ‘Maddison.’
‘Yes?’
‘Well… are you and Thomas still… are you…?’
‘What?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Together?’
‘Yeah…’
‘Rosedale, I love Tom, but there is no him and me being together. He’s got a lot of things to sort out. He’s in love with Ellie and I’m not going to try to compete with a ghost any more, for my sake and for his. But mainly for Cora’s.’
There was a pause, then Rosedale stopped to take his hat off. Pressing it against his chest he said, ‘Can I ask you something else, then?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Well… ’
Maddie looked at him curiously. ‘Well what?’
‘Miss Maddison, I was just wondering… when you come back from holiday… I was just wondering… well I was wondering, if you would do me the honour of letting me take you out to dinner.’
Maddie burst out into laughter. Looked at Rosedale and laughed harder.
‘Rosedale, that’s the craziest thing I’ve heard. You and me, going out to dinner?’
Rosedale bowed his head. ‘Forget it. The DRC must’ve affected me more than I thought. You’re right, it is crazy.’
‘It is. It’s so crazy. But you know something, Rosedale? After the past few weeks, I’m starting to like your kind of crazy. I’m starting to like it a lot. So hell, why not. The answer is, yes. Yes, Mr. Austin Rosedale Young, I’d love to go out to dinner with you when I get back.’