Conflict of Interest (A Mustang Prairie Romance)

by Jackson, N. D.

  “Well they are stunning.” Alex lifted the empty glass, examining it from different angles. “And I’m hungry,” she sat back in the chair patting her flat stomach demonstrably.

  Shellie and Noel looked at each other then burst into laughter. “That,” Noel rubbed his hands together gleefully, “we can do!” Quickly Noel and Shellie began moving around the kitchen pulling out ceramic platters and glass bowls filled with dips, crudité, chips, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp skewers and the like. Alex’s eyes widened in amazement. Her friends had been working hard in the kitchen.

  When she caught a glimpse of the miniature wheels of baked brie topped with apricot jam and cranberry-apple relish, Alex’s mouth began to water. “Shellie? You…went to Anda for this?” She waved her hand at the wooden cutting boards indicating where the brie was.

  Shaking her head nonchalantly Shellie continued to arrange the bowls and platters without looking up. “Not even,” she scoffed before explaining. “Apparently Anda and Rich are related by marriage. Herb was his uncle.” She clarified. “Anyway turns out Anda is how Rich knew everything. About me and Noel. About Noel’s problems with KitchenMart thanks to me. Everything.”

  “Wow.” It was all Alex could say. It was all so unbelievable.

  “Yeah. Said she ‘felt bad’ but I think the pending lawsuits against KitchenMart have her spooked. She’s probably worried that the town will turn on her if they find out she’s the reason Rich got down here in time to pay off the Council.”

  “So cynical,” Alex tsked then revealed a bright smile. “I’m so proud.”

  Shellie laughed at her friend and sat a plate of food in front of her. “Thanks Al, I learned from the best. Now eat,” she pointed at the plate. “You’ve got booze to soak up so we can start all over again.”

  “I can’t believe Anda is such a bitch!” She yelled louder than was necessary before taking a bite of the crab and artichoke stuffed mushrooms. “Mmmm but man the bitch can cook,” she explained around a mouthful of stuffed mushroom.

  “That she can,” Noel agreed as he took a bite from the apricot-brie selection with a sliver of hazelnut.

  Ninety minutes later the party was in full swing. All the guests had arrived, filling Shellie’s home with laughter, music and general sounds of happiness and jubilation. She looked around at the people who had been not just her friends, but also her family for a long time. Leaving them was going to be hard. Especially Alex who had been the sister she’d never had or knew she needed until she met her. Twenty years later and they were as tight as ever. She hoped distance wouldn’t change that. But there were also new friends she knew she would miss like Amelia who had gone from public enemy number one to trusted friend and confidante and Tam who had become her go to recipe guru. There was a lot she would miss about Mustang Prairie from the serenely quiet streets to the welcoming hospitality of those who had adopted her as their own when she was just a lonely motherless girl. She would miss late night summer barbecues and impromptu swimming parties at the public pool when the entire town shut down at lunch because the weather was too stifling. She would miss Jacques and his fake French accent and Shirl with her abrasive demeanor to hide her kind heartedness.

  A tear strolled down her cheek as she looked around at all the people who had carved a special place in her heart over the last decade or more. She would miss these people. Their absence from her daily life would be genuinely felt as much as if they were blood because to her they were blood. Maybe not family blood, but a different type of blood, one earned on the battlefield of trying and failing and succeeding and supporting one another through it all.

  These were the people who looked after her when Grandpa died and Granny couldn’t be bothered any longer to stare into a face so similar to the daughter who’d disappointed her. They were the ones who put together care packages full of greasy pancakes and gourmet pizzas when she was just a poor broke college kid. And they were the ones who turned to her for help when their businesses were in trouble. Yes, she thought, they were better than blood relatives because each and every one of them, of us, she corrected, had chosen to be a part of each other’s lives. We’re all here because we want to be here. And that meant so much more to her. So much she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to put Mustang Prairie in her rearview mirror.

  “It won’t be forever,” Noel whispered in her ear, startling her. She looked up at him confused. Had she aired her thoughts aloud? “You were wondering how you were ever going to leave all these wonderful people, weren’t you?” He quirked an amber brows at her.

  She nodded tearfully. “I’m not backing out Noel, I swear. I was…just…thinking. These people have been such a big part of my life for so much of my life and I’ve never been great with goodbyes.”

  He draped one arm over her shoulder, kissing her hair to soothe her tears. “Don’t say goodbye then. Think of it as ‘see you later’. After all, we have business here and we can make trips for quarterly updates.”

  Her eyes brightened at the thought. “No! Really?”

  “Of course love. Business expense.” He chuckled, taking another sip of her champagne.

  “You evil genius! I love you Noel Hampton.” She pulled him down for a long kiss that quickly began to overheat.

  “I’m so glad to hear you say that,” he kissed her again and pulled away before sauntering off to the iPod dock and lowered the music. “Can I have your attention, everyone? I just have a few words.”

  Shellie skipped over to Noel. “What are you doing?” She whispered cautiously.

  He winked and continued to address the crowd, grabbing her hand to keep her near. “First I just want to thank all of you for coming. I’m sure some of you are happy to see me go but I know you all mean a great deal to Shellie so you mean a lot to me too.” He smiled at a few random “awws” in the crowd. “As you know Shellie and I are off on a new journey to California where we’ll be joining forces to help small business and non-profits keep more money so it can do the most good where it’s needed. But I’m hoping that Shellie will want to join me in another, slightly riskier venture.” Noel turned to Shellie, taking her glass and setting them both down on a nearby shelf. Reaching into the pocket of his jeans he pulled out a green velvet box. Noel presented the box to her in the palm of his hand like a King would his future Queen. “Shellie I know we’ve had our ups and downs but life with you has never been boring and I doubt it ever will be. You challenge me—even when I wish you didn’t—and you make me laugh and smile and think and I hope you’ll let me keep your heart as full as I intend on keeping your tummy. Will you marry me?”

  With vision blurred by tears, Shellie looked up at this man who turned her world upside down. Who made her believe again in the silly fairy tales of love and happily ever after she gave up on long ago. This man who couldn’t be more different but evoked such strong emotions within her that she was sure her heart would stop beating without him. She reached out to him placing her hand gently on his cheek and staring into those hypnotizing green eyes that sparkled with anticipation at this moment. She knew she would say yes without even looking at the ring because she knew Noel wouldn’t get her some big gaudy princess cut diamond because he knew her better than that. And that was worth all the diamonds in the world.

  “Say shomething, already!” Alex shouted from the sofa next to them.

  She tapped her chin with her finger as if in contemplation then she stopped and looked in his eyes again. Those beautiful expressive eyes that indicated his mood better than body language ever could. She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing his face all over. “Of…course…I’ll…marry…you…Noel,” she planted a kiss between each word lest he be weary of her enthusiasm. “I love you and I can’t wait to be your wife!” She whispered to him among an outpouring of good wishes and congratulations. “I just have one condition,” she whispered again, this time giving his ear a light nibble.

  “Oh yeah, what’s that?”

  “I want to
get married here in Mustang Prairie,” she bit her lip staring down at him from the comfort and safety of his arms.

  Noel pulled her closer planting a slow kiss on her lips before letting her slide down his body. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, babe.” He pulled her by the waist, dipping her for the crowd’s sake and gave her a kiss that she felt all the way down to her toes.

  THE END.

  Look for Alexis’ story in

  A Little Bit In Love

  Coming soon!