Conflict of Interest_A Mustang Prairie Romance

by N. D. Jackson

  “I know. Good luck Noel.”

  “Thanks Abby.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  The day Shellie had been waiting for had finally arrived. With a lot of planning and long nights after equally long days at work thanks to the news spreading about KitchenMart, she had finally assembled about 150 people for a protest of KitchenMart. She was grateful for the sun beaming down into the KitchenMart parking lot and the cool breeze made the scent of violets and tulips in the surrounding fields hang in the air like perfume. She felt as though today would be the first day of a life of success and happiness that did not include Noel Hampton.

  The only downside to the day was the unseasonably warm day would not be kind to her new wardrobe color. During her night of drunken sadness Shellie had decided that her long, flowing, flowery dresses that often showed off her sensuous curves was sending the wrong message to the men in her life. Of course they think you’re easy, you dress like a hippie and put your boobs on display for the world, she reminded herself as she had all of her multi-colored dressed dyed black and then stocked up on a few more. Black, she thought was a serious color that would not send the ‘I’m down for casual sex’ vibe she felt flowers and bright colors did. So today she stood in front of the large crowd, partially baking as her ankle length black maxi dress absorbed all the heat of the day. As long as they take me seriously I can take a long cold shower when this is all over, she reminded as she fanned herself with a stack of flyers.

  Just before ten Shellie quieted the crowd and began running through her list of rules for the day. Of course many of those in attendance had stood in front of her in the past waiting to make sure the corporate scourge didn’t get their way, so they chatted amongst themselves as she rattled off her list. However today Shellie would not be deterred and everyone would listen, especially since she had driven by the body shop to get a glimpse of the damage done to Noel’s outrageously priced sports car. At first she was certain he’d been exaggerating as men often did when it came to their toys, but the car looked as though it lost a chicken battle with an eighteen wheeler.

  “Okay people,” she began with her back straight and her head held high. This was for Mustang Prairie mostly, very little, she thought, had to do with getting rid of Noel. “You know the rules but in case we have any newbies we’re gonna run through them again. First,” she held one slim finger in the air, “there will be no projectiles today aimed at KitchenMart or any of the people entering the KitchenMart building.” Her voice was loud and strong in the midst of an overpowering chorus of ‘boo’ and ‘KitchenMart sucks’. “Next,” she held up two fingers, “I don’t want any vandalism of any of this property today. Our words lose power when we resort to damaging physical property. Got it?” She cupped her other hand over her ear waiting for an excited yell by the crowd.

  “Got it!” The crowd shot back enthusiastically.

  “Great! Now we just have one more that I don’t like as much as you won’t, but we must all try to refrain from profanity.”

  “What!” Someone shouted from the center of the protestors.

  She held up both hands with her palms facing the crowd to quiet them. “I spoke with a few reporters and we may even get a television crew here before the day is over,” she paused to allow the whistles and catcalls of support to subside. “So as much as I wish we could call these scumbags something more…fitting,” she winked at them. “We’ll have to settle for strictly PG insults today, okay?”

  “Okay!” They all yelled in unison at the tiny woman who would help them try to save life as they knew it.

  “Great, let’s show them just how unhappy we are to have them here!” Pointing to Alexis Shellie reminded the crowd, “Go see Alex for placards or handles for any placards you’ve brought with you.” Next she alerted the crowd to Paul who had agreed to help in any way he could, as long as he could be back to his restaurant in time for the lunch rush. “Paul has flyers and pamphlets for you to hand out.” She knew there wouldn’t be a lot of foot traffic in this area but letting the employees know exactly how much damage their company was doing might prove effective. It had in the past, she told herself, and it could today.

  As the crowd dispersed into smaller groups preparing, Shellie looked up at the large monstrous building that used to be a call center for a regional department store until the company decided it was much easier to close up shop and ship the jobs someplace cheaper. She thought that the building was beautiful and the windows were a light green shade that blended perfectly with the surrounding farmland. The tan cement that made up the bulk of the building was near invisible in late summer when it meshed perfectly with the rusted gold of the grass and mostly corn.

  With one hand acting as a visor over her head, shielding her already freckled skin from further sun exposure, Shellie looked at the windows and she was sure she could see Noel in one of the windows on the top floor near the corner on the southeast end of the building, looking down at her. When she saw what looked like a wave, she was certain he knew it was her even from a distance.

  ##

  Noel awoke thinking today would be another mundane day that would put him closer to his career goals. He rose from a fitful night of sleep and leaned an ear to the kitchen to make sure his coffee was brewing before his morning cold shower. He knew life would be hard without Shellie but was certain it wouldn’t be impossible. Yet there he was standing under a forceful stream of cold water trying to banish last night’s memories of the things he and Shellie had done to each other in pleasure. No longer content to allow himself pleasure from their nocturnal encounters he simply stood still with one hand on the dark blue shower tile until the cold water cured his body of her. Even if it was only temporary.

  After their last conversation Noel had ceased any attempts to get back into her good graces. He didn’t want to stop but he didn’t get this far in business by fighting losing battles, and the way she looked at him through those liquid hazel eyes let him know that she had closed herself off to the possibility of him. There were no more cutesy gifts waiting on her doorstep, no more impromptu dinner dates and worst of all, no more neighborly flirting that could have, he was certain, lead to something earth shattering.

  So he conducted this morning just as he had the last five mornings after his cold shower. He dressed methodically and styled his hair until not one strand went in a direction he didn’t wish it to before filling his tall coffee cup and reviewing his progress at the small kitchen nook. When his silver and black cup was empty, Noel folded his notes into his black leather attaché and refilled his cup as he took one last sweeping glance to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything important. With his jacket slung over his left hand and coffee cup in hand, Noel locked his door and picked up this case before trotting downstairs and cramming his large frame into the compact rental car.

  Today however he noticed noise coming from Shellie’s apartment when normally she was long gone. Once in his car, Noel noticed that there were a few cars parked out front that he didn’t notice and wondered what she was up to. You’ve already been here too long, he said after realizing that he actually noticed cars parked that didn’t belong on his street, as he had begun to think of it. Shaking the thought from his head, Noel make the quick drive to work and recommitted to his as yet unachieved goal of erasing any thoughts of Shellie from his mind.

  Inside his office, Noel went over the notes and goals for his ten o’clock meeting with all the department heads. Amelia was pulling double duty still, as his assistant as well as a department head, which meant he did a lot of his own work lately. That suited him just fine for once since the more he worked, the less time he had to devote to the things he wished he could do to his landlady. He spent the hour before the meeting in the conference room laying out notes and setting up the electronic presentation he had prepared so that everyone knew what was expected of them in the coming weeks.

  Laying out name plates so that the department heads were seated in the order he deemed important, No
el’s thoughts were interrupted by loud chatter from below. He walked slowly to the modern windows to see what was going on and he groaned at the sight of some curly haired woman in all black on this already stifling day with a large group of people holding what he thought were protest signs. “She wouldn’t,” he said aloud before summoning Amelia on the conference room phone. “Conference room. Now.” He barked into the speaker and slammed it down.

  A few moments later Amelia rushed into the conference room to find her boss staring at the protestors below. “I guess you’ve seen them.”

  “Actually I heard them first,” he said without turning around. His eyes were glued to the caramel haired leader.

  Amelia walked over the window but kept her distance. She still felt guilty that she was to blame for her boss’ melancholy disposition. “They’re a lot louder than I thought they’d be,” she said, trying to stir him from his thoughts. “So maybe we should schedule the meeting after lunch?”

  “No!” Noticing his assistant’s startled look, Noel softened his tone. “We will not let them affect our goals, Amelia. That is exactly what they want.”

  “Of course, Mr. Hampton.” Their easy camaraderie had taken a hit in the last few weeks so she returned to the more formal version of their relationship. “I just thought we’d get through everything quicker without you having to repeat yourself.”

  “Thanks Amelia but I think we need to put on a strong face here and let these new people know that that,” he pointed down at the protestors, “in no way affects how we do business.”

  “Yes sir,” she said flatly and turned on her heels to finish her work before the meeting.

  “Oh, and Amelia?”

  “Yes Mr. Hampton?”

  “I don’t blame you and it wasn’t your fault so cut the ‘Mr. Hampton’ crap. Okay?”

  “Whatever you say,” she shrugged and hurried through the door before he said anything else.

  Noel turned his attention back to the window and the small woman leading the large crowd. Her attention was now focused on the building and he could swear she was staring right at him. Squinting his eyes on the familiar dress in an unfamiliar color, his vision confirmed what he thought. It was Shellie downstairs, leading a group of a hundred or so protestors. Against him.

  “She couldn’t make this easy, could she?”

  ##

  Sitting curled up on a soft grey storage ottoman inside Alexis’ sitting room, Shellie beamed with excitement. “I can’t say thank you enough, Al. I couldn’t have done any of it without you and it was so well!”

  Alexis smiled down at her friend as she poured a fruity Pinot Grigio into a glass and handed it to her. “You don’t need to thank me Shellie, you were magnificent today working that crowd.” She sat in the matching chase across from her friend. “I think you may have missed your calling.”

  Shellie shrugged at the compliment. “I don’t know about all that, but I think we showed him that we’re not taking this lying down.”

  “Him?”

  “I meant them, we showed them that we’re not taking this lying down,” she clarified.

  Alexis chuckled, more to herself than to her friend. She hated seeing Shellie so distraught over the likes of Noel Hampton but in a month or so he would be a distant memory. She hoped. “Still no word from him?”

  Shellie shook her head and brought the wine glass to her lips to avoid lying to her closest friend. She didn’t tell Alexis about her most recent run-in with Noel because she was certain her best friend would push her into listening to his excuses.

  Alexis looked at her friend with disbelief clear in her eyes. “You haven’t seen or talked to him?”

  Refusing to remove the glass from her lips as though it provided her life, Shellie looked up through her lashes and shook her head again.

  Alexis shook her head in disbelief, “Pants on fire, Shellie.”

  She sat the glass down and recounted their last meeting to Alexis in detail. She even relayed the dejected look in his eyes as he stood so close she craved rosemary for the next three days, before he disappeared into his apartment.

  Alexis sat back when Shellie finished talking, taking a long contemplative drink from her glass. “He said the same thing to me, maybe there was some misunderstanding?”

  “I doubt it Al. He was just so sure I wanted him to clear it all up so we could pick up where we left off.”

  “And you don’t?”

  “Of course I do Al, you’ve seen him. But I’ve been there, done that, more than once I might add, and here I am still single.”

  Alexis sighed, her exasperation obvious. “I know Shellie, they were all jerks. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to the story than what we saw.”

  “You’re probably right Al, but the difference is that this time I’m not interested. There will always be an excuse and this time I couldn’t hear another one.” She reached out to touch her friend’s hand, sensing the frustration Alexis felt. “I appreciate you looking out for me, I really do. But as much as I would’ve liked a chance with Noel, I just couldn’t, can’t,” she corrected, “go through that again.”

  Alexis nodded, understanding that Shellie was finally placing a higher value on herself than a man. That fact made her proud so she lifted her glass. “A toast to finally realizing how awesome you are and that a man like Noel would be lucky to have you.”

  Shellie blushed, “I’ll drink to that!”

  An hour later Shellie was sliding on her pink sandals, having drawn a line in her new wardrobe at her treasured shoe collection, and began her short walk home. She descended the few stairs leading away from Alexis’ two-story ranch style home and allowed the cool night breeze to wash over her. The effects of the alcohol left her relaxed and at ease for the first time since she laid eyes on Noel, and she walked slowly to fully enjoy the night.

  The mixture of blooming flowers in the gardens she passed brought a smile to her face, thinking about the flowery air surrounding the protest today. She was sure she saw Noel and even from seven stories down she could see he was shocked to see her. “That was quick,” she said aloud as her thoughts drifted away from the day and towards the green-eyed man who took up most of her thoughts.

  At moments like this when she was too tipsy from alcohol to deny her emotion, her thoughts returned to that night in the kitchen and the thoughts of just how hot they could’ve been together. Too bad, she thought, he could’ve made me a better lover. Of that fact she was sure, and her body shivered in agreement more due to thoughts of him than the chilly breeze. She just wished that he wouldn’t look at her with those pleading eyes, tempting her to believe him over her lying eyes.

  “If only you’d caught me when I was interested in playing the fool,” she looked up at the sky with her arms extended. I would’ve enjoyed playing the fool for you, Noel Hampton. She shook those wishful thoughts from her head as she approached home and saw a familiar figure burning a hole into her porch. Again.

  “Noel,” she sighed.

  ##

  “Shellie!” Noel leapt off the porch and bounded to her in what seemed like one graceful step. “I’m so glad you’re alright,” he smiled as much of the tension fled his features. “Where have you been?”

  She stepped back from him, uninterested in allowing whatever game he was playing, to continue. “I’ve been out with friends.”

  Quickly his face turned serious again and he rushed his fingers through his hair, never taking his eyes off her. “So you don’t know, then?”

  “Know what, Noel?”

  He stepped aside and took her hand, leading her up the stairs. “My place, well your place, was vandalized today.”

  She gripped his hand tighter, shock clear in her wide eyes and slightly opened mouth. Noel stayed close, opening his door and following her up so she could assess the damage beyond the generic graffiti on the door leading to Noel’s unit.

  When the lights turned on a tear escaped down the left side of her face as she took stock of th
e tears in the sofa and love seat with the stuffing protruding out like a fatal wound. She gasped at the sight of Noel’s awful television lying on the floor with a large hole through the screen. So much of the damage was to items she never imagined she’d lose, but now she had. The tea cups that adorned the walls in the kitchen were smashed to bits all over the floor and even the leather on the stools at the breakfast nook were slashed until there were more slashes than whole fabric. She held tighter to Noel’s hand as she entered his bedroom. The curtains were cut into tiny shreds, and all the pillows, sheets and even the mattress had been doused in bleach and red paint. Even the clothes that hung in the closet had fallen victim to some type of sharp blade, making Shellie remember that she wasn’t alone.

  She turned to face Noel, who had never once left her side. “Oh Noel, I’m so sorry,” she cried, finally allowing the tears to fall freely.

  Noel shook his head and reached to clear the tears from her cheek with his forefinger. “Don’t be Shellie it is just stuff, it can be replaced.”

  His words were of no comfort to her. “Of course that’s what you would say,” she mumbled to herself.

  She’s in shock, he reminded himself and held his tongue.

  “I’m sorry Noel, really I am sorry. But I can’t look at this anymore,” her tears were in a free fall at this point and she ran down the stairs. Hearing her fumble with her keys, Noel took the stairs two at a time until he was by her side again.

  “Let me help you with that,” he smiled and gently took the keys from her. With the door open, he gestured her in and followed.

  Dropping everything at her feet, Shellie walked out of her shoes and flung herself down on the plush blue sofa. “I can’t believe this happened!”

  Noel took a seat next to her and pulled her into his arms, this time more protectively than sensually. “It’s going to be okay Shellie, I promise.”

  She looked up at him through her tears, wanting to be angry with him but finding it difficult to summon the energy for anger. She wanted to blame him, it’s all your fault, she thought. If you hadn’t decided to open a KitchenMart here I never would’ve organized that protest and my home and your belongings wouldn’t be slashed to bits right now! Her tears began falling again as she realized the fault to her argument. It wasn’t his fault about the vandalism, she knew that, but blaming him was easier than acknowledging that it felt right to have him sitting so close, consoling her. His masculine warmth did sooth her and she believed that it would be okay, and that bothered her more than the ruined furniture.