AllFreeNovel
Share Us
In the distance, the barn sparkled with hundreds of tiny lights. Guests had already arrived for the party and were carried in groups of ten from the parking lot in a tractor. A suped-up tractor with plush lining across the bench seats and a see-through canapé so guests could still see the stars in the night sky.
She had done a good job if she did say so herself. But she hung back, a little nervous to make her entrance. It had nothing to do with seeing Neil. Nothing at all. The way they had left things was perfectly acceptable. The responsible thing to do. Not only for her career, but for her heart. She couldn’t stand to have it stomped all over by someone who she didn’t have to love.
She walked out of the restaurant closing the heavy wood door behind her. A few servers still lingered as cleanup crew. The main party was still in full swing up but a select number of media and food critics had been given an exclusive tour prior to being taken up to the barn. Penn took them around the facility and given them the background, the operational plans and so on. And a Madewood tour wouldn’t be complete without wine and cheese at their fingertips.
She waited with a few guests, people she didn’t recognize, at the designated spot and when the tractor pulled up, the attendant held out his hand. “Come on up, Ms. Kelly.”
She nodded, stepping up carefully so as not to catch her heel on the sketchy step.
It was a bumpy ride to the barn but peaceful despite the overbearing noise of the tractor chugging along.
Big band music caught her attention even before she reached the entrance to the barn. Inside, she sidestepped through the crowds of people seeing a few familiar faces. Evan stood at the long bar with his wife. She waved but didn’t approach.
Her father was off to the side huddled in a group of men, Martin hot on his heel. He might as well attach himself to her father’s hip. He took ass-kissing to a whole new level. The men laughed, and ice clinked from the glasses of scotch they held in their hands.
She approached but kept her distance, an ominous feeling overtaking her.
“As soon as I saw the windmill I knew exactly how the building should look,” Martin said. “The semi-circle structure was exactly what the Madewood family was looking for. It’s fresh but the traditional décor pulls it all together.”
Those were her words.
“Of course the Madewood family knows a good idea when they see one,” he continued.
Bile rose from her stomach and settled into her throat. Traitorous bastard. Stealing her words. Stealing her credit after openly admitting a year ago that he didn’t agree with any of her plans.
The group of men he spoke to stepped back, parting like the sea, exposing her father who was huddled in the middle.
“Sweetheart, you look beautiful tonight. Just like your mother.” And there it was. That distant, sad look he got in his eyes every time she was mentioned.
“Thank you, daddy. Hello, gentlemen.”
The group nodded. She didn’t recognize a single one of the men who were indulging her father’s presence.
Martin stepped forward and scooped his arm through hers, pulling her away.
“What are you doing?”
“We need to talk.”
She ripped her arm away as best she could without making a scene. “I will not talk to you.”
“You kids go have fun,” her father said. Most likely trying to distract from the fact that she looked less than amused. “Leave us old men to talk about the good old days.”
Martin grabbed her arm again, pulling her away from the entire party into some the small utility room Carson had added onto the barn and closed the door behind them.
“I don’t want anything to do with you traitor. It’s bad enough you steal my account, but you’re taking the credit for the farm.” She glared. “I heard what you said.”
“In the end it’s not going to matter who did what. We can share the credit. That’s what married couples do.”
She burst out laughing. “Married couples.” She grabbed on to her stomach.
Martin reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a velvet box. She recoiled. There could only be one thing in that type of box. Her suspicions were confirmed when Martin dropped to one knee.
He opened the box and a diamond ring sparkled back at her. A huge diamond ring.
“Carson Kelly. We should get married. There is no sense in us fighting over the top dog position. We can share it. And share a life together.”
“Are you fucking insane? Why would I marry you?”
