I wanted to thank everyone that has read, favorited, followed, or commented on this story! The warm fuzzies are abounding, and I love each and every one of you. I also want to apologize if there are any glaring problems, I have no beta, and am sure I miss stuff when I am editing myself. So let me know if you all see anything that I need to fix. :)

This story is so much fun to write, and it has actually kick started an original story that I am also working on, so yay!

Thank you again, and I hope you keep enjoying!

"When jealousy rears up, it indicates that something inside of you is afraid." - Anthony D. Ravenscroft

"It's 10,000. If you can't afford that then we have no business here." He scowled as he repeated himself to the barely legally aged boy eying the heifer he had penned. Behind the youth he could see Rod and Alys grinning at him.

Well at least they were enjoying themselves.

Finally, the boy wandered off, stating for the three that could hear him that he would never come back to Neil again, much to the shop owner's pleasure. He had a steady enough clientele; he didn't need brash youths clogging in.

He took a moment to make sure that the ladies at Rod's stall had no interest in his own before moving to the table where Alys had spread out paint chips as if she was playing solitaire with them. She had bundled herself against the cold in a metallic gold puff jacket that looked at least ten years old, and her braids were poking out from underneath a muddy brown beanie. He poked at her arm as he sat next to her. "Do you understand color combinations?"

She raised a brow at him and reached out a green gloved hand to tug at one of the buckles hanging from his usual red and black coat. "Do you own any other clothes?" She grinned with the question, and they settled for smiling at each other before he focused on the paint chips. "What are these for?"

She turned her attention to the table and sighed, her fingers tapping impatiently. "Prince Amir asked if I could paint his room a different color, I was looking through my options."

"He can't paint it himself?"

She gave a shrug and picked up a blue chip to study. "He's a prince; I don't suppose he would think to do it himself. Besides, I don't mind, and Sanjay said he would help me."

Sanjay.

She had talked about him almost nonstop since he and Amir had moved in two weeks before. He glanced over to where the wooden chicken bobbed it head lazily next to the cow, and tried not to think about the fact that at this rate he was going to hate every male in town who was between the ages of 15 and 35.

He forced himself to look back at her. "That's nice of him."

"I thought so." She exchanged the blue chip for a green one and set it to the side. "Did you know he knows all these different types of teas? He's almost as good as Olivia." She looked down to the end of the plaza where the topic of her sentence was helping Emma and Hana select something to drink.

"Fascinating…" He scowled at the back of her head but wiped it clean when she turned back to him, a laugh bubbling from her lips. "I know you don't mean that, but that's alright."

Rod took that moment to appear, saving him from a reply. The redhead launched himself into the chair on the other side of the farmer and waggled his brows at her. "I've heard a rumor about you."

She sent Neil a wink before turning a bland look to the pet shop owner. "You do know that you should never listen to Tina right?"

"Maybe, but I heard this from Olivia, who was told by Hana."

Neil couldn't help rolling his eyes. "Well, then the information must be iron clad. Hana has never exaggerated anything."

Rod simply waited until Alys stopped laughing then leaned in, his chin resting on his fist. "I heard that you bought a ring."

"I've bought several in my life."

"A very special ring."

She stared at Rod a second, and then sucked in a breath as if she was just remembering something. "Oh! You mean that ring." She reached a hand into the collar of her jacket and pulled out a silver chain with an equally silver ring attached to it. "Yes, I bought a ring."

Neil studied the dangling adornment, his brain going completely blank for a few seconds before scrambling to catch up.

"You bought a commitment ring?" The question was stuttered out, and he flushed when she glanced to him questioningly.

"So I did. I was told I needed one."

"By who?" His voice felt hoarse, and he cleared his throat.

She started to answer then paused, her face scrunching as if she had to think about her answer. "Just some friends… It's a little hard to explain."

"Who's it for?" He wanted to swallow the question as soon as it came out, but no matter how much his brain scrambled after it the words were said. Instead he scowled again, his body hunching into itself, and sent a glare to the area in general. "Never mind, I don't care."

Whatever reply she might have had seemed to be tucked back into herself, and she studied him before finally giving a new answer. "I don't think I would tell you anyway. You obviously aren't in the mood for it."

"Well, I want to know," Rod insisted, his smile large and grating. All Neil could do was scowl even more as Alys leaned over to whisper into his ear before they both shared a laugh.

He didn't care. He didn't.

Just like he didn't care when a few minutes later the aforementioned Sanjay appeared, his head bowing as he greeted them, before focusing on Alys.

"I was hoping I would run into you. I am in need of herbs for this week's cooking, and I was thinking that you might show me the best places to search for them."

Alys pinkened in pleasure before giving a nod and moving to collect her paint chips. "I needed to head into the forest anyway."

Neil stared at her as she tucked the ring back behind her coat, and lifted her bag to her shoulder. She rested a hand on his shoulder a moment as she offered both Rod and him a goodbye, then shouted one to the ladies further away. Falling into step with the much taller man she tucked her arm through his, and they disappeared together into the woods.

He didn't care that she seemed so pleased to see Sanjay, or that she dropped what she was doing to go off with him. He didn't care.

He wanted to rip him into such tiny pieces that nothing was left, and he wasn't exactly sure where that thought came from.

"You know. If you just told her you were madly in love with her you could probably save yourself a lot of trouble."

He jumped at the words and whipped his head around to see Rod sending him a smug smile. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not in love with Alys."

"Oh, sure, that's why you were just glaring daggers at her new friend, and stumbling all over yourself when you found out she had bought a ring."

He felt the blush creeping over his cheeks and shoved away from the table. "I did no such thing. It just took me by surprise, and she can go and marry the prince himself for all I care." He stalked back to his booth, finding small things to push and fix and mess with until Rod stopped smiling so knowingly at him.

"Whatever you say, my friend."