Chapter 5
Ma thought life would be better out West. I never understood why.
Or maybe she just thought the man who promised to protect us on the wagon train would be more trustworthy than the men she met in alleyways in Boston.
I already knew we couldn’t trust anyone.
She believed in a better world than I ever could. Her hope made a fool out of her.
After rehearsal, when everyone else had gone home, Jessie got her social media announcement space all set up.
She had one American flag and one Oregon State flag flying behind her, and was standing atop a podium in the arena, with her phone mounted up.
Her paperwork had been done and handed in, and her candidacy was now legal. All that was left to do was announce.
She hopped down from the pedestal, hit the live button on her phone, and then marched back to the podium.
“Hi there. I’m Jessie Jane Hancock, one of the founding members of Butch Hancock’s Wild West Show.
My family has always been deeply invested in the future of Rustler Mountain.
Our show is a celebration not just of the history, but of the over-the-top legends of the Old West. We believe that the spirit of this place is what makes it so unique, and I believe that this spirit has been suppressed for far too long.
Mayor Danielle LeFevre thinks that Rustler Mountain should shy away from its Wild West history, she thinks we should blend in with the trendy wine-country towns, cater to people with more money.
‘The right kind of people,’ she said. Well, if they’re the right kind of people that means we’re the wrong kind of people to her. ”
She paused for effect after she said that, and she couldn’t hold back the small smile that tugged at her lips. She was grateful Flynn had told her that, because it was just the kind of thing to set folks’ teeth on edge.
“I think that Rustler Mountain is special. It has its own unique history, its own unique identity. We already know that the truth of this place was erased from the historical record until Austin Wilder corrected the facts and shed light on the true nature of our town division into outlaws and lawmen and the story behind this town’s foundation—good, bad, and ugly.
I personally think we’re strong enough to face the truth of the past, not sand the edges off to make a fairy tale.
This is the Wild West, not the Mild West. We have the guts to contend with that.
It’s not a cookie-cutter tourist attraction, it’s not a place where we only welcome the right people.
Danielle LeFevre is paying lip service to a fantasy version of the past while working to destroy what we love about this town.
I won’t do that. I understand Rustler Mountain and all its unique glory.
That’s why I’m declaring my candidacy for mayor.
” There was suddenly a single person clapping, and she looked up and saw her brother walking toward her phone.
He reached in and ended the live stream.
“Thank you, West,” she said. “For your very deserved applause, and for being tech support.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said.
“Really? Even you’re going to question me?”
“Even me? Is the other person who questioned you Flynn Wilder? Because that was actually why I was looking for you, and then I got a notification that you were live on the page. You’re not keeping me informed about your schemes.”
“Oh, dear brother, we are far, far past the scheming phase. This surpassed plot and has become a full-on quest.”
“I hate it, thank you.”
“This is why I didn’t tell you. You’re a skeptic, and I don’t need your skepticism. You’re raining on my parade, West.”
“Sometimes your parade needs to be rained on, Jessie. Because you’re irrepressible, and sometimes a little bit of repressing would be good for you.”
“Pick a lane to yell at me from.” She bunched her fingers together and waved her arm back and forth. “You’re swerving all over the place.”
“Flynn Wilder,” he said. “You really think it’s a good idea to hook up with a Wilder?”
“You did it.”
“What?” He looked scandalized. “I did no such thing.”
“You kissed Perry,” she pointed out, referring to Carson Wilder’s now wife.
“She wasn’t a Wilder then.”
“She’s always been a Wilder, come on. She and Carson have been attached at the hip since they were little children.”
“She wasn’t married to Carson at the time, and she wanted to go out with me. So we did. Very briefly. That isn’t the same. I heard that you were at breakfast with Flynn.”
She looked at her fingernails and considered just telling her brother outright that she wasn’t really sleeping with Flynn.
But then, she found she didn’t want to. Because she was tired of his superior attitude.
He was no saint, and he did plenty of things that were questionable at best, so interrogating her was completely unfair.
“Well, then you should be satisfied that he’s somewhat of a gentleman. He paid and everything.”
“Why do I get the feeling that this is all related?”
“Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that you wanted to run for mayor?”
“Swerve,” she said, waving her hand again.
“Valid swerve. What’s going on with you?”
“I didn’t tell you because I knew that you would try to stop me. Because I knew that you would be skeptical about my ability to do this.”
West shook his head. “That’s not fair, Jessie. You’re brilliant. And I’ve always thought so. The way you transformed the finances of this place is amazing. I don’t have the patience for it.”
She already knew that. But then, it was nice to have West acknowledge her contribution.
Nobody else ever did. Their parents were …
They just always kind of believed that things would work out, whether by accident or on purpose.
And so when Jessie had overhauled the financial structure of the Wild West Show, using a lot of West’s ideas for new acts and new attractions, their parents had sort of taken it all in stride, as they always did.
She would be lying if she said it didn’t matter to her that West recognized the change was because she had put effort into it, and not just because fate had swooped down and smiled merrily at the Hancocks yet again.
“Listen, Jess, I think you would be a great mayor. But I’m not sure people in town are going to agree. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Oh, when her big brute of a brother saved up every ounce of emotion in his body for her, it got her every time. But she wasn’t going to show him that.
“I can’t get hurt,” she said, grinning widely and ignoring the tender feeling at the center of her chest. “I’m too feral for that.”
“You want to be.”
Ouch.
She made a hissing sound. “Good God, West. I ride on the back of a galloping horse standing up; I can do a somersault off and back on. I’m not scared of being rejected by a bunch of idiots in town. I just think if we never challenge the status quo, then we can’t complain about it.”
“That’s not true. The majority of people complain. The minority challenge. You can absolutely complain while doing nothing.”
“Maybe you can. I can’t respect it, and I can’t do it.
I need to be active if I want things to change.
And you know the taxes that she’s proposing on entertainment are going to severely hurt tourism businesses.
I feel like it has to do with her wanting certain kinds of people here.
It’s taking away all the fun. I meant what I said about the wine-country thing. ”
“Did she really say she wanted Rustler Mountain to be like a bougie wine town?”
“According to Flynn.”
“Right,” West said, understanding suddenly dawning on his face. “Because that’s his half sister.”
“Indeed she is.”
“Well. I guess that’s one reason to get in bed with the Wilders.”
Her face went hot. Again, she opted not to correct him about the fact that she wasn’t technically in bed with Flynn. But whatever.
“You file paperwork for this and everything?” he asked.
“Yes. I am absolutely informed on the correct processes here.”
“Well, damn. Mom and Dad are going to … They’re not going to know what to do with the fact that you’re trying to become one of the powers that be.”
“I’m doing it for good. Not for evil.”
“Of course you are. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re perilously close to becoming The Man.”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “Shocking, isn’t it?”
She held back a litany of things that she might say.
About how their parents had definitely worked hard at making sure they didn’t even have the opportunity to consider becoming The Man.
About how their parents had done their level best to make sure that the two of them wouldn’t have the skills, the experience, or education to get into such a position.
Truthfully, if Jessie pulled it off, it was going to be because she had taught herself what she needed to know. And not thanks to their parents.
She really did love their parents.
But there were just … some wounds. But wounds didn’t get better if you licked them. So you might as well slap on a big old bandage and ignore them.
“You’re going to be the talk of the town,” he said. “Running for mayor, and the rumors about you and Flynn and …” He paused again, and she knew he was getting closer to asking outright if the relationship was fake. But she wasn’t going to let him.
“Worry about you, West. I don’t need any help with this. I’ve got a plan.”
He rolled his eyes. “Lord, girl. You are a whole lot.”
“Part of my charm.”
“Charm. Sure.”
“That’s what they tell me. Now are we going to rehearse today, or what?”
“Yeah. Get your horse, cowgirl.”
“Will do.”