Not really, though. He was going to go back inside. Any minute now.
“It’s an election year,” she said.
“Oh, I am well aware.” He couldn’t walk past a well-manicured lawn without seeing a sign that had his half sister’s overly smiley face on it.
“No one has declared that they’re running against Danielle. There are three days left to enter the race and, well … I’m going to run for mayor.”
He stared at Jessie Jane, and he couldn’t help himself. He laughed. He laughed as if it was the funniest goddamned joke he’d ever heard in his life. Because it was.
“You,” he said when he finally caught his breath.
“Yes, me.”
“What’s your ticket? The yellow-bellied coward and dissolute gambler ticket?”
“I don’t think anyone could accuse me of being a yellow-bellied coward. Don’t confuse me with an unfortunate man in my lineage. And I won’t confuse you with yours.”
“Everybody else does.”
“I didn’t mean Austin Wilder. I meantMike.”
She made such a regretful, scornful face that he couldn’t help but laugh again.
“Fair enough.”
“I thought you would be interested, since I imagine you don’t exactly love watching Danielle flex her influence all over town.”
“You don’t know anything about me or my relationship with my mother’s family.”
“I know that you consider your half sister your mother’s family.”
“You don’t know anything else.”
“I pay attention, Flynn. I’m not blind to the dynamics.”
“Well, good for you. What’s a little family dysfunction?”
“Nothing. Hell, in my family it’s fun. But what do you think about the outlaws staging a takeover of the town?”
“I’m not following you.”
“I wantyouto be my first man.”
“What?”
“This town loves drama. People love that more than heroes; they love it more than sinners. And you know what they really, really want? A good old-fashioned showdown.”
“I don’t …”
“Outlaws versus lawmen. Jessie Jane Hancock, many times great-granddaughter of Butch Hancock the traitor, engaged to marry Flynn Wilder, running against Danielle, who is engaged to be married to your sister-in-law’s ex-fiancé. That’s not just drama; that’s a whole soap opera. And you and I are going to be the stars.”
Chapter 2
When I was little, I used to dream of wearing fancy dresses. I wanted to be like one of the ladies who walked by Ma and me where we sat, waiting for a man to come and pick Ma up for the evening, so that in the morning we could buy food. I didn’t understand then that a girl like me would never be a lady, no matter how fancy the dress.
—Belle Martin’s Diary, August 1865
“You’vegotto be kidding me,” Flynn said, looking her up and down as if she was a crazy person.
