Page 39 of Five Mountain Daddies

“Just some local assholes I went to school with beingdicks.”

“Block out the noise. They’re just little people. We’regiants.”

I grin at that message and slide my phone under my pillow. He’s right. Those guys are stuck in this town, but I got out. I have choices, freedom, the ability to see past the small-town bullshit. They can’t do any ofthat.

I lean back and stare up at the ceiling, and picture all the ways those assholes at the bar are little people, and I’m agiant.

14

James

The more I think about that text from London, the angrier Iget.

I don’t know what exactly was said to her or what happened, but I can imagine. I grew up in this place, so I know how people can be, and I know they talk aboutus.

We’re five handsome, rich men that are slowly starting to own this town, even if people don’t quite realize it. Even if that weren’t the case, people would have something to say about us being unmarried, or about us partying, or about any number of things we’ve been doing. There are rumors about the way we use women and share them, and some of those rumors are actually true, but most of it isgarbage.

And then there are rumors about us personally, which are even worse. The people here don’t have a whole lot going on, and so when something happens that’s even remotely worth talking about, it spreads like wildfire. They’re little people living little lives, and as much as I want to help make this town a better place, they piss me offsometimes.

London doesn’t deserve their scorn. She’s exactly the kind of person they’d attempt to intimidate, since she’s different from everyone else. But she’s also so nice, and she doesn’t deserve it in the slightest. She’s only coming under the microscope because ofus.

I spend all the next day thinking about it, trying to come up with some solution to her problem. I’m not the kind of guy to hear about a problem and not try to fix it. Sometimes that’s a good trait, and sometimes it’s not, but I can’t help myself. I don’t take bullshit and I don’t suffer complaining or problems that can easily be solved. I want to help the people I love, and I don’t care if sometimes that can come off as pushy or controlling. That’s just the kind of man that Iam.

It takes me all day before I finally come up with something I think will work. I have to run it by the guys first, but they’re all in support, which makes this a lot easier. All I have to do is convinceLondon.

This time I don’t show up at her work. I wait until she gets off before I call her and tell her to meet me at a little restaurant outside of town called Gracie’s. The owner owes me a little favor, since I gave his brother a job at the shop when nobody else would. The guy’s an ex-convict, but he’s a decent enough man and a hard worker, so it was an easy decision. But now the brother lets me eat at his place in a little private room whenever I want, which is prettynice.

I beat London there. Richard, the owner, meets me out front with a bunch of fanfare and hugs. I haven’t been to Gracie’s in a while, but it’s good to see that his hospitality hasn’t waned. He leads me into the back room, gets me a whisky, and leaves me alone. He’s a goodguy.

London shows up about ten minutes later. I smile at her as she walks in wearing this little red and blue floral sundress. She clearly got dressed after work, and I can’t blameher.

I kiss her cheek. “Glad you found it,” Isay.

“They treated me like I was a celebrity, coming in here,” she answers,laughing.

I grin as we sit down. “The owner thinks he owes me some sort of favor.” I shrug, shaking myhead.

“Of course he does. I’m sure you saved his mother’s life or something likethat.”

“Something like that.” I sip my drink and watchher.

The waitress comes in and London asks for a water and a glass of wine. When the waitress heads off, I let London look over the menu before I start in on the reason we’rehere.

After a few minutes of silence, London finally looks at me. “I wanted to say thanks for lastnight.”

“Don’t mention it,” I say. “I know how this town canbe.”

She bites her lip, looking away. “I always knew too,” she says, “but it was never directed atme.”

I sigh. “Even harder that way. People can surpriseyou.”

“Yeah. Theycan.”

I hate that she’s hurting like this. I didn’t really realize how bad it was until I’m actually seeing her. I know she hates this town, it’s pretty obvious, but it’s still her home. It still hurts when that home rejects you for being what youare.

“Did I ever tell you why I left Leadwood?” I askher.

She shakes her head. “You never mentionedit.”

---