“Yeah, I am.” I removed my earpiece, secured my guitar to my shoulder and walked away. Moniece was right behind me, talking about flight arrangements for the next morning. ThisWhiskey Wild era had been amazing, but now it was time to conjure up new dreams and slay fiercer dragons.
Cyrus wasthe last one to pull up to our parents’ house even though he’d requested Dial and I meet him there. As mayor you’d think punctuality would be a mandatory job requirement. But Cyrus was only on time for things that were really valuable to him, and he knew Dial and I would grant him a fifteen-minute grace period. Our parents were in Gainsborough looking at properties. Which, along with the for-sale sign at the entrance road, made their move all the more real.
“Why are we here?” Dial didn’t even wait for Cyrus to fully exit his car.
“Goddamn, does no one know how to say hello?” he asked.
“Hello, how are you? How’s the family?” I joked.
“Why are we here? Edison and I left Figs and Twine early to meet you.”
“Stop acting like you and Eddy are a two-man crew. You have staff who are more than capable of handling things while you’re out.”
“I believe the inclusive phrasing would be two-person crew. You should know that Mr. Mayor,” Dial chided.
Cyrus ignored her, a determined look on his face. “I have a proposal.”
Dial checked her phone, her interest already waning. “Shoot.”
“I think we should buy the farm.”
My antenna immediately started to rise. I wanted to save the farm too. But Cy wasn’t sentimental, so his suggestion took me by surprise.
“No.” Dial turned to head back to her car.
“I’m serious.”
“You want to buy Mom and Dad’s place?” I said. Fancy suggested I do something similar but at the time it seemed far-fetched. I opted not to broach the subject because I didn’t want Cyrus and Dial teaming up to make fun of me for being mushy and idealistic.
“I’ve done my research. It’s a great investment. We could rent it out for a few years. Maybe expand and add some tiny guest homes outback. Everyone says how beautiful this property is. We could host family reunions or weddings.”
“Okay you’ve got my attention,” Dial said.
“I’ve prepared portfolios for both of you. And I already have an investor.” He handed off a substantial folder.
“Investor? Portfolio? Hosting events? This all sounds like a lot of work.” I scanned through the documents.
“Who’s the investor?” Dial asked.
“Anything worth having is worth working hard for.”
“Nobody is coming to Hume on vacation,” Dial said.
“As the mayor of this town, I’m privy to things you’re not. People pay for experiences. If we offer a small-town country vibe, leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind. Disconnect get one with nature, ride a fucking horse, milk a cow. Eat real farm to table meals. Rich white people will flock in droves and Black folks will do it for the plot.”
“So, this isn’t about saving our childhood home and more about lining your pockets,” I asked.
“Our pockets. The collective, the originals. The core four.”
“Who the fuck is the core four?” Confusion lined Dial’s forehead.
“You, me, Edison, and Francesca.”
“You’re losing me with the Francesca thing. How is she a part of this core four?”
“She’s Edison’s girlfriend. And she has deep pockets. She probably has a pool of money she jumps into each night. Let’s not let the pretty brown eyes fool us. She’s rich.”
“I don’t know if she’d go for this entrepreneurial endeavor. And I’m not really feeling you referring to my girlfriend as Scrooge McDuck.”
