Last week, I hired a young man named Grant Hill. Mr. Hill arrived on the heels of my new step-daughter. He had that hungry look in his bold, black eyes, the look that said if she walked out of the room his heart would follow. He denies that he’s in love with her but I’m not blind. It’s the same look I wore for the two months that I spent searching for her mother.

I sent the girl upstairs with her mother – my new wife – so I could get the measure of him while she wasn’t around. Turns out he’s solid to the core. I’m a good judge of character – have to be, in my position; wouldn’t have survived this long otherwise – and I think I’ve got a keeper here: ethical, industrious, honest, selfless. I offered him a job on the spot, never expecting him to accept right away. He said his mother wouldn’t approve of his taking a brand in exchange for a salary. Said she values freedom above safety. That made me laugh – sounds familiar. I think I knew somebody like that when I was young. I reminded him that there are some kinds of freedom a lot easier to obtain with a pouch of gold. Well, I thought he’d run home to mother to hash it out, but he only talked to the girl and then presented himself to be branded the next morning. Said he’d deal with his mother later.

Probably more about the girl than the gold, but I think the choice will benefit him as much as it does me. You can be damn sure I’ll do right by the kid.

Best part of it all? Kid’s strong as an ox and says he’ll play for the Broilers. Looks like Frenner’s getting demoted to sub.

Lux

Alexander “Lux” Jackson
October 2131