Chapter 2 #2
“But it treats 4C Ranch like it exists in isolation. Like vendor relationships and community partnerships and generational goodwill don’t factor into long-term viability.
” Claire pulled out her printed summary and slid it across the table.
“I ran a correlation analysis comparing your community engagement against local business referrals and vendor responsiveness. The pattern is clear. As you’ve reduced community investment, you’ve also seen decreased community support.
” She’d asked him to think about this very thing, and when he refused to admit to it, she pulled out the cold, hard facts.
Sometimes that worked to shake up men like Luke.
Luke picked up the summary, and Claire gave him time to read.
Minutes ticked past.
Claire sat back, studying the man across from her. Tense, defensive. Vulnerable.
Whoa. Where did that one come from? She examined Luke as he read.
Yes, he had an intensity that bordered on annoying.
But his brown eyes held more exhaustion and what looked like worry than she’d expected.
Most men in his position became defensive of their decisions.
They didn’t like being challenged, especially by a woman.
Luke reminded her of a man who’d built walls so high he couldn’t see what he was walling himself off from.
She could push. Could argue. Could try to convince him that her analysis was worth considering.
But Claire had learned long ago that you couldn’t force someone to see what they weren’t ready to see.
Jo arrived with their breakfast. Plates loaded with enough food to feed a small family covered the small table in no time, forcing Claire to scramble to move all of hers and Luke’s papers before they disappeared beneath the food.
The biscuits steamed under a blanket of sausage gravy, and the smell alone could’ve justified the trip.
“Can I get you two anything else?” Jo’s eyes moved between them with the perceptiveness of someone who’d witnessed a thousand difficult conversations in these booths. An arched brow silently told Claire Jo’s opinion on the current status of Luke’s annoyance.
“We’re good, Miss Jo. Thank you.” Luke’s tone gentled when he addressed her.
Claire noticed the way he softened for the diner owner, it showed respect and warmth he’d kept carefully locked away during their conversation.
He wasn’t cold. He was controlled.
There was a difference, and Claire filed that observation away while her heart did a quick little flutter. She’d always loved a challenge, but nothing like this had ever happened before.
They ate in silence broken by the clatter of forks and the soft murmurs of pleased taste buds. She’d learned not to discuss business during meals. Instead, she concentrated on enjoying every bite and hoping that Luke would at least consider what she’d said.
Her way wasn’t the be all end all of business, but she had enough experience with ranches and agriculture to understand the trends and what worked long-term.
Luke focused on his pancakes with the same intensity he brought to everything else, while Claire let the biscuits and gravy work their promised magic.
Jo had been right. She was officially ruined for anywhere else.
Luke wiped his mouth with one of Jo’s linen napkins and pushed his plate aside.
“Well, I appreciate the sermon, but I’m not sure it’s what I need right now.
” He pulled his wallet from his jacket, extracting bills for both their meals.
“I said I’d read your analysis. I will. But I’m not making any promises beyond that. ”
He stood, leaving several bills on the table.
End of conversation.
She started to stand. “Luke—”
“This consultation wasn’t my idea. My father went behind my back because he doesn’t trust my judgment anymore. So, forgive me if I’m not enthusiastic about someone else telling me I’m doing everything wrong.”
“I’m not telling you you’re doing everything wrong.
” She couldn’t explain why she wanted this to work out, why she needed him to listen.
He was entitled to his opinion, but her mouth took off without her permission.
“I’m saying you’re so focused on protecting the ranch that you might be sacrificing the very things that make it worth protecting. ”
“Thank you for your time, Miss Whitlock.” Luke tucked his hands into his back pockets. “I’ll be in touch if I have questions.”
Then he was walking away, his boots heavy against the diner floor, shoulders tight and pulled up to his ears.
Claire sat in the booth with the morning’s paperwork abandoned on the table between them. Had she made everything worse?
The door swung shut behind him with a soft chime.
Jo appeared moments later, sliding into the seat Luke had vacated and setting down two plates of pie without asking permission.
“That looked intense.” Jo pushed one plate toward Claire.
“I think I just lost any chance of helping him.” Claire stared at the cherry pie, her appetite gone.
“Nah.” Jo picked up her fork. “You just hit a nerve. That’s different.”
“How is that different?”
“Hitting a nerve means you said something true.” Jo took a bite of pie. “Luke’s really good at dismissing things that don’t challenge him. The fact he got defensive means you got through the armor.”
Not exactly an encouragement.