Chapter 6 #3
“Like today with Tom.” Claire confirmed. “You gave up a slight overhead cut and gained a supplier who’ll remember you worked with him instead of against him. That’s capital you can’t quantify but will matter when you need it.”
Luke turned to stare out the windshield at the Montana landscape rolling toward distant mountains. “My grandfather used to say you can’t out-give God. I always thought that was naive.”
“Maybe it’s the opposite of naive.” Claire studied his profile, the way the afternoon light caught the angles of his face and sharpened the edges. “Maybe it’s the most practical wisdom there is.”
“What if I try and fail?”
“Then you fail, but at least you fail while trying to do the right thing instead of failing while trying to control the uncontrollable.”
Luke laughed, the sound surprised and almost light. Some of the tension drained from his shoulders. “That’s a terrible pep talk.”
“I’m a CPA, not a motivational speaker.” But she grinned, warmth spreading through her chest. “I stand by the point. You’re going to fail sometimes no matter what you do. Might as well fail while being generous instead of failing while being miserly.”
“When you put it that way.” Luke shook his head, his smile lingering a beat before growing wider. “You make terrible life advice sound almost reasonable.”
“It’s a gift.” She relaxed into her seat.
Luke pulled the truck back onto the highway, but the tension shifted, then dissolved.
He spoke several miles later, his voice a low rumble that matched the tires rolling away the miles. “Thank you for putting me in my place. I know I don’t make things like that easy, especially in the moment. I’m glad you didn’t stay quiet and let me make a decision I’d regret.”
“You’re welcome.” She fought down a smug grin. “I think you knew it was the wrong call, but I’ll happily take the credit for convincing you to choose differently.”
His lips quirked. “Maybe. Or maybe I needed someone stubborn enough to challenge me even when I told her not to.”
Granny Mama’s house came into view at the end of the street.
She almost winced at the reality that her time with Luke had come to an end.
He frustrated her, challenged her, and made her think outside her own comfort zone.
She kind of liked it. She liked him, stubbornness and all.
“Also a possibility. It wasn’t easy watching you negotiate like relationships don’t matter, and I couldn’t keep sitting there and not interfere.
Sometimes caring about someone means challenging them even when it’s uncomfortable. ”
“Caring about someone.” Luke repeated slowly.
Heat flooded her cheeks and spread down her neck. “I mean as your consultant. Obviously. Professional caring. About your business decisions. And their impact.” She was babbling. She needed to stop babbling.
“Obviously.” Luke’s smile warmed, and tiny crinkles appeared beside his eyes.
They pulled into the driveway and Luke parked beside her sedan. Neither moved.
“Claire.” Luke turned in his seat. “I’m trying to be better, but I’m going to mess up a lot while I figure this out.”
“That’s okay. Growth is messy.”
“Will you keep calling me out when I mess up?” Hope threaded through the question.
She gathered her portfolio and tried not to think about the deeper implication behind the words. “It’s literally what you’re paying me for.” Work. They worked together. That was all. Luke didn’t have any personal feelings for her. The reminder gouged at her tender feelings.
Luke climbed out of the truck and came around to open her door. “I need more people in my corner who are brave enough to tell me when I’m being an idiot. My brothers do a great job, but I’m so used to them hounding me that I tune them out most of the time.”
“You’re in luck.” Claire accepted his offered hand to help her down. His palm was warm, calloused, solid. Her pulse jumped at the contact and didn’t settle even when she stood on solid ground. “I have extensive experience dealing with stubborn ranchers who think they know everything.”
“Is that what I am?” Luke didn’t release her hand immediately. His thumb brushed across her knuckles once and she forgot how to breathe.
“Among other things.” She looked up at him, increasingly aware that he stood within kissing distance. “You’re learning. That counts for something.”
“With a teacher like you, I’d better be learning.” Luke’s gaze dropped to their joined hands, then back to her face. “Otherwise, all this challenging and intervening would be wasted effort.”
“Can’t have that.” Claire stepped back, needing distance to think before she did something utterly foolish like risk falling for him. Her hand slipped from his. “I should head inside. Granny Mama has a doctor’s appointment this afternoon.”
“Of course.” Luke moved aside to let her pass.
The walk away from him and up the steps moved with agonizing slowness. What was it about him that made her want to take a chance on building more than a business relationship? He was cold, controlled, and he thought of people in profit margins.
He was all the things she’d never wanted, but telling her heart to stop its ridiculous flutter every time he said her name was becoming impossible.