Page 1 of More Than This Land

Chapter One

Mondays held a certain kind of power over Luke Calloway. They were a blank slate, a chance to start over and bring the ranch to the next level, accomplishing goals he’d lined up years ago. Dad kept telling him slow and steady won the race, but Luke preferred to blast through obstacles and accomplish his five-year plan in two.

If he kept going at his current rate, 4C Ranch would top its highest earnings by the end of the year.

He whistled on his way down the hallway, his bootheels creating a distant echo as he turned left and twisted the knob to his office. The door swung open and two distinct voices reached across the space.

Dad sat behind Luke’s desk, his hands laced together and a warm smile tipping his lips.

A brown-haired woman sat across from him, her body angled away from the door so that all Luke saw was the wave of hair and a pair of blue slacks. “I see what you mean.” She tapped a blunted nail on the desk, drawing Luke’s gaze to the space.

“Are you looking at the ranch’s financial books?” His voice whipped out.

The woman turned, her mouth opening in an O.

Dad stood. “Luke, this is Claire Whitlock. She’s in town taking care of her grandmother.”

Didn’t explain why she sat with Dad looking over financials he kept locked in the filing cabinet. Luke crossed to the desk, propped his hands on the edge, and leaned over the spreadsheets.

“I’ve invited Claire to look over the ranch’s financials. She’s a CPA who specializes in ranches and agricultural areas.” Dad looked so pleased with himself.

It pinched Luke’s consciousness, but he kept his expression flat. “We don’t need a financial advisor. The ranch is doing fine.”

Better than ever.

Luke lifted his head, meeting Claire’s eyes.

She swiveled away from him, easing to her feet and backing away.

“Luke, the ranch is doing well, but I’m concerned about the ramifications of cutting down our hay supply from Ray. That thirty percent hits him pretty hard. I wanted Claire to take a look and see if it would hurt us to go back to our original contract.” Dad gave him a look that told him to mind his manners.

Fine. Luke did his best to remain calm and neutral, but having Dad call him out in front of a complete stranger created a storm of tension that tightened the tendons in his neck. The coffee pot on the counter behind Dad hissed and gurgled, spitting out the last bit of warm deliciousness he’d been looking forward to until he opened the door.

“Maybe I should go.” Claire picked up a blue bag by the handle and slung it over her shoulder. “I was under the impression this was something you’d already approved, Mr. Calloway.”

“I’m Mr. Calloway, and I did approve it.” Dad poked his thumb into his chest. “Luke is the ranch manager, and he oversees the contracts and general financials.”

Claire’s head tipped to the side, causing her long hair to spill over her shoulder. “I see. So, Luke is the person I would be working with on this project.”

“Yes.” Dad grinned, not noticing—or choosing to ignore—the way Claire’s voice hitched.

Luke straightened, putting distance between him and the desk. It caused him to tower a bit over the petite woman, but there wasn’t anything he could do about that.

Claire’s gaze flicked between him and Dad, then settled on Luke. She had the kind of face that looked far too young for the intelligence in her eyes and the set of her jaw. Professional, composed, and annoyingly unruffled by the tension crackling through the room. Or maybe she hid it well. She had taken a step back when he pressed into her space.

Her chin lifted. “I apologize for the confusion.” Shifting the bag higher on her shoulder, she held his gaze. “I thought you’d approved the meeting. If you’d like me to lea⁠—”

“No need to leave.” Luke cut her off with an attempt at a smile even while he crossed his arms. “You’re here. You’ve seen the numbers. Might as well tell me what you think. Your opinion might prove to Dad that my decision was the right one.”

Dad settled into Luke’s chair, looking far too comfortable.

Claire hesitated, then set her bag down and pulled a slim notebook from the side pocket. She flipped it open, scanned notes written in neat, slanted handwriting. “Your operational efficiency is impressive.”

Luke’s chest puffed out.

“The cost reduction measures you’ve implemented over the past eighteen months have clearly improved your profit margins.” The words gave him a sense of pride, but how she said them tempered his initial reaction.

“But?”