Page 21 of More Than This Land

The drive back to the ranch gave him time to think, process, and imagine what it might look like to lead with both head and heart.

By the time he parked in front of the main house, he knew what he needed to do.

His family sat in the conference room, talking quietly over cold coffee and Mom’s cookies. They looked up when he walked in, surprise sending his brothers leaning back in their chairs.

“I’m sorry.” Luke spoke before anyone else could. “You were trying to help, and I got defensive. That was wrong.”

Dad set down his coffee mug. “We probably could’ve approached it differently.”

“No.” Luke shook his head. “You approached it with love, and I responded with pride. That’s on me. I went to see Claire.” He moved to his abandoned chair and sat. “Sometimes it takes getting hit over the head repeatedly before the lesson sinks in.”

Mom crossed to him and kissed the top of his head like he was still ten years old. “That girl has been trying to help you find your way back to who you really are. The least you can do is listen.”

“I am listening.” He caught his mother’s hand. “Finally.”

Dad’s tight expression relaxed. He nodded once and refilled his coffee cup. “What are you thinking?”

They spent the next hour working through Claire’s recommendations, building an implementation plan that balanced immediate changes with long-term restoration. By the time they finished, his exhaustion had disappeared, and a sense of accomplishment settled in.

As his brothers filed out and his parents headed upstairs, Luke stayed at the table with Claire’s report open in front of him.

He’d spent two years building walls to protect what mattered. Now he needed to learn how to build bridges instead.

He closed the report and stood, turning off the conference room lights.

Tomorrow he’d start rebuilding. Making calls. Restoring programs. Taking the first small steps toward becoming the kind of leader who blessed people instead of managing them.

But tonight, he let himself feel grateful for a family who loved him enough to challenge him, and a consultant who cared enough to keep pushing. Most of all, he thanked God for a faith that promised grace was stronger than fear.

Chapter Six

Claire triple-checked her notes Wednesday morning before Luke arrived to pick her up. Their planned outing to renegotiate the ranch’s contract with their feed supplier gave her a chance to see Luke in action.

She tried not to think about the fact she’d be in close contact with Luke all day.

All. Day.

Her pulse did a little thrum-beat that skipped into overdrive.

Nope. Couldn’t have that. This was a business meeting and nothing more.

Grimacing, she sipped her lukewarm coffee and reread her notes.

Martin’s Feed & Supply had served 4C Ranch for twenty-three years. That kind of loyalty deserved more than a spreadsheet analysis, but Luke had made it clear this meeting was about renegotiating terms, not preserving sentiment.

Had she expected more from him after his revelation the other night? Of course. But changes didn’t come easy to a man in Luke’s position, and she’d take the wins when they came.

And the fact he’d promised to work on reopening several of the programs he’d shut down showed his progress. She couldn’t be greedy.

Gravel crunched in the driveway. Claire grabbed her portfolio and headed outside before Luke’s knock risked waking Granny Mama, who’d been up half the night with indigestion.

Luke stood next to his truck door, palm on the metal as he pushed it closed. He caught sight of her and stopped. He looked every inch the ranch manager in his pressed shirt with the ranch logo over his heart and clean jeans. No hat today, which meant his hair caught the morning sunlight as wind stirred it across his forehead. “Ready?” He rounded the truck and opened the door for her.

“As I’ll ever be.” Claire climbed into the passenger seat, setting her portfolio on her lap and locking her fingers around it to keep them from wandering over to where Luke’s hand rested on the console.

They drove in silence through town and out toward the industrial area where Martin’s operation sat between a lumber yard and an equipment repair shop. Paint peeled off one side of the building in long sheets, and a few missing letters in the sign gave it character.

Luke parked near the entrance. “Let me do the talking.”