Page 69 of Bad Luck Club

She laughed, shaking her head. “How about I agree to approach this as objectively as possible, as long as you agree to never do that eyebrow thing again?”

He laughed. “Deal.”

Two hours later, Blue looked wrung out, but there was a hopeful glint in her eyes. “Why am I so exhausted?”

“Teasing out what makes your business yours is hard work. It requires soul searching.” He thought about what he’d said earlier and reached across the table to cover her hand. “Your art isn’t widgets, Blue. I never should have said that.”

“But that’s what this is about, right? Figuring out how to monetize it?”

“Still—”

She shook her head. “No. I feel good about what we did this morning. A business plan sounded scary, but when I look at my mission statement, it fills me with hope. Like maybe I can really do this, long term.”

“Youcan. You just need a road map, and I’m here to help you make it.”

She stood and took a couple of steps toward the living room. “I’ve taken up enough of your time, and I need to get back to the studio.” Tears filled her eyes. “Thank you, Lee.”

He nodded, her tears making his chest constrict. Then, before reason could kick in, he pulled Blue into his arms, holding her in an embrace.

She felt stiff in his arms for a moment, and he almost let her go, but then she relaxed and rested her cheek against his chest with a contented sigh.

His heartbeat kicked up, and he wondered if she noticed. Of course she did. Her ear was practically over his heart.

Why did holding her feel so right? Like she was the piece of him that was missing. He’d talked shop with women before, both about his business and theirs, but he’d never felt so emotionally satisfied as he did now. This was important to her, and he wanted her to succeed. He liked thinking he could give her a boost. Still, he knew it went deeper than that. Blue was the gentle to his harsh. She brought out a side of him that had been asleep for years. It had allowed him to approach Georgie, hat in hand, and apologize. It had led to his reconciliation with Jack. It had motivated him to hit the road in his mission to help Buchanan Brewery, to improve the business for his sisters. And his brother. Blue softened him, and to his surprise, he liked it.

“Come to the club with me on Sunday,” she whispered.

“Of course,” he said without thinking. He’d do anything to spend more time with her, but as soon as he uttered the words, he realized exactly what he’d agreed to.

He leaned back, still holding on to her. “I didn’t do the challenge.”

She made a face. “You get three and a half chances, remember? Most people don’t do the first one. They’d think it was too easy for you if you did it.”

He didn’t give a rat’s ass what the others thought of him, but it mattered to Blue, so it mattered to him. “I’m sure you did yours the next day.”

Her face flushed. “No. I haven’t done it yet, but I have to. I’ve already blown off three.” She looked down before meeting his eyes again. “The first was to let myself get angry and express it. The second was to write my father a letter telling him what he’d done to me. I didn’t have to send it, but I wasn’t ready to write it at the time.” She tugged her lower lip into her teeth, drawing his attention to it. “It took me weeks to do it. And the last one I skipped was to do something proactive to grow my business.”

They were all things she’d accomplished, then, because she’d come at him like an avenging angel earlier. He felt a burst of pride in her. “What did Bear ask you to do this time?”

She pulled away and picked up her purse from the chair next to the door. “Go on a date.”

The blood rushed from his head. “Awhat?”

Her chin lifted, and a defiant look filled her eyes. “A date.”

The jealousy that rushed through him was numbing. “With the cheater?”

Her flush deepened. “No. Someone new.”

“I see,” he said carefully. It took everything in him to maintain control. There was something between them, something twining them together, he knew that deep in his soul, and the thought of her with someone else made his blood boil. Even if she refused to entertain the thought of anything developing between them because it would break the rules of that stupid club.

“I really appreciate your help, Lee,” she said as she moved to the door. “But you’re still working on you, and I’m not going to get in the way of that. It’s too important. We can’t both be a mess.” She gave him a warm smile. “Do you want me to pick you up again?”

He couldn’t imagine being in the same car with her, not after what had happened the last time. Not when she’d just told him that she wouldn’t act on their attraction because he was a mess. He knew he was a mess, but he didn’t like that it was the first thing she saw when she looked at him. “No. I’ll meet you there.”

“But you’ll come?” she asked quietly.

He wanted to say no. He’d hated the last meeting, and who knew what hazing stunt they’d pull next, but when he thought of the rest of the day stretching ahead of him, bereft of Blue, it suddenly seemed dull and bleak. She was like a ray of sunshine cutting through the fog in his brain. He needed her, whether he liked it or not. Whether he could be with her or not. Whenever and however he could get her. He was incapable of telling her no.

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