Chapter 30 Pave the Way for Her
Lucian's POV
The sun was starting its descent when we left the stables. Reginald stood by his vintage Mustang, patting the hood affectionately before turning to Briar with an apologetic smile.
"This old girl doesn't like being rushed," he said. "I'll take the scenic route. Lucian, would you mind giving Briar a ride? I'll meet you both at the house in forty minutes."
Briar maintained her composure, inclining her head politely. I caught the calculation in Reginald's eyes and suppressed a smile. The old man was about as subtle as a freight train when he decided to play matchmaker.
"It's no trouble," I said, unlocking my car. "Shall we?"
The drive started in comfortable silence. Briar gazed out the window, her shoulders finally relaxing after the afternoon's negotiations. I kept my attention on the winding road.
"I saw you and Mr. Gray riding together," she said suddenly. "You two seemed pretty comfortable."
I couldn't help the slight smile. "Reginald insisted on dragging me along. You know how he is." I paused, keeping my tone teasing. "So what was I supposed to do? Tell him no?"
Briar's lips curved into a small smile, and I felt something warm settle in my chest at the sight.
The road curved higher, and the setting sun painted the sky in amber and rose. Briar seemed lost in thought before speaking again, more direct this time.
"Mr. Gray agreed to invest pretty quickly. I can't help thinking that has something to do with you. What's your real relationship with him?"
I said, "My grandfather was a doctor. Years ago, he saved Reginald's life during a medical emergency. They formed a bond over that, the kind that comes from literally owing someone your survival."
She let out a low whistle. "That's quite the connection."
"Reginald takes those debts seriously."
She shook her head slowly. "You really do have the right connections."
I glanced at her, catching the mix of gratitude and amusement in her expression. "Then I suppose you'd better keep me happy," I said, keeping my tone light but deliberate.
Her eyes widened slightly, then she laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you're very well taken care of."
The promise sent warmth through my chest. The sun was sinking lower, its rays slanting through the pines and casting long shadows across the asphalt. Briar rolled down her window, letting the mountain air rush in. It carried the scent of pine needles and cooling earth. For a moment, everything felt simple and right.
Gray Estate emerged from the trees. I pulled into the circular drive and cut the engine. Reginald's Mustang was nowhere in sight.
"He really does drive slowly," Briar observed.
"Let me check on him. Wait in the dining room."
I found Reginald in the back garden with his grandson. Even from a distance, I could hear the sharp edge in his voice. The young wolf's response was defiant before he stormed past me. Reginald watched him go, then sighed.
"Family."
I walked closer, keeping my voice low. "The funds have been transferred to Vance Botanicals' account."
His expression shifted. "Good. I'll sign the agreement after dinner." He paused. "Why go through all this trouble? You could have just given her the money directly. Why make her owe me the favor?"
"Because this way, she builds real connections. She gets introduced to your network, establishes relationships that matter. It's about setting her up for long-term success."
His mouth twitched. "You're really pave the way for her."
I didn't deny. "I'm invested in the Apex bidding process. Guiding her strategy gives her team a competitive advantage."
"And I suppose I'm getting consideration out of this too. You want to see what she's capable of. You're getting excellent terms on a promising investment. Nobody's losing in this deal."
Reginald laughed, shaking his head. "I thought she was getting the raw end. Now I'm starting to think I got played. That's what I get for letting you get involved."
Briar's POV
Dinner was an education in high-level strategy disguised as casual conversation. Reginald asked about my Apex plans, and I gave him the broad strokes. Then he set down his fork and spent thirty minutes walking me through Seattle's medical procurement landscape, pointing out pitfalls and opportunities I'd nearly missed.
"You'll want to reach out to Dr. Patricia Perez and Joseph Webb," he said, pulling out his phone. "I'll make the introductions."
Lucian sat quietly, his attention on his phone, though I caught him glancing up occasionally with that slight smile.
By nine o'clock, Reginald sat back satisfied. "I don't often meet young people who can keep up. When I do, I tend to get carried away."
"I'd be grateful for any opportunity to learn from you, Mr. Smith."
He waved a hand. "It's late. You're welcome to stay in a guest room."
I appreciated the offer but declined politely. "I should get back. My team will want updates in the morning."
We were halfway to the car when curiosity got the better of me. "What were you looking at all through dinner?"
He stopped, genuine surprise crossing his features. "You don't know?"
He pulled out his phone and held it out. The screen showed a trending topic that made my stomach drop.
#VanceBotanicalsLivestreamFamilyOfThree
Number one trending. My company. And apparently something about "a family of three" that I had no context for.
I felt thrilled and terrified simultaneously. Trending meant visibility, free advertising. But viral moments could go very wrong.
Lucian tapped the screen, pulling up the video.
Ash's grinning face filled the frame as he flexed enthusiastically. "Check out these guns! All natural, all powered by Vance Botanicals supplements!"
Then Damon stepped in, flexing alongside Ash like they were competing in bodybuilding. "Bigger guns over here!"
The camera panned to Liam watching with patient amusement. He caught the camera and smoothly transitioned into product information. "As you can see, our supplements support healthy muscle development. Results may vary, but enthusiasm is guaranteed."
I stared at the screen long after it ended, unable to process what I'd just watched.
"So," Lucian said, barely suppressing laughter, "is Ash's primary job function at your company embarrassing you?"
"They're fine separately. It's when you put them together that they lose all professional behavior."
My phone buzzed. Messages from Lily flooded in.
[We tried to stop them.]
[But then people started buying things.]
[A LOT of things.]
The last messages were pure numbers. Two hundred thousand dollars in sales. In one afternoon.
I stood there, trying to process what had just happened. The absurdity hit me all at once, and with it came a wave of relief so intense my hands started trembling.
I thrust my phone toward Lucian, unable to contain the emotions bubbling up. "Look at this. Two hundred thousand dollars. Because Ash decided to compare biceps with Damon on camera." I was rambling now, words tumbling out. "Do you know how hard I've been working? And what actually works is my team being complete goofballs?"
Lucian took my phone, scanning the numbers. Then he laughed, genuine and delighted. "Congratulations. I think your team just revolutionized pharmaceutical marketing."
The pearl lights lining the driveway cast soft glow across the space between us. One caught Lucian's face at just the right angle, illuminating his eyes as he smiled. They seemed to hold entire galaxies, warm and bright and impossibly beautiful. In that moment, he looked almost unreal, like something my exhausted mind had conjured from wishes and desperate hope.
Something shifted in my chest. I'd been so focused on survival, on keeping my company afloat and proving myself capable, that I'd forgotten what it felt like to just be happy, to share good news with someone who genuinely cared about my success. The realization that I had someone like that, standing right here in front of me, made my breath catch.
Before I could second-guess the impulse, I stepped forward and reached up, my hands cupping Lucian's face gently. His skin was warm under my palms, and I could feel the slight tension in his jaw, the way his breath caught at my touch.