Chapter 98: The Bull and the Snail

Claire Grace sat quietly in the back seat, her gaze fixed on the scene in front of her. Blaire Zeller's pale, slender arms wrapped around Lucas's shoulder, and soon, her entire upper body leaned into him with alarming intimacy.

"Lucas," Blaire purred in a voice so sweet it could rot teeth. "What are you planning to cook for me to celebrate my homecoming?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes flicking to the rearview mirror, where Claire's face was barely hiding her frustration. A peculiar glint of amusement flashed in his gaze. "Whatever you want to eat, have Claire make it. Her cooking isn't bad either."

"Lucas!" Blaire whined, pouting dramatically. "I only want your cooking!" Her finger traced an exaggerated line along the curve of his jaw.

Claire's eyes widened in disbelief, her mouth slightly agape. Was she hallucinating? Why did Blaire look like some kind of clingy sea creature, practically glued to Lucas? Could siblings really be this close?

No, Claire concluded. Lucas's face, darkened with irritation, told a different story. His furrowed brow hinted at a storm brewing beneath his composed exterior.

"Blaire, could you sit properly?" Lucas's voice dropped, gaining a serious edge. "You're making it unsafe for me to drive."

"But Lucas," Blaire murmured, her head still nestled against his shoulder. "You know I've always gotten carsick. I used to lean on you like this all the time before you got married."

Lucas tightened his grip on the wheel, his brows drawing together even further. He said nothing, but his silence spoke volumes—he wasn't pleased.

In the back, Claire bit her lip, trying to reason with herself. They're just siblings, she reminded herself, forcing a calm expression onto her face. Maybe they've always been close. No need to feel jealous. After all, Lucas married me.

Just then, Blaire turned her attention toward Claire, her delicate features taking on a pitiable expression. "Sister-in-law," she said, her voice laced with mock sweetness, "you're so lucky. You don't get carsick, do you?"

Her words, while harmless on the surface, felt like tiny barbs aimed directly at Claire.

"Oh, I'm quite healthy," Claire said with a forced smile, her tone light. "Strong as a bull, really. Carsick? Not me!"

Lucas let out an uncharacteristic laugh, a rich, melodious sound that sent a wave of heat rushing to Claire's cheeks.

"What's so funny?" Claire asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

Lucas glanced at her through the mirror, his dark eyes shimmering with rare amusement. "You calling yourself a bull. That's new."

"What's wrong with that?" Claire asked, her tone defensive. "I'm perfectly healthy."

"You just missed a word," Lucas teased, his voice dripping with humor.

"Missed a word?" Claire blinked. "What word?"

Lucas's lips curved into a smirk. "You should've said you're like a snail, not a bull."

Blaire glanced at him, wide-eyed, as his laughter filled the car once again. The sight of his throat moving with the deep, genuine chuckle left her momentarily mesmerized, though her frustration quickly resurfaced.

Claire, on the other hand, opened her mouth to argue but found herself at a loss for words. Instead, three dark lines of embarrassment seemed to materialize on her forehead.

"So," Lucas said, shifting gears as the light turned green. "Have you thought about dinner? Should we drop Blaire off first and head to the grocery store?"

"Grocery store?" Claire asked, puzzled. Lucas usually handled shopping alone.

"Lucas!" Blaire cut in, her voice sharper now. "Why would you send me home first? Are you that eager to ditch me?!"

Lucas sighed, his patience clearly wearing thin. "You just got off a plane. You should go home, clean up, and rest. We'll cook, and you can eat when it's ready. It's not that complicated."

Claire bit back a laugh. She knew Lucas too well—his real goal was to limit Blaire's involvement.

Blaire, however, wasn't having it. "How will you know what I want to eat if I'm not there?" she countered, her arms folding defiantly. "Besides, I need to pick up some personal items. You wouldn't expect me to ask you to buy them for me anymore, would you?"

Lucas arched a brow but said nothing.

"Lucas, just let Blaire come with us," Claire interjected, hoping to end the tiresome back-and-forth.

Lucas glanced at Claire through the mirror, his lips twitching as if holding back another smile. "Fine," he said, relenting. "Let's all go together."

Blaire's triumphant grin returned as she leaned back smugly, satisfied that she had gotten her way. Claire, meanwhile, stared out the window, already dreading the rest of the evening. Something told her that dinner with Blaire would be far more complicated than she had anticipated.