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“I know you weren’t trying to undermine me.”

“I still did.”

“A little,” she says.

I give her a look.

Blaire’s mouth curves faintly.

“Fine. More than a little.”

That almost makes me smile.

She steps farther into the room and leans against the edge of the kitchen counter.

“I also know where it comes from,” she says.

“You’re used to having ten things happening at once and people waiting for you to make the call. You see a problem, you fix it.”

“That doesn’t make it right.”

“No,” she says. “But it does make it understandable.”

I study her for a moment.

“You were still right.”

“I know.”

This time I do smile.

Blaire folds her arms lightly.

“You’re not going to become less controlling overnight, are you?”

“No.”

“At least you’re honest.”

“I’m working on the rest.”

She looks at me for another second, and the last of the tension between us begins to ease.

“I was mad at you,” she says.

“I noticed.”

“I’m still a little mad.”

“That seems fair.”

Her expression softens as I step closer, slowly enough to give her room to move away if she wants to. When I reach her, I take her hand.

“I don’t like being at odds with you,” I say.

Blaire closes her fingers around mine.

“Neither do I.”