I love this thread, you guys.
Lureen as "she who lures"! She's definitely the aggressor here; I guess that makes Jack the trophy husband. If you think about it, both get some of what they want:
Jack gets financial stability, and a not-very-demanding wife, and a long leash to visit Wyoming and Mexico. Also the ability to leave, on short notice, if necessary.
Lureen gets the trophy husband, albeit a "pissant", a baby, and the opportunity to "wear the pants" and run the family business.
Both have to compromise, however. I think there is basic affection/respect. But the passion goes elsewhere: Jack's to Ennis, or the hope of Ennis; Lureen's gets sublimated into her work. Her passion turns into "looking for extra zeros". It's true both Jack and Lureen suffered disappointment, and found a way to "stand it".
I agree that Lureen knew something about Jack, maybe not consciously. She knew he was a dreamer: in the phone call, she says, "knowing Jack, BBM could just be a pretend place..."
I love those little squeaks of recognition, very subtle, when Ennis says "no, ma'am... we was herding sheep..." and later "we was good friends".
By the way, Cassie, another aggressive woman, makes me think of "Cassandra" in Greek myth: "she who entangles men" is how she is described. She had the gift/curse of making predictions of the future that no one believed.