Call It Destiny

of the contract, the word is mistress. As I’ve told you before, it would be extremely awkward for me to have you living with me. As owner of the Hacienda I feel obliged to maintain a certain image.“
    „You mean you think it might be a bit tacky to be sleeping openly with the daughter of the former owner?“ Heather asked bitterly.
    „Very tacky. There will, however, be occasions for business trips, vacations, weekends away, that sort of thing. I will expect you to travel with me at those times.“
    „That’s not tacky?“
    „At the moment you’re functioning as my employee. Save the flippancy for some other occasion.“
    „I thought I was out on a date with you,“ she remarked wistfully.
    „This is business. And because being my mistress is just another job, I am willing to pay a separate salary.“
    Heather went white. With extreme care she set down her glass of wine, not trusting herself to be able to hold it any longer.
    Watching her from across the table Jake faltered. He was crucifying her and he knew it. But in the end it would be less painful to push her like this than to allow her to manipulate both of them with her unrealistic, passionately romantic, highly emotional approach.
    „It doesn’t have to be like this, Heather,“ he growled gently, stretching out a hand to capture her too-still fingers.
    „Doesn’t it?“ She stared at him, her wounded stricken face drawn in the candlelight.
    „You know it doesn’t. Stop playing games and marry me. It’s as simple as that. You’ll share ownership of the Hacienda with me and you’ll share my life. It’s what both of us want.“
    „It’s not enough,“ she told him evenly. „Not nearly enough. I won’t tie myself to a man who doesn’t know how to love.“
    Jake’s face tightened. „Damn it, Heather, you’re tied to me one way or another, can’t you see that? Why do it the hard way?“
    „Asking you to love me as much as I love you is the hard way?“
    „Heather, I know you want – “ Jake broke off abruptly, his eyes lifting to a point just above her left shoulder. „Oh, hell.“
    „What is it?“
    „Cecil and Connie Winthrop.“
    „How lovely. You can make a full business meeting out of our date, can’t you?“ Heather breathed bitterly. „Invite them over and you can make another pitch to buy their land for your precious golf-course project.“
    Jake’s gaze flicked back to her tense face. „Why not? And since it’s going to be one of your assignments to get me that land, I’ll let you handle the whole thing.“ He rose to his feet.
    „Jake, wait---“
    He ignored the pleading in her eyes as he signaled to the Winthrops. „Just remember that I want that land, Heather.“
    „But we haven’t really discussed the golf course.“
    „I’m not obliged to discuss anything with my personal assistant unless I so choose. Get me that land, Heather.“
    Before she could protest further, the Winthrops were upon them, beaming down at Heather with avid curiosity and a hint of amusement in their eyes. Heather tried an uneasy smile, aware of the fact that the Winthrops had undoubtedly been among the two hundred or so guests present at the chapel a few mornings earlier.
    „Heather, darling, we heard you and Jake had a fascinating little adventure up in one of the canyons. You were so very lucky, you know,“ Connie Winthrop gushed cheerfully. „Those canyon streams and rivers can be so tricky during our stormy season. But your mother said Jake was with you?…“ She turned her inquiring gaze on the abandoned groom, clearly alive with curiosity.
    Jake gave the graying, middle-aged woman his familiar half smile and assisted her into a chair. „I could hardly allow Heather to go haring off alone into those mountains. How are you, Cecil?“ He extended his hand politely to Cecil Winthrop who shook it readily.
    „Fine, just fine. I might ask the same question of you, young man. It sounds to me as if our Heather has been giving you a hard time lately.“
    „Cecil!“ his wife admonished hurriedly.
    „I think I’ll survive,“ Jake murmured, his gaze on Heather’s face. „Things have been a little rocky lately, but basically Heather and I understand each other. We’re getting it all ironed out, aren’t we, honey?“
    „Matters between us are being steamrollered, not neatly ironed out,“ Heather responded with a shred of her natural spirit. She turned to Connie Winthrop with her most brilliant smile. Jake said he wanted