Call It Destiny

that land. Very well, she would get it for him.

11

    Friday morning, three days later, Jake stood in the doorway of the office Heather had taken over and watched as she pored over a new menu Julian Richards was seeking permission to implement. Heather’s whole attention was on the list of ingredients the Hacienda would have to inventory in order to present the menu day in and day out. The logistics of running a hotel restaurant were enormous and the cost of maintaining fresh foods was high. She was so wrapped up in the project that she hadn’t even noticed him lounging in the doorway.
    Ever since the night he had taken her out to dinner she had been like this, Jake reflected. Totally involving herself in work, she was spending up to sixteen hours a day in the office. It was unnerving to see the kind of energy she could funnel into work.
    Warily he had tried a few business conversations with her but Heather had merely listened politely, nodding agreement to everything he said. She had volunteered no input whatsoever. He could see the tension under which she was living and the knowledge that he was the cause of it was eating at him night and day. How much longer before she broke?
    No, Jake told himself savagely, he didn’t want to break her, only make her bend for both their sakes. But at the rate matters were progressing it was possible he would collapse first. That thought brought a wry grimace to his mouth just as Heather became aware of his presence.
    „Good morning, Jake. I didn’t hear you.“
    „Obviously.“ He tried a smile and wasn’t certain how well it came out. „Does the menu look at all feasible?“
    „I think we can handle it with a few small changes. Julian has his heart set on upgrading the wine cellar, too. It’s going to cost us…you, a fortune.“
    He heard the way she tripped over the word us and swore inwardly. „I just had a call from Cecil Winthrop.“
    „Did you?“
    „He’s going to accept our… my offer on that land.“
    Heather nodded, saying nothing. She turned back to the menu.
    „You’re the reason he and Connie finally agreed to sell,“ Jake went on doggedly.
    „You can show your appreciation by throwing in a Christmas bonus.“
    „Heather!“
    That brought her head up, her hazel eyes flashing with a familiar vividness, which she managed to subdue almost instantly. „I’m sorry, Jake. I forgot myself. I’m a little tired this morning.“
    He surveyed the coffee cup beside her desk and noted that the office pot was already half-empty. „You’re drinking too much coffee lately.“
    Heather glared at him, about to make a crack about paying for the coffee herself if he was so concerned about expenses, but something stopped her. His tone had been gruff but not genuinely annoyed. Surely he wasn’t actually worried about her physical well-being, she scoffed silently. And then, quite suddenly, she knew he was. Their glances clashed across the width of the room.
    „I’ll switch to tea,“ she heard herself offer.
    „Try milk.“
    „Impossible. I detest milk.“ Heather smiled wryly. „Not even for you will I switch to milk.“
    „There are a lot of things you aren’t willing to do for me.“
    „Only one or two,“ she corrected with a totally false cheeriness. Like marry you or switch to milk. Just a couple of things. Heather wondered gloomily how long she would be able to continue this silent war of wills.
    Jake straightened and moved toward her desk purposefully. He settled himself casually on the edge, one leg bracing his weight against the floor. „How much longer, Heather?“ he asked softly.
    „Until I sign the contract? You gave me until Monday, remember?“
    „You know it’s not what you want.“
    „I know.“ Her smile was sad and a little whimsical. „Excuse me, Jake. I’ve got to get back to work. Julian needs an answer on these menus so he can contact suppliers.“
    Jake’s mouth firmed into a grin. Heather knew he wanted to say something else but he changed his mind at the last minute. Without a word he removed himself from her desk and her office.
    As soon as she heard the door close behind him Heather’s body went limp as if from complete exhaustion. She dropped her head into her hands and closed her eyes against the incipient tears. How much longer? They were tearing each other apart.
    It was becoming increasingly clear to her that she wasn’t the only one suffering. Jake hid his tension and frustrated anger behind a facade of remote,