Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
„Practically, but not quite.“ Jake helped himself to a
slice of French bread, spreading it liberally with butter. His concentration was devoted to the small task and, as Heather was learning, when he gave his attention to something he tended to focus completely on the matter until it was finished.
„Is that why you’re marrying me, Jake?“ Heather demanded in a spurt of perception. „To become a full member of the family?“
He set down the buttered bread and lifted his intent gaze to meet hers. „I think it’s part of the reason, yes. Does that worry you?“
It was Heather’s turn to consider a question. „I don’t see why it should. I know very well that I was never the son and heir my father longed to groom to take his place. It’s quite natural that he’s begun to see you as a substitute during the past couple of years. You’re devoted to Hacienda Strand and you’re very good at what you do. When you failed to panic at the idea of marrying me, he probably
thought he was finally living in the best of all possible worlds. His wayward daughter had returned to assume her preordained role as president of Hacienda Strand, Inc. and his handpicked son was willing to become her consort and faithful assistant. A nice neat package.“
„You don’t seem to have any objections to being part of that nice neat package,“ Jake observed mildly.
„I’m no longer eighteen and determined to rebel against all authority.“
„You’re twenty-nine and willing to submit to authority?“ Jake taunted lightly.
Heather laughed. „Hardly. I’m twenty-nine and in charge of my own life. I know what I want and I have firmly established in everyone’s mind that I’m capable of getting what I want on my own without my father’s help. I’m back in Tucson to take over my father’s hotel, Jake, but I’m back on my own terms.“
„From what I’ve heard you left on your own terms, too.“
„The world looks different at twenty-nine than it did at eighteen,“ Heather told him firmly.
„And it will no doubt look different again at thirty-eight.“
„Is that how old you are?“
„Yes. Why? Don’t I look my age?“ he asked dryly.
Heather surveyed the liberal slivers of gray in the thick teak darkness of his conservatively trimmed hair. Jake Cavender looked his age, all right. In fact, he could probably have passed for forty. There was a hardness in him that implied experience; the kind of experience that made a man look as if he’d never been a child. For the first time Heather began to wonder about his past.
„Fortunately for men, looking their age at thirty-eight is not a handicap,“ she temporized lightly.
„Then you’re not exactly marrying me for my looks, are you?“ he asked with a wry slanting smile.
No, Heather thought, she wasn’t marrying him for his looks. After her experience with Rick Monroe she was unlikely to make the mistake of being attracted to any man on the basis of physical appearance. But even if she hadn’t learned the hard way that you couldn’t judge a man on that level, would she, in all honesty, have been attracted to Jake Cavender? He wasn’t a handsome man.
It was not, however, his bluntly carved face that caught one’s attention. It was the cool assessing intelligence in those gray eyes that
demanded first notice. Later a woman saw the heavy pelt of teak-shaded hair, noted the solid lean body and wondered about the grim brackets around his mouth. But it was the gray gaze that made one stop and think. He was not the kind of man a woman wanted for an enemy. His anger would not be loud and flamboyant. It would be cold and merciless. Just as well, Heather decided, that she was going to be the ranking partner in this marriage of convenience. Her status as the one in charge of the luxurious resort hotel
her father had founded would insulate her from whatever masculine temperament and ego Jake Cavender indulged.
It was one thing to yell at one’s wife; quite another to yell at one’s boss!
„I don’t think either of us is entering this marriage with any ridiculous romantic illusions,“ Heather said softly. „I know I certainly have no interest in a marriage based on the traditional fantasies. I’ve learned to be a realist in the past few years. I think you probably are one, too. I see no reason why we shouldn’t get along very well together.“
„You expect us to function as a team?“ Jake concentrated on the beautifully prepared lamb.
„I expect us to function very much as the kind of team you and my father made.“
With me, of course, being the one in charge,
Heather added silently. That part was very important. No need to stress it aloud to Jake, however. He knew his position in the hierarchy. Presumably he knew his position in the marriage, too. But just in case he didn’t, she’d spelled it all out in black and white in the prenuptial agreement she had handed to him earlier.
„Your father and I weren’t exactly married to each other.“
„Our being married shouldn’t make any difference in how the hotel is run.“
Jake watched her for a few seconds. She could almost feel the way he was adding up the information he had about her and was putting it through the computer he called a brain. „You’re right,“ he finally said. „Our being married won’t make the slightest bit of difference in how the Hacienda Strand is run. More wine?“
Heather brushed aside an odd sensation of unease and smiled her most charming smile. „Thank you.“ She held out her glass, her eyes softening above the rim as she relaxed again. „I have great hopes for this marriage, actually,“ she confided lightly. „It’s based on all the right things. We have the unifying interest of the hotel, for example.
In the past few years I’ve come to realize just how sound an idea it is for husbands and wives to be able to share their work interests. Such ties seem much more durable than bonds based on romantic fluff, don’t you think? I’ve witnessed several divorces in which the man left his wife to marry his secretary simply because the work he had shared with the ‘other woman’ had built a stronger relationship than the marriage he had shared with his wife.“
Jake gave her an odd glance. „In other words, you feel we have a basis for companionship?“
„Exactly.“ Heather took another sip of wine and reflected on the subject she herself had brought up. „This marriage will also be very comfortable in a lot of other ways. My parents love you.“
„That’s important to you?“
„It wasn’t when I was eighteen but now, yes, it’s more important. It will just make things so much easier.“
„When your father told me he had suggested the idea of us getting married, I half expected to hear you’d gone through the roof. Based on what I’d been told of your character I assumed a more or less arranged marriage would bring out all the old spirit of rebellion. I told Paul he’d made one hell of a mistake. That’s when he informed me that you were a changed woman.“
„You sound as if you don’t believe in the change,“ she returned, mildly irritated by his skepticism. She’d seen traces of it frequently during the two weeks she’d been back in Tucson on a permanent basis, but tonight it seemed more pronounced. „I assure you I’m not the wild child who left here all those years ago. What’s the matter, Jake?“ she added, unable to resist the small taunt. „Worried that you’ll find yourself married to a first-class shrew?“
„I’m sure my only problem at the moment is that I’ve
got a case of wedding jitters,“ Jake said, refusing to rise to the bait. But he wasn’t looking at her as he spoke. He was focusing intently on the last of his bread.
For some reason the fact that he wasn’t meeting her eyes bothered Heather. She didn’t know Jake well, but she had been around him often enough in the past couple of weeks, spent enough time with him during the past eighteen months or so on her occasional visits home, to learn his mannerisms. He was usually very direct.
„Somehow you don’t seem the type to get jitters,“ she murmured. „But I think you might have a few genuine reservations about marry
ing me. That’s only logical. You’re a financial wizard, however, so why not look at this whole proposition the way you’d look at a Hacienda Strand spread sheet? On the plus side you will be marrying the boss. That’s always been considered a bright thing to do. You’ll be cementing your position in my family and in the family business. You have my word the marriage will not be a volatile affair. I’m really quite a placid individual these days. I’m a hard worker, diplomatic with guests and staff, and I honor my word. I can guarantee there will be no embarrassing public brawls or arguments. There won’t be any private ones, either, for that matter. I’m healthy, reasonably intelligent, tidy and punctual. I don’t lose my temper anymore the way I did when I was younger, and I’m always willing to listen to all sides of an issue before I make up my mind. I’ve been told I’m a very good boss,“ she concluded with a quick grin.
Jake stared at her for a long moment and Heather wished suddenly that she could read his thoughts. That polite mask he wore gave little clue to what he was really feeling.
„And on the negative side?“ he finally asked softly.
Heather narrowed her eyes. „There are no negatives. At least no major ones come to mind.“
„Amazing. That certainly makes things simple, doesn’t it?“ But he was smiling again; that wry curve to his hard mouth that he’d favored her with so frequently during the past couple of weeks. She wished it didn’t give her a pang of uncertainty every time she saw it.
„Very simple,“ she assured him briskly.
„And have you also worked out a balance sheet for yourself?“
„Of course.“
„I’d like to hear the items in the plus column, if you don’t mind.“
„Why not?“ she said airily. „This marriage will provide me with a husband eminently suitable to my whole family. I will be marrying a man who knows and understands my work and who will share it with me. I am assured by all who know him that I will be getting a husband who has no reputation for violence.“ Heather looked at her escort with amusement. „Mother says you aren’t likely to be a wife beater.“
„How reassuring for both of us.“
„Isn’t it? Let’s see, what else will I be getting out of this marriage? Oh, yes. I mustn’t overlook the fact that both parties are going into it with a full understanding of the situation. We needn’t bother with a lot of romantic fiction nor do we have to convince ourselves
that we are passionately in love. Our relationship will be allowed to grow naturally, without any undue pressure.“
„Our relationship sounds like some sort of experimental germ growing in a culture dish.“ But Jake didn’t appear at all perturbed.
Impulsively Heather leaned forward, her fingertips coming to rest lightly on the sleeve of his summer-weight jacket. „I really do have great hopes for this arrangement, Jake. I think everything is going to be perfect.“
His gray eyes went from her tinted nails to the earnest expression on her face. „I’m not sure about perfect,“ he
hedged gently, „but it’s bound to be interesting. Would you care for dessert?“
Withdrawing her hand, Heather shook her head. „No, thank you.“
„Then perhaps we should be going. It’s been a long day for you and I imagine you’re tired.“ Jake signaled for the check, which was delivered almost immediately. He handled the details of paying the bill with casual efficiency, and then politely got to his feet and held Heather’s chair.
She was vividly aware of his presence behind her as they made their way out of the restaurant and into the balmy summer evening. It was nearly the end of August and one of the typical summer thunderstorms had been and gone during the hour and a half Heather and Jake had been in the restaurant. As usual, a great deal of water had been dropped from the skies in a short period of time and the parking lot and the cars glittered with it in the fresh aftermath of the rain. Jake’s white Mercedes had endured the sudden drenching with polite stoicism and Heather slid comfortably into the red leather interior. A small river of water still coursed down the specially designed channel between the parking lot and the street, but the car splashed through it easily. Soon all traces of the heavy storm would disappear and Tucson would once again bake in the heat of August.
„The rains have seemed heavier than usual this year,“ Heather remarked, more for something to say than any other reason. Jake had been very silent since taking the wheel.
„Perhaps they just seem heavier to you because you’ve been away from Tucson so long,“ he suggested.
„Perhaps.“ Heather lapsed back into silence.
This time it was Jake who broke the quiet. „Is it good to be home, Heather?“
„Yes,“ she affirmed with satisfaction. „Very good.“
„Do you regret leaving?“
With a sigh, she shook her head. „At the time there didn’t seem to be much choice. Our home had become a battleground. My father and I fought constantly and my mother and sisters were forced to endure the warfare from the sidelines. It was very unpleasant. If I’d stayed and gone to school here at the university there would have been more of the same problems. Dad was determined to direct my life and I was just as determined to do things my way. I insisted on challenging him on every score, I’m afraid. His fury over my relationship with Rick Monroe was the last straw for both of us.“
„You took a course in hotel administration in California?“
„Oh, yes. Running a hotel is in my blood, I’m afraid. There was never any question in my mind that I would make a career in the hotel business. But I also knew I could never be part of Hacienda Strand as long as my father was in charge. We would have clashed on every issue.“
„Who financed your education in California? The infamous Rick Monroe?“ Jake asked the question with seeming lightness but Heather sensed a certain grimness buried in the words. Again she felt more than a trace of annoyance.