“I know you would, dear. But can you honestly tell me that he hasn’t swept you off your feet a bit too quickly? I mean, it’s perfectly natural for a young woman like yourself to be dazzled by a man like him - his looks, his money, his position. Are you truly attracted to the man himself, or simply to what he can give you?”

Tessa’s smile faded abruptly and she shook her head in emphatic denial. “I don’t give a damn about his money. And I’m sorry if this offends you, but I really don’t appreciate your suggesting otherwise. I love Ian with all my heart, more than I ever believed it was possible to love someone. That’s the only reason I’m with him - the only one.”

Francine shrugged. “It’s a logical assumption to make. Come, look at it from a different perspective. He flies you down here on the corporate jet. You’re staying in the owner’s suite at the very hotel where you used to be a file clerk and make coffee for the meetings. He dresses you in silk blouses and five hundred dollar shoes. I know those are real pearls around your neck and that watch - it’s a Bulgari, which means it cost five thousand dollars minimum. You can’t lie to me, young lady, and tell me none of that matters.”

“But it doesn’t!” Tessa burst out, tears pooling in her eyes. “None of these - these things matter! You know I’ve lost absolutely everything I own twice now. But those were just things, nothing that couldn’t be replaced eventually. Ian is irreplaceable. If I ever lost him, if he ever left me – well, life wouldn’t be worth living for even one more day.”

Francine patted Tessa on the back as she handed her a tissue. “That’s my girl. I knew deep down his money didn’t matter a whit to you, I just had to hear it from your lips. And now I also know for absolute certainty what a treasure he has in you. You let me know if he doesn’t treat you right, my dear. I may be the only person in the entire world that boy is still terrified of.”

Tessa realized somewhat belatedly that the older woman had been provoking her deliberately, testing her, it seemed, with the sole purpose of making sure her feelings for Ian were genuine and unselfish. Then Mrs. C. startled her anew by actually brewing tea for both of them, a task that had always fallen to Tessa in the old days. Or it had once she’d proven herself capable of making a cup that would meet with Mrs. C’s approval.

“Have you met Ian’s parents yet?”

Tessa shook her head. “But they are visiting at the end of the month, and staying at the house. I’m a nervous wreck just thinking about it.”

“Well, that’s to be expected, dear. But you have nothing to worry about,” assured Francine. “Edward Gregson is a charming man, it’s very easy to see where young Ian gets his charisma from. You won’t have any problem at all winning his approval. As for Mrs. Gregson - well, all you really need to do is give her the same scolding you just gave me, and she’ll never doubt your feelings for Ian.”

Tessa gasped. “I did not scold you! At least, I didn’t mean to. And I would never dare talk that way to his mother. She’d think that I -”

“That you were more than a worthy partner for her son,” retorted Francine. “And don’t you dare apologize to me, young miss. It’s about time you started voicing your opinions and sticking up for yourself. I’m proud of you, Tessa. You’ve far exceeded all the expectations I once had for you.”

The rare compliment coming from the woman most people called “the dragon lady” made Tessa beam.

“I wouldn’t have made anything of myself without your help. I was scared to death of you, but you did get results.” Tessa took a sip of her tea before telling her former mentor, “Ian thinks I ought to go back to school, get my college degree.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea, Tessa. But is that what you want?”

Tessa shrugged. “Yes and no. I mean, I think it would be good for me, definitely something to be proud of. But, well, I like being able to travel with Ian like this, and if I go to school full time that wouldn’t always be possible.”

They chatted a bit longer, Tessa telling Francine about the Italian classes she was taking at Berlitz, and the cooking courses she’d already finished and new ones she’d signed up for.

When Tessa had learned their next business trip included a stop in Tucson, she’d had mixed feelings. On the one hand, she’d welcomed the opportunity to visit with Francine and some of her other former co-workers. But, on the other hand, Tucson had held very few happy memories for her, and she hadn’t especially looked forward to the visit. At least they would only be here for a day, and would be spending all of that time at the hotel.

Ian had inquired if she had any friends she cared to visit, or particular places she’d like to show him. He had very tactfully not brought the subject up again when she’d merely given him an abrupt shake of her head. He had seemed to sense after that initial inquiry that she wasn’t exactly thrilled to be going back to her former hometown.

Their meetings wrapped up fairly early, leaving them a couple of hours to relax and unwind before their dinner meeting with the hotel manager and his wife. Since it was still over ninety degrees at four o’clock, a swim in one of the resort’s several pools was a welcome respite. And while Tessa would have never dreamed of using the guest facilities at this time of the day when she’d been employed here, the same rules evidently didn’t apply to the owner.

They swam vigorously for almost an hour, until her legs were quivering in protest and her breathing became labored. Ian kept going awhile longer, and she watched him with admiring eyes as he stroked powerfully through the water. Tessa scowled as she realized several other women seated around the pool were also eyeing him hungrily. Two of them even made some very vocal comments about what a hunk he was, and how they sure wouldn’t mind having a nice big helping of his brand of man candy.

Behind the cover of her oversized Chanel sunglasses, Tessa glared at the forty-something bleached blonde with the fake tan and even more obviously fake boobs who’d made that last comment. It made her wonder about the years of traveling that Ian had done all over the world, and of the many different women who’d most assuredly hit on him. The jealously she felt threatened to consume her, and it suddenly became very important to stake her claim, to make sure those - cougars knew that her man was strictly off limits.