Page 29 of Help Wanted: Wife

“Your heart is fractured,” the android announced.

The robot noticed emotion?Well, duh. I was sobbing uncontrollably.

“The man called Larth did that to your heart,” he said.

She glanced at Hope. “How did you know that?”

“My sound receptors are acutely sensitive. From the information I heard, I deduced you are saddened because he hurt your heart.”

“Yes, I am sad.”

“I can dismantle him so he will not break your heart again.”

Dismantle?Did he just offer to whack Larth? “No! Don’t do that!”

“Absolutely not,” Hope said quickly. “Don’t do anything, don’t say anything to him.”

“All right. I will let him continue to function.”

“Why would you even say that?” Pru gaped at the android.

“You are a friend of Hope Bennett. I protect Hope and Krogan and all persons in this domicile against all enemies foreign and domestic.”

“Larth is not my enemy.”

“If you say so.” He reversed and left the room.

Pru and Hope exchanged a glance. “You could have used him when Gleezer the Geezer was stalking you,” Pru said.

“I know, right?” Hope giggled. She sobered and patted Prudence’s knee. “Now that you can speak, do you want to tell me what happened?”

She gave her a rundown of how she’d found the hologram, Larth catching her, and his anger. “He felt like I violated his privacy, but I didn’t mean to. And I didn’t see very much. The hologram had just started when he came in.”

“Give him time to get over it.”

“The hologram or Sala?”

“I meant the hologram, but both, actually.”

“What if he doesn’t though?”

“You’ve been married less than three weeks. This is your first fight as a married couple. There’s always an adjustment period.”

“It’s more than a fight. It’s been well over a year since she died.” She held up her hand when Hope started to object. “The grieving process is different for everyone. But he advertised for a wife! Hesaidhe intended the marriage to be in name only, but he changed the terms of our agreement when he started having sex with me. If he wasn’t ready to get married, then he shouldn’t have done it.”

I shouldn’t have done it either.She’d gotten married for the wrong reason—to escape public humiliation and pity. She had beenimprudent.

After her fiancé had jilted her for another woman, she’d jumped into marriage with a man obsessed with his dead wife. Was she doomed to fall in love with unobtainable men? She could dredge up no goodwill for the bimbo who’d stolen William, but she didn’t blame Sala. The thirty seconds she’d seen of the hologram made her feel even worse about what had happened to her—getting sick, going into stasis not knowing if she’d survive, and then not. It was unfair, tragic. No wonder Larth had been devastated.

However, he had a chance to be happy if he could let go of the past. But he couldn’t. If they’d remained strictly on a business footing, it would be different. But she couldn’t bear to remain in a marriage when theman she loved, loved somebody else. Even if the woman was dead.

“So, what are you going to do?” Hope asked.

“I promised to be at the grand opening the day after tomorrow.I won’t go back on my word. I’ll stay until the bakery is up and running, and he can handle it by himself. He has an android now, and she’s more than capable of doing all the required baking.”

She didn’t know how she could stand working side by side with him, but maybe the shop would be so busy, they wouldn’t have to interact much. And if it was slow, then he wouldn’t need her. “Once the shop is operating on an even keel, I’m going back to Terra Nova.”

Chapter Fourteen

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