Hired by Her Husband. Anne McAllister

she agreed. “Except her hair. She has y—Ari’s hair.”

      Ari’s hair. Because Lily was Ari’s daughter. Not his.

      For all that George had once dared to hope, like her mother Lily had never been his.

      They both belonged to Ari—always had—no matter that his cousin had been dead since before Lily’s birth. Some things, George found, hurt more than the pounding in his head. He ran his tongue over his lips. “She looks happy.”

      “She is.” Sophy’s voice was firm and confident now. “She’s a happy well-adjusted little girl. She’s actually pretty easygoing most of the time. Once she got over the three-month mark, she stopped having colic and settled down. I managed,” she added, as if it needed saying.

      He supposed she thought it did. She’d had something to prove when she’d told him to get out. And she’d obviously proved it.

      Now he took a breath. “I’m glad to hear it.” George took one last look at the picture then held it out to her.

      “You can have it,” she said. “I can print another one. If you want it,” she added a second later, as if he might not.

      “Thanks. Yes, I’d like it.” He studied it again for a long moment before turning slowly in an attempt to set it on the table next to the bed.

      Sophy reached out and took it from him, standing it up against his water pitcher so he could see it if he turned his head. “There.” She stepped back again. “She can…watch over you.” As soon as she said the words, she ducked her head, as if she shouldn’t have. “You should get some rest.”

      “We’ll see.”

      “No ‘we’ll see.’ You should,” she said firmly.

      He didn’t reply, and she seemed to realize that was something else she shouldn’t have said, that she had no right to tell him what he should or shouldn’t do. “Sorry,” she said briskly. “None of my business.” She turned toward the door again. “Goodbye.”

      He almost called her back a second time. But it would simply prolong the awkwardness between them. And when you got right down it, there was nothing else.

      It had been kind of her to have come—even if it was simply “payback” on her part. Still, it was more than he would have expected.

      No, that was unfair.

      She might not love him, but she was tenderhearted. Sophy would do the right thing for anyone she perceived to be in need—even the man she resented more than anyone on earth.

      He didn’t need her, he reminded himself. He’d lived without her for nearly four years. He could live without her for the rest of his life. All he had to do was end things now as he should have done four years ago.

      “Sophy!”

      This time she was beyond the door and when she turned, she looked back with something akin to impatience in her gaze. “What?”

      He made it clear—to both of them. “Don’t worry. It will never happen again. As soon as I get out of here, I’ll file for divorce.”