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Bubbe sat back in the chair and looked at Laila calmly. It was the same look she'd always given when, as kids, they'd stolen the cookies from the jar. It was an expression designed to force admissions of guilt from even the most reluctant parties.

  Laila didn't waver. "There's nothing, Bubbe!"

  Bubbe sighed, looking sad. "You know you can come to me for anything, bubbeleh. Any reason. We're your family, doll. We love you. No matter what."

  Did they suspect Laila was lying about Hal? Her heart thumped a little harder and her palms felt sweaty. She wiped them on her pants legs, knowing eagle-eyed Bubbe would spot the motion and her nervousness.

  "And if it's money you need, Zayde Saul and I have already talked about it. We were planning on giving all you kids equal portions in our wills, but if you need it now, we can arrange that."

  Money? Laila frowned. "Why on earth would I need money?" There wouldn't be much left after paying the LoveMatch bill, but she wasn't in dire straits.

  "The things you're going to need are going to cost money," Bubbe said, lowering her voice. "You'll have to move out of that tiny little apartment."

  "I love my townhouse," Laila said quietly. "Bubbe, if you're thinking about the wedding, don't worry. I don't need money for it."

  Money to pay for the week of Hal's services, yes, Laila thought. But for a wedding? Certainly not.

  "So he is going to marry you," Bubbe said in visible relief.

  Laila had to force the lie. "He is my fiancé, Bubbe."

  "I just thought...well..." Bubbe flapped her hands and laughed. "I thought you were fighting because he wasn't going to the right thing by you."

  That was uncomfortably close to what Laila had planned, and she was almost ready to agree. It would save a lot of headache if Bubbe already assumed Hal had broken off the engagement. They wouldn't have to go through the big fight scene tomorrow, after all. Before she could say anything, though, Bubbe laid the final brick in the wall.

  "A man's not a real man if he won't stand by the mother of his child," Bubbe said.

  "Child?" Laila said. "What are you talking about?"

  "Eli told your mother all about what David said to you the other night. We know your little secret. It's okay, doll, really it is. It happens to lots of women." Bubbe leaned in again to share a secret. "Your own mother, bubbeleh, now she'll never tell you this--"

  "Stop!" Laila cried, jumping to her feet . There was no way she wanted to hear any more of that little story. "You think I'm--"

  "Pregnant!" Bubbe cried.

  "Pregnant?" Laila shrieked.

  "Pregnant?" Hal asked from the doorway. Then he turned and walked back out.

  Chapter 9

  Hal couldn't feel his feet. They were walking, carrying him down the hallway and out onto the front porch. But he couldn't feel them. Or, for that matter, his legs. Or his face. Or any part of his body.

  Pregnant? But how could that be? They'd made love only just the night before, and he'd used protection. The child couldn't possibly be his.

  He stopped before descending the stairs, his hand on the railing. Jealousy was foolish. Laila wasn't his. Her pregnancy wasn't any of his business. Hal took a few quick, deep breaths, forcing away the picture of a round-bellied Laila embracing a faceless man who was not him.

  So she hadn't been completely honest about her reasons for hiring him. So what? The man in her life obviously wasn't going to be there for her, or she'd have brought him to meet her family instead of hapless Hal Kessler. She had hired him to do a job, and he'd done it. If she'd lied to him about why she needed him-- Hal muttered a curse.

  She'd lied. No matter how much he tried to convince himself it didn't matter, that she didn't matter, the fact remained Laila had lied to him. It hurt. He jumped down the stairs two at a time, almost willing himself to twist his ankle. Physical pain might take away the mental anguish.

  "David!"

  Laila had to call his name three more times before Hal realized she was calling him. He turned to see her hesitating at the top of the porch stairs. She took one step down, then stopped.

  He thought about ignoring her and just walking on. Then he hung his head and went back to her. She met him at the bottom of the steps.

  "It's not what you think," she began.

  He held up his hand to silence her. "You don't owe me any explanations."

  "Yes, I do." Laila let out a strangled laugh. "It's kinda funny actually."

  Hal had never felt less like laughing. "I don't think I want to know."

  He knew his reply was unyielding, and he ignored the small stab of nasty pleasure he got from seeing the surprise on her face. Laila licked her lips, and Hal was ashamed to see the sight could still move him. He didn't want to want her, but he did.

  "If you'd let me explain," she said quietly.

  When she reached for his hand, he didn't move to take hers. She let hers fall back to her side. Once more she let her tongue sweep the fullness of the lips he'd never taste again. She bit the soft flesh, gnawing nervously.

  "It was a misunderstanding," she said when she saw he wasn't going to answer. "Something you told Eli."

  "That's easy enough, isn't it?" Hal asked bitterly without waiting for her to finish. "Blame it on Hal. Hal's an easy scapegoat for everything. It's always Hal's fault."

  "Please," she said miserably, and he was ashamed to see tears glittering in her eyes.

  "You hired me for a job," he said in a low voice. "I believe I've done it. Your family thinks I'm some abusive cretin who beats you. They'll be more than thrilled when I'm gone. Isn't that what you wanted?"

  "Yes, but--"

  "I called a local cab company," Hal went on. The sight of her tears was enough to make him want to call back the words, to change his mind. But he pressed on. "They'll be here in forty minutes to take me to the bus station. I booked a ticket back to Harrisburg. I can be gone by this afternoon. And you can enjoy the rest of your vacation here with your family."

  She shook her head. "You don't have to do that."

  Hal glanced over her shoulder. Laila'd left the front door open, but the doorway wasn't empty. Eli and his wife Sarah stood framed in it. As Hal watched, they stepped through to be replaced by Ruth and Frank. One by one, the members of Laila's family came out onto the porch and stood by the railing to watch them.

  Laila hadn't noticed their audience. She stepped toward him, reaching for his hand again. This time Hal jerked away. It was the perfect time for him to give Laila what she wanted. To finish the job.

  "I think I have to," he said loudly. "What did you expect me to do, Laila?"

  "I thought you'd let me tell you what happened," she said.

  Hal made sure to keep his voice loud enough to carry to the army of relatives. "Right. Do you think any of your stupid explanations matter any more? I'm tired of listening to you and your worthless stories!"

  Laila straightened her shoulders. "What?"

  Hal grimaced, taking a step toward her that must have been menacing because she moved back. He jabbed his finger at her. "I'm tired of bowing and scraping for you, Laila! I'm sick of it! Staying with you has been the worst mistake I've ever made, and I intend to fix that right now!"

  "Hal," she whispered. Her lower lip trembled. Tears spilled down her cheeks at last. "I'm sorry."

  "Sorry's a bunch of crap, coming from you!" he cried.

  He saw Eli move as though to come down the stairs, but Sarah held him back. At least Hal wouldn't have to get into a fistfight, too. He turned his attention back to Laila.

  "You used me," he said. His voice broke over the words, and he realized he was no longer just acting for her family's benefit. "Laila, you never cared about me at all. You just used me for your own needs."

  "That's not true," she said.

  "Isn't it?" Hal threw out his hands and looked up at the sky. "Isn't that what our entire relationship has been about? You using me to get what you need? What you want? Hasn't this whole thing just been a huge lie?"

  "No." Sh