“C’mon. Try one.” The tray waggled in her hand. Her smile slid. “You’re looking at me funny; are you okay?”
Atlas swallowed and picked one up. “Yes, I’m fine.” He ate the dry cracker, overly salted, eyes not leaving her. It didn’t taste good to him, but she ate more of them in five minutes than anything she had at dinner yesterday.
“Thank you.” He reached for another. “It tastes great, Anna.”
“Does it really?” She snorted, leaning forward on her elbows. “Should I make you these from now on instead of brownies? You did like the brownies, right? Never asked before.”
Atlas blinked slowly. “I’ll eat whatever you make.”
“Really?” Anna laughed. “Nora was right. You androids really are the perfect men.”
“Perfect men?” His processors began to spin. “But Anna . . . I’m not . . .”
“I know. I know.” She waved away his concerns. “You’re not a man. And don’t worry. I’ll still bring you brownies.” Her voice pitched lower. “I wish I could give you more. You’ve helped me so much, and all I can give you is this.”
“But Anna, do you not see?” Something in him cracked, holding the cracker up. “No one has ever given me anything like this before.”
Her nose scrunched. “Crackers?”
“No, silly.” He shook his hand. “A gift. Just because.”
“Oh!” Anna’s eyes lit up. “I’ll make you a lot then, if you appreciate it so much.”
“I do, yes. Thank you.”
Everything in him warned. She had no idea. No idea what that gift meant to him. And he was only aware now how much it affected him too. He savored listening to that heartbeat of hers pounding faster, especially when they brushed hands. Every time, right on cue, a spike when they touched. Just like the old movies said happened.
“You don’t need to thank me; I was trying to thank you.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Ugh, are we both hot messes?”
“I guess.” Atlas leaned forward. “But . . . it feels good, doesn’t it? To be thanked?”
“Yes, but. . .” She said. “I wish I could give more than that though. You’ve given me my life. Medical care. This whole . . . everything.”
She’s embarrassed.Warmth flooded him, and he put his hand over hers, feeling the heartbeat spike again. “And you’ve given me everything you can. Those things, they are circumstances. You bake. You are working. That means as much, if not more.”
She ducked her head, but didn’t remove her hand. “Alright. Well, I’m sure Nora will like them just as much.” She dropped her voice. “No offense, but none of your food tastes right to me.”
“No offense?” He grinned. “I’m mortally wounded.”
“Oh hush.” She gave a shy smile, cheeks rosy again, then started to lift the tray.
“Not so fast.” Atlas chuckled, reaching for another himself.
He walked her back to her room after, loaded up with crackers and another round of aloe vera gel. But there was an extra step in his walk as he left, thinking about her and whether there was something more he could give her too.
Chapter twenty-three
Anna
The door opened, startling Anna awake. “Who is it?”
She cracked open one eye. The sun was halfway down the sky and light slanted over the bed, disorienting her. Hours must have passed since she fell asleep after baking with Atlas.
Nora was at the door dressed in her standard outfit for the morning, her hair tied back. “Knock knock. Oh. You’re still asleep?”
“Oh, it’s you.” Anna lifted her head off the pillows. “Knock knock, yourself. I was trying to take a nap. I finally was tired enough that I conked out like a normal person.”
Nora pointed at her belly. “Well. Only room for one of us to be knocked up.”
