Needed: Full-Time Father (Medical Romance) by Carol Marinelli Page A

a useless liar, Madison. That wasn’t just sex for the sake of it, and you know it as well as I do! Whereare you going?’ he asked, following her out to the kitchen as she marched out and pulled on her shoes, headed to the hall mirror and dragged a comb through her dishevelled hair.
    ‘I’m going to pick up my daughter, Guy.’
    ‘Surely you’ve got five minutes?’
    Madison glanced at her watch, appalled to see that she was already five minutes late—confirmation if ever she’d needed it that what she had contemplated for that brief moment was impossible. Emily deserved better. ‘Actually, I don’t.’ Frantically she rubbed in foundation and tried to calm her flushed cheeks.
    ‘Tomorrow, then?’ Guy asked. ‘When it’s your lunch-break, we’ll meet and talk.’
    ‘I’ve got an appointment with my life coach tomorrow lunchtime.’
    ‘Life coach?’
    ‘Yes.’ His bemusement irritated her. ‘My life coach,’ she repeated, as if it was self-explanatory.
    ‘What is that? Come on, Madison, I’ve spent the last few years wandering the globe—what the hell’s a life coach?’
    ‘Someone who helps you to outline and achieve your goals.’ He was standing behind her, frowning at her in the mirror, and Madison sucked in her breath, dragging out the words as if she were reading them from the glossy brochure that had dropped on her mat more than a year ago. ‘Most people don’t achieve their full potential, most people wander through life with no plan. Kerry and I meet monthly and we work out my priorities,set goals, formulate a plan so that I can optimise my emotional and physical wellbeing.’
    ‘You pay someone to work out your dreams?’
    ‘No, Guy, I pay someone to help me achieve my goals.’
    ‘Which are?’
    ‘It’s in the singular, Guy. I only have one goal and that’s stability.’ Madison stared back at him. ‘Stability for my daughter.’
    ‘And where do you come into this?’ His lips were almost a sneer. ‘When your life coach is busy working out your financial, physical and emotional wellbeing, where does Madison Walsh come into the picture? Where does the woman I held back there come into it?’
    He had a point, but Madison had an answer.
    ‘That comes under emotional wellbeing and, yes, we’ve addressed it, but I decided to put that on hold until I’d sorted out more pressing matters.’
    A mirthless smile ghosted his lips. ‘So a quick one will have to suffice for now?’ His crudeness had Madison biting on her lip but she refused to let him see how much his words hurt. Instead she turned around and finally managed to face him.
    ‘I guess it will. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to collect my daughter.’
    ‘Of course. I’ll be out of here in a moment.’ As she wrenched open the front door to flee down the drive, Guy caught her shoulder. ‘Just think about us tonight.’
    ‘Us?’ She almost choked the word out—couldn’t even turn around to look at him, every muscle rigid with tension.
    ‘Us,’ Guy repeated, as if ‘us’ already existed. ‘Just think about what you’re walking away from.’
    Dashing over to Helen’s, her trembling hand knocked on her friend’s front door. Racked with guilt, she waited for the accusing stares, the suspicious looks, as if everyone must somehow know what had just taken place. But it was Madison’s eyes that widened as Helen flung open the front door, wearing a dressing-gown that had seen better days and a vivid green face pack.
    ‘It’s supposed to shrink my pores,’ Helen offered by way of explanation, padding down the hallway. ‘The kids are just finishing up their homework so let’s grab a quick cuppa while we’ve got time.’
    ‘I’m sorry I’m late…’ Madison said, blinking at the normality of it all, hearing the kids chatting in the lounge room, the evening news droning on, everything as it should be.
    ‘Are you?’ Helen gave a vague shrug. ‘Don’t give it a thought. How was it?’ When Madison didn’t