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

made up my mind and I’m going to go.’
    ‘To dinner?’
    ‘To the funeral,’ Madison said, despite her words, somehow smiling.
    ‘You don’t have to.’
    ‘I actually want to,’ Madison admitted. ‘I want to say goodbye to Gerard and I want to lay a few ghosts of my own to rest. I’m just worried I’ll make a fool of myself.’
    ‘I’ll stay with you,’ Guy said firmly, and Madison frowned at the possibility, frowned at the prospect of actually leaning on someone. ‘I’ll stay with you the whole time. You don’t have to do this on your own.’
    ‘I’ll be fine on my own.’
    ‘You probably would,’ Guy responded. ‘Only you’re not going to get a chance. I’ll make sure that you don’t have to do a reading or anything like that—all you have to do is be there. I’ll pick you up at nine-thirty on Thursday.’
    ‘You don’t even know where I live.’
    He stood up, shot her just a tiny glimpse of that devastating smile. ‘Ah, but as acting director, I’m sure I’ll be able to find out.’

CHAPTER FOUR
    ‘I F THERE’S a heaven, why do people cry when someone dies?’
    ‘Because they miss them,’ Madison answered, her throat thickening, wishing Emily would just buckle up her seat belt so she could get her to school.
    Wishing that this whole day was over with.
    ‘Do you miss Daddy?’
    Aware of two very beady eyes staring at her in the rear-view mirror, Madison resisted the urge to grimace. Instead, she took a deep breath and then gave a long, slow nod. ‘Of course I do. And,’ she added, because this conversation wasn’t really about her, but about her daughter, ‘I’m sure that Daddy misses you, too.’
    ‘But can he see me?’
    ‘He can.’ Madison gulped.
    ‘He knows I’m OK?’
    ‘He does,’ Madison said, wishing fiercely that Emily would change the subject. ‘And I’m sure he’s really proud of you.’
    ‘You should get a new boyfriend—Mummy, you’ve stalled the car!’
    Be careful what you wish for, Madison thought, slamming her foot on the clutch and restarting the engine.
    ‘Helen’s got a new boyfriend.’
    ‘Has she?’ Madison asked, frantically revving the car. ‘Who told you?’
    ‘Richard—but he’s not allowed to know yet, so you mustn’t say a word. All the grey hairs on Helen’s head have gone blonde and Richard heard her talking on the telephone, saying that she’s going out on Friday and that she hopes it’s somewhere expensive! He’s got the same job as Jesus.’
    ‘Who has?’ Madison asked faintly, doing bunny-hops all the way to school.
    ‘Helen’s new boyfriend. He’s a carpenter!’
    ‘OK?’
    Opening her door, she was greeted by the single word, and even though Madison automatically nodded, midway it changed and she gave a tight shrug. ‘I don’t actually know.’
    ‘You’ll be fine,’ Guy said softly. ‘And if you’re not, I’ve got a very good plan B.’
    ‘Plan B?’ Madison frowned.
    ‘If it looks like you’re about to lose it, I’ll save you the embarrassment and pretend to faint or something—everyone will be so busy looking at me, they’ll forget about you.’
    ‘Please,’ Madison scoffed, but amazingly her pale face, for the first time that hateful morning, was smiling. ‘Come in. I’m nearly ready.’
    Holding the door open, she stood back as he walked in, her generous hallway seeming to shrink as Guy walked down it. Until now she’d only ever seen him in either jeans or theatre greens, but dressed in a black suit, his unruly blond hair neatly combed, still damp from the shower, and even in Madison’s tense, introspective state, there was no denying Guy looked stunning. His broad shoulders seemed to fill the hallway, his features were accentuated more with his hair slicked back, and when he entered her living room, and turned and smiled at her, Madison could feel her breath catching in her throat.
    ‘You have a nice home.’
    ‘Thank you,’ Madison responded to the pleasantry, but Guy was still