Page 65 of Prognosis Incompatible

He stared at her for long moments. ‘I don’t know, Tab. Maybe.’

‘I wouldn’t have let you marry me.’

Well, thank heaven for small mercies. ‘So you were just going to...manipulate me for a little while longer?’

‘Oh, God, it sounds so callous, I know. I love him, Marcus. I just wasn’t thinking straight. I’m so, so sorry. I had no right to involve you.’

‘Damn right you didn’t.’ Marcus paced around the room. ‘Hell, Tab, have you any idea what you’ve done?’

‘Maddy.’ She nodded. ‘I’ve ruined it for you, haven’t I?’

‘I don’t know.’ Marcus ran a hand through his hair. ‘But you sure as hell have muddied the waters.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Tabitha apologised again. ‘She seems nice.’

‘She is. She’s the best thing that’s happened to me in years.’

‘And then I went and messed it up. Ugh. It’s unforgivable of me.’

‘You know you just could have asked me to talk to Tony or something. Since when have I ever knocked you back?’

‘I know. I just felt so foolish, being in the same tight spot all over again. Maybe it was hormones? It seemed like a really good plan at the time. I just hadn’t factored in Maddy or your feelings for her.’ The tears started again. ‘What can I do to fix it?’

Marcus stopped pacing, alarmed. ‘Oh, God, Tab. You’ve done more than enough! Just go back to Melbourne and stay the hell out of it.’

‘Okay, okay.’ She held her hands up in surrender and there was silence in the room while Marcus paced. ‘Madeline’s the one, isn’t she?’

He stopped pacing. ‘Yes, she is.’

‘Well, what are you waiting for? Tell her your ex-wife is a manipulative, conniving bitch. Tell her I’m unbalanced. Tell her I’m sorry. Tell her whatever it takes but just get her back.’

Marcus didn’t need to be told twice.

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Marcus knocked gentlyon Madeline’s office door and opened it cautiously. He knew she was alone because a worried Veronica had told him so. ‘Something’s wrong, Marcus,’ she’d said, eyeing him suspiciously.

He’d patted her hand. ‘Yeah. I know.’

‘Have you two had your first tiff?’

Now, there was an understatement. ‘Something like that.’

Veronica had stood, leaned across the desk pulled him down by the scruff of his shirt until they’d been eye to eye. ‘You hurt her and I’ll kill you.’

And he’d believed her.

Madeline looked up at the knock to see Marcus standing in her doorway. She’d been having a good cry and knew she must look a mess. She sat up straight, pulled a tissue out of the box on her desk and blew her nose.

Marcus swallowed at the distant look she shot him feeling completely lost. His arms ached to hold her but he was losing her. ‘Please, Maddy. Tell me what to say to make it better. I don’t know what to say.’

‘Well, that makes two of us.’

‘The baby’s not mine, Maddy.’

‘No, but you wanted it to be. You wanted that baby — I saw it in your face.’

A denial rose to his lips but he thought better of it. Seeing the baby on the screen had definitely tripped his paternal switch. For a second, blocking out all the convoluted mess of the last twelve hours, he had wanted the baby.

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