The Day I Stopped Waiting Was the Day He Started Begging novel Chapter 76

*Look at this! If you don't get your act together, there are plenty of guys waiting to steal your girl!*

York, who was currently suffering through a shopping trip with Felicity Xavier, narrowed his eyes at the two text messages.

He clicked on the photo. Seeing Madeline standing face-to-face with Hunter Holt was aggressively irritating.

Why was she at a clinic?

She had looked perfectly fine the past few days. She didn't seem sick at all.

York lazily dialed her number just as Madeline finished speaking with the specialist.

Evie's condition had been stable over the past two days.

If the test results came back clear, they could officially start discussing surgical options.

For Madeline, this was the greatest news in the world.

Even seeing York's name pop up on her phone wasn't enough to ruin her mood. She answered immediately.

"Ms. Monroe, where are you?"

The man's voice was as lethargic and drawling as ever.

"Do you need something?"

"Ms. Monroe, do you think I'm a jerk?"

York's completely random question left Madeline utterly bewildered.

Just then, Felicity's voice drifted through the receiver.

"York, does this dress look good on me?"

York pulled the phone away slightly.

"You're the one wearing it. If you like it, it's fine."

He said something else, but Madeline couldn't make it out.

York brought the phone back to his ear.

"Ms. Monroe, I asked you a question."

"Don't you already know if you're a jerk or not?"

"Sir, here is your credit card."

A sales associate's voice echoed through the line.

He was swiping his card for Felicity, yet he had the audacity to call and ask if she thought he was a jerk. York really had too much free time.

Madeline liked to think she could play the role of both mother and father, but she knew the love of a real father felt entirely different to a child.

She gently stroked her daughter's cheek, her voice impossibly soft.

"Does Evie really want a daddy to play with?"

During their previous hospital visits, most of the other kids had both parents with them, while Evie simply leaned quietly into her embrace.

Her daughter was always so well-behaved.

And it was precisely because she was so good that Madeline felt so conflicted.

Evie shook her head. She threw her arms around Madeline, pressed her forehead against hers, and reached up to squish Madeline's cheeks.

"Mommy's sad."

Tears pricked Madeline's eyes. No matter how tough an exterior she put up for the rest of the world, her daughter's simple words always managed to obliterate her defenses completely.

"Mommy isn't sad."

Madeline pulled Evie into a tight hug.

From inside his car, Hunter watched the entire exchange, his gaze lingering thoughtfully on the two of them.