Top-Notch Men!
In Her Boss’s
Special Care
Melanie Milburne
A Doctor Worth
Waiting For
Margaret McDonagh
Dr Campbell’s
Secret Son
Anne Fraser
MILLS & BOON
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Dear Reader,
One of the great privileges of being a writer is spending time with your beloved characters, talking to them, getting to know them, playing with them and then at the end of the book leaving them to get on with your own life. I guess it’s a bit like being a grandparent—at the end of the day you hand the little darlings back!
How easy would it be for people like my hero Joel and his parents to walk away from what life has dished out to them? Such a dilemma was the premise for this novel and I couldn’t think of a better heroine than Allegra Tallis, who showed such amazing compassion and hope against all odds.
However, outside of romantic literature not every story has a happy ending, and it is for this reason I dedicated this book to my three nephews and nieces, who daily deal with the human tragedy of what Joel Addison had to face.
My special thoughts and heartfelt love to all who have to do the same.
Melanie Milburne
About the Author
MELANIE MILBURNE says: “I am married to a surgeon, Steve, and have two gorgeous sons, Paul and Phil. I live in Hobart, Tasmania, where I enjoy an active life as a long-distance runner and a nationally ranked top ten Master’s swimmer. I also have a Master’s Degree in Education, but my children totally turned me off the idea of teaching! When not running or swimming I write, and when I’m not doing all of the above I’m reading. And if someone could invent a way for me to read during a four-kilometre swim I’d be even happier!”
To my nephews and niece Ben, Tommy, Peter and
Katherine (Kathy) McNamara. You have all been
through so much in your young lives and I am in awe
of how you have coped. I love each of you very dearly
and dedicate this book to you in acknowledgement of
your struggles, your tragedies and your joys that I will
always share with you, not with a glance of pity but
with the steady gaze of compassion.
I would also like to give my heartfelt thanks and
appreciation to the doctors and nursing staff of the
Royal Hobart Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for their
invaluable help in the research conducted for this
novel, as well as Dee Nally from Salamanca Pharmacy
for her advice. Thank you all!
CHAPTER ONE
‘WHAT do you mean, he wants me to stop my research on the coma recovery assessment project?’ Allegra Tallis asked the nursing sister on duty in Intensive Care. ‘That’s outrageous. The CEO gave me his full support, I’ve got ethics approval and I’ve got funding!’
Louise Banning gave her a sympathetic look. ‘I know all that but Dr Addison is the new Director of ICTU and A and E now, and what he says goes.’
‘Not if I can help it,’ Allegra growled. ‘I’m not giving up months of research to satisfy some control freak’s demands to run a tight ship. Who does he think he is anyway? He might be the new director but if he thinks he can tell me what to—’
‘Dr Tallis?’ A deep male voice spoke from just behind her. ‘We haven’t had the opportunity to meet since I arrived. I’d like to speak to you in my office—now, if you don’t mind.’
Allegra swung around to see a tall dark-haired man in his early thirties towering over her, the deep brown intensity of his eyes as they connected with hers making her throat move up and down involuntarily in a tiny swallow.
‘Oh … Dr Addison. Well, I’m just seeing a patient right now …’ she said.
His gaze hardened as one dark brow lifted in an arc of derision. ‘Sister Banning is your patient, is she?’
Allegra tightened her mouth. ‘No, of course not—I mean in the unit. I can see you in about five minutes.’
‘Make if four,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a crammed schedule this morning.’ He continued on this way, his starched white coat brushing against her arm as he went past.
Louise’s brows rose expressively once he was out of their hearing. ‘Not the best first meeting, I would say.’
‘No.’ Allegra frowned crossly. ‘Well, I’ve been on night shift for the last week. I wasn’t here for his welcome thingy.’ She twisted her mouth and added, ‘God, what a pompous idiot.’
‘Yes, but a rather good-looking idiot, don’t you think?’
She gave a little snort. ‘If you have a thing for the tall, dark, brooding type.’
‘You never know—he might improve on acquaintance,’ Louise said. ‘He’s got a very good reputation. He’s been headhunted especially for the post so he can’t be all that difficult to work with.’
‘Yeah, well, I still think Dougal Brenton should have got the job,’ Allegra said. ‘He’s been at Melbourne Memorial for years, and instead
