Waiting for Midnight Read Online Free PDF Page B

she said to the three of them, “I need to get going.  I’ve got a report to finish tonight and I haven’t even really started it.  Sorry.”
    Neither Tommy nor Chris seemed to be bothered, but Kiera gave her a knowing smirk.  “Are you sure you have to leave?  It’s still kind of early,” Kiera said.
    “And this report is kind of tedious.  I shouldn’t have procrastinated, but I did.”  Tommy moved so she could slide out of the booth.  With a round of good-nights and a promise to call Keira the next day, Maddie made her way out to her car.
    “Freedom,” she sighed as she walked across the parking lot. 
    Once she was in her car, her thoughts immediately began to drift back to Noah.  Her dashboard clock showed it was almost nine-thirty and she knew he would be home by now, therefore eliminating any chance of running into him in the parking lot or on their porch.   With a quick prayer of thanks, she made a mental note to text Kiera and apologize.  She knew her friend was disappointed when she’d left.
    The ride home was short and while she was still in the car, she turned it off and reached for her purse to fish out her phone. 
    It wasn’t there.
    Cursing, she turned the bag upside down and began to frantically search for it with no luck.  Then she remembered putting it on the table during dinner.  Another curse.  With a sigh of agitation, she loaded everything back into her purse and climbed from her car.  She’d just turned and locked it when she ran into someone.  “ Oh !”  Looking up, she saw Tommy.
    Eyes wide, Maddie looked around.  “Hey…what are you doing here?”
    He held up her phone with a big grin.  “You took off kind of fast.  By the time I was out in the parking lot, you were gone.  I figured you’d need this.”
    Relief swamped her as she took the phone from him.  “You have no idea,” she said, smiling back at him.  “Thanks.  I’m sorry to make you have to chase after me.”
    He shrugged.  “Not a big deal.”  Putting his hands in his pocket, he continued to look at her.  “So…um…I got the impression you weren’t thrilled we joined you and Kiera for dinner.”
    She couldn’t help but blush.  “No, it wasn’t…”  She shook her head.  “I had only found out you were coming about fifteen minutes before you showed up.  Kiera has a habit of doing that to me.”
    “Oh…well…sorry,” he said, still grinning.  “Would it be all right if…maybe I called you sometime and we went out – just the two of us?”
    Having known Tommy for a while, Maddie considered him a friend.  Hearing him imply he was looking to ask her out on a date was a bit of a shock.  She didn’t want to hurt his feelings – and she really was anxious to get inside – she said, “Sure.  That could be fun.”  When he didn’t make a move to leave, Maddie took a step back.  “Anyway, thanks for getting my phone back to me.”
    “No problem,” he said, and then took a step closer to her.  “It wasn’t a big deal at all.”  Another step.  Then he kissed her on the cheek.  “I’ll talk to you soon,” he said softly and then turned and walked away.
    She stood still until Tommy was in his car and driving away.  There was a chill in the air and before she realized it, she spotted a couple of snow flurries.  With a shiver, she turned and walked toward her apartment, marveling at the fact that she hadn’t been on a proper date in months and in the last week, she’d been kissed twice.
    The front steps creaked as she walked up and she made yet another mental note to call the management company in the morning.  At least the light was working.  Only…it wasn’t on.  Sighing, Maddie jingled her keys in her hand until she found her door key.
    “Date night?”  A low masculine voice asked in the darkness and she screamed.  Noah stepped forward and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.  “It’s just me.  Sorry.  I thought…I figured you saw me