Waiting for Midnight Read Free Page A

as he hated it, letting a doctor check him over wasn’t the worst idea.  He took a seat and Maddie sat beside him and rested one hand on his knee.
    “Don’t worry,” she said softly.  “I’m sure everything’s fine and if you need anything, I’m right here to help you.”
    Noah forced himself to stay focused on the forms and not look at her.  He appreciated her help in getting him here and her concern, but he was a man who prided himself on being self-sufficient.  No matter what injury they diagnosed, the only help he was going to require from Maddie was getting him home.  Nothing more.  He wouldn’t allow it.
    Unable to help himself, he turned his head and looked at her. 
    Big mistake.
    Her big brown eyes were looking right at him and that sweet smile that always seemed to kick him in the gut when she directed it at him was firmly in place.  He wasn’t an idiot – Noah knew Maddie had some kind of crush on him.  It wasn’t something he encouraged.  Hell, he did his best to avoid her – and most females – most of the time.  And yet somehow, she kept slipping by his defenses when he least expected it.
    Like now.
    With a groan, he put his attention back on the paperwork and did his best to ignore the woman sitting beside him.  Within minutes he handed in his clipboard and was called back into an exam room.
    And felt sweet relief when there was finally some distance between him and Maddie.

Chapter Two
     
    Maddie knew the instant they got out of Noah’s truck back at the apartment complex that he was pretty uncomfortable with her.  He wouldn’t look at her and most of his responses to her questions were of the single-word variety.  Not that he was normally chatty, but this was different.  She’d tried everything to draw him into a conversation and he’d shut her down at every turn.
    As they approached their shared porch area, Noah picked up the remains of her step ladder and walked it around to the trash pail as Maddie stood silently and waited.  When he returned, he stopped in front of her.
    “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    He nodded.
    “The doctor said you need to take it easy.”
    He nodded.
    Maddie shifted from one foot to the other.  “So…um…do you need anything?  I know it’s late, but…are you hungry?  Have you had dinner?  It wouldn’t be hard for me to…”
    “I’m fine.  I’m not hungry,” he said, his voice low and carried a hint of agitation.  “I’m just going to go.”  He made to step around her.
    “Oh,” she said softly.  “Okay.”
    Noah continued to look at her, his expression blank.
    “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
    “I won’t,” he said and walked away.
    Maddie stood rooted to the spot until she heard Noah’s door close.  Talk about rejection.  Not that she was expecting him to declare his undying love for her or anything – after all, it was her fault he was hurt – but he could have at least thanked her for getting him to and from the hospital and at least wanting to help him.
    With a sigh, she let herself into her apartment.  It was late and she was tired, but more than anything, she was disappointed.  Maybe Kiera was right.  Maybe she was wasting her time pining after Noah.  Tonight was sort of like the proverbial ton of bricks falling on her head.  It was the longest amount of time she and Noah had spent together and even though the circumstances had been less than ideal, it was obvious he wasn’t interested in her at all.
    “Well that’s depressing,” she murmured as she moved through the apartment toward her bedroom, kicking off her shoes as she went. 
    She’d finally gone out on a Saturday night with Noah and it was to an emergency room.  Didn’t that just sum up how pitiful her life was?  “The only way the man would go anywhere with me was because of a bump to the head.  Awesome.”
    By now she had changed into a pair of comfy pajamas and was crawling into bed.  She thought about texting