Page 117 of Time Stops With You

I wrap my fingers around the door knob, smiling. “You too. Thank you so much for the help and the company.”

“It was my pleasure.” She surprises me by stepping in to give me a hug. “And thank you.”

“For what?”

Pulling back, Ashley says, “I’ve been working with Cullen for years now. He may seem cold and unapproachable, but he’s a very kind man. He lives a lonely life, but I don’t think he wants it that way. Getting close to people is very difficult for him. He fired fifteen cleaners before me, and I went through a rigorous process before he trusted me in his home. Even then, he doesn’t talk to me much at all. We communicate with notes and emails.” She laughs. “He has his quirks as we all do, but he’s very loyal and very generous.”

“It’s really not like that,” I tell her.

“Whatever your relationship is, I hope it works out for you both. Cullen has been alone for a long time. I’m thrilled that he’s finally let someone in.”

Ashley waves and saunters away with her trolley and her cousin in tow.

I return to my apartment that now smells like heaven. I’m not sure what to make of Ashley’s words. I’m still ticked that Cullen meddled with my catering gig for Sunny. However, I can’t deny that it feels amazing to have my bed spread and my kitchen cleaned the way I like it.

He does one thing to piss me off and another to make me feel taken care of. The man has me on a roller coaster and I’m not sure how to get off the ride.

Hours later, I blast awake to the sound of my chirping phone. I pick up the device and see that the incoming message is from Josiah informing me that he’s on his way home with Cullen.

I shoot to my feet. After Ashley left, I took my pain pills and put on a TV show. I don’t remember taking a nap.

There’s another chirp and I see a second text from Josiah.

JOS:I’m downstairs with Cullen and Dr. Ko.

I wiggle into some slippers and storm downstairs. Sure, I gave Josiah permission to visit Dr. Ko, but I never said Cullen could pick him up from school.

Minutes later, I screech to a halt in front of the entrance to Cullen Tech. My fingers wrap around the door. I yank.

It doesn’t budge.

Thankfully, a receptionist sees me through the glass pane and buzzes me in.

“Hi, Nardi,” she says brightly.

I stop short. “Do I know you?”

“Oh.” She chuckles. “No, but Mr. Cullen gave me a list of important guests and I recognized you right away.”

“How many people were on the list?” I ask curiously.

“Uh,” she glances down. “Just you and Mr. Richard Sullivan. Mr. Cullen is in the conference room with the team.” She gestures down the hallway. “It’s the third door on the right. Would you like me to take you?”

“No, it’s fine,” I stammer. Cullen has me on a list along with the literalbillionaire partner of his company.The fact that he’d even think of a detail like that makes me uneasy about my odds of winning in this game we’re playing.

This man really is insane.

I stomp into the conference room, thinking it’ll only be a handful of people. To my surprise, the place is packed with tech guys, all dressed in T-shirts, polos and jeans. Cullen is all the way at the front, along with Josiah who seems excited enough to burst.

A man with glasses and a wrinkled brown suit is standing in front of a projector. None of his words make sense to me, but the rest of the room buzzes with excitement after every sentence.

Someone raises their hand to ask a question. And again, a totally different language pours out of their mouth.

Dr. Ko chuckles. “I’m just a nuclear energy specialist. I think Mr. Cullen is more suitable to the role of explaining the connection between new energy and a customized mainframe. Mr. Cullen?”

Cullen walks to the front of the room under the applause of his team. He starts talking about codes and firewalls and other things I have no clue about. There’s no hint of shyness in him. No sign of the man Ashley described who wouldn’t even speak to her while she cleaned his house.

Chuckles break out.

---