Page 126 of Time Stops With You

“I’ll introduce you when the time is right,” I concede for my own safety.

“Oh, she must bereallyimportant to you.”

“There’s someone else I’d like you to meet,” I say, thinking of Josiah. “He’ll be an important part of Cullen Tech’s future. But now isn’t the time. I’ll set that up later.”

“When is later?” Sullivan arches a brow.

“Soon. I can’t afford to put things off.”

He sobers. “About that?—”

I hold up a hand. “Darrel already shared your sentiments.”

“Allow me to repeat myself. Cullen Tech isn’t a separate entity. Youarethe heart of this company. I consider your health under the purview of our partnership contract.”

“I don’t remember that being a part of our terms.”

He pretends not to have heard. “Let me know if you ever decide on re-starting treatment. I’ll have my office transferred to your hospital room.”

I internally smirk. Perhaps it’s because he’s a billionaire who’s had it easy, but Richard Sullivan can make the most mundane things sound extremely dramatic.

“Good luck with that. Those nurses don’t let anything slide. And they can’t be bribed,” I joke, choosing to make light of it instead of reminding him that I won’t ever return to the hospital.

Sullivan’s phone rings and he lifts it to his face. “It’s my wife.” He tells me. And then he proceeds to sign to the camera with one hand.

I wait until he’s finished with the conversation to say, “Thanks for stopping by, but I have a full schedule today.”

He pockets the phone. “With a frosty welcome like that, I’ll have to visit more often.”

“Please don’t.” I escort him to the lobby.

“It’s good to see you, Cullen. I’ll be waiting on your news.”

“About the lawsuit or about my personal life?”

“Whatever comes first.”

I shake my head.

Sullivan smirks and heads to his town car, answering another call on the way.

I turn to the receptionist. “Did Nardi leave already?”

She doesn’t seem to hear me and keeps peering out the window as Sullivan’s town car pulls out of the lot.

I tap my hand on the desk to get her attention.

She jumps and notices me for the first time. “Mr. Cullen, I’m so sorry. What did you say?”

I glance over my shoulder at the glass door. “I asked if Nardi left already.”

“Yes. She and her brother left about twenty minutes ago.”

“Did she seem…” I search for the word, “unhappy?”

“I’m not sure.” The receptionist looks to the ceiling in contemplation. “She seemed to be in a hurry.”

I bet she was. I can imagine Nardi fixing her hair, brushing down her shirt to smooth out the wrinkles, fixing her makeup, and going in search of Josiah to drag him away from the computer lab. After what happened in my office, I doubt she’d want to stick around.

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