Page 75 of Time Stops With You

Big T’s lumbering behind me, and I can tell he’s gearing up to ask another probing question.

This is ridiculous.

I’ve been overlooking all the little things because Idoneed help. I’m not one of those independent girlies who thinks I should force myself to deny a man’s assistance for the sake of being a ‘girl boss’.

But I think this has gone too far.

I open my mouth, intending to clarify my lack of interest once and for all.

Who cares if I have to carry my own items every Saturday? I’ve been ignoring this conversation long enough.

But I spot a familiar face in the distance.

It’s… Cullen.

He’s wearing a forest green beanie this time along with a white T-shirt and khakis. Even from this distance, his light blue eyes are sparkling and crinkling at the corners from the force of his smile.

Wait… that smile.

I’ve never seen him smile like that.

My attention flits to the person beside Cullen. She’s a petite blonde woman with cute glasses, blue eyes and a grin that tells me she delights in every millisecond she gets to spend with him.

A dark force rumbles inside me, pulsing through my skin. It’s like a thick, poisonous smoke. It rolls out of nowhere and threatens to choke me.

My stomach twists into knots and then unwinds to become a whip. One I long to lash out and smack against Cullen and that grinning blonde’s face.

The sun hides behind a cloud to escape from my sudden, inexplainable rage.

I thought I was the only one he felt comfortable with? Darrel Hastings even asked me to butt into Cullen’s life because I’m the first woman he’s gotten close to? But what is this?

I haven’t seen Cullen in over a week, and I guess he hasn’t thought about meonceduring that time. He’s clearly living his best freaking life with Becky over there, while I’ve been burning rice and missing my exits because he’s been running through my mind twenty four freaking seven!

As the entire world darkens, I glare a hole into Cullen’s face. He must feel the pinch of my stare because he turns his head in my direction.

Big T stops. While looking at Cullen, he says, “That’s your tutor.”

“Yeah.”

“I heard he rented the office on the first floor and moved his company into this building. Apparently, he’s one of those tech guys.”

He’s a programmer, not a ‘tech guy’. He also owns the entire building, but it seems that piece of information hasn’t gotten around to the neighbors yet.

“Yeah,” I mutter.

Miffed, I twist my head and keep walking toward the parking lot. Unfortunately, Cullen and his little Bo Peep are heading right along our path. We inevitably collided at the halfway mark.

“Yo,” Big T says, acknowledging Cullen first.

Cullen nods politely, but his eyes are on me, not Big T. Maybe it’s wishful thinking but his voice is especially soft when he says, “Hi, Nardi.”

I dart a quick look at him, keeping my lips pinned tight and my face hard. “Hey.”

“Ronan, who’s this?” The blonde asks.

Ronan? Did she just call him ‘Ronan’?I’ve never heard anyone refer to Cullen by his first name. At times, I even forget that Cullen is his last name. What gives this chick the right? Does she think she’s special?

Maybe she is to him? They look like they were made for each other.

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