Page 132 of Time Stops With You

I internally groan. “Of course he did.” Then I shake my head because I amnotgetting into a stranger’s car just because he claims to know Cullen. “Look, I don’t know what your arrangement is with Cullen, but it has nothing to do with me. Please move aside.”

“I’m the driver Mr. Cullen hired for you and the heir of Cullen Tech.”

I squeeze my eyes shut and huff out a breath. Cullen is starting to double down on this ‘heir of my empire thing’ with Josiah.Great.

“My car is right this way.” Roger points to a fancy, limited-edition electric vehicle waiting on the curb.

Josiah’s eyes brighten. “Cool.”

“No, not cool.” I drag my brother back as he eagerly starts skipping toward the stranger.

Roger extends a packet. “This is my card, a copy of my driver’s license, and my job letter from the Cherotia Limousine Company.”

Cherotia is a high-end car rental service. I’ve only heard of them through the grapevine, but I never thought I’d actually get to meet a driver.

Josiah elbows me. “He looks legit.”

My brother still believed in Santa until last year so, I don’t know if his approval is enough for me.

I thumb through the documentation.

“Mr. Cullen said to tell you that if you allow me to drive you, he’ll talk to the Hastings about catering this weekend. He said you would know what that means.”

I arch a brow. “Oh, that’s low.”

Josiah looks up. “Convinced now?”

“This way, Miss Davis. Mr. Davis.”

“Can we, Nardi?” Josiah begs.

Since Josiah’s excited about the ride, I decide to go along with it. “Only this once.”

Josiah flounces ahead, eager to get in the luxury vehicle. I trail a bit more slowly, my eyes on my cell phone.

There are no new messages.

He’s ignoring me and yet he’s sending fancy drivers? I don’t get it.

The vehicle looks as luxurious inside as it does on the outside. Leather seats and imbedded tablets are just a few of the amenities.

Roger explains while driving, “Mr. Cullen subscribed to a few programming podcasts for you, Mr. Davis. You can tap on the screen to listen to the app. The ear buds in the seat rest are new. Ms. Davis, for you, he subscribed to your favorite business podcasts.”

My eyebrows lurch to the top of my head. “How does he know I like listening to business podcasts?”

“I’m not sure, ma’am. I’m only following instructions.”

With a few swipes of the tablet, it’s confirmed. Cullen upgraded to the ‘paid’ tiers of my favorite podcasts and now I’ve got access to episodes and content that I never did before.

I pin my lips together, my annoyance growing by the minute. This is way too over the top and very Cullen. And yet, I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong.

My uneasiness multiplies after Josiah gets dropped off at school—where he reluctantly tore himself away from the vehicle—and Roger points the car back to my apartment.

“Miss Davis, there are some documents in the back pocket of the chair,” the driver says.

“What kind of documents?” I wonder.

“I don’t know. But I was told to let you open it only when young Mr. Davis had arrived safely at school.”

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