Page 55 of Time Stops With You

“They’re in the middle of a lunch rush. There’s another café down the street.” I try to urge her out the door.

Sunny stops me. “My husband’s friend saved a table. We can squeeze in with them while we have lunch.”

For the first time, I notice an imposing, broad-shouldered man behind Sunny. She’s so effervescent and bright that I hadn’t even noticed him until now. Which is a feat given how massively tall he is.

“Sunny,” the man says in a quiet voice, “this conversation might be… private.”

Sunny pushes out her bottom lip.

The man’s eyes soften. He shakes his head at his wife with a sigh of exasperation, but his lips tug up at the corners. He gestures to me. “This way.”

“We really don’t have to—” I begin.

Sunny smiles prettily. “Come on. You said your lunch is only one hour, right? I’ll feel awful if we waste your lunch time looking for another café and you don’t get to eat because of me.”

Sunny skips behind her husband while I trudge along.

Okay. This isn’t so bad. It’s not like we’re going to Cullen’s table. We’ll probably be on the opposite end of the room, far away from him.

Except, we’re walking right toward Cullen’s table.

And now we’re standing in front of his table.

And Cullen’s looking at me with the same perplexity that I feel.

“Mr. Cullen, this is my wife, Sunny.” Sunny’s husband clears his throat. He speaks slowly as if choosing each word carefully, “She and our caterer need to have a discussion. It’s a bit time sensitive. Do you mind if we move and let them have the table?”

Sunny offers graciously. “You can also eat with us, if you don’t mind the company.”

Cullen pauses in a way that tells me he’s contemplating the offer. I shake my head and make a slicing motion over my neck.

The silence stretches.

Sunny’s smile starts to crack around the edges.

The awkwardness is about to smother me.

“Honey,” Sunny’s husband speaks up, setting a calming touch on the small of his wife’s back, “I’m sure Mr. Cullen would prefer not to interrupt your?—”

“You can sit,” Cullen says, shocking us all. “Nardi and I are acquaintances, so I don’t mind sharing a table.”

My eyes bug and I almost fall on my face.He did NOT just do that.

Sunny’s husband can’t hide his astonishment. His stare bounces assentingly between me and Cullen.

“Yay! Thanks so much!” Sunny scoots into the booth.

Her husband hesitates at the head of the table, contemplating which side he should sit on.

“Baby, over here,” Sunny says, waving him in. Without hesitation, he lumbers over to that side of the table.

“Nardi, why are you still standing?” Sunny looks at me with frank, black eyes.

I force myself to slip into the booth beside Cullen, but I remain on the very outskirts, half of my butt hanging off the bench to put as much distance between us as possible.

A frantic waitress comes over to hand out the menus and take our drink orders. Cullen shakes his head when she tries to hand him the menu, staring at the laminated book as if it carries an airborne disease.

I take it for him and roll my eyes.

---