Page 17 of Timeless

“So, how long have you known her?”

I turned to look at Troy; why was he so interested? I frowned for a second. Troy never showed interest in a female. Maybe he was just making conversation?

“We both started as interns. I went into finance; she went to human resources. Then we ended up living together when Jack was still a baby. She really helped me out.” And that was understating what Chelsea had done for me.

She got me out of that shitty unit I was renting, which never had heating and the power would always flicker. And she got me into a house. One she owned. Chelsea’s parents left it to her, when they both died suddenly in a head on. She was a teenager when it happened.

I don’t know how she got her life together enough to focus on a career.

I might fight with my dad but I still loved him and would be lost without him.

“She was there for everything important with Jack. First time he rolled over. First steps. First words. She was there.” I brought my coffee cup to my lips and sipped the hot coffee, which was the only thing keeping me functioning.

“She still working in human resources?”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “As soon as I got promoted and took over as an executive assistant, I pulled her and got her to work for me.”

“She doesn’t mind working under you?”

I glanced at Troy. “We see it as working together. I never pull rank. She takes on more stress than me.” Sometimes I thought she cared more about my job than I did. She was always pushing me to the deadlines.

“She seems smart. So, for a smart girl, she sure is stupid.”

I frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

Troy gave me a firm look. “Only a stupid girl stays with a man who hits her.” Troy hated men who hit women but he also didn’t think much of the women who put up with it.

“Mason knew Chelsea before her parents died. Which I think makes it harder because he has always been in the picture. The abuse only started when they moved in together a few months ago. He blamed the alcohol.”

“So, he went sober?”

“Yep. But I think it’s because she has more power at work than him.” I always thought that. As soon as Chelsea got promoted, he started acting weird to her at work. Belittling her ideas in front of me. He was just an assistant to an assistant.

“Says a lot about him.”

I nodded and looked back at Chelsea and Jack. “Yeah, it does.” Jack jumped on Chelsea’s back, and they started to walk toward the house. “Jack’s going to be complaining he is dying from starvation as soon as he enters this door.” I knew my son too well.

I left Troy standing there, still watching Chelsea. I put my coffee down and headed for the fridge.

“Chilly and I want pizza,” Jack announced as soon as he was inside, still on Chelsea’s back. What do you know, it had something to do with food?

“You had pizza last night.” I was certain there were leftovers because, like always, he took one slice and then left the rest.

“No, I had ice cream last night.”

Troy took Jack off Chelsea’s back and Chelsea closed the double doors. A draft whipped into the house from them being open.

“What’s your favorite pizza, Uncle Troy?” Jack asked as Troy put him down on the ground.

Troy looked stumped for a second. He wasn’t used to be addressed as an uncle and that had me smiling.

“I eat anything,” Troy admitted. He never had a favorite food. If only his nephew had taken after him.

“You sound like Chilly.” Jack shrugged. “Chilly always eats whatever I get.”

“Jack, I do not eat all your food,” Chelsea said.

“You do, too! You ate my muffin the other day!”

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