Page 13 of Broken Grump

Chapter five

Hayden

“Rosalinda Flores. Can youbelieve that shit?” I complain to Lionel on our way to the attorney’s office who used to manage Salvador’s estates. I have no extra time to “hope” she’ll follow through on her father-in-law’s promises about the land. So I need to go to the source and get everything taken care of myself.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” he replies. “Mr. Flores never had many nice things to say about her.”

I scoff. “That’s because there aren’t many.” I know I’m disguising my internal anxiety with anger. But I’m more comfortable with that emotion. It’s more powerfulandless vulnerable.

Lionel nods. “Right you are, sir.” I’m never sure if he actually agrees with me, or if he’s just going along with what I say in order to stay in my good graces. For my own dignity, I hope it’s the former.

However, I’m distracted after he’s about to roll right past Sawyer Law Offices.

“Wait, Lionel! This is it.”

“Oh.” He slams on the brakes, and I brace myself against the chair in front of me. “Sorry about that.”

After gathering my bearings, I tell him it’s fine. Then, I sit back again, check and smooth my suit coat, and eventually step outside.

“See you in a bit,” I call out behind me.

“Very well, sir.”

After hearing the engine start again and the car pull off, I head inside.

Right away, it’s a million times nicer than the dinky office I was in yesterday. There’s plenty of light, a pleasant fragrance in the air, and even a floor-to-ceiling waterfall in one corner.

The receptionist is also an upgrade. She’s an older woman who is dressed in a nice emerald sweater and black pants. There’s also a gray braid running down the center of her back, which I can see because she’s initially turned away from me.

“Good morning,” she says cheerfully after noticing that I’m there.

“Good morning.”

“How may I help you?”

“Um.” I approach and lean against the edge of the wooden desk. “I have a meeting with Steven Sawyer. Attorney Steven Sawyer,” I correct myself.

“Very well.”

As we walk through the office, I see plenty of nicely dressed people on the phone or typing away at their computers.

Hmm. He runs a pretty tight ship.That is something I can really respect. As long as it isn’t too tight, that is. Some bosses take things too far, and my father was certainly one of them. He’d run his employees to the ground and discard them like they were nothing after he’d gotten what he needed out of them.

“Here we are,” the receptionist finally announces.

I smile and thank her.

The door is already open, so I just knock on the metallic frame.

“Hayden?” the man inside asks after looking up from a spread of paperwork on his desk.

“Yes. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.” We’ve been going back and forth over the phone ever since I found out about Rosalinda’s takeover.

“You too. Please.” He gestures to the seat across from him.

I unbutton my jacket and sit down.

“So, as I explained, I have one week to get the land for the first Ivory Shores Hotel.”

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