Page 26 of Broken Grump

“Try to steam roll over other people’s feelings and thoughts. You can’t use humor or banter your way out of this one.”

Shit.I can’t remember a time my signature move has backfired so fast and so hard.

He continues, “Regardless of what you might think, I’m not an idiot. And I know what happened between us was around eight years ago. Yeah, I can do math too.”

I assume he’s referring to the quick subtraction I did between seventy-nine and thirty-two. But in any event, my heart is sinking like quicksand into my stomach, and I’m finding it hard to breathe.

“Hayden,” I manage to squeeze out.

He just holds his hand up. “No. We’re done here. Don’t be surprised to hear from my family’s lawyer soon. I wouldn’t want to make a mistake, after all.”

Mistake.That cuts me like ice.

“My daughter isnota mistake.”

With a huff, he flips the back of his suit jacket behind him and storms off.

“I—” I can’t believe this is real life. I’ve spent so many years trying to keep this secret, and within seconds, it unraveled itself.

I’m not sure how long I’ve been just standing there and looking blankly at nothing. But eventually, Luna, my purpose for living, shadows the door.

Immediately, my motherly spidey senses pop alert me to her presence.

“Mom? Who was that man?”

I’ve heard of the strange connection Liv Tyler felt when she first met Steve Tyler, Aerosmith’s front-runner, for the first time. If I remember correctly, her mother didn’t even tell her daughter that was her father, but she somehow justknewit.

I crouch down, wipe my cheek, and welcome her into my arms.

“He’s just someone from the past. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Or if he goes through with the testing, you will understand everything much, much sooner than that.

I cling to her as my mind races with possibilities of what the future might look like.

Chapter nine

Hayden

It rained and thunderedlast night, so I had a hard time sleeping. The only thing keeping me awake now is my third cup of joe.

“You want me to go there without you, sir?” Steven confirms over speakerphone.

“Yes.” My elbow is on my desk, and I rub my eyes. “I’ll meet you at the property.”

“Um. Okay.” Given everything that happened yesterday, I can’t fault him for his hesitancy.

“Great. I will plan to see you both in about forty-five minutes or so?” I’m in my office and looking up at the clear, blue sky.

Addie’s favorite weather,I can’t help but remember. She always said days like this, especially after a storm, felt like the world’s way of starting fresh.

I can picture it like it was yesterday—we were about sixteen, outstretched on an old red and white checkered blanket on my parent’s cleanly mowed lawn.

We are both just gazing up at the heavens before she flips onto her side.

My eyes slowly but surely wander over to meet hers.

“Isn’t it romantic?”

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