Page 33 of Broken Grump

The Nicaraguan flag is hanging in the lobby, there’s folk music booming from the speakers, and there’s a faint aroma ofgallapinto.

“Hello, Miss Flores,” Steven says after greeting me.

“Hello. Um. With all due respect, what is this place?”

He holds his hands out proudly. “Why it’s La MiniaturaIvory Shores.”

It’s clear by how he struggles to say “miniature” in Spanish that it’s not a language he’s familiar with. But I still get the gist.

“This is—was,” he corrects himself, “his vision for the hotel.”

I spin around one more time to take it all in. “Seriously?”

“Indeed. He wanted to bring a little touch of his home to Los Angeles and eventually throughout the entire country.”

“Wow.” Just being in here makes me feel like I’m wrapped up in one of my grandpa’s signature hugs. “I—I had no idea.” But then something clicks. Ivory Shores. That’s exactly what he said the waves made the beach near his house look like when he was a kid.

However, this sweet moment is brief and ruined when Steven and I both hear a loud boom from the doorway and then see Hayden’s face emerge.

“We have a problem.” He’s breathing heavily out of his mouth.

“What is it?”

“Damn Errol changed his mind.Again.”

“Who is—”

“The landowner,” Steven answers out of the side of his mouth.

Oh. This can’t be good.

Chapter eleven

Hayden

Steven rolls his eyesand hangs his head. “You’ve got to be kidding me. This guy . . .”

“You’re telling me.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Addie, with a refreshed aura about her that I can’t quite put my finger on, exclaims, “What happened?”

As if she owns the place, which I suppose she kind of does, goes behind and leans on the receptionist’s desk.

I’m still a bit mesmerized by her, but I try my best to stay focused.

“Um.” I cough to clear my throat and hold my balled fist up to my mouth. “Well, I went into his dingy office this morning—wait a minute.” Suddenly, something occurred to me. And I peer overat Steven, who is digging something out of his teeth with his fingers.

“What?” she asks.

“I thought you said we weren’t supposed to talk unless it was through him.”

“Oh, right.” When her light eyes wander over to him, she grimaces as he digs out whatever he is aiming for, looks at it, and then flicks it onto the ground.

“So . . .”

“Whatever. I guess it doesn’t matter as long as all three of us are here. Please, continue.”

“You’re sure?” I can’t risk pissing her off. Especially not now when I need her more than ever to secure the deal.

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