Page 85 of Broken Grump

After that, she kisses me deeper than ever before.

Chapter twenty-three

Addie

To say there’s aweight lifted off my shoulders is an understatement. In fact, I now feel lighter than I have in, well, eight or so years.

He didn’t say the words, “I know I’m Luna’s father.” but he didn’t need to. The look in his eyes expressed more than words ever could.

What about this one?I’m on the floor looking through old pictures of Luna when she was a baby, and I’m sending him my favorites.

Oh, my gosh. Am I crazy, or does she kind of look like me?

“Ah.” I breathe my millionth sigh of relief. It’s truly amazing how wonderful he’s been throughout all of this.

I reply:Absolutely.If the green eyes weren’t enough, she also has the same mischievous little grin on her face that he gets whenever he’s up to no good.

All he says after that is:We done good, Adds.

It’s one of the first times that I’ve been freely open and able to feel like I had a partner in making and raising Luna.

And I like it. I like ita lot.

However, shortly after this, I get a call from Steven.

“Hello?” It’s been a minute since I’ve heard from him.

“Addie, hey. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve gone over the papers your mother’s attorney filed, and I’ve handed them over to Creighton & Waldheim.”

I’m still looking at the images that are sprawled all over the floor before me.

“Okay.” The name sounds familiar, and I vaguely recall a jingle that I used to hear playing on TV—something about “being short on a dime and calling Creighton & Waldheim.”

“Clyde Waldheim is a great friend of mine from law school, and he’s the best of the best when it comes to this kind of stuff. Of course, I’ll handle the contesting of the will and all that jazz. But as far as the other stuff . . .”

“Other stuff?”

He pauses briefly, but then continues. “Yes, the suit over the rights to Flores Holdings.”

Fuck.I forgot all about that. Again, the last few weeks have been pretty eventful, so some things are bound to fall through the cracks.

“Anyway, as soon as you sign representation papers for Clyde, he can proceed with filing a counterclaim against your mother.”

Ugh.My body deflates. “And this is really the only option we have?”

“I’m afraid so. Unless you want to give up the fight entirely.”

“No!” I’d never just throw my hands into the air and let my mother win when it came to my abuelo’s wishes and legacy.

“That’s what I thought. So, can you meet with me in Clyde’s office around lunchtime? Let’s say, one?”

I check my watch and see that it’s already eleven-thirty.

I’ve been so preoccupied with going down memory lane that I have completely lost track of time.

“Addie?”

“Right, sorry. Yes, one will work.”

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