Page 12 of Broken Grump

The lawyer nods and smiles. “Great. You will receive your grandfather’s Olympia Honduras watch.”

“Yes!” Erin pumps her fists.

“Are you going to tell her, or am I?” Aunt Melissa mumbles. Erin isn’t the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, and she likely thinks it’s an old vintage item that’s worth a lot.

“Oh, just let it be a surprise when she tries to sell it on eBay.” The most she’s going to get for it is probably around thirty bucks.

We laugh together and receive disapproving glares from several people in the room.

“Sorry,” I mouth before stifling more laughter.

The lawyer smacks the bottom edge of the documents against the desk and continues, “As for Adriana.”

“Addie,” I correct him without even thinking about it. However, when I realize what I’ve done, I press my fingers against my lips.

“Adriana,” he repeats. “You are to receive his estate and his entire holdings.”

All eyes fall on me.

Well, so much for my heart rate.I slide to the edge of my seat and hold my finger up in the air. “I’m sorry. What?”

“Yes, what about me, Rosa Flores?” my mom emphasizes with a bite.

“You were just theinterimCEO,” he explains.

What?The fact that she is “CEO” in any capacity is news to me.

Aunt Melissa and I share a glance, both of our eyes wide and confused.

My mother stands in defiance and folds her arms angrily across her chest. “This is ridiculous!” She glares at me, and I see her jaw clench. “Adriana doesn’t know how to run a company.”

Instead of making a big show, I slink down and start rubbing at my temples.What the hell?I thought I’d come in here, be told that I inherited an old brooch of my grandmother’s or something, and then move on with my life.But no. I’m receiving my grandfather’s estate and his entire holdings?

“However,” the lawyer adds, “There are conditions you have to abide by, Addie.” He smiles at me when he uses my nickname.

“Oh, thank goodness. The old coot had some sense,” my mother says.

“First, you must reside in the family estate—”

You’ve got to be kidding me. I hate it there.Plus, I was just starting to get my life and career started in Phoenix.

“No,” my mother protests. “No!”

The lawyer then opens his mouth to say something else, but my mother’s continued antics stop him. So, I hear his teeth connect and then watch as his hands clasp in his lap, and his eyes dart across the room.

I hope that in his line of work, he experiences this kind of drama all the time.

In a huff, my mother storms off while mumbling about protesting the will and suing.

Several other family members follow her. And then, it’s just the lawyer, Aunt Melissa, and me.

“As you were saying,” I prompt him after crossing my legs and trying my best to act like the irrational outburst hadn’t just taken place.

“Yes,” the lawyer responds after clearing his throat. “You’ll reside at the Flores Estate for at least one year.Andyou must also keep up with his quote-on-quote, special project.”

“Huh?” My head is spinning.

“A hotel.”

---