Page 131 of Broken Grump

I don’t want to delay the inevitable any longer than I have to.

When she leaves to attend to something else, I saunter down the hallway and knock on the door.

“Come on in.” He’s already behind Abuelo’s desk when I walk inside. “How are you today, Addie?”

I sigh. “I’m alright.”

He pulls his glasses down and asks, “And Luna? How’s she handling the big news?”

“Well, if her stomping up the stairs was any indication . . .”

“That was her?”

I giggle. “Yep. It sure was.”

“My, she has a heavy tread for such a little thing.”

I pull out the chair across from him and sit down. “Let’s just say she knows how to make a statement.”

“Something she may have gotten from her great-grandfather, no doubt.”

My face twists in confusion at his remark. “What’s that now?”

Without another word, he takes an envelope out of his front pocket and hands it over to me.

I scramble to open it, and I find yet another note addressed to me.

My dearest Addie,

If you’re reading this, that means you’ve turned my initial offer down. That’s perfectly fine, and please know that I am not disappointed in the slightest. On the contrary, I want you to do whatever you think is best for you and Luna.

But that being said, I want you to know that I’ve prepared an alternative option for you in case this very scenario played itself out. If you want, you can keep the house, the subsidiary company, and a chunk of my fortune. However, to honor your late father, I will also have a third of my money transferred to your mother, and she will run Flores Holdings. As for the rest, you can decide which charity it goes to.

“I don’t understand,” I say after lifting my head and making eye contact with Steven again.

“It’s like he said: he always had a second option for you.”

“But—”

“Go on, there’s more.”

I turn the page over and keep reading.

Mi pequeña ratón,

No matter what you decide to do with your life, please know that I have always been incredibly proud of you. Even when I didn’t show it. You’re a wonderful granddaughter, mother, and person. I love you more than words could ever say.

From your dearest,

Abuelo

By the end of all that, I’m just about in hysterics. For one thing, I haven’t heard him utter the words “pequeña ratón” or “little mouse” in what feels like forever. And just reading it out makes me feel at home in a weird way. Also, knowing how proud he was of me makes my heart sing.

“Well? What do you think you’re going to do?” Steven asks. “I know you already decided to move back to Phoenix. But I personally, for as much as my opinion is worth to you . . .”

After blotting at my face, I reach over and grab his liver-spotted hands. “It means a great deal, Steven.” Over the last few weeks, I’ve come to really respect the goofy, unconventional man.

“I think there’s a lot of great work for you to do at the subsidiary. With your great architectural mind, you can really make a difference.”

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