Page 16 of Broken Grump

“Not quite,” a man with an obvious toupee interjects after walking into the room. “Teddy Erickson. Before Mr. Flores passed, he appointed me to represent The Ivory Shores Hotel Enterprises.”

My eyebrows raise. “Say what now?”

He repeats everything he just said, and he also hands out a signed contract for me to see. Sure as shit, Sal’s signature is at the bottom.

“Can he just do that?” I ask aloud before turning to Steven and asking him the same.

He holds his hands up and explains, “I just handle Mr. Flores’ will.”

Then, I focus again on Teddy.

After taking a deep breath, he explains, “Yes, he can. Oh!” He sets his briefcase down and undoes the hooks that keep it closed. “He also wanted me to give you this.”

I have no idea what the paper he’s offering to me does or says, but I still take it from him and read:

Dear Hayden,

If you’re reading this, that probably means I’m dead. In that case, I want you to promise to work with Addieand continue to build Ivory Shores Hotels. She’s got it in her to be a great businesswoman. I just know it.

Sincerely,

Sal

“So, what am I supposed to do with this?” I ask after finishing it.

“Well—” Teddy starts, but he’s cut off when Addie returns.

“Sorry about that. It was just my . . .” She looks like a deer caught in headlights when her eyes settle on me. “Nobody. It was nobody.” Her lips curl in on themselves, and she tucks some hair behind her ear before finding her seat again. And yes, I do notice how good her ass looks in the curve-hugging skirt she’s wearing.

But then I shake my head and fold my arms. Enough is enough, and I’m starting to get beyond fed up.

“Okay, so who is running this company right now?” Whether it’s Addie, Rosalinda, or some one-eyed monster—that’s who I need to speak with right now.

“I am,” Rosalinda offers.

Teddy holds his finger in the air. “Not exactly.”

“Okay, so it’s Addie.”

Her head pops up again. “What? No.”

“Not exactly.”

Christ.

Teddy then steps away from the table, leans over, and whispers into my ear, “Adriana Flores may not be the CEO of Flores Holdings, but she is in control of whatever happens to your ‘special project.’”

“Special project” is what Salvador always called Ivory Shores Hotels.

I glare over Addie again, and she doesn’t seem to be listening. Instead, she’s busied herself with drawing something.Probably a building,I guess. Since we were kids, she’s always dreamed of being an architect. And last I heard, she actually finally got her degree.

Hmmm.I stroke my chin as I think about how cool it would be if we could combine our abilities. She could design the buildings, and I could take care of everything else on the business side.

But would she be happy with that?The old Addie I knew would have been, but I hardly know the woman she is today. Heck, she could be just as power-hungry as her bottom-feeding mother is.

Then as if on cue, Rosalinda barks, “Put that nonsense away.”

“It isn’t nonsense. This company—this company is what’s nonsense,” Addie fights back.

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