Page 29 of Broken Grump

“Wha—what do you think?”

“It’s fine.”

“Just fine? Come on, Addie. We both know you poured over the plans before even coming here.”

Still, other than her involuntary functions like breathing and blinking, she remains lifeless.

“Am I right? You looked them over, right?”

She doesn’t answer, but her lips purse.

Ah! She is human!

“I knew it. You just couldn’t resist, could you?” I saw her look over similar drawings for fun, and I can’t imagine the glee that filled her when she was faced with some that she actually had an emotional and financial connection to.

However, other than that little gesture with her mouth, she doesn’t react.

I feel defeated.

“Adriana?”

It’s a dirty tactic, but I know her full name. I know she hates it, but it will definitely get her attention.

“What?”

Now that I have it, I fear it may wane. So I take full advantage of her focus. “Listen, I’m going to be blunt, okay? I know we aren’t on the best of terms, but I hope we can somehow put aside our differences and work on this project. After all, it meant a lot to Salvador—”

“Jesus!” she suddenly interrupts. “I hate that. Stop that!”

What?

“Stop trying to manipulate me by mentioning him. I can think for myself, goddamit!”

“I—I wasn’t . . .”

She takes a step closer to me, pins me to the side of a dumpster, and wags her finger in my face. “This whole time you’ve been playing it off like you don’t need me or my input. But something if off here, Hayden. What is it? Huh? Why are you acting so freaking desperate?”

Dammit.I underestimated how well she knew me.

Then, with her nose wrinkled and her upper lip taut, she looks at me with disgust from head to toe. “This, this isn’t you. The Hayden Cohen I knew would’ve made sure, come hell or high water, that he’d get what he wanted at the end of the day. With or without anybody’s help. So, spill. I don’t have all day!”

While I may have shrunk back and become more spineless than I was back in the day, she’s clearly become stronger and moreoutspoken. Unfortunately, despite how much they may irritate me at the moment, those are also two qualities that I admire most in a woman.

“Well?”

Figuratively and literally, I’m backed into a corner, and I know it.

“Fine!” I wriggle my shoulders, which causes her to retreat a few steps, and straighten my jacket. “I only have a few days to close the deal on the land. If I don’t, the owner might sell it to another bidder.”

After laying that all on the line, I expect something. I’m not sure what, butsomethingin response.

Breathing heavily, I then add, “Besides, isn’t there a contingency regarding your inheritance and the sale of this land?”

She glares up at me with a darkness in those soulful blue eyes.

Oops. I really stepped in it this time. There I go again with my stupid mouth.

“Um.” I’m struggling to lighten things again. “Wasn’t it always your dream to have your name—I mean, your signature ‘kiss’ on a building?”

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