Page 39 of Broken Grump

I double down. “No, I’m serious. I had everything under control until you came waltzing in.”

“I—” he splutters. “I have no doubt about that, Addie. But Iwashere, so there’s no reason why I couldn’t help you get her out of your hair.”

Ugh.There’s a wave of emotions going through my brain, and I feel a bit faint. So, I stabilize myself against the desk.

“You okay?”

“Yes,” I answer with bite. “I’m fine. It’s just—it’s just a lot.”

“Trust me. If anyone knows how difficult Rosa Flores can be, it’s me.”

And you don’t even know the half of it.

“Just try to remind yourself that whenever she acts up, she’s doing it because she’s losing power.”

Of course, I know that’s accurate, but it doesn’t help matters that much. At the end of the day, she’s still my mother, and she stillchoosesto treat me that way. As I alluded to, she’s always treated me like I was on an opposing team against her.

In fact, I can’t really remember a time in which I didn’t feel like that.

“Anyway, this whole ordeal certainly proved that we need more security. I’ll make some calls—”

In combination with my frustrations about my mother, his words make a loud shrieking sound hum in my ears.

“Hayden, please!” I demand, hoping to drown out the sound with my own voice. “Just please, give it a rest. I can take care of myself!”

He already pulled his phone out of his hands, and hesitates before putting it back in his pocket. Then, he holds his arms out as if I’m a cop who demanded him to do so. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I was trying to help. That’s what comes with being a part of a partnership.”

“I—”

“Besides,” he adds more curtly, “It isn’t all about you, Addie.”

For whatever reason, that cuts deep, and my heart feels like it falls into my kneecaps.

But after sniffling and licking my lips, I retort, “I know that.”

“Do you?”

Another pang in my chest.

“Yes.”

He dips his head and scratches his neck. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Ugh.“You know what? Screw you, Hayden. This was all a mistake.” Part of me already knew that, but this only proved everything.

I go to storm off, but he stops me.

“Not so fast, Flores.”

My mouth goes taut, but I spin back on my heel to face him.

“Don’t forget the contract we both signed. We have to pretend to be a fake couple, remember? That means we’re in this together, I’m afraid.”

I’m stewing in anger.

“Oh, shoot.” He takes out the device and dials someone else up. “Scratch that, Steven. Sorry. It’s all under control. We’ll meet you later. Bye.”

“We?”

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