Page 64 of Broken Grump

“I—I really don’t know what to say here, Adds. I don’t know this Hayden guy. But to me, it sounds like you’re both straight-up tripping. You obviously have a convoluted past, that much I know. Plus, you have this unspoken bond through your shared child.”

“Which he doesn’t know about yet. Well, at least in not so many words. I think he can sense something, though.”

“I would sure hope so. Otherwise, he’s just a flat-out creep who likes to watch children sleep.”

Fair enough.She’s absolutely right, and my flags would have been raised after that if I hadn’t experienced this chemistry between the two of them.

“And I’m just guessing here, but I’d put money on the fact that Hayden is just as confused by all of this as you are—if not, even more so. As you said, you’ve never come right out and said he was Luna’s dad. Can you imagine how weird that must be for him then? Having that father-daughter connection with a child you just met, but not knowing why?”

She’s right again.

“I’m thinking, when you feel the time is right, you should tell him the truth, give him some space to process that, and then see how things progress as he adjusts to fatherhood.”

“But what if he doesn’t want anything to do with us?”

“I think he’s already proven that that isn’t the case here, Addie.”

“And another thing . . .”

Oh, okay.I was about to open my mouth, but I shut it again.

“Please don’t feel stupid for kissing him. I think you should take it as a sign that maybe, it’s time for you to start thinking about whatyouwant.”

What I want? What a preposterous notion,I think sarcastically. Except in all reality, what I want hasn’t been a priority ever sinceLuna was born. Instead, my entire life has revolved around her and whatever it will take for her to live her best life.

“Okay, let’s decipher this for a moment, shall we? Let’s suppose the best-case scenario were to come true, and you, Hayden, and Luna could all be one big, happy family. Would that really be theworstthing in the world?”

Obviously, she’s asking that rhetorically, but I answer anyway, “I guess not. But—”

“But nothing! All the ‘buts’ and ‘what ifs’ in the world are just a waste of time and energy until you actually find outwhatyou’re dealing with.”

As I’m pondering her wise words, I hear some commotion outside, which is weird because there aren’t neighbors around for miles. But when I see Hayden come around the backyard in a light blue suit and talking to someone on his phone, my heart sinks.

Oh, God!My first instinct is to stop, drop, and roll.

“This isn’t a fire, dummy!” I scold myself after realizing the error in my thinking.

“Huh?”

Shoot.I forgot I was also on the phone. “Sorry, Sam,” I whisper while covering my mouth like that will be to affect anything.“I’ve gotta go. I will call you back later. Thank you for all of your advice. I love you!”

I hang up, and then frantically look for somewhere to hide.

Under the desk? Yeah, I can fit in there.

Pulling out the chair, I start diving underneath into the black abyss.

But then I hear a light rapping on the glass door.

By this point, my lower half is already covered, leaving my ass stuck up in the air.

“Addie?” he asks in a muffled voice.

Thankfully, either I or Abuelo left a pen down there, and I’m able to grab it and use it as the scapegoat for my odd behavior.

“Right.” With it in my hand, I sit up and use the other to flick hairs out of my face and then straighten out my outfit. “Oh!” I suddenly look over and act as if I hadn’t heard any of the evidence of his presence before that very moment.

He smiles shyly at me and waves. “Mind if I come in?”

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