Ready or Not (The Love Game Book 4) by Elizabeth Hayley (i wanna iguana read aloud txt) 📗

because there was less risk of him catching me staring.

As Ransom spoke to Roddie, I tried to figure him out. Ransom technically wasn’t even working, but he always stayed until seven, just like Harry said. He was also the one everyone went to when there was a problem.

I hated that we’d have to tell Harry that Cindy’s mother had been late again. I wasn’t sure how many warnings a family got before they were kicked out of the program, but Cindy’s mom had to be running out of chances.

As I cleaned up the beads Cindy wasn’t using, I asked her, “Are you making that bracelet for anyone special?”

She shook her head.

“It’s really pretty. I bet you could save it and give it to someone as a present. Your mom or teacher maybe.”

Cindy turned the bracelet around in her hands a couple of times before shrugging and reaching for another bead.

“I used to make crafts all the time, but I never gave them to anyone either.”

She looked up at me, her forehead creased a little, and I read the expression as a question she never voiced.

“I’m not sure why,” I continued. “I guess I never thought they were actually good enough to hand out to anyone. So I ended up with tons of bracelets and necklaces and potholders, all kinds of stuff. I stored it all in a box under my bed. Come to think of it, it’s probably still there.” I huffed out a small laugh. “It’s a shame when I think about it now. All these years, people could’ve been using them, but instead they’re just sitting under my bed, doing nothing.”

“Cindy!”

The young girl and I both jerked our heads toward the voice. Cindy’s mom was young, mid-twenties tops. She was attractive, but she also looked exhausted. I heard her telling Ransom she was sorry, but I couldn’t hear the rest of her words.

I turned back to Cindy to see her putting away the beads in front of her.

“Don’t worry about it, sweetie. I’ll pick them up.”

Cindy gave me a small smile—which made me feel like I’d hung the moon—and then started to round the table to where her bag sat. But before she got too far, she stopped and turned back to me. She reached out her small hand, holding out the bracelet.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

She nodded.

I gently took it from her and slid it on. “Thank you, Cindy. It’s the best gift I’ve gotten in a long time.”

She smiled again before grabbing her stuff and running for her mother, who scooped her into a big hug and kissed her cheek.

“I’m so sorry, Cindy. I missed you so much today.” Her mom set her down, and the two of them walked out hand-in-hand.

“It’s a shame,” Ransom said from beside me, his proximity startling me since I hadn’t seen him approach. If he noticed, he didn’t mention it. “Taryn clearly loves Cindy and does the best she can, but I don’t think she has a lot of support.”

“Do you think Harry will kick them out of the program?” I asked.

“Nah, Harry’s a bleeding heart. I also think he knows more about their situation than the rest of us. That’s probably why he moved heaven and earth to get her into the program.”

My face must’ve shown the confusion I felt, because he continued. “It was a whole thing to arrange transportation for her. She gets out of school later than the middle school kids that take the bus here, so Harry called in a few favors to get her dismissed early.”

I hadn’t considered the logistics before. The fact that Harry would go to so much trouble for one family made my respect for him grow even more.

Ransom looked over at me and down at my hand. “I like your bracelet.”

I brought my arm up and spun the bracelet with my other hand. “Thanks. She did a great job with it.”

“You’re good with her. She definitely seeks you out more than anyone else.”

I tried to fight a smile but failed. It simply felt too good to hear that. “She’s definitely…timid.”

Ransom sighed. “Yeah, I wish we knew more about what was going on there so we could interact with her in a more informed way, but it is what it is, I guess.”

“I’d definitely say she’s a selective mute, and the way she reacts to certain people makes me think that’s rooted in some kind of trauma.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I thought it might be something like that too. Damn.”

The last word sounded as if it had been pushed from him, as if the thought of something bad having happened to Cindy hurt him too. Not that I didn’t feel that way, but it seemed to be deeper with Ransom. He always seemed to care so much about everyone else. It made me feel self-absorbed in comparison.

“Hey, it’s late. Did you have plans for dinner?” he asked, the quick change in topic nearly giving me whiplash.

“Um, not specifically. I was just going to make something at home.”

“Wanna grab something? My treat.”

The desire to accept was strong, which was exactly why I said, “Sorry, I’m kind of tired. I think it’s best if I just go home.”

He nodded as if he’d expected the answer, but he also looked disappointed. It almost made me reconsider.

“Stop by Harry’s office with me first,” he said. “And then I’ll walk you out.”

“Okay.”

We gathered what we’d brought into the gym, and after returning everything to where it belonged, we went to Harry’s office.

“Any problems?” he asked after we’d told him we were done for the night.

“Cindy’s mom was late again,” Ransom said.

Harry sighed. “I’ll call her tomorrow.”

“It was only ten minutes,” Ransom defended. “It’s not a big deal.”

“I know, but if we let that kind of thing slide, more parents will start being late. I told her last time she was going to start being fined, but I don’t know. I hate to do that.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I’ll