Page 46 of Deserving Ryleigh
“Yeah. For a baby born a few weeks early, he’s doingawesome. He’s been having some issues with reflux, but overall, yes, he’s healthy.”
“He’s adorable,” Cora said, as she gazed at the infant in their friend’s arms.
“I can’t believe how close in age he and Elizabeth are,” Lara said with a smile as she rocked Henley’s daughter.
“Is it too early to hook them up?” Maisy asked. “You know, like pledge their troth or something.”
Everyone laughed at that.
“Pledge their troth? You’ve been reading too many historical romances, girlfriend,” Alaska teased.
“Nothing would make me happier than for my son to marry your daughter,” Reese told Henley with a smile. “But of course, that will be his decision. He might prefer boys. Or maybe he’ll want to stay single. Or maybe he’ll be a computer genius like Ry and move to Washington, DC, to run the world.”
Ry blushed. Once upon a time, she would’ve protested and insisted that she wasn’t a genius, not by any stretch. But the truth of the matter was, she was damn good at what she did.
A dinging noise sounded in the small room, and it was almost comical how everyone looked down at their phones to see if it was theirs. Turns out Cora had been the one to receive a message.
Since Ry was looking right at her when she read it, she instantly knew something was wrong. “Cora?” she asked. “What is it?”
When the other woman looked up, she had tears in her eyes.
“What? Is Pipe okay?” Alaska asked.
All the women were frowning now, worried about their friend.
“He’s good. But this is thesecondtime that we were approved for a foster child and it was canceled at the last minute. I know these things happen, and it’s better if the kid can stay with relatives instead of being removed completely from their situation, but we weresurethis time that it would go through.”
Uneasiness swam through Ry’s veins. It was very likely that Cora was exactly right about what happened…but she couldn’t help wondering if it was something else. Someoneelse who was manipulating the system.
Without a word, she stood up and went over to her bag that she’d left by the door. She didn’t go anywhere without her laptop anymore. There had been too many instances of her father fucking with The Refuge for her to feel comfortable being away from the device.
She placed it on the table behind the couch a little too hard, and sensed more than saw the other women’s heads turning her way.
“Ry?” Maisy asked.
She didn’t answer. She was too upset. The more she thought about it, the more she knew this had to be her father’s work. Ithadto be. Once again, her asshole of a father was doing everything to prove he was more powerful than she was. But it wasn’t power he was showing—it was pure evil. Who messed withfoster children? Her shitty dad, that’s who. He didn’t care aboutanyone. He was as unfeeling as a human being could possibly get.
She’d sent him messages through the dark web, but he hadn’t responded. Not yet. But maybe this latest stunt ofhis was response enough. He didn’t care about anything she had to say—but he would.
It had been years since she’d taken money from anyone. The day she’d left her father’s home, in fact. Well…maybe it was time.
She understood now that her father couldn’t be reasoned with. After all, how could you reason with a psychopath?
“Ry?” Maisy repeated, but again she ignored her. Her fingers were already flying over the keyboard. Logging onto the Internet with her secure connection. She needed to hack into the Los Alamos Social Services database and make sure Cora and Pipe’s application was still correct. She wouldn’t put it past her father to have messed with it. To make them look like less than desirable candidates.
A chair next to hers was pulled out, making her finally look up. Cora sat down. She had a small frown on her face and was studying Ry intently.
“You think he did it?” she asked.
Ry didn’t have to ask who “he” was. “Yes,” she said firmly.
When Tiny asked if it was all right if the guys shared with their wives what was happening with her father, she’d willingly agreed. Was relieved she wouldn’t have to face the women herself and tell them how fucked up her childhood had been, and what a monster her own flesh-and-blood was. The next day, every single one of her friends had found her at some point to lend their support, along with much-needed hugs. Reassured her that they didn’t blame her for anything, and to offer their help. It had felt amazing…and liberating. Their actions had reaffirmed that Ry was right where she was meant to be.
“Is it wrong that I’m relieved?” Cora asked.
Ry’s brows furrowed. “You are?”
Cora nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I was beginning to think no one thought I’d be a good role model. That they saw something in our application that made them think Pipe and I wouldn’t be good parents.”
