Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
“If they’d go so far with one of their key players, I can’t imagine the rest of the lineup got off very easy,” Laila said. She was speaking slowly and carefully, like she wasn’t sure either of them wanted to hear what she had to say. “We are learning what they did to him; we have no way of knowing yet what he did to them in exchange.”
“I’ve heard the rumors.”
Jeremy tried to reconcile that exaggerated vitriol with what he’d seen of Jean today. Jean was prickly and combative and quick with an unforgiving opinion, but also… pliant? It wasn’t the right word, Jeremy knew, but he wasn’t sure how to explain it to Laila.
He thought of Kevin’s words at the semifinals game: “He knows how to follow orders. If you tell him to submit, he will.” Even in his memory the wording felt a little embarrassing, but Jeremy thought he understood. Jean fussed but gave ground. There was no guarantee he hadn’t participated in Raven violence, but Jeremy wanted to believe he wasn’t an instigator. Until he knew for sure, though, Jeremy was determined to keep Jean and Lucas far away from each other.
At last he said, “I know it’s early to say it, but I don’t think he’s capable of everything they say. I won’t say he’s innocent, but he just… doesn’t seem the type. Do you feel safe with him here?”
Laila sent him a wry look. “If he starts anything, you know we’ll finish it.”
He’d seen how much they could bench, so Jeremy only smiled. “I know you will.”
They didn’t hear Cat’s footsteps over the music, but suddenly she was in the living room doorway looking positively stricken. Jeremy’s heart dropped, the brief return of his good humor dying immediately, but all Cat said was,
“Congratulations! I found someone more useless than you are in the kitchen. I didn’t think it was possible.”
“Ouch,” Jeremy said. “In my defense—”
“Best not to say it,” Laila advised him, but she patted his knee as she stood up. “Having a personal chef won’t earn you any pity points.”
They followed Cat down the hall to the kitchen, where Jeremy expected to see a mess similar to the one they’d just cleaned up a few hours ago. Instead, it looked like Cat had dumped her entire collection of utensils on the island. Jean treated her to a withering look as she arrived with an audience in tow, but rather than make him relive whatever lesson she’d just inflicted on him she picked up a vegetable peeler and put it in his face.
“This one,” she said, and began clearing everything else away as soon as he took it from her. “Fair warning! I let Jeremy be dead weight in the kitchen because he doesn’t live with us full time. If you’re going to stick around, I’m going to make a proper cook out of you. Survival Skills 101, or something.”
Jean tested the edge of the peeler with his finger. Cat set a cutting board and bag of carrots in front of him, then stole the peeler back so she could show him in a few quick swipes what to do. Jean obediently set to work while she went back to her broccoli. Jeremy knew better than to offer to help but made himself useful collecting plates and silverware. Laila checked the meat in the crockpot and went looking for the au jus.
“Anyway, you were saying?” Cat asked.
It only took a moment to realize they were talking about the Ravens’ eating habits. Jean didn’t seem annoyed to be hashing it over again, but Jeremy was content to let it go in one ear and out the other. He didn’t miss the sidelong look Jean sent the thick rolls Laila set out or the way Jean glanced toward the fridge as if remembering his conversation with Jeremy earlier. He didn’t miss a beat in his recitation, but his gaze drifted over the crowded magnets.
“I assume Jeremy already told you we don’t do that here,” Cat said, and glanced at Jeremy for a nod. “Good news is, sounds like Ravens basically did macronutrients, which means we can adapt. Laila and I have it down to an art form. Getting you to adjust from that to something similar but without the boring this-and-only-this should be pretty easy. We’ll go grocery shopping when we get back from the mall tomorrow and I’ll walk you through it. Deal?”
Laila hummed as she thought. “Maybe it’s because I missed the first half of the conversation, but the numbers don’t add up the way they ought. It’s oddly weighted.”
“To accommodate more practices?” Jeremy guessed with a glance Jean’s way. “We never did get around to that story, past you implying I wouldn’t like whatever your answer was.”
“You won’t,” Jean agreed.
He didn’t elaborate, even with all three of them staring patiently at him, until Jeremy finally said, “Is it still considered a trade secret if they’re overhauling the program?”