Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
“Yes,” Jean said, and Jeremy escaped the room before he said something they’d both regret.
He was putting the pitcher back when he noticed an odd brown square poking out from behind the fridge. A careful tug revealed a foot, and Jeremy laughed when he realized what he was looking at. He slid the standee out of its hiding spot and dusted the cardboard off with a careful hand. Barkbark looked none the worse for wear for the misadventure: whatever fit of pique drove Jean to hide it there, he’d at least been careful not to scratch the dog in the process.
He cupped both glasses in one hand, checked to make sure his grip was good, and carried Barkbark back to the living room with him.
“Look who wants to watch the game with us,” Jeremy said, and put the dog on the empty cushion between them. The sidelong look Jean gave it said he was considering flinging it across the room like an oversized paper airplane, but he took his water without comment. Jeremy reclaimed his spot and settled down to watch the remainder of the match.
The second game was winding down when Laila popped into the doorway to give them a five-minute warning. She was already dressed to go in her black bathing suit, long legs on full display and hair pulled up into a pinned French braid. A few seconds after she left, the Trojans scored, but Jean didn’t even react. He was staring through the TV like he’d forgotten where he was.
Jeremy couldn’t help himself. “Must be nice, liking both. I bet it makes things easier.”
“Stop dyeing your hair. The bleach is rotting your brain,” Jean said, with more acrimony than Jeremy thought his comment warranted. “Why is she dressed like that?”
“I’ll tell you in five minutes,” Jeremy promised.
Jean grumbled something rude under his breath but let it slide, and they watched the final two minutes in silence. Jeremy found a new spot for Barkbark before leading Jean to their bedroom, and he explained their plans to spend the afternoon barbecuing and playing beach volleyball. Jean was predictably unimpressed with the plan, but he’d been soundly outvoted and wasn’t going to stay home by himself. He changed into the coolest clothes he owned while Jeremy slipped into swimming trunks and a tee, and they found the girls waiting for them at the front door.
Cat snagged Jean’s wrist and chucked her tote of towels and sunscreen at Jeremy. “We’ll meet you there!” she said as she hauled Jean out the front door behind her. Jeremy caught the door with a foot and saw she’d already moved their helmets and jackets out to her motorcycle. Jeremy honestly expected a bit more resistance from Jean, but he hesitated only a moment before taking his helmet from Cat’s outstretched hand.
They were gone before Laila had even locked the front door. Laila sent Jeremy a sidelong look and said, “Oh, surely this won’t backfire on you at all.”
“She can’t even get in,” Jeremy pointed out.
Laila only shrugged and followed him to his car. The rest of the floozies would head straight to the beach so they could stake out some sand, but Jeremy’s group had a stop to make. Both Mathilda and Warren were at work today, and Bryson was in Edmonton. That left Jeremy’s house unattended, so he’d offered the use of their grills for dinner. He lived only twelve minutes away from where they were spending the afternoon, so the food would still be hot by the time they lugged it down there.
Holiday traffic made the drive longer than he wanted it to be, and Cat had the advantage of being on a smaller ride. When Jeremy pulled up at his house, the motorcycle was alone out front with a helmet hanging from each handle. Cat didn’t have a key to place, and William was out of town for the holiday, so Jeremy assumed Cat and Jean were loitering in the backyard. Instead he found the grill burning unattended.
Jeremy only had a moment to wonder before Cat opened the back door and said, “About time! Did you guys walk here?” She noted the nonplussed look on his face and jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “Dallas let me in, said William told him you’d be by to make dinner. Of course he panicked.”
She moved aside to let them in. The family chef was hard at work at the kitchen island, sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he shaped patties with his hands. The Trojans had decided on black bean burgers tonight so they could grill theirs and Ananya’s all at the same time, and William must have passed that verdict on when enlisting Dallas to the cause. A small pile of cutting boards and knives were off to one side, evidence he had already diced up any possible topping he could think of.