Mostly we end up here at Pack Central, and when Darryl cooks, everyone stops by.
It's a pretty big job." The way werewolves eat, it certainly was.
A big job that was one of those little things that pulled a pack together: Sunday breakfasts at Adam's house.
"If you're doing dishes while he cooks, does he do the dishes when you cook?" I asked.
"Nope," Darryl said, serving each of us a plate of sausage, eggs, hash browns, and French toast with a snap that looked awfully professional, and returned to the stove.
"Not that enlightened." She smiled at his back.
"He vacuums, though." And Darryl made an irritated noise.
"Have you seen Ben?" I asked, then said, involuntarily, "This is really good." The French toast was spiked with real vanilla, cinnamon, and a host of other things, including authentic bitter-sweet maple syrup.
"Mmmm." Auriele nodded, taking a bite of her hash browns.
"He cooked his way through grad school." "Made good money at it, too," Darryl agreed.
"Ben's been down, eaten breakfast, and gone.
He'll be back soon.
I called Zee last night." I set down my fork.
"What did he say?" "Nothing, if you are going to let my good food go cold." I took a hasty bite, and he went back to cooking--and talking.
"I played last night's ransom call back to him, and he picked me clean of everything you told us.
Then he said he'd see what he could do.
He called an hour or so ago and told me to tell you he'd be over here as soon as he could.
It might be a couple of hours, though, so stall the villainess if she wants you to move before he gets here." "How did he sound?" "Grumpy.
Coffee or orange juice?" "Water is fine." His eyebrows went up.
"Uh-oh," Auriele said, but she was smiling.
Darryl was not.
"Are you implying that my coffee is not the best in four counties? Or my fresh squeezed orange juice is less than perfect?" Jesse breezed in and squealed.
"Oh my goodness, Darryl is cooking.
I'd almost forgotten it was Sunday.
Orange juice, please." She glanced at me and laughed.
"Mercy doesn't do orange juice or coffee," she said, grabbing a glass out of the cupboard and filling it out of the pitcher Darryl had set out.
"So sad.
More orange juice for me." She was being cute and upbeat, but there were dark circles under her eyes.
She took the plate Darryl handed her and sat down next to Auriele.
"So," she said.