diff --git a/packages/schema/src/types.ts b/packages/schema/src/types.ts
index a46bb6a..21af330 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/types.ts
@@ -475,6 +475,7 @@ export const siteSettings = def({
     lockup: line({ title: "Lockup line" }),
     location: line({ title: "Location" }).optional(),
     email: line({ title: "Email", description: "Printed on the resume PDF." }).optional(),
+    replyTime: line({ title: "Reply time", description: "How soon you answer inquiries, like 2 days." }).optional(),
     availability: line({ title: "Availability", description: "Shown on the resume and Inquiries, like Open to freelance web work." }).optional(),
     socials: z
       .array(z.object({ label: line({ title: "Label" }), handle: line({ title: "Handle" }), url: z.url().meta({ title: "Link" }) }))
diff --git a/services/site/src/lib/content.ts b/services/site/src/lib/content.ts
index e4bfc0d..42c7f24 100644
--- a/services/site/src/lib/content.ts
+++ b/services/site/src/lib/content.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  * background, so a saved note shows within a minute and a slow or restarting
  * content service never takes a page down: the last good copy keeps serving.
  */
+import { env } from "./env.ts";
 import type { NoteData, NoteType } from "@gk/schema";
 import { SiteIndex } from "./site.ts";
 
@@ -27,7 +28,6 @@ export interface Redirect {
   toPath: string;
 }
 
-const env = (k: string, fallback?: string) => process.env[k] ?? import.meta.env[k] ?? fallback;
 const baseUrl = () => (env("CONTENT_URL", "http://localhost:4310") as string).replace(/\/$/, "");
 const token = () => env("CONTENT_TOKEN", "") as string;
 /** Preview only: include unpublished notes. Needs an editor or admin token; never set in production. */
diff --git a/services/site/src/lib/env.ts b/services/site/src/lib/env.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29c2852
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/site/src/lib/env.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/**
+ * Server settings, read from process.env at run time only. Never read secrets
+ * through import.meta.env: Vite replaces it at build time and can copy every
+ * value, secrets included, into the built bundle. Set variables in the
+ * environment (Docker env_file, or the shell when running locally).
+ */
+export function env(key: string): string | undefined;
+export function env(key: string, fallback: string): string;
+export function env(key: string, fallback?: string): string | undefined {
+  const v = process.env[key];
+  return v === undefined || v === "" ? fallback : v;
+}
diff --git a/services/site/src/pages/inquiries/index.astro b/services/site/src/pages/inquiries/index.astro
index 0b24410..abfeb8f 100644
--- a/services/site/src/pages/inquiries/index.astro
+++ b/services/site/src/pages/inquiries/index.astro
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import Seal from "@gk/ui/components/Seal.astro";
 import Star from "@gk/ui/components/Star.astro";
 import StatusPill from "@gk/ui/components/StatusPill.astro";
 import ChoicePills from "../../components/work/ChoicePills.astro";
+import { env } from "../../lib/env.ts";
 import { site } from "../../lib/page.ts";
 import { inquiryTypes, parseInquiryType, type InquiryType } from "../../lib/work.ts";
 
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ const settings = s.settings();
 const text = s.pageText("/inquiries");
 const selected = parseInquiryType(Astro.url.searchParams.get("type"));
 const lede = text?.data.lede ?? "Roles, freelance web work or a custom Patiun order. Pick one and the form asks the right questions.";
-const quickFacts = text?.data.quickFacts?.map((f) => f.text) ?? ["Replies within [PLACEHOLDER] days", "Read by me, not a bot"];
+const quickFacts = text?.data.quickFacts?.map((f) => f.text) ?? [`Replies within ${s.settings()?.replyTime ?? "a few days"}`, "Read by me, not a bot"];
 const socials = settings?.socials ?? [];
 
 const placeholders: Record<InquiryType | "none", string> = {
@@ -29,7 +30,6 @@ const timing = [
   { value: "within-a-month", label: "Within a month" },
   { value: "date", label: "A specific date" },
 ];
-const env = (k: string) => (process.env[k] ?? import.meta.env[k]) as string | undefined;
 const turnstileKey = env("PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY") ?? env("TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY");
 ---
 <PageShell title="Inquiries" family="inquiries" current="inquiries" description="Ask about a role, freelance web work or a custom Patiun order.">
diff --git a/services/site/src/pages/inquiries/sent.astro b/services/site/src/pages/inquiries/sent.astro
index eddf0cc..716faab 100644
--- a/services/site/src/pages/inquiries/sent.astro
+++ b/services/site/src/pages/inquiries/sent.astro
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ import Star from "@gk/ui/components/Star.astro";
 import TickRing from "@gk/ui/components/TickRing.astro";
 import TickScale from "@gk/ui/components/TickScale.astro";
 import { inquiryTypes, parseInquiryType, parseSentSummary } from "../../lib/work.ts";
+import { site } from "../../lib/page.ts";
 
+const replyTime = (await site().catch(() => null))?.settings()?.replyTime ?? "a few days";
 const sent = parseSentSummary(Astro.cookies.get("gk-inquiry")?.value);
 if (sent) Astro.cookies.delete("gk-inquiry", { path: "/" });
 Astro.response.headers.set("Cache-Control", "private, no-store");
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ const steps = [
       <Seal name="transmutation" size={132} class="seal" />
       <span class="eyebrow">Inquiry sent</span>
       <h1>Your note is on its way</h1>
-      <p class="lede">Thanks{firstName ? `, ${firstName}` : ""}. I read every inquiry myself and reply within [PLACEHOLDER] days.</p>
+      <p class="lede">Thanks{firstName ? `, ${firstName}` : ""}. I read every inquiry myself and reply within {replyTime}.</p>
       <ol class="steps" aria-label="What happens next">
         {
           steps.map((st, i) => (
diff --git a/tools/migrate/src/seed.ts b/tools/migrate/src/seed.ts
index 76832e4..8d02627 100644
--- a/tools/migrate/src/seed.ts
+++ b/tools/migrate/src/seed.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ export const site = {
   email: "greg@gregkilmer.com",
   /** Resume Interview: open to offers but not looking, so the page says this. */
   availability: "Open to freelance web work",
+  /** Greg, 2026-10-11. */
+  replyTime: "2 days",
   socials: [
     { label: "GitHub", handle: "Patiun", url: "https://github.com/patiun" },
     { label: "LinkedIn", handle: "Gregory Kilmer", url: "https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-kilmer-36646bb5/" },