Page 134 of College Town

“Some jackass I went to school with. Being voted Most Popular senior year clearly didn’t set him up for success. He came into Coffee Town today and he knew that I was selling for you guys. He’s furious, and I don’t know where he was headed when he left, but he said–”

“Shh, darling, take a deep breath.”

He does, and finds that he’s dizzy.

“Tom is upstairs. Come with me.”

As she leads him up to Tommy’s office, it becomes clear that the household is in the process of breaking down. The furniture’s all in place, but bag after bag is going out the front door to the waiting fleet of vehicles. From panicked about Tommy’s safety, Lawson shifts to panicked about Tommy’s whereabouts – or his future whereabouts. This is it, isn’t it? Just as he got comfortable, just as he started to believe they could be building something, Tommy’s on his way out of town.

There’s a lump in his throat by the time they reach the office, and a burning knot of anger in his chest.

“Tom,” Natalia calls as they walk through the open door. Tommy stands behind his desk, cramming folders into a briefcase, Noah attentive at his side. “Lawson’s here. He has news.”

Tommy glances up, frowns briefly, then resumes packing. “Okay. Gimme me a second.”

Lawson clears his throat, and his voice comes out hard, his anger rapidly mounting at a rate he can’t tamp down. “It can’t wait.”

Tommy and Noah both lift their heads, then. Tommy meets Lawson’s gaze, and his mouth flattens. He nods. Turns and hands the briefcase off to Noah. “Take that out.”

Noah does, unhappily. “Make it fast.”

Tommy shoots him a dark look, and Noah rounds the desk and heads to the door without sparing Lawson so much as a glance.

“Do you,” Natalia starts.

“Leave us,” Tommy says, and after a beat, she does, latching the door on her way out.

Tommy comes around the desk, and his frown changes shape; his brows crimp and steeple in a way that’s entirely personal rather than sternly professional. “Why aren’t you at work?” He glances down at Lawson and plucks at the button placket at the neck of his polo. “Why are you so sweaty?”

Lawson can feel his heartbeat in his tongue. It pounds like drums through the veins in his ears, making his head throb. “You’re leaving.” It’s not a question.

Tommy sighs, and bites at his lip, and looks like a man caught in a trap of his own making.

“I’ve been calling you all day. You weren’t even gonna tell me, were you?” If his tone flares with hurt, it’s because heishurt, and he’s not too proud to let Tommy know that.

“Hey,” Tommy says, softly, and lays his hands on his chest.

Lawson steps back so they’re no longer touching – and Tommy chases him, and puts his hands back on him.

“Hey,” he repeats. “I’m notleavingleaving.”

“So just leaving a little bit. Right. Cool. Fuck you.” When he tries to turn, Tommy bunches his fists in his shirtfront and yanks him back, gaze hardening.

“Lawson. Listen to me.”

Lawson rolls his eyes, and gets another yank for it.

Tommy’s eyes are black fire. “I amnotleaving. I’m not leavingyou. I’m not going to do that ever again.”

Pain lances through Lawson’s chest, because he wants to believe thatso badly.

“I got a call from the team I left behind in New York,” Tommy continues, knuckles digging hard into Lawson’s chest where he’s stretching out the front of his shirt. “Gino’s making a move tonight. We have to go and intercept him. This isit, Lawson.” His smile flashes manic, and hopeful. “We’re gonna get rid of Gino tonight, and then this’ll be over.”

“Right.” Lawson gestures between them. “This’ll all be over.”

“No. I–” Tommy makes a frustrated noise and releases him. Starts pacing back and forth in front of him, hands shoving roughly through his gelled hair and dislodging its tight slick. He halts, and his jaw works side to side, and he props his hands on his hips before he turns to Lawson, the jut of his chin as determined as Lawson’s ever seen it.

He says, “The only reason I joined the – that I took on the family business – was to get rid of the Giacolettis. They killed my dad, and I want them gone. They’re ruining New York, they’re ruiningEastman” – he stabs at the floor with a furious finger – “and I’m ending it. I’m ending it tonight.So,” he rushes to say when Lawson moves to interrupt, “I can step down.”

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