Page 20 of Making It Burn

“I have my moments.”

I pulled out my phone and made a note to flag this for Carter and Patsy on Monday.When I looked up, Beau was watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.

“What?”I asked.

“Nothing.Just...”He hesitated.“You said you had an appointment.Everything okay?”

“Fine.”

“Mason, it’s after seven on a Friday.That’s not normal.”

I could’ve brushed him off.But there was something about the way he was looking at me—genuinely curious, not prying—that made the deflection feel petty.

“Pro bono work,” I said.“I volunteer at Safe Harbor Legal Clinic in Church Hill.Friday evenings, usually.”

His eyebrows shot up.“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.Why is that surprising?”

“Because you’re—” He stopped himself, but not before I saw the wheels turning.“Nothing.That’s...that’s awesome.What type of cases?”

“Housing, mostly.Some employment law.Immigration issues when I can help.”I crossed my arms, suddenly feeling exposed.“It’s not a big deal.”

“It is, though.”Beau leaned back in his chair, studying me as if I were a puzzle he was trying to solve.“How long have you been doing it?”

“Since I started at HRB.Five years.”

“Every week?”

“When I can.”

“Does anyone here know about it?”

“Lisa, Patsy, Carter.”I shifted my weight.“It’s not something I advertise.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not about advertising.”The words came out sharper than I’d intended.“It’s just...something I do.”

Beau held up his hands.“I wasn’t criticizing.I think it’s impressive.Most attorneys talk about doing pro bono work.You actually do it.”

I didn’t know what to do with that—with the genuine respect in his voice, with the way he was looking at me like I’d surprised him in a good way.So I did what I always did when conversations got too personal: I changed the subject.

“Have you eaten?”

He blinked.“What?”

“Dinner.Have you had dinner?”

“I had a protein bar around four.”

“That’s not dinner.”

“Says the man who probably hasn’t eaten since breakfast.”

Beau wasn’t wrong.I’d grabbed coffee before court and nothing since.“We should order something.If we’re going to keep working.”

“Are we going to keep working?”