Page 21 of Making It Burn

The question hung in the air between us, loaded with subtext I wasn’t ready to unpack.

“The PharmaTech case won’t strategize itself,” I said.

“Fair point.”He pulled out his phone.“What are you in the mood for?”

“I don’t care.”

“You have to have a preference.”

“I genuinely don’t.”

“Everyone has a preference, Mason.Italian?Chinese?Thai?”

“Whatever you want is fine.”

He stared at me like I’d just spoken in tongues.“You’re telling me you, Mason Price, the man who probably alphabetizes his spice rack, doesn’t have an opinion on what we should order for dinner?”

“I alphabetize by cuisine, not alphabetically,” I said before I could stop myself.

His laugh surprised me—genuine and unguarded.“Of course you do.Okay, I’m ordering Thai.If you have a problem with it, you should’ve spoken up.”

Twenty minutes later, we were sitting in my office—which had more space than his—with takeout containers spread across my desk.Beau had ordered enough food for four people, claiming he “didn’t know what I’d like,” which meant we had pad thai, green curry, spring rolls, and some kind of fried rice situation that smelled incredible.

“This is too much food,” I said.

“Leftovers are a thing, Price.”He handed me a container of green curry and a fork.“Live a little.”

We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes.Outside my windows, downtown Richmond sparkled with lights, the James River a dark ribbon in the distance.

“So,” Beau said eventually, “pro bono work.What made you start doing that?”

I should’ve deflected again.Should’ve said something vague and redirected the conversation to the case.But maybe it was the late hour, or the fact that we were alone in my office eating Thai food like normal people instead of rivals.

“My mom,” I said.

Beau looked up, surprised.

“She worked for legal aid when I was growing up.Before she got sick.”The words felt rusty in my mouth—I didn’t talk about this, didn’t let people in on this part of my life.“She’d come home with these stories about people who were getting screwed by landlords or employers, people who just needed someone to explain their rights.She loved it.Said it was the most important work she’d ever done.”

“What happened to her?”Beau’s voice was gentle.

“Breast cancer.When I was in college.”I took a bite of curry, giving myself a moment to push past the tightness in my chest.“She fought it for two years.We thought she’d beat it, but...”

“I’m sorry.”

“It was a long time ago.”

“Doesn’t make it easier.”

No, it didn’t.I changed the subject before he could ask anything else.“What about you?Why’d you really come back to Richmond?”

Beau set down his fork and leaned back in his chair.“Honestly?I was tired of being invisible.In San Francisco, I was just another ambitious attorney in a city full of ambitious attorneys.Every case felt like shouting into the void.Here, I can actually make a name for myself.Build something that matters.”

“And your parents had nothing to do with it?”

“Oh, they definitely pulled strings to get me the interview.But I’m the one who had to nail it.”He met my eyes.“Just like you probably got your foot in the door here because of connections, but you’re the one who earned partner track.”

He wasn’t wrong.My father had gone to Princeton with Judge Hollingsworth and had made the introduction that led to my interview.But I’d worked my ass off to prove I belonged here.