Don't Promise Me Forever

07 | in which Alisdair gives Lawson a stern talking-to

"And hungry," Lawson added. "I'm dying for a burger." He paused, squinting at an advertisement for animal-print ties. "Do you think those look like ducks? I think they look more like turtles, personally."

"Hale."

"What?"

"You know what I mean." Alisdair shot a look at the others, lowering his voice. "You scared the shit out of me this weekend. You scared the shit out of all of us. Granville didn't even complain that you fucked up his Uber score."

Lawson flipped to another page. "That's because Haz already has a terrible Uber score."

"Just answer the question."

"Wow." Lawson whistled. "No big words today. It must be serious." 

He half-expected Alisdair to snap. Haz certainly would have. But Alisdair just waited patiently, his arms crossed, looking like a blond Viking dressed in a grey jumper and jeans. It was unfair, Lawson reflected, that Alisdair spent most days in dusty libraries and still looked like that. Some of them had to spend hours on the cricket pitch and actually try.

"I'm fine," Lawson said.

One blond eyebrow rose. "Really?"

"Honestly." Lawson rolled up the catalogue. "It's a shit time of year. I'll feel better next month."

"Well, I'm here," Alisdair said. "If you want to talk."

"I don't," Lawson said. "But thanks."

His phone buzzed.

Lawson fished it out of his pocket, half-turning away so Alisdair couldn't see the screen. A single text from Harper popped up.

Can I bring anything for Tuesday?

Lawson unlocked the phone. Yes, he wrote. My misplaced dignity would be great.

Harper's response was immediate.

Think you left that in a London Uber. Will be hard to track down, but I'll do my best.

Lawson smiled, sliding the phone back into his pocket. It was only when he looked up to see Alisdair watching him that it dropped.

"What?"

Alisdair nodded at the phone. "Who is that?"

"Nobody."

"Trick question," Alisdair said. "I saw the word Ohio pop up on the screen." He took a step closer, glancing at Griffin. "Be careful, won't you?"

Stupidly, Lawson felt his hackles rise. "Of what?"

"It's his sister, mate," Alisdair said. "That's all I'm saying."

"They're not actually related."

Alisdair gave him a hard look. Lawson sighed.

"I'm not going to do anything," he muttered.

Lawson meant that, too. He made a point of being friendly with everyone, but he could count on one hand the number of people that he loved — really loved — and Griffin was one of them. Lawson would sooner cut his right hand off, give up his cricket career, and move to Chile than hurt him.

Which meant Harper was off-limits.

Obviously.

"Good," Alisdair said. "Because Griffin will kick your arse if you mess her about." He patted his shoulder. "And I'm not sure that I'd stop him."

"Noted," Lawson said.

"Brilliant. Good chat."

"Oi!" Griffin called.