Page 61 of Effortless

“Since when? You weren’t the one behind that desk the last time I was in Chicago.”

“Five months ago or so.”

“Since you came back from New York, then?”

Tom nodded. “About then, yeah.”

“Are you liking it?” Cross asked.

“Do you like acting as your father’s underboss?”

“Two entirely different positions, man.”

“My question remains the same.”

Cross chuckled. “It’s a lot of work. Busy days, I guess.”

“Same here.”

“I bet.” Cross stepped into the office, and slammed the door closed behind him. “I figured while I’m in the city, I should come over and say hello. See what you were up to since you don’t know how to use a fucking phone.”

“I call you.”

“Once in a blue moon. I think you talk to my sister far more than you talk to me. I don’t know if I should be offended about that, or not. I mean, considering you’re supposed to be my friend and all.”

“Offended or jealous? You do know they’re not the same thing, right?”

Cross barked out a laugh. “Fuck you, you prick.”

Tom rounded the desk, and grabbed hold of Cross’s reaching hand. Despite what Cross said, Tom did call him every couple of weeks just to chat. He still missed his friend, though. The two gave each other a quick one-armed hug before letting go.

“It’s good to see you,” Tom said.

Cross shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his leather jacket. “We should do something, Tommaso. I’m going to be in the city for a couple of weeks before I’ll head back to New York.”

Tom cocked a brow. “A good week and a half of that will be spent with you on a gun run, right? I know the run for the cartel is coming up. A deal Theo made in exchange for two shipments of cocaine next month.”

“So?”

Cross posed the question so flippantly that it made Tom want to laugh. His friend had no idea the constant silent fight he had been having with his father for months now about guns and running them.

For as hard as his father tried to keep him away from the gunrunning side of the Outfit’s business, Tom still got word of what was going on every once in a while. Usually, one of his uncles would let the information slip when he asked the right questions.

“Not sure a gun run would be smart for me to get in on right now,” Tom admitted.

Cross scoffed. “What, like sitting behind this desk all day is doing anything for you? You can’t tell me that it is, Tom.”

No, it really wasn’t.

“Fact remains, Cross, I am way too busy right now to be up and going for something like that.”

“You sure?”

No.

“Yeah,” Tom forced himself to say.

Cross rocked on his heels, saying, “Suit yourself, but the offer is still open should you want to take me up on it. I’ve got a couple of days before I need to get on the road, you know.”