Chapter Nineteen
NINETEEN
Maggie slid into the chair across from Blake.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” His words were out before she’d even settled.
She put her napkin in her lap. “You haven’t known long, though.”
“Saturday night.” He nodded. “I thought it would be easier to tell you on neutral ground.”
She gave a short, high-pitched laugh. “As opposed to in the condo, where it’s harder to get away.”
He hesitated. “Do you want to get away?”
She looked up at him, considering, and shrugged one shoulder. “I’m still deciding.”
He watched her for signs of discomfort, but she seemed to be taking this well. “If I’d have known it was you sooner, I wouldn’t have let it get that far.”
“Well, then,” Maggie said, a twinkle in her eyes, “I’m glad you didn’t know sooner.”
Before he could wrap his mind around that, the server, Rachel, came over to get Maggie’s drink order. Maggie gestured to Blake’s glass. “You’re only having water?”
“I want to keep my head about me.” He took a sip.
Maggie flushed. “That’s a good idea. I’ll have the same.”
Blake folded his hands on the table and leaned closer to her. “I’m glad you told me about the article. About all of it. Even before you knew it was me.”
Maggie’s shoulders sagged. “I’m sorry it took me that long to get out from under Chauvel’s thumb.” She sighed. “I didn’t think I had another choice. It took a conversation with Cora to realize otherwise.” Rachel returned with the water, then left to give them time with the menus.
“Will you be all right?” he asked.
Maggie nodded, determination in her eyes. “We’ll figure it out. Cora needs some new funding for her lab, but that’s a problem for another day.”
He perked up. “I’m a grant writer, you know.”
Maggie smiled, a grin that lit up her whole face. “I do know that.” She looked into his eyes, and Blake knew he would do anything for her.
“Anything to keep you from having to deal with Arnold Chauvel,” he said.
She nodded. “He’s a dick. I don’t want anything to do with him and his obsession to identify the Scarlet Pimpernel.
He’s probably out there right now, trying to …
” She stopped, sitting up straight. “Oh, shit.” She twisted to look behind her.
“Switch seats with me,” she insisted, getting up. “I need to see the door.”
“What? Why?” Blake did as she said, but now he wanted to turn his back and see the door. “Are we in some kind of danger?” This suddenly felt like a spy thriller, and not in a good way.
“Chauvel.”
“What?” Blake looked around. “Where?”
“Chauvel,” she said, pulling out her phone again, distracted.
She alternated between looking up past his shoulder and scrolling through something on the screen.
“He wants to know who you are, and I terminated the contract this morning, and he’s pissed off, he was calling me, and I blocked him. ” She looked up. “And with Giselda—”
“Wait, Giselda Shaw?” Blake tried to keep up.
Maggie nodded, speaking rapidly and quietly enough that he had to strain to listen. “She emailed just now. When I was on the train. Anyway, I probably don’t have time to explain, but Chauvel used to track her phone, and I think maybe he’s been tracking my phone.”
“How did he get your phone?”
“Our first meeting, I had to leave my phone with his security team.” She pressed her hand to her head. “He’s pissed that I’ve broken the contract, and he knows I’m meeting up with the Pimpernel, and he’s probably going to ambush us here, and we’ve got to go.” She grabbed her bag.
“Wait.” Blake reached out for her wrist before she could stand, his mind racing as he struggled to follow her train of thought.
He didn’t know the in-between leaps, but he trusted the result.
Maggie St. Claire was one of the smartest people he knew, and if she thought Chauvel was going to find her here, then he probably was. “Don’t run,” he said.
“Don’t you get it?” Maggie hissed. “He knows I’m meeting up with the Pimpernel. He’ll know who you are.”
Blake shook his head, the pieces coming together in his mind. It was ridiculous, and absolutely brazen, but it just might work. “I have an idea.”
He didn’t have time to explain before Maggie went pale, her eyes wide.
Chauvel must have arrived.
“Act normal,” Blake said, releasing her wrist to grab her hand instead. “Follow my lead.”
He felt Chauvel approach before he reached the table. Then his irritating voice sounded from right behind Blake’s shoulder. “Well, look who it is,” Chauvel said, finally reaching them, his smug expression directed right at Maggie. “I thought I might find you here. What a lovely place to meet the—”
Chauvel finally turned to Blake, and his words seemed to die in his throat, his expression turning from smugness to disgust. Blake made himself look as calm as he could, despite his pounding heart.
“Oh, hello again.” He greeted Chauvel, getting to his feet to shake the man’s hand, giving him his best guy-next-door smile.
“Thanks again for your generosity at the benefit gala. That money is going to do a lot of good.”
Chauvel’s mouth still hung open as he shook Blake’s hand, staring for a full five seconds before he came back to himself and stepped back. “This is who you’re having dinner with?” he asked Maggie.
“I’m her boyfriend,” Blake said, like he had no idea why Chauvel was confused. “Who else would she have dinner with?”
“The Scarlet Pimpernel!” Chauvel shot back. His face was flushed, and it looked like he was getting ready to have an aneurysm. “Not you!”
“You thought I was still going to have dinner with the Scarlet Pimpernel after your scene at the gala?” Maggie managed to sound derisive and amused all at once, and Blake could have applauded.
“You’ve been making a lot of assumptions about me lately, Arnold, and I’m getting sick of it.
” She folded her hands on the table. “I’m here trying to enjoy a nice dinner with my boyfriend, and I don’t have time for whatever bullshit you’re slinging. ”
Chauvel clearly didn’t know what to do. He stared from Blake, to Maggie, then back to Blake, and a vein on his forehead throbbed visibly. “If you think—” he began, but Maggie interrupted.
“We’re done with business,” she said. “I’ve seen what you’re like to work with. Tracking my phone? Really? You should be in jail. And if you don’t want a whole article written about you, then maybe the decision to part ways should be mutual.”
His nostrils flared. “Are you threatening me?”
Maggie stared him down. “Not at all. I only want to set some clear boundaries for our professional relationship. The end of our professional relationship.”
Blake was so proud of her, he could hardly breathe. She looked completely composed, and he was probably the only one who knew she wasn’t. He could see the minute details in her body posture that showed she was barely hanging on. But she was hanging on.
At that moment, Rachel returned. “Is there a problem?” she asked, looking between the couple and Chauvel.
“This man was just leaving,” Maggie said, taking a sip of her water. “I’m sure he can find his own way out.”
Arnold Chauvel grimaced, looking like he’d swallowed something terrible. He turned and stalked from the restaurant.
Maggie’s shoulders sagged as soon as he was gone. “Oh, thank god,” she said.
“Are you all right?” Rachel asked. “Do you want me to get a manager?”
“I’m fine.” Maggie gave a short laugh that sounded on the verge of hysterics. “We still haven’t looked at the menus. I’m sorry. Could you give us a few minutes, please?”
“Of course.” Rachel stepped away.
“You were amazing,” Blake said. “You rolled with it perfectly.”
“How did you know he wouldn’t figure you out?” Maggie asked.
He shook his head. “It was a hunch.” He blew out a shaky breath, adrenaline still pumping. “I’m used to being stereotyped. The Pimpernel has a certain mythos. Chauvel would never expect a nerdy guy in a sweater vest.”
Maggie nodded. “Plus, he knew you as my boyfriend from the gala.”
“Fake dating and inaccurate assumptions save the day.” He raised his water glass with trembling fingers and took another sip. “I’m starting to wish I’d gotten something stronger.”
Maggie laughed, and her voice sounded as shaky as he felt. “Maybe one drink.”
“That sounds good.”
Maggie couldn’t stop glancing at the door, even though Chauvel had long since stalked off into the night. Her heartbeat was finally beginning to return to normal.
“You know, he’s not going to be through with this,” Blake said.
“No, probably not.” Maggie gave one final glance past Blake’s shoulder and resolved to stop looking for Chauvel.
“But we’ll take that as it comes. I have a good lawyer.
” Chauvel had already written Blake off as not the Pimpernel.
If they were both smart about it, he’d have no more evidence.
Plus, Giselda said that maybe Chauvel was going to get what was coming to him.
She could only hope. “I’m going to have to get a new phone. ”
And just like that, the weight of Chauvel lifted off her. She felt light, free, and suddenly, suddenly aware once more that she was sitting down with the Scarlet Pimpernel.
Their server Rachel returned with a smile. “Have you figured out what you’d like to order?”
Blake looked up at her. “Oh my gosh, Rachel, I’m sorry. We keep getting distracted.” His eyes crinkled again when he laughed, ducking his head sheepishly. “Can you tell me what the specials are?”
Rachel listed off a few options, smiling at Blake, clearly charmed. He already had her under his spell, just from that exchange. His magnetism was palpable. How had she never noticed it before?
“Maggie, do you need a few minutes?” Blake’s warm brown eyes invited her to take all the time she needed.
She had never gotten flustered around him before, but it took her a moment to find her words. She ordered the filet special and a glass of wine, and Blake ordered the same.