“We’ll do it quickly,” Maxwell promised. “Straight in and out, no sight-seeing.”
That earned a small smile. “Thanks,” Chloe said quietly. “I’ll be fine, really.”
“After this, I think there will only be one or two more ingredients,” Tilly said encouragingly. “That’s good news, right?”
“Great news,” Chloe said, although she still didn’t look very happy about the cave thing. “Oh, and I’ve got the knife. Should arrive by courier on Monday. Jim and Cecil sourced it for me.”
There was an awkward pause, and then Tilly spoke. “But you already got one, didn’t you, Maxwell? You sent me the tracking number to have it delivered straight here.”
Chloe frowned at him. “I told you I’d get it,” she said. “But you ordered another one?”
“Well, I know lots of people in the antique world,” Maxwell said, shifting uncomfortably. “I just thought I’d rather go with someone I knew. I didn’t know if your friends could get it in time. I know you trust them, but…” He let his sentence trail off because Maxwell knew he was admitting that, once again, he hadn’t trusted Chloe.
“Oh,” Chloe said quietly. “Well, then, I guess we’ve got two.”
“It might come in handy for something else,” Tilly said, clearly trying to smooth things over. “Better to be safe than sorry, anyway.”
“I should get going,” Chloe said, standing up.
“I’ll drive you home.”
“It’s only a short walk.”
“But it’s cold,” Maxwell argued. “You hate the cold. I don’t mind.”
Chloe looked at him for a moment. “Okay,” she said. “It’s windy, too, which is even worse.”
“It might snow!” Tilly said, looking excited. “I love it when it snows here, everything covered in soft white, like a picture book.”
Chloe didn’t say anything to that, but Maxwell knew she was thinking about how much she hated the cold.
“I don’t think it will,” he said. “The sky’s wrong for snow.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Tilly sounded disappointed. “I’ll keep working on those final ingredients, then.”
“Thank you so much,” Chloe said quickly. “I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome,” Tilly gave them her signature finger guns of reassurance, and Maxwell led Chloe out of the beaded curtain to where his Range Rover was parked just outside the shop.
He opened it quickly, and as Chloe got in beside him, he switched on the heated seats.
“You didn’t tell me you ordered another knife,” Chloe said to him. “You knew I was getting it through Jim and Cecil. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’m sorry,” Maxwell said, and he sighed. “I should have told you, I…”
“Didn’t trust them?” Chloe asked. “Didn’t trust me?”
“I…” Maxwell began as he turned the car around to loop back to Bailey Street. “The way my life’s been, I don’t really have people around me who I can trust. My friends are a lot of fun, but they’re not really people you’d trust with your life. I’m out of practice.”
Chloe was silent. “It’s okay,” she said. “I mean, you don’t know me very well. I can’t really expect you to trust me.”
“But I want to trust you,” Maxwell said. “I mean, you seem like someone I can trust. Should trust. You haven’t let me down yet, and I know how diligent you are and…” He sighed again. “What can I do to make you accept my apology?”
“You don’t have to do anything,” Chloe gave him a slight smile. “I accept. And I hope that if we are friends, you’ll learn that you can trust me.”
“Oh, so we’re friends, then?” Maxwell couldn’t resist teasing her.
“Seems like we’re on that path, doesn’t it?” Chloe quirked her mouth. “I mean, I feel like breaking a curse with someone is the kind of thing where you’ll either end up friends or never want to speak to each other again.”
“Well, I definitely want to speak to you again.”
“Then I guess we’re becoming friends.”
The drive was too short, Maxwell thought, as he pulled into the empty space in front of Crowley Lake Realty. “Friends,” he repeated. “I’ll text you about the cave thing. Maybe tomorrow night?”
Chloe made a face. “I guess it’s best to get it over and done with.”
“I’ll be with you,” Maxwell said reassuringly. “Make sure nothing bad happens.”
“I know you will,” Chloe said. “See, I trust you.”
“I’m honoured,” Maxwell tilted his head. In truth, he really was honoured to think that Chloe trusted him. That he was worthy of being her friend.
“Good luck with your poker night,” Chloe went on. “If you’re too hungover tomorrow, I’ll leave you in the caves.”
Maxwell laughed. “I won’t be,” he said. “Good night, Chloe.”
“Good night.” Chloe let herself out of the car, waving as she fumbled for her keys to get in out of the cold.
Even though Maxwell had been looking forward to the poker night all week, he couldn’t help thinking that right at that moment, he would have preferred to follow Chloe into her office. Just to sit and watch her work. Which was a ridiculous thought, wasn’t it?