“Are you embarrassed?” Gus asked after Maxim brought in thesaladecourse, which was next up now that they’d had theirplat principal.
“What do you mean?”
“You look away, like you’re embarrassed, when your bodyguards bring in the food.”
She was surprised that he’d noticed and that he’d called her out. She arched a brow and said nothing.
“Just wondering if you’re embarrassed by me or embarrassed by having an audience on a date.” Gus looked oddly resigned, as if he were ready for her to admit she was embarrassed to be seen in his company.
“Embarrassed by you? Not at all.”
“But you are embarrassed.”
“I’m embarrassed that we have to eat here rather than in the restaurant.” She gestured at the room, though it was admittedly very elegant. “I’m embarrassed that my security people had to check the flowers.” She nodded to where they sat on the table, now in a vase Maxim had brought up along with the fish course.
“They might have been poisoned,” he said solemnly.
“And yes, I’m embarrassed that my security people will know what happens on our date.”
He studied her for a moment. “Would it help if I told you something embarrassing about myself?”
“Immensely.”
“My name is Angus McAngus.”
She stared at him, expectant, but he didn’t say anything else. “Yes, I knew that.”
“Of course you did. Your people probably did a background check on me.”
She inclined her head in acknowledgment.
“It’s an embarrassing name.”
Now, Nikolett frowned. “Doesn’t it translate to Angus son of Angus?”
“It does.”
He still didn’t elaborate, but the grim look on his face assured her this wasn’t an odd joke. “I assume your father’s name wasn’t Angus, but sometime in the past you had a notable relative named Angus, and his descendants identified themselves as sons of Angus. McAngus.”
“That’s true enough, but having the same first and last name is embarrassing.”
Maybe she was losing something in translation. Gus—and now she understood why he went by Gus rather than Angus—looked genuinely embarrassed.
“I know a man who has the same kind of name,” she said.
He looked up, gaze almost sharp. “You do?”
“Yes. His name is…” She wasn’t going to give Eric’s name. “Samuel Samuelson.”
Gus made a noncommittal noise, looking at his plate.
What was she missing?
“Is Angus an embarrassing name because there’s…” She took a moment to come up with something. “Is there an objectionable person named Angus in Scotland?”
Gus ate several bites without answering.
The sense of intimacy that had developed with the easy conversation up until now started to fade away under the weight of his silence. Hypocritical of her no doubt, given how manythings she wasn’t saying to him. She focused on eating, not sure which way to take this.
