Paige hated her for looking so much like her, because she was certain that Nathan would never be able to look at her without thinking of this other woman. She would be a constant source of pain and so she knew that after today she would likely never see him again. It was crazy to even contemplate the possibility of them forming some type of relationship. Crazy or not, she briefly flirted with the notion of it. But to him, she would forever be a constant reminder not only of what he'd lost, but of the lies he'd been told.
It was that thought that hurt the most. She wouldn't be seeing him again. The last day had been disturbing, even terrifying at times, but it had also been mesmerizing and exciting. Maybe even a bit magical. What woman hadn't dreamed of a handsome stranger sweeping them off their feet? And wasn't that what Nathan had done to her? Certainly it hadn't been done in the traditional fairy tale way, but wasn't it essentially still the same?
Well all fairy tales have to end sometime, she thought to herself as the cab began to slow and then stop. She realized that she wasn't just sad to see their ride come to an end, but was also a little scared. Scared of what might become of Nathan when he was finally forced to accept the truth. Scared even more of what would happen if he didn't. Sad and scared. The emotions twisted and battled inside her as she stepped out of the taxi.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Antonio's was the name of the restaurant, though there was no actual Antonio. In fact, the place was owned by a man named Clarence O'Neal who as far as he knew had zero Italian blood in his family. And if there was no Italian in his blood, Clarence was quite certain there was even less in Juan's, the restaurant's head chef. Italian or not, Juan was an excellent cook and coupled with the low prices, Antonio's always did a brisk business. Today being a bright sunny day, it was business as usual, which meant nearly a full house even with them being well beyond the lunch crowd and before the dinner rush. All tables inside were crammed to capacity, as well as the dozen on the outside patio which bordered the street. Wait time was nearing thirty minutes. Well worth such a short time the smiling receptionist would happily tell any inquiring potential customers.
Nathan got out of the cab after Paige and nodded for her to go ahead while he fumbled for his wallet to pay the cabbie. He heard the driver give him an amount and started to turn his attention back to his wallet but then stopped. He watched as Paige walked past those eating out on the patio. He saw that she gave the patrons a passing glance, but never slowed her stride. He also saw a blond woman in a dark red pantsuit begin to smile and rise and then stop and sit back down. The woman opened her mouth but then immediately closed it again.
The blast from the horn startled Nathan and snapped his attention back to the taxi.
"Hey pal, I got places to go. You want to zone out that is fine, but can you do it after you pay me?"
Nathan blinked at the man behind the wheel, almost as if he were seeing him for the first time.
"Yeah, sorry." He grabbed a couple of bills from his wallet and absently handed them to the driver, his attention turning back to the woman on the patio.
The driver's eyes went wide as he took the money. The guy was obviously on something the driver figured, but he wasn't going to refuse a monster tip. And he sure as hell wasn't going to ask if the guy wanted change. He slipped the car into gear and eased away, doubtful that the man had any clue how much he had just given him. Hell, given the look on his face, the driver was doubtful the man realized he'd even been in the cab only moments ago.
However, Nathan knew. He was well aware of the entire cab ride. Aware too that he had overpaid. He simply did not care. Money was not exactly an issue of great concern for him at the moment. His attention was focused on the reactions of Paige and the woman on the patio. Or rather Paige's lack of reaction.
His mind raced. A number of possibilities jockeyed for top spot, but he dismissed most of them immediately. Only one of them even seemed remotely possible. Perhaps the woman had thought she'd recognized Paige. Perhaps she had mistaken her for someone else. He almost laughed at himself. Almost.
Yeah, that was almost it, he mocked himself. Sure, Paige just has that kind of look. Everyone mistakes her for someone else, right?
He shook the thoughts from his head, but he couldn't shake the dread that was building. No, that woman hadn't mistaken Paige for anyone else. She knew who she was, there was little question of that. And perhaps that should have been a relief. He had to admit to himself that while he hadn't wanted it to be true, perhaps, just perhaps this Paige was exactly who she had said she was.
Sure that would still leave a lot of questions. Who exactly had his wife been? Why the lies? How was it possible for them to look so alike? Why the near exact pasts? Why the same pasts and yet differences in time?