Second Chances(32)

Paige opened the menu before her.

"Anything you guys want, I'm treating. Well the company is anyway," Linda said with a mischievous smile.

"What company would that be?"

For the briefest of moments, Nathan was certain he saw a look of pure terror on her face. A deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming semi. But it was only there an instant and when she smiled at him, Nathan wondered if he'd just imagined it all.

"Blood sucking lawyers of course. Johnson, Barnes and Block."

Nathan laughed politely.

"Well since you, well your bosses anyway, are buying, why don't you order for the three of us. I'll eat anything Italian and I am sure you know what Paige likes."

While her lips continued to smile, her eyes threw daggers at him. She did not like him, not one single bit. She didn't know what his game was, but she could tell he was pushing her. And pushing her hard. Not only had he almost messed up her vacation plans and gotten her in trouble with Kassar, now he was pushing her. Sure, Kassar could push her around. She had long ago come to accept that, found it a little thrilling actually. But no way was she going to let this bastard get away with it.

He glanced at Paige. She continued to smile and to anyone else it might appear that she was oblivious to the dance he and Linda were engaged in, but Nathan could tell she was picking up on the tension. And she didn't like it.

Linda lifted the menu up so it blocked her from Nathan's view. She mouthed the venom she was dying to spit across the table at him.

He wondered why he was being so hostile. Why was he pushing? He could tell that Paige was aware of his tension, but so could Linda. Was the tension and anger misplaced, misdirected? Was he so scared of what Linda represented? Was his mind just trying to invent something that wasn't there? Was he so terrified of losing Paige again that he was certain this woman was his enemy, certain that she was trying to deceive him?

Yes, he had to admit that was definitely a possibility. And yet he was certain there was more to it. He definitely feared losing Paige, but that was not the only reason he did not trust this woman. He couldn't put into words just what he was feeling, but raw hostility was definitely part of it. He felt a sincere desire to leap across the table and strike her. He was shocked at these feelings, but he couldn't deny they existed. He had been in a scuffle or two growing up, but nothing he would have ever considered a real fight and he certainly had never even entertained the notion of hitting a woman. And yet here he was, contemplating that very action.

"I am quite certain that Paige would rather make her own decisions. When it comes to Italian, Mr. ...ummm?"

"Just Nathan, please."

"Well, Nathan, when it comes to Italian, Paige can be quite picky. Isn't that right?"

Nathan waited for a moment, certain that a contradiction was coming. When Paige said nothing, Nathan merely nodded.

Linda smiled at him over the top of her menu. Paige's silence was a small victory for her and they both knew it. He refused to meet her eyes.

"I would however be more than happy to order for you, if you'd like."

He tried not to flinch at her words. He nodded, surrendering for the moment. He did not have any appetite so it didn't really matter what she ordered for him.

"I am so happy to see you," Paige said reaching over to give her friend's hand a squeeze.

"Ditto. It hasn't been the same without you. I was getting to the point where I almost missed school. Almost."

Paige laughed and Linda joined in. Their laughter seemed to mock him. He looked down at the menu. He felt foolish now. These two certainly knew each other. What the heck had he been thinking? Doubts began to swirl in his mind. Was she his Paige?

What the hell are you thinking? Of course she is. How could she not be? How could they both have the same histories? How? Am I losing my mind? Is this what it feels like to go crazy? Is this what madness feels like?

Nathan opened his mouth to answer the questions bouncing around inside his head, but stopped when he realized how it would look.

"Nathan?"

He looked over at Paige and cocked an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Umm...were you...well you looked like you were about to say something."

"Oh," he stammered, his mind racing. "I, uh, well seeing you two together and you saying how happy you are to see each other, I was just wondering what your favorite memory from college was."

Linda almost laughed at his rambling. She didn't know exactly what he had been thinking or had been about to say, but it was quite obvious that whatever it was, wasn't the near incoherent question he'd posed.

"Well, let's see," Paige began.

He felt like such an idiot. He kept his eyes down on his menu, feeling completely foolish for...well for everything. He was completely ashamed at his earlier actions. Why had he instantly disliked Linda? Simply because she was obviously a bit leery of him? Why shouldn't she be? He was a perfect stranger after all. A stranger who'd interrupted her and her friend's plans. For all she knew he could be a raving psychopath. He couldn't blame the woman for being suspicious of him.