“Of course not, because you have no answer. That’s what this was all about, wasn’t it? Fame. There, you have it. Enjoy! Just keep him out of it. He deserves better.”

“Why are you so cruel? You don’t even know me. Just because you wrote the story, you don’t get to pass judgments on what he or I deserve. And any reasons I have to find Max are mine and mine alone. I’m not discussing them with a middleman who’s set on ruining my life.”

“Ruining your life? I never meant to ruin anything,” he says, his voice calmer now.

“I find that hard to believe. So you’re not going to tell me his name? This is it?”

“Even if I did, I doubt he’d want to talk to you.”

“It’s not your decision to make.”

He shakes his head. “It’s not yours either.”

“Fine. Ask him then. See what he says. Does he even know I’m here?”

Ethan stares at the road, a frown on his face.

“Does he?” I push. “Ask him. After everything that happened, you owe me this much.”

“Do I?” His tone is mocking now. Sarcastic.

Pushing my buttons. Driving me crazy. He’s the most frustrating person I’ve ever met.

“Stop the car,” I demand.

“We’re on the highway; I can’t stop the car.”

“I want to get out.”

I’m boiling inside. Boiling.

“I’ll shut up if the sound of my voice is getting you this worked up.”

“I need to be by myself, and I don’t want to fight anymore. I don’t like fighting.”

“You’re very good at it. You could’ve fooled me.”

He takes an exit for San Jose and drops me off in front of a Starbucks.

I get out without a word. Why is he not leaving? I want him to leave. But he doesn’t.

Forty-Eight

I go in, my head spinning. Get a Caramel Macchiato and sit on a barstool by the window, watching people pass by. Trying to calm down, avoiding looking in his direction and trying to think of what I should do next.

I thought I was so smart, playing Celine and Ethan, and it all came back to bite me in the behind. I knew I wasn’t cut out for this. I’m a lousy liar and manipulator.

All good? Can you talk now?

It’s a text from Alisa.

I call her.

“This is turning out to be the worst day. Ethan was behind me. He heard everything.”

“That’s not good. What did he say?”

“What didn’t he say? By the way, among other things, I think he knew who I was.”

“How could he have known?”

“You sound like him,” I say bitterly. “Well, guess what? The main character’s name is Maya. He used my freaking real name.”

“No way! Wait.”

I hear the rustling of pages.

“Wait. I’m on page 50, and there’s no mention of you or that day. It’s his life before. Wait.” More pages rustling. “OK, I didn’t read, just scanned for names. Yes. Maya June from New York. And her description is the spitting image of you.”