I request a Lift to take me to the inn and it gives me a five-minute wait.

When I look out the window, I see the car and immediately feel queasy and unsteady. It’s the car. The car I’ve seen around town. It’s the man I’ve been running into. I’m sure of it.

The walk to the car seems to take forever. When I finally reach it, my hand clutches on the door’s handle and I can’t move. I’m about to meet him and I’m beyond nervous. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. This is actually happening.

Ethan is still in the parking lot. He watches me get in, then drives away.

I open the car door.

“Maya?” asks the man as I sit in the back. Is he Max? Is this Max’s voice?

“Aaa—how did you know?”

He smiles. “It says in the app. Though I did know a Maya once.”

I feel like an idiot. Obviously, it says in the app. I open it; his name is Aaron.

“How’s your day going so far?” he asks. “So glad I got this trip. I was looking for a ride to take me back to the inn.”

I just listen to his voice, trying to match it with Max from my imagination.

“Are you staying with us?” he asks.

“Sorry?”

“At the inn.”

“You work at the inn?” I ask, confused.

“My mother owns it. Susan. Did you meet her?”

“Susan is your mother?”

Wow. The inn is his family’s? The inn where Max sent me last year to change? Odds?

He nods. “I’m sorry, did we meet before?” he asks, looking at me in the mirror.

My breath catches in my throat. I know I should be looking for words instead of staring at him, mute, but I can’t. I’ve been so focused on this whole thing with Ethan and finding out from him who Max is, that I missed exploring this on my own. I should’ve looked for him earlier, ever since I saw him for the first time, instead of spending all my time with Ethan. Then that fiasco from earlier today would’ve never happened. I stare. Are you him? Are you Max?

“I did stay at the inn but moved in with… a friend in town.”

“That’s nice. Hope you liked The Lantern.”

“I did. It’s a charming inn and your mother is wonderful.”

He smiles. “Are you coming over for karaoke?”

“Sorry?”

He laughs. He has a nice laugh. Not like I imagined Max’s laugh, but nice.

“I thought you might be in the singing competition this afternoon.”

“No, I just need to pick up a package that was accidentally delivered there.”

He goes on to tell me about some of the things we’re passing by and asking me what, if anything, of Carmel I’ve visited yet and offers to give me pointers and I have a feeling of déjà vu. The more he talks, the more I convince myself it has to be him. And I know I’m not the only one named Maya, but… does he know it’s me? Does he suspect?