“Y-yes, I’m fine.” I tried a smile, which probably looked like a hideous grimace.

“You sure? Need directions or anything?”

My smile felt a little more natural this time, the amiability of small towns warming my heart. “No, thanks. I know where I’m going.” At least geographically speaking, I wanted to add.

“All right then.” He gave me a grin and a small salute as he set off again.

The random act of kindness stirred up my emotions, releasing another wave of feelings I didn’t know what to do with. “Jack lied to me,” I whispered. “Damn it. I mean Ash. Ash. Ash.” I was shouting now, bellowing in my car, and pounding my steering wheel with my palms. Once my nerves and anger all subsided enough for me to drive without crashing into a utility pole, I started up the engine. As I headed for the motel, I tried convincing myself I hated my boyfriend—ex-boyfriend?—and should pack up and leave town, but my desire to understand who he was and somehow come to terms with why he’d lied, triumphed.

Did I still love him, though? Could I? The potential answers terrified me, so I turned my thoughts to Maya. Despite the lies and half-truths I’d uncovered about Ash, I could feel a large part of me was jealous of his stepsister. Resentful he’d found his way back here to her and not to me. Hurt he had no recollection of who I was. It was unreasonable and churlish, and there was no time for any of it. I decided to ignore the part of my brain screaming at me to flee Maine and pretend none of this was happening. Not an option. I had to help him, which meant I couldn’t go home, not yet. I’d only found Ash again today, and we’d barely spoken. There were too many open questions, so much I needed to know, even more so after what I’d learned from Fiona and Maya.

Besides, Ash would now be expecting me in the morning and that gave me enough time to sort through my seemingly endless thoughts. No, running away wasn’t an option. Not when I still had some kind of feelings for him, and not until I discovered the truth. Staying was the only way to know for sure if we had any kind of future—and if I wanted one—or if our relationship had died in the ocean on the night everyone thought he’d perished, too. One way or another, I needed closure, and the only people who could help with that were Ash and his sister.