The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara
Forty-Nine
I search on maps and there’s no train or bus station around. I guess I’m too close to Carmel for a bus and too far to walk. As much as I don’t want to spend the money, because Celine hasn’t paid me yet—I get a weekly paycheck on Mondays, so I’m living on fumes right now—I still have to get back.
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?
“I came here from New York,” I say, hoping to get a reaction.
“You did? Business or pleasure?”
I gulp. “Not business, no.”
He has ice-blue eyes—my mom would call them husky eyes—and bushy, sandy eyebrows. He has an attractive face and I wish I’d feel more looking at him. Like that crazy, instantaneous attraction. Should I feel something right away? Maybe not. This is not like in the movies or books. In real life, these things build up. Maybe it’s one of those emotional connections that will take a while to catch up in real life, to get to the physical stuff.
“We’re here,” he says as he pulls in front of the inn.
We both get out of the car. I’m not leaving before asking him if he’s Max.
Susan’s not here, and Aaron gets behind the front desk. “You said you have a package? Let’s see,” he says. “Maya, Maya….”
“Maya Maas?”
“Yes. Here it is,” he says and hands me a thick yellow envelope. Finally, I have it and I’ll get some answers soon. But all my answers could be standing in front of me now.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Are there many Lift drivers in Carmel?”
“A few. Me, Candace, Mr. Harris and I think there’s one more. Maybe. It’ll just be me soon, because Mr. Harris is in his eighties and his sight is not so good lately and Candace is moving to Canada. But there are plenty of drivers in Monterey and surrounding towns. Why?”
I gulp. Why. Good question.
“Just wondering. I might consider doing Lift. Wanted to see if there’s competition.”
He laughs. “Not much, no.”
“Is Lifting all you do or—”
“You’re asking if this is my full-time job? No. I’m only doing it to help my mother. Taking people to and from the inn, when I can. I’m an artist. Trying to be.”
My heart is beating like crazy. “You are? What kind of artist?”
“I’m a sculptor.”
“Oh, wow, that’s so nice.”
I stare. Every piece of the puzzle coming together.
“Can I ask you one more thing?”
“Sure. Ask away.”
“Do you know Ethan Delphy?”
He raises an eyebrow before nodding.
“We grew up together, sure. We’ve been buddies for over twenty years.”
Deep breaths. Deep breaths. “And one more thing.”
He smiles.
“You said you knew a Maya. Did you by any chance meet her last year?”
He lifts his eyes and stares at me as if he’s debating whether to answer or no.
“Maya, you’re back.” I hear Susan’s voice and turn.
“Susan, so nice to see you,” I say.
“So glad you stopped by. Just saying hello or are you staying for the karaoke?”
“Just hello,” I say smiling and as I’m saying this, I see Aaron making his way out into the hallway. “Have a great day, Maya. I hope I’ll see you again soon,” he says.
He didn’t answer my question. Why? Is it him? It must be. Everything matches.