“You have JP”
“I have JP,” I echo.
“I guess my question is…do you want to know JP?”
I breathe deeply and shut my eyes. So much has happened in the last few days. “I just can’t even think at all. Would it be okay if we just chill for a minute?”
He sighs. “Sure, but I hope you understand that I don’t want to be your backup guy.”
So much for chill.
I look at him, studying his eyes as they study the road. “Max, if I didn’t have this boyfriend who I don’t remember, I would be all over you without any hesitation.”
“Exactly my point,” Max says. “Think about what you want.”
I turn to settle back in my seat. What Max doesn’t know is that I don’t have the luxury of pursuing what I want. JP is rich and could solve all of my financial problems. I’m ashamed to even think this, but there it is. I don’t want to just use him for his money, but I can’t help but see how easy life would be if I were with him.
Speak of the devil—my phone pings and I see a text from JP.
Hey Hunnybunny. See you in a couple of hours!
Hunnybunny—has he met me? Sugary endearments fit me like an XL hoodie from Old Navy.
Put on that lacy black dress. Taking you to Mr. Chow’s for dinner and drinks. I have something very important to ask you. xoxo
Based on photos in my Instagram feed, we’ve been dating for at least six months. I have a toothbrush at his house. He calls me Hunnybunny. In that first text convo he said something about a present even more sparkly than my personality.42
JP is definitely going to propose.
Max notices the change in my expression. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s nothing.”
“I just met you three days ago, Mia, but obviously there’s something between us. What happens is up to you, but like I said, I don’t want to be your backup guy. I definitely don’t want to stand around and hold your purse while you test-drive JP to see if he’s better than me.”
I slump and look at my lap. He’s throwing the decision back at me, which makes sense, but I’m so overwhelmed by JP’s text that my brain goes into self-preservation mode.
“I hear you. For now, I just need to figure out how to get through today. JP made reservations at Mr. Chow’s, which I’m thinking we can use for Crystal and Jules. It’s much fancier, and we can save the Groupon for later.”
Max looks at me seriously. “I don’t know if we can just sweep everything aside, Mia. I’m worried about you. I think that cop had a point.” His face hardens. “I know JP is handsome and rich and seems nice, but let me ask you again: are you sure he wasn’t the one who put you in the hospital? In cases like this, it’s usually the boyfriend.”
If I could slump even further into my seat, I would. “I don’t think so.” Still, I can’t help but flash back to our first text conversation, post-amnesia: Is everything ok? U still mad? Clearly we had some kind of argument. And I doubt he’s referring to the art museum fight. That was a full-on assault, not an argument. It couldn’t have been JP.
Max isn’t buying it. “I don’t think you should be alone with him until you make sure he isn’t the one who did it.”
Now I’m starting to get a little pissed off. I don’t need supervised visits with my boyfriend. Let’s face it, only a total psychopath would knock me out, run to Switzerland, and then act as if nothing happened. JP might be a rich douche, but I don’t get psychopath vibes from him. He has a chocolate company, for fuck’s sake. He’s on the same level as Santa Claus.
I give Max a sweet smile and say, “Sure.”
He sees right through me. “I’m serious, Mia. Someone really hurt you, maybe even tried to kill you. You can’t brush that off.”
For the moment, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
40 Principles—not something I’d go down for.
41 Maybe I’m a scientist too?
42 Side question: has he met me?
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
Since I’m meeting JP for the first time, it makes sense to dress up a little. I take a shower, but there’s only so much I can do about my wardrobe given that I have one outfit. How have I not solved this yet? I’ve been out of my coma for several days and I still have nothing else to wear. I guess I’ve had better things to do…like figure out who I am.
Looking in the mirror, I realize it doesn’t matter who I was. Currently, I’m a ho in a five-day-old cocktail dress. It’s my only option besides something from JP’s closet. If that doesn’t say something about my circumstances, nothing does. Even though the dress has been recently dry cleaned, I give the lining a few squirts of Febreze, so it doesn’t stain the satin, and put on an extra-thick coat of Pirate lipstick.
“Do you want me to come?”
“To pick up my boyfriend?” Is Max insane?
“I meant it when I said you shouldn’t be alone with him.”
“Max, you can’t come to the airport to pick up JP with me. That’s just not going to work.” I don’t mention that his house-sitting services won’t be needed anymore either. That should be obvious.
“Mia, you might not realize it, but you could be in danger.”
“Max, I told you. I remember who pushed me into the ice sculpture. It was a woman. I’m sure of it.”
He sighs and shakes his head. “Recovered memories aren’t always accurate. And right now, you’re just believing it because it’s convenient. If you believe it, you get to have a fairy-tale, happily-ever-after ending with a billionaire Prince Charming. But maybe he’s not the right one for you.”
I pause to let him fill a suggestion for who might be the right one, but he’s quiet.
I kiss Max on the cheek. “Can I borrow a few bucks? My new credit card hasn’t come in the mail yet.” I don’t want to lie, but what else can I do? I have to fill up the Ferrari after two straight days of driving it all over LA. A little voice in my head says, Tell the truth but I tell it to shut the F up.
“Umm, aren’t you supposed to be paying me?” Max points out.
“As soon as I get access to my money. I promise.” Assuming I don’t go to jail. “Max, I know this whole situation is weird, but I really appreciate you standing by me. Are you going to stick around for a little while longer?” I put on a dramatically oversize sun hat from the front closet while I wait for him to respond.