Chapter 14: Fourteen – Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Tessa returns home from a week-long field hockey camp at the University of Pennsylvania, exhausted and sore. She finds Marco Campano-McCallister working on the front porch, having made himself at home while she was away. After grabbing breakfast, she joins a Zoom call with the other bridesmaids for Katie’s bachelorette weekend. Amanda Gallant leads the meeting, which devolves into logistical chaos when Stephen “Wit” Sondheim appears on screen. The group finalizes plans for a trip to the Finger Lakes, and Reese confirms the Airbnb cost at six hundred and fifty dollars per person. Tessa is shocked by the price—she has no job and relies on household chores and tasks for her father's company for spending money. Panic sets in as she considers the additional expenses of the bridesmaid dress, shoes, and trip activities. After the call, Marco notices her distress and tries to reassure her. Her fathers, Dad and Da, join them on the porch; Tessa vents her frustration. They immediately offer to cover all her bridesmaid expenses, and she reluctantly agrees to attend the bachelorette, though she still resents the cost. Later, Tessa and Marco review Amanda's detailed Google Doc, which includes an array of games, including "The Panty Game." Marco teases her about her discomfort, and she finds herself admitting that she trusts him, sparking a moment of tension. Connor and Lauren arrive; Lauren is nosy about the trip, but Connor sees through Tessa's lack of enthusiasm. Marco extends an invitation to Connor and Tessa to spend the weekend at his family’s shore house in Stone Harbor, but not to Lauren. Tessa decides she will skip her club lacrosse practice to go.

Key Events

Tessa returns from Penn field hockey camp and finds Marco working at her house.
She participates in a stressful Zoom call about the bachelorette weekend and learns the steep cost per person.
Tessa expresses her financial anxiety to Marco and her fathers.
Da and Dad tell Tessa they will pay for all her bridesmaid expenses.
Marco and Tessa review the bachelorette Google Doc, discovering "The Panty Game."
Marco tells Tessa he believes she likes and trusts him, leading to a charged moment.
Connor and Lauren interrupt; Marco invites Connor and Tessa to Stone Harbor but not Lauren.
Tessa decides to skip club practice to join the trip.

Character Development

Tessa shows vulnerability around money, revealing her lack of earned income and her dependence on her parents for extras. She also demonstrates growing trust in Marco: she feels comfortable confiding in him, and his teasing about the Panty Game doesn't embarrass her as much as she pretends. Her decision to skip lacrosse practice to spend time with Connor—and by extension, Marco—shows she is prioritizing relationships over her usually rigid schedule.

Marco emerges as perceptive and caring. He notices Tessa's breathing changes during the Zoom, writes her a note asking if she's okay, and later calmly talks her down. His observation that she likes and trusts him marks a shift in their relationship from antagonistic to intimate. He also cleverly manipulates Lauren’s exclusion from the shore invitation, showing he’s attuned to Tessa’s social dynamics.

Connor remains a supportive friend who knows Tessa well enough to see through her fake enthusiasm. Lauren continues to be portrayed as clingy and nosy, straining Tessa’s patience.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Financial pressure and friendship. The chapter explores the hidden costs of being a bridesmaid and the expectation that one must pay for the privilege of supporting a friend. Tessa’s anger is not at Katie but at the system that makes her feel guilty for not being able to afford participation.

Trust and vulnerability. The moment when Marco says, “I think you trust me” crystallizes the emotional progress between them. Tessa’s internal “white-hot crackle” suggests her feelings are becoming romantic.

Invitations as power. Marco’s invitation to Stone Harbor—extended to Connor but not Lauren—is a subtle move to control the group dynamic and give Tessa an escape from Lauren’s constant scrutiny.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter cements Tessa’s shifting priorities. She moves from being purely focused on field hockey and avoiding social obligations to accepting a weekend away with Marco and Connor. The financial conversation with her fathers also reinforces the safety net of her family, contrasting with the pressure from her peers. The trust-building scene with Marco lays the groundwork for their relationship to deepen in the upcoming shore trip, which will take them out of Cheval for the first time.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why is Tessa so upset about the bachelorette trip cost even after her parents offer to pay?
Tessa feels guilty that she needs her parents’ help, and she resents the expectation that bridesmaids should spend hundreds of dollars on someone else’s celebration. She also feels like a “spoiled brat” for not being excited, and the offer doesn’t erase her frustration with the system.

2. What does Marco mean when he says, “I think you trust me”? How does Tessa react?
He means that she no longer sees him as a dickhead and is willing to be vulnerable around him. Tessa feels a mixture of embarrassment and excitement; she snaps at him to stop smirking, but the moment leaves a lasting impression on her.

3. How does Marco’s invitation to Stone Harbor serve as a turning point in the subplot with Lauren?
By inviting Connor but not Lauren, Marco creates an opportunity for Tessa to spend time with Connor (and himself) without Lauren’s interference. It also forces Connor to choose between his girlfriend and his friends—a conflict that will likely develop later.

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