Chapter 18 Recap: What Happens and Why It Matters

⚠️ 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

The chapter opens with Delilah leaning against Claire's kitchen sink, watching the aftermath of a phone call. Astrid has finally agreed to the camping trip, but only after Iris's persistence and Claire's quiet confession that she can't be trusted around Josh. Delilah hears Claire's words clearly, and they land like a blow. She had told herself she didn't want to come to Claire's house, but she admits to herself that she did—she wanted to see Claire. Since their kiss at the vineyard, Delilah has felt unsettled, craving something sweet and uncomplicated. She feels lonely, a feeling that echoes the oily dread she experienced five years ago when she discovered her ex Jax with Mallory. She grabs a beer despite her earlier resolve to stay clear-headed.

Claire ends the call and tells Iris she should text Josh about reserving camping spots. Delilah holds Claire's gaze, wanting her to say something—anything—that would ease the burning in her chest. She wants Claire to tell her Josh means nothing, to invite her to share a sleeping bag, to kick Iris out and kiss her senseless. She looks away first, taking a long drink. She tells herself she doesn't do relationships, only flirting and sex, and wonders if this knot in her stomach is just a lust knot.

The doorbell rings, and Iris answers it. Pizza arrives, and Ruby comes into the kitchen, beaming about the camping trip. She hooks her arm through Delilah's and asks her to sit next to her. Delilah can't refuse. Ruby shows off a black-penned rose she drew on her arm, and Delilah genuinely compliments it. Ruby blushes. Claire smiles but says nothing about her daughter coloring on her skin.

As they eat, Delilah asks Ruby if she likes to draw. Ruby nods and shrugs, her chin ducking to her chest. Delilah feels the girl's awkwardness in her bones. She tells Ruby she should design a tattoo for her, and Ruby's head snaps up. Delilah asks to see more drawings, and Ruby sprints to her room, returning with a notebook she keeps under the table. Delilah leans close, letting Ruby flip through the pages. The sketches are black-and-white: plants, flowers, tea mugs, books, candles, cats, planets, and then faces—Claire, Josh, Iris, Astrid, friends, and Ruby herself in various expressions. Delilah tells her they're great, nudging her shoulder.

Ruby asks Delilah to teach her about photography. Delilah agrees, and Ruby admits she found Delilah's Instagram after Astrid's brunch. Iris overhears and picks up her phone, a grin spreading over her face. Delilah panics at the thought of the whole town scrolling through her raw, personal photos. She quickly suggests going outside to take photos while the light is perfect. Ruby says she doesn't have a phone yet, but Claire promises she will someday. Iris announces Delilah has two hundred thousand followers, and Delilah uses that as her cue to escape, waving Ruby outside.

In the backyard, the air is cool and damp, the sun setting in a twilight-lavender glow. The yard is charming and imperfect—a hammock between two maple trees, colored lights on the porch, a dingy birdbath full of stagnant water and dead leaves. Delilah tells Ruby that photography is like drawing: you see something and capture it in a way only you can see. Ruby roams the yard and stops at the birdbath, where a single white flower floats in the center. Delilah calls it perfect. She hands Ruby her phone, and Ruby works meticulously, experimenting and shaking her head until she gets it right. Delilah scrolls through the images and praises Ruby's point of view, showing her how the flower is the only thing in focus.

Ruby asks about editing, and Delilah looks up to see Claire standing on the porch, watching. Iris is gone. Delilah says she should probably go. Ruby asks about the camping trip, and Delilah admits she hadn't planned to go. She thinks about flying back to New York but can't afford the ticket. Ruby insists she has to go, calling her fun and saying she likes talking to her. Delilah laughs, and Claire calls out from the porch. Ruby jokingly calls her mother and the others as fun as a bag of rocks. Delilah promises they'll work on Ruby's photos soon, whether or not she goes on the trip.

Ruby steps forward and hugs Delilah around the middle. Delilah freezes. She can't remember the last time someone hugged her—years, probably Jax, but that was more mindless stress relief than real affection. This embrace from an almost-teenager takes her breath away. Her eyes sting with sudden tears. Then she moves her arms around Ruby, presses her cheek to the girl's hair, and exhales what feels like a decade's worth of anxiety, accepting the girl's love.

Key Events

Astrid agrees to the camping trip after Claire admits she can't be trusted around Josh.
Delilah arrives at Claire's house, admitting to herself that she wanted to see Claire.
Delilah feels a resurgence of the loneliness and betrayal she felt with Jax and Mallory.
Ruby shows Delilah her sketchbook, and Delilah genuinely praises her art.
Ruby asks Delilah to teach her photography, and Delilah agrees.
Iris discovers Delilah's Instagram account with two hundred thousand followers, prompting Delilah to escape outside with Ruby.
Delilah guides Ruby through a photography exercise in the backyard, focusing on a flower floating in a birdbath.
Ruby insists Delilah join the camping trip, and Delilah promises to work on photos with her soon.
Ruby hugs Delilah, and Delilah is overwhelmed by the emotional impact of the embrace.

Character Development

Delilah is the emotional center of this chapter. Her internal conflict is laid bare: she craves connection but is terrified of vulnerability. Her loneliness is palpable, and she repeatedly tries to rationalize her feelings as a