Chapter Twenty-Six: Lucy – Flirting, Hallucinations, and Violence
⚠️ 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
Lucy dreads the upcoming “big” podcast interview where she is supposed to reveal the truth about her marriage to Matt. She privately recalls how Savvy, unlike others, understood Lucy’s desire for revenge instead of simply leaving. Savvy’s support included joking about killing Matt, which Lucy knows would horrify the public.
Despite recognizing it as a bad idea, Lucy agrees to meet Ben for a drink at Bluebonnet Tavern. She wears the same purple dress from their first meeting. At the bar, Lucy hallucinates Savvy, who encourages her to have sex with Ben. Nina arrives with friends, drinks margaritas heavily, and acts hostile toward Ben. Ben confesses he appreciates Nina and her brother because they are “on your side.” The conversation turns to Matt; Ben asks if confronting him is safe, hinting he knows about the abuse.
After two hours and two drinks, Lucy refuses to drive and Ben offers to take her home. In the parking lot, a furious Matt storms over, punches Ben, and calls Lucy a liar and Beverly a drunk. Ben records the outburst, then smiles and invites Lucy to his hotel room.
Key Events
- Lucy rehearses the interview but decides she cannot share her story of abuse because Savvy’s talk of revenge makes her look guilty.
- She agrees to meet Ben at Bluebonnet, aware the encounter is dangerous for her emotions.
- Savvy’s hallucination urges Lucy to let Ben “fuck me in the bathroom,” forcing Lucy to confront her attraction and her fractured psyche.
- Nina, who previously claimed not to drink much, downs margaritas rapidly and is visibly upset to find Lucy with Ben.
- Ben violates the social code by openly acknowledging that he and Lucy are talking about Nina; the tension reveals deeper divisions in the town.
- Ben’s question about Matt’s safety makes Lucy realize someone has told him about the abuse.
- Matt physically attacks Ben in the parking lot, calling Lucy a liar and Beverly a drunk, all while Ben secretly records the assault.
- Ben, unfazed, uses the momentum to ask Lucy back to his hotel.
Character Development
- Lucy: Moves from self-protective secrecy to risky flirtation. Her inner monologue shows a constant battle between the “innocent person” script and her real history with Matt. Savvy’s hallucination reinforces Lucy’s fear that her own dark impulses (revenge, sexual recklessness) will damn her.
- Ben: Reveals a smug, almost predatory side. He uses the podcast to collect material (the recorder is always ready) and exploits the aftermath of violence to proposition Lucy. His alleged love for Nina and Emmett because they are “on your side” suggests he values narrative tension over genuine loyalty.
- Matt: Explodes publicly, proving his violent temper is not limited to private settings. The scene confirms that the podcast’s exposure has rattled him, and his recklessness provides Ben with usable audio.
- Nina: Her hostility and heavy drinking suggest she is wrestling with new doubts about the podcast and about Ben’s intentions. Her behavior complicates the picture of her as a simple ally.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The “innocent person” performance: Lucy constantly edits herself—deleting texts, worrying that her joke was “not something an innocent person would say”—highlighting how public opinion forces her to play a role.
- Savvy as rebellious echo: The hallucination embodies the part of Lucy that craves revenge and embraces desire without consequence. Savvy’s “Thelma & Louise” and sexual goading represent the dangerous freedom Lucy felt with her friend.
- The weaponized podcast: Ben’s digital recorder transforms a brawl into content; the boundary between investigation and entertainment is deliberately blurred.
- Alcohol as truth serum and trap: Lucy nurses two drinks to lower inhibitions; Nina chugs margaritas; Matt’s rage may be fueled by humiliation and alcohol. Intoxication exposes the characters’ rawest selves.
- Gendered violence and perception: Matt’s assault on Ben happens in front of a crowd, yet his accusation that Lucy is a “fucking liar” points back to the whispered suspicions about her. The chapter contrasts private abuse with public spectacle.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 28 accelerates every central conflict. Lucy’s attraction to Ben collides with her need to control her story; Matt’s unhinged violence gives the podcast a dramatic audio clip that will shift public conversation. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger—Lucy must decide whether to go to Ben’s hotel, a choice that risks intimacy, further loss of control, and potential manipulation. Nina’s open hostility foreshadows that the town’s fragile alliances are cracking. The reader sees that Lucy cannot outrun either her trauma or the narrative being built around her.
Study Questions and Answers
-
Why does Lucy believe sharing her full story about Matt would hurt rather than help her? Lucy knows that if she admits she and Savvy joked about killing Matt—referencing Thelma & Louise and revenge—it would undermine any sympathy for her as a victim. The public would likely see the revenge talk as motive rather than survival banter, further entrenching the belief that she is guilty.
-
How does Savvy’s hallucination at the bar reveal Lucy’s internal conflict? Savvy’s voice urges Lucy to act on her sexual attraction to Ben, echoing the wild, unapologetic energy Savvy represented. This hallucination shows that Lucy still carries Savvy’s influence and that part of her wants to abandon caution, even though another part fears where such impulses lead. The hallucination also underscores how grief and guilt have rewired Lucy’s mind.
-
What does Matt’s parking‑lot attack accomplish for Ben and the podcast? The attack gives Ben a recording of Matt’s volatility and public accusations. This material can be used to cast doubt on Matt’s credibility, paint him as abusive, and keep the podcast’s drama high. For Lucy, the incident forces her to witness Matt’s violence with no private shield, while Ben’s calm invitation afterward suggests he sees the night’s chaos as just another piece of the story.