Chapter 13 Summary, Analysis, and Key Themes

⚠️ 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

A week has passed since the canoe trip on Smoke Lake, and Fern and Will have settled into a working rhythm without acknowledging the almost-kiss that hangs between them. Fern catches Will watching her and hears him whisper a quiet word of approval, but neither addresses the moment directly.

Fern debates Jamie about the August dance, an annual end-of-summer tradition at the resort featuring dinner and live music. Jamie argues that the resort is still in mourning after Maggie's death and needs a celebration for both staff and guests. He reveals he has already booked the band, and Fern reluctantly agrees, though she's not sure she's ready for such a big event without her mother there.

Will takes a phone call that leaves him frustrated, and Fern overhears his raised voice through the glass door. When he returns, he asks if he can extend his stay by two weeks to review both selling and staying scenarios with her once the second real estate agent visits. Fern agrees, quietly relieved, and notes that Will will be there for the dance. She asks if he'll tell her what he'd do in her position, but Will insists the decision is hers alone—only she knows what's best for her.

Will invites Fern to dinner at his cabin. She goes through an elaborate outfit-changing ritual, cycling through a blue silk dress, shorts, and finally a plain black jersey dress, before arriving at Cabin 20. Will is wearing an apron, which Fern finds unexpectedly compelling. They eat homemade burgers, salad, and potatoes on the deck overlooking the lake as the sun sets. Fern notes how cozy the cabin community feels—surrounded by nature but not isolated.

Over dinner, Will reveals his backstory. He lives with his sister Annabel and her nine-year-old daughter. When Annabel became pregnant, Will left art school at Emily Carr in Vancouver to help her. Their father was about to remarry, and his wife Linda wanted Annabel and the baby to stay with them, but Will couldn't see that ending well. He returned to Toronto, took a graphic design job arranged by his friend Matty, and helped raise his niece. He later earned an MBA through night classes, sponsored by Matty's father, and saved enough for a down payment on a house. Will admits the early years were rough—going from doing whatever he wanted to a nine-to-five and a baby at home messed with him. He says he no longer does art; there's no time. Fern points out how good he was, and Will acknowledges his job supports his family but doesn't give him the same satisfaction.

After dinner, Fern receives texts from Philippe: a photo of the corner store she's dreamed of buying, now for sale, with a message urging her to come back to Toronto. Fern is stunned—she thought the elderly owners would never sell. She realizes she has the money, the plans, and the vintage furniture to open her coffee shop. But she also realizes she's not sure she wants it anymore.

Will walks Fern back to the house, and she thanks him for dinner. Moments later, he knocks on her door and confronts her. He says he thinks she knows exactly what she wants—to stay and run the resort—and that she's afraid. Fern snaps at him, saying he doesn't know anything about her. Will counters by listing details: she loves it here, she wouldn't consider selling to a developer, she doesn't want anyone else running the show, she doesn't want to become her mother, she scratches when stressed, chews her cheek when deciding, plays with her hair when nervous, hums Talking Heads when concentrating, and loves her friends. Fern spits back that just because he gave up on his dream doesn't mean she should give up on hers. Will says he doesn't think she should give up on anything—he just thinks she won't admit what she wants to hold on to. Then he leaves.

Key Events

Fern and Will work together for a week without addressing the almost-kiss
Fern agrees to the August dance after Jamie reveals he's already booked a band
Will extends his stay two weeks to review selling versus staying options
Will declines to advise Fern on what decision to make
Will invites Fern to dinner at his cabin
Will reveals he left art school to help raise his niece and now lives with his sister and her daughter
Philippe texts Fern a photo of her dream coffee shop, now for sale
Will confronts Fern about her fear of staying at the resort
The argument ends with Will leaving after telling Fern she won't admit what she wants to hold on to

Character Development

Fern reaches a crisis point in this chapter. Her long-held dream of opening a coffee shop in Toronto suddenly becomes attainable—the corner store is for sale, she has the money and the plans—and she discovers she's no longer sure she wants it. Her reaction to Philippe's photo reveals how much her time at the resort has shifted her sense of self. She's also forced to confront her fear of becoming her mother, a fear Will names directly. Her anger at Will is partly deflection: she's angry at herself for not knowing what she wants.

Will opens up for the first time in this chapter, sharing the story of leaving art school to help raise his niece. His sacrifice—giving up his artistic dream for family—parallels Fern's situation in reverse: he chose family over ambition, while she's been choosing ambition over family. His confrontation with Fern shows his willingness to push her, to name what she's afraid to admit. His observation that he doesn't think she should give up on anything suggests he sees her conflict as more complex than a simple choice between two paths.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Family sacrifice and art versus career. Will's story of leaving Emily Carr to raise his niece directly parallels Fern's situation. He gave up his artistic dream for family; she's been planning to leave her family's resort for her own dream. The chapter asks whether these choices are mutually exclusive.

Fear of becoming the mother. Will names Fern's fear directly: she doesn't want to become her mother. This connects to her grief over Maggie and her resistance to stepping into the role of resort owner.

Community and belonging. Fern's observation that the cabin community feels cozy rather than exposed—surrounded by nature but not isolated—marks a shift in how she sees the resort. It's no longer just her mother's place; it's a community she could belong to.

The coffee shop as symbol. The corner store represents Fern's escape plan, her proof that she can leave the resort behind. Its sudden availability forces her to confront whether that dream still fits who she's becoming.

Grief and mourning. Jamie's argument for the dance—that the resort is still in mourning and needs a celebration—frames the dance as a step toward healing, not just a tradition.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the emotional turning point of the novel. Will's backstory reframes his character—he's not just a consultant who abandoned his art; he's someone who made a deliberate sacrifice for family. Fern's reaction to the coffee shop photo reveals that her dream has shifted, even if she hasn't admitted it to herself. The confrontation at the end forces both characters to speak truths they've been avoiding: Will names Fern's fear of becoming her mother, and Fern accuses him of giving up his dream. The chapter ends with Will walking away, leaving Fern alone with the question of what she wants to hold on to.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Fern react so strongly to Will's confrontation at the end of the chapter?

Fern's anger comes from being seen. Will names her fear—that she wants to stay and run the resort but is afraid—and lists the small habits and truths that prove he knows her better than she'd like to admit. Her accusation that he gave up his dream is a deflection, a way to turn the spotlight back on him rather than face her own conflict.

2. How does Will's backstory change the reader's understanding of his character?

Will's story reveals that his career was a sacrifice, not a choice. He left art school to help raise his niece, took a consulting job to support his family, and earned an MBA through night classes. His fancy job is a means to an end, not a passion. This reframes his earlier comments about Fern's situation—he understands what it means to give up a dream, and he's cautious about advising her because he knows the cost.

3. What does the coffee shop photo represent for Fern at this moment?

The photo represents the dream Fern has been holding onto for years—the escape plan that would prove she didn't have to end up at the resort. But her reaction—realizing she used to want this so badly—reveals that the dream has already shifted. The photo forces her to confront the possibility that what she wants has changed, even if she hasn't been willing to admit it.