Mistakes Were Made Chapter 40 Summary – Moving to Bolivia With My Corneas

⚠️ 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

At three in the morning, Gage finds a naked Zoey (wearing only fluffy slippers) frantically searching her office/dining room for an envelope containing $400 in cash—money from the “Kick Dominion’s Ass” committee that she was supposed to use to pay the live band for Reader Weekend. Gage calmly joins the search, offering to cover the cost if the money isn’t found. During the search, he discovers Zoey’s lost driver’s license and the envelope wedged under a table. Relieved, Zoey thanks him effusively.

With the crisis averted, Gage admits he wants to talk about their future. He confesses that he has fallen in love with her and believes they have a real shot at a relationship. Zoey panics, listing her many flaws—forgetting appointments, losing things, eating moldy cheese—and revealing her deepest fear: that if she lets him see all of her chaotic self, he will eventually leave, destroying her secret hope of being truly loved. She also brings up her inability to have children. Gage counters by naming her strengths—her loyalty, humor, ability to connect with people, and the way she makes him feel like a hero. He insists that partners bring different strengths and weaknesses to a common goal. The chapter ends with Zoey agreeing to think about it, though she remains doubtful.

Key Events

Gage wakes at 3 a.m. to find Zoey in a panic, searching for a lost envelope of $400.
He offers to pay the band if the money isn’t found, insisting that her messes are now his messes.
Gage finds the envelope and Zoey’s driver’s license under a table, ending the immediate crisis.
Gage tells Zoey he believes they have a future together and asks if she feels the same.
Zoey tries to deflect with humor and self-deprecation, listing her failures and her inability to have children.
Gage counters by listing her positive qualities and says there is more than one way to have a family.
Zoey confesses her fear of being “too much” or “not enough” and losing her last hope of being loved.
Gage asks her to show him her true self and stop editing her thoughts.
Zoey agrees to think about it, though she remains skeptical.

Character Development

Gage: This chapter marks a turning point for Gage. He realizes he is “absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt in love with Zoey.” Instead of playing it safe, he chooses vulnerability and confesses his feelings, even knowing she might reject him. He shows his patience and problem-solving skills by not making Zoey feel worse about the lost money, and he demonstrates a willingness to accept her chaos as part of the whole package.

Zoey: Zoey’s layers are peeled back. Her frantic search reveals how much pressure she puts on herself to be organized and how ashamed she feels when she fails. Her monologue about being a “fork in a soup world” and her fear that no one could truly love her exposes a deep well of insecurity. By the end of the chapter, she has allowed herself to be seen—but she is not yet ready to fully trust that Gage will stay.

Nana (the dog): Though a minor presence, Nana’s snoring and later celebration licking underscore the domestic intimacy of the scene.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Vulnerability and Trust: The entire chapter is built on Gage’s demand to “show me” and Zoey’s terrified compliance. It explores the risk of letting another person see the less polished parts of oneself.
Order vs. Chaos: Zoey’s piles, lost items, and forgotten appointments contrast with Gage’s orderly mind. The chapter suggests that a partnership can thrive not by eliminating chaos but by complementing it with structure.
The Fear of Being “Too Much”: Zoey’s greatest fear—that her whole messy self will eventually drive Gage away—echoes a universal anxiety about romantic worthiness.
Redefining Family: Gage’s response to Zoey’s infertility (“There’s more than one way to have a family”) opens the possibility that their future does not depend on biological children.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the emotional core of the Gage-Zoey arc. It moves their relationship from a physical, fun, “no strings” arrangement to a genuine commitment talk. Gage’s love confession and Zoey’s raw self-disclosure set the stage for the Reader Weekend events and the ongoing question of whether Zoey can overcome her fear of failure in love. It also deepens the book’s exploration of what makes a partnership work: not perfection, but a willingness to see and accept each other’s flaws.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What triggers Gage’s realization that he is in love with Zoey?
A: When Zoey gives him a dangerous, fiery look after he suggests her panic might be hormone-related, Gage feels a “sucker punch” and knows he is absolutely in love with her, even though he had not expected it.

2. Why does Zoey refuse to believe she can be a good partner?
A: She believes her constant forgetfulness, disorganization, and inability to handle “mundane” life will eventually disappoint Gage. Her deep fear is that if she lets him see all of her, he will leave, destroying her secret hope of being truly loved.

3. How does Gage try to reassure Zoey about her perceived flaws?
A: Gage lists Zoey’s strengths: she connects with people, is fiercely loyal, negotiates like a shark, is funny, steady in a crisis, and makes him feel like a hero. He argues that partners bring different strengths to a common goal and that he wants to handle her chaos.