Chapter 17 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

Chapter 17 is told entirely from Daniel's point of view, and it opens with his internal struggle: he finds it nearly impossible to keep his eyes off Alexis while pretending they are strangers. He dislikes the deception, but he also simply enjoys looking at her. As the women settle in with wine and appetizers he has prepared, Daniel highlights a map for them, marking the bike rental location for the next day's trail ride. He reflects that if Alexis had allowed a proper introduction—the way they should have been introduced—he would have happily shown her friends around town, taken them wine tasting at Doug's farm, or even arranged for Brian to reopen the drive-in. But because Alexis doesn't want that, he stays quiet and keeps up the charade.

After handing over the map, Daniel retreats to the kitchen to give the women privacy, but he can still hear their conversation from the foyer. He forms early impressions of Alexis's friends, and they are not favorable. Gabby, the younger blond one, seems shallow; she brags about firing a nanny and describes how the woman cried, rolling her eyes at the memory. Jessica appears to hate being there, scowling around the house. Daniel acknowledges that Doug, a local, might not pass a first-blush test either, but these women don't seem to fit the Alexis he knows. They look like her—they come from the same world—but they don't act like her.

When the women begin talking about walking into town for dinner, Daniel returns to the foyer, pretending he needs something from behind the check-in counter, just to get one more moment with Alexis. Jessica, checking her phone, asks if they should bring Alexis something. Alexis, sitting in a chair and rubbing her temple, declines, saying she's fine and will just go to bed early. Daniel does his best to hide his smile, realizing she is staying with him. Alexis apologizes, claiming she doesn't know what's wrong with her. Jessica dismisses it with a comment about hormones and women's reproductive organs, then makes a blunt remark about Daniel's anatomy before walking out with Gabby.

Once the door clicks shut, Alexis looks at Daniel and shrugs, making a dry joke about Jessica being fun at parties. Daniel laughs, pulls her out of the chair, and embraces her. He asks if she really has a headache, and she admits she made it up so she could stay with him. Daniel asks how much time they have, and Alexis says an hour. The chapter ends with them beginning their time together.

Key Events

Daniel struggles to avoid looking at Alexis while pretending not to know her.
He highlights a map for her friends, circling the bike rental for the next day.
Daniel overhears Gabby bragging about firing a nanny who cried, and Jessica scowling at the house.
He returns to the foyer under the pretense of needing something behind the counter.
Jessica asks if they should bring Alexis something; Alexis declines, saying she'll go to bed early.
After the friends leave, Alexis admits she faked a headache to stay with Daniel.
They embrace, and Alexis tells him they have about an hour.

Character Development

Daniel shows a clear internal conflict in this chapter. He is uncomfortable with the deception, but he also finds it hard to resist looking at Alexis. His thoughts reveal a generous side—he would have gladly shown her friends around town and made sure they had a good time if Alexis had allowed a proper introduction. This suggests he values openness and hospitality, but he respects Alexis's wishes and stays quiet. His judgment of Gabby and Jessica is sharp but fair; he notices their superficiality and their discomfort with the setting, and he contrasts them with Alexis, whom he sees as different from her friends. Daniel's decision to return to the foyer just to get a moment with Alexis shows his growing attachment and his willingness to play along with the secret, even as it bothers him.

Alexis makes a significant choice in this chapter: she fakes a headache to stay with Daniel rather than go to dinner with her friends. This action prioritizes her time with Daniel over maintaining appearances with her social circle. It also shows her willingness to deceive her friends, which is a departure from her usual behavior—she seems more comfortable bending the truth when it comes to Daniel. Her dry humor about Jessica (