Chapter Five Summary and Study Guide
⚠️ 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 Georgiana reflecting on her romantic inexperience at twenty-six. She has had three boyfriends and two sexual partners, and she blames her sheltered upbringing: a private school where classmates felt like siblings, an all-girls summer camp she attended until age twenty, and ballroom dancing classes where her partner's breathing annoyed her. She arrived at college a virgin and lied about it, including to her freshman-year boyfriend Cody Hunter.
At work, Georgiana can't seem to recreate the easy conversation she once had with Brady. Her colleagues Lena and Kristin analyze every interaction, but it's Brady who makes the next move. One evening as she walks to her Monday tennis match, he catches up with her. He teases her about her competitiveness after she complains about playing June Lin, who she believes is ranked below her level. He flirts with her, calling her a ten, and they agree to play tennis together.
They begin playing weekly on Tuesdays. At work they maintain professional distance, but on walks to and from the courts they share stories. Brady grew up with international aid worker parents, spent a year in the Peace Corps in Uganda, and had a passport full of stamps by age ten. Georgiana's stories involve a bored grandmother reading on safari and her brother Cord's disastrous Kilimanjaro climb. She's painfully aware of the differences in their lives.
When Brady travels to Seattle for a two-week malaria conference, Georgiana's days go flat. She has dinner with Cord at the Ale House and mentions she's seeing someone at work, though she keeps it vague. Cord jokes about sleeping with his boss (their father) and offers brotherly advice.
Georgiana plays tennis with her mother, who immediately notices Georgiana has lost weight and guesses she has a new beau. Her mother advises her to let a man win sometimes, a suggestion Georgiana finds amusing since competition is their family's love language.
At a family lunch, Sasha asks Georgiana to clear out her childhood belongings, including a wooden beaver she made in sixth grade woodworking class. The beaver became a source of humiliation when classmates made crude jokes about it, and it has come to symbolize Georgiana's romantic failures. She retrieves some items—tennis trophies, photo albums, a crystal dish, dried rose petals from her grandmother's funeral—but hides the beaver in the back of her closet rather than take it or let Sasha throw it away.
The chapter includes a flashback to Georgiana's senior year of college, when she accidentally climbed into bed with Kristin and her naked fling while drunk. It's a humorous illustration of her limited sexual experience.
When Brady returns, they resume their Tuesday tennis. After a match, he kisses her. The next week, she cleans her apartment, buys wine and beer, and agonizes over her underwear. They play terribly—Brady hits two balls into the river—but afterward he comes to her apartment and they sleep together. Georgiana considers confessing her inexperience but decides not to.
They settle into a routine: tennis and sex on Tuesdays, sex on weekends, plus runs through Brooklyn Bridge Park and basketball at Pier 2. The physicality of their relationship feels tied to their connection. At work they remain formal, and neither pushes to meet the other's friends or family. Georgiana doesn't need a label—she knows she loves him completely.
Key Events
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Brady approaches Georgiana on her way to tennis and flirts with her
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They begin playing tennis weekly on Tuesdays
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Brady leaves for a two-week malaria conference in Seattle
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Georgiana tells Cord she's seeing someone at work
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Georgiana's mother notices her weight loss and advises her to let a man win
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Sasha asks Georgiana to clear out her childhood belongings, including the wooden beaver
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Georgiana hides the beaver in her closet rather than take it or discard it
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Brady returns and kisses Georgiana after a tennis match
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They begin a sexual relationship, meeting for tennis and sex weekly
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Georgiana realizes she loves Brady
Character Development
Georgiana's arc in this chapter moves from passive romantic inexperience to active pursuit. She begins the chapter blaming her parents for her lack of dating experience, but by the end she's taking initiative—cleaning her apartment, planning for Brady's visit, and embracing the relationship even without a formal label. Her decision to hide the beaver rather than throw it away shows she's not ready to fully let go of her past, but her willingness to start a physical relationship marks significant growth.
Brady is revealed as confident and playful. He initiates the relationship, teases Georgiana about her competitiveness, and is comfortable with the secret nature of their arrangement. His background—Peace Corps, international upbringing—contrasts with Georgiana's sheltered life, but they connect through physical activity.
The chapter also develops the Stockton family dynamics. Cord is a supportive brother who offers advice without judgment. The mother's observation about Georgiana's weight and her advice about letting a man win reveal the family's competitive values. Sasha's role as the one pushing to clear out family belongings creates tension.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Tennis as courtship ritual. Tennis serves as the vehicle for Georgiana and Brady's relationship. Their first conversation happens on the way to a match, their dates are tennis games, and their physical chemistry is established through athletic competition. The sport allows them to be physically close without the awkwardness of traditional dating.
Competition as family love language. Georgiana's family expresses affection through competition. Her mother advises her to let a man win, but Georgiana would never do that—even her brother would be shocked if she went easy on him. This competitive spirit shapes how she approaches relationships.
The beaver as symbol of shame. The wooden beaver Georgiana made in sixth grade represents her romantic failures and perceived immaturity. The childhood humiliation of classmates laughing at the double meaning has stuck with her, and hiding it in the closet rather than confronting it shows she's still carrying that shame.
Class privilege and sheltered upbringing. The contrast between Brady's international adventures and Georgiana's expensive camps and resort trips highlights the gulf between their experiences. Georgiana is painfully aware of how coddled her life has been.
Physicality as emotional connection. Georgiana feels most like herself when moving, and her relationship with Brady is built on shared physical activity. The running, tennis, and basketball are as important as the sex.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal for Georgiana's storyline. It marks the beginning of her relationship with Brady, her first significant romantic development in the novel. It also deepens our understanding of her character—her insecurities, her family dynamics, and her struggle to reconcile her privileged upbringing with her desire for genuine connection. The beaver subplot provides a window into her past shame, while her decision to hide it suggests she's not yet ready to move past it. The chapter also establishes the secret nature of the relationship, which will likely create complications as the novel progresses.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Georgiana blame her parents for her dating history, and is this blame justified?
Georgiana attributes her romantic inexperience to her sheltered upbringing: the private school where classmates felt like siblings, the all-girls summer camp, and the awkward ballroom dancing classes. While these factors certainly contributed to her lack of dating experience, the chapter also shows Georgiana's own avoidance behavior—she admits she avoids men she's interested in rather than face embarrassment. The blame is partially justified but also a way for her to avoid taking responsibility.
2. What does the wooden beaver represent, and why does Georgiana hide it rather than take it or let Sasha throw it away?
The beaver represents Georgiana's childhood humiliation and her ongoing shame about her romantic inexperience. The classmates' crude jokes cemented her reputation as utterly asexual. She can't bear to let Sasha throw it away because she spent weeks making it, but she also doesn't want it in her apartment. Hiding it in the closet is a compromise—she's not ready to confront or discard this symbol of her past.
3. How does the chapter use physical activity to develop Georgiana and Brady's relationship?
Physical activity is the foundation of their relationship. Tennis provides the initial connection, and their weekly matches become a courtship ritual. The running and basketball they do together deepen their bond, and Georgiana notes that she feels most like herself when moving. The physicality of their relationship—both athletic and sexual—is what makes it feel genuine and intense, even as they keep it secret from their colleagues.
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