Chapter 25 Summary: Annie

⚠️ 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

Annie is at work at the flower shop, but her mind is elsewhere. She twirls a rose while assembling a bouquet, thinking about Will Griffin and the texts they've exchanged. The previous night, Will sent a simple “Good night” message, which Annie finds both meaningful and confusing. She tries to convince herself that her attraction to him is just part of her personal transformation plan—a Pygmalion-style project where she is Audrey and Will is Fred. She even imagines adding wrinkles and tap shoes to Will to make him less appealing, but the fantasy doesn't quite work.

A customer enters the shop, and Annie notices his appearance: light brown hair, a well-groomed beard, a casual button-down shirt, nice jeans, and no wedding ring. He asks for advice on a bouquet for his sister-in-law who just had a baby. He mentions that he recently moved to town, bought a house, and works as a veterinarian. Annie rings up his purchase, reads his name from his credit card—Brandon Larsdale—and introduces herself as Annie Walker.

Brandon asks if she is single, and when she says yes, he invites her out. Annie, drawing on her newfound confidence, tells him she isn't looking for anything casual. Brandon smiles and says he isn't either. He gives her a business card with his cell number written on the back, telling her to text him if she'd like to go out or just talk. After he leaves, Annie drops the card on the counter, surprised by the encounter.

Key Events

Annie is distracted by texts from Will, including a late-night “Good night” message.
She reflects on her transformation plan, comparing herself to Audrey and Will to Fred.
Brandon Larsdale enters the flower shop and asks for advice on a bouquet for his sister-in-law.
He reveals he just moved to town, bought a house, and works as a veterinarian.
Annie reads his name from his credit card and introduces herself.
Brandon asks if she is single and then invites her out.
Annie states she isn't looking for anything casual, and Brandon agrees.
Brandon gives her a business card with his cell number.
After he leaves, Annie drops the card, surprised by the encounter.

Character Development

This chapter focuses on Annie's internal conflict between her growing attraction to Will and her stated desire for a committed relationship. She tries to dismiss her feelings for Will as mere physical attraction, but the meaningful texts and her own thoughts betray her. Her transformation plan is framed as a way to find wholeness, yet she is already questioning whether casual self-indulgence is what she truly wants.

When Brandon appears, Annie uses her “newfound confidence” to engage in conversation and even flirts a little. She is honest about her intentions, telling him she isn't looking for anything casual—a clear sign of growth from someone who earlier might have avoided such directness. Her surprise at the encounter, and her decision to drop the card, suggests she is not entirely ready to embrace this new possibility, but she is at least open to it.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Transformation and the Pygmalion motif: Annie explicitly compares herself to Audrey and Will to Fred, framing her relationship with Will as a project to transform herself. This chapter complicates that idea by introducing Brandon, who might offer a more straightforward path to the settled life Annie claims to want.
Romantic attraction vs. commitment: Annie is torn between her physical attraction to Will and her desire for a serious relationship. Brandon represents the latter, but Annie's lingering thoughts about Will suggest she isn't ready to let go of the former.
Denial of feelings: Annie repeatedly tells herself she has no feelings for Will, even as she obsesses over his texts and imagines him as her boyfriend.
Pursuing two paths: Annie mentions wanting to pursue both dating and self-indulgence to see which brings her peace. Brandon's invitation forces her to choose one path, at least for now.
Not looking for casual: Annie's declaration to Brandon is a key moment, showing her commitment to finding something meaningful rather than settling for a hookup.
Settling down: Brandon's move to town, purchase of a house, and desire to put down roots align with Annie's stated goal of getting married.
Flower symbolism: The rose Annie twirls and the bouquet she assembles represent both her distraction and the potential for new beginnings. Brandon's purchase of a bouquet for a new mother also ties to themes of growth and family.
Self-confidence: Annie actively uses her practiced confidence to talk to Brandon, even when she feels uncomfortable.
Meaningful texting: Will's simple “Good night” text carries weight for Annie, highlighting how small gestures can feel significant when emotions are involved.
Unexpected romantic interest: Brandon's invitation catches Annie off guard, forcing her to confront her own readiness for a relationship.
Ideal partner traits: Brandon ticks many boxes—he's a vet, loves animals, is family-oriented, and wants to settle down—making him a contrast to Will's self-proclaimed non-relationship-material status.
Internal conflict: Annie's thoughts and actions throughout the chapter reveal her struggle to reconcile her feelings for Will with her desire for a stable future.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter introduces Brandon Larsdale as a potential love interest who directly challenges Annie's transformation plan. While Will represents the exciting but uncertain path of self-indulgence, Brandon offers a more conventional route to the settled life Annie claims to want. The chapter forces Annie to confront her feelings for Will and question whether her attraction to him is just part of a temporary project or something deeper. It also advances the theme of transformation by presenting a real opportunity for Annie to step outside her comfort zone and pursue a relationship with someone who shares her goals.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Annie's reaction to Brandon's invitation reveal her internal conflict?

Annie's initial excitement at being asked out is tempered by her immediate thought about Will. She says yes to the invitation but then feels the need to clarify that she isn't looking for anything casual, showing that she is trying to be true to her stated goals. After Brandon leaves, she drops the card as if it's “poisonous,” indicating that she is not fully ready to embrace this new possibility. Her surprise and hesitation suggest she is torn between the comfort of her attraction to Will and the promise of a serious relationship with Brandon.

2. What does the flower shop setting symbolize in this chapter?

The flower shop represents both Annie's current life and the potential for growth. She is surrounded by beautiful, fresh flowers, but her mind is elsewhere, symbolizing her distraction and inability to focus on the present. The bouquet she assembles is missing something—a “standout element” that she associates with Will's dark eyes. This suggests that her current life feels incomplete without him, even as she tries to move on. Brandon's purchase of a bouquet for a new mother also ties to themes of new beginnings and family, contrasting with Annie's own uncertainty.

3. How does Annie's comparison of Will to Fred in a Pygmalion story reflect her transformation plan?

Annie explicitly frames her relationship with Will as a transformation project, where she is Audrey and Will is Fred. In the classic Pygmalion story, a professor transforms a working-class woman into a lady, and the two fall in love. Annie's version, however, is meant to end with her transformation and the removal of the romance subplot. By imagining Will with wrinkles and tap shoes, she tries to diminish his appeal, but the fact that she has to do this shows how strong her attraction is. This comparison reveals that her transformation plan is fragile and that her feelings for Will are not as easily dismissed as she would like.