Chapter 32 Summary, Analysis, and Key Takeaways

⚠️ 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 Elias waking twelve hours after the previous night's events, still consumed by the memory of Sage sitting in his lap. His possessive reaction to Owen's attention toward her lingers, and he admits to himself that the word fake never crossed his mind in that moment. He is haunted by the image of her body against his and the sounds she made.

In the shower, Elias attempts to relieve the tension but finds the act unsatisfying, a stark contrast to the real intimacy he experienced with Sage. He reflects on having slept on the couch rather than sharing the room with her, determined to sleep away his arousal rather than act on it. This leads to a deeper reflection on his past: years ago, his biological father sent a girl to him, an event that shattered his ability to trust intimacy with anyone. His attempts to escape that disappointment through freshman-year partying failed, leaving him with a heavy sense of distrust. With Sage, however, he feels a pull that doesn't require alcohol, and that terrifies him.

To avoid seeing Sage's sleepy face, Elias uses the main bathroom instead of the en suite connected to his room. Aiden, watching a game against New Jersey (their next opponent), teases him about the choice, and Elias deflects with a joke about the pipes. Aiden seems to know more than he lets on.

When Sage wakes and heads to the kitchen, Elias follows her, unable to keep his distance. He watches her, and the tension between them is palpable. He pivots to the practical: Coach Wilson is hosting a team-building get-together for the playoffs, and he wants Sage to attend as his girlfriend. She initially assumes she'll order takeout alone, but Elias insists she come with him. She agrees, planning to leave work early.

Elias then offers to pay her for the missed work and for a dress. Sage protests, offended at the implication that she's an escort or a freeloader. Elias insists, framing it as something he would do for his girlfriend, and she eventually relents. He tells her he'll be away for a few days and to text him if she needs anything.

Sage brings up last night, but Elias dismisses it as heat of the moment, suggesting they forget it. She then reveals her middle name, Hakima, which means wise, and shares that it's her mother's name. She makes a self-deprecating comment about her mother, and Elias reassures her that every part of her is good. She leaves to teach a class of eight-year-olds, and they part awkwardly.

Key Events

Elias wakes still consumed by the previous night's intimacy with Sage, admitting his possessiveness.
He masturbates in the shower but finds it unsatisfying, highlighting the depth of his feelings.
He recalls the trauma of his biological father sending a girl to him years ago, which shaped his avoidance of intimacy.
He uses the main bathroom to avoid Sage, and Aiden teases him about it.
Elias invites Sage to Coach Wilson's team-building get-together, insisting she attend as his girlfriend.
He offers to pay for her missed work and a dress; she protests but eventually accepts.
Elias dismisses the previous night as heat of the moment.
Sage reveals her middle name, Hakima, meaning wise, and its connection to her mother.

Character Development

Elias — This chapter deepens Elias's backstory significantly. His reflection on his biological father sending a girl to him explains his long-standing avoidance of intimacy and his self-imposed rules. His decision to sleep on the couch and use the main bathroom shows his struggle between desire and self-control. His possessiveness over Sage, even while insisting the relationship is fake, reveals the growing gap between his stated rules and his actual feelings. His insistence on paying for Sage's dress and missed work shows a protective side, while his dismissal of last night as heat of the moment reveals his fear of vulnerability.

Sage — Sage's independence shines through her protest against Elias's money, as she refuses to be seen as a freeloader or an escort. Her revelation of her middle name, Hakima, and its meaning connects her to her heritage and her mother, though her self-deprecating comment about her mother suggests a complicated relationship. Her willingness to attend the team-building event as Elias's girlfriend, despite the awkwardness, shows her commitment to the fake relationship arrangement.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Trust and intimacy trauma — Elias's backstory with his biological father is the central theme here. The event years ago made it impossible for him to trust letting go with someone else, and his freshman-year partying was a failed attempt to escape that. His inability to find satisfaction in the shower underscores how deeply this trauma affects him.

Fake relationship versus real feelings — The chapter repeatedly blurs the line between the fake arrangement and genuine emotion. Elias admits the word fake never crossed his mind when Sage sat in his lap, and his insistence that she attend as his girlfriend, and his willingness to pay for her, suggest real feelings beneath the pretense.

Possessiveness and jealousy — Elias's reaction to Owen looking at Sage is described as a wildfire in his chest, and his need to remind her she's his drives much of his behavior in this chapter.

Self-imposed rules and boundaries — Elias's rules for himself, born from his trauma, are tested throughout. His decision to sleep on the couch and use the main bathroom are attempts to maintain boundaries he knows he should keep.

Desire versus self-control — The shower scene and Elias's internal struggle embody this tension. He wants Sage physically and emotionally but forces himself to maintain distance.

Identity and heritage — Sage's middle name, Hakima, meaning wise, ties her identity to her mother and her cultural heritage, adding depth to her character.

Financial dynamics in relationships — The argument over paying for the dress and missed work highlights the power imbalance and the awkwardness of a fake relationship where traditional rules don't apply.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal for several reasons. It provides crucial backstory for Elias, explaining his intimacy trauma and the rules he's built around it, which makes his growing feelings for Sage more significant. It advances the fake relationship plot by having Elias insist Sage attend the team-building event as his girlfriend, a public step that deepens their entanglement. The financial argument reveals the tensions and power dynamics in their arrangement. Sage's revelation of her middle name adds depth to her character and her relationship with her mother. Finally, the dismissal of last night as heat of the moment sets up the emotional tension that will likely drive the next chapters, as both characters clearly feel more than they're willing to admit.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Elias sleep on the couch and use the main bathroom instead of the en suite? What does this reveal about his internal conflict?

Elias sleeps on the couch and uses the main bathroom to avoid seeing Sage in a vulnerable, sleepy state. He knows that if he sees her, he won't be able to leave the room, and he's determined to maintain his self-imposed rules. This reveals his deep internal conflict between his desire for Sage and his fear of intimacy rooted in his past trauma. He's trying to protect himself from the vulnerability that real connection requires.

2. How does the financial argument between Elias and Sage reveal the tensions in their fake relationship?

The argument over paying for the dress and missed work exposes the awkwardness of a fake relationship where traditional expectations don't apply. Sage is offended at being treated like an escort or freeloader, asserting her independence. Elias, however, insists on paying, framing it as what he would do for a girlfriend. This reveals the blurring of lines between fake and real, as Elias's protective instincts and Sage's pride clash, highlighting the power dynamics and the emotional stakes beneath the arrangement.

3. What does Sage's revelation of her middle name, Hakima, reveal about her character and her relationship with her mother?

Sage's middle name, Hakima, meaning wise, connects her to her mother and her heritage. Her self-deprecating comment that her mother gave her one good part suggests a complicated, possibly painful relationship with her mother. Elias's reassurance that every part of her is good shows his growing care for her, while Sage's decision to share this personal detail indicates a growing trust between them, even as they maintain the fiction of their arrangement.