Chapter 38: Key Events, Themes, and Character Developments

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

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Summary

The chapter opens with Elias replaying the moment he told Sage “I should go” after she confessed her love for him. He immediately regrets the words, describing the look on her face as something that sticks to his mind. Unable to stay in the apartment, he drives to Socket's house, where he sleeps on the couch. His sleep is plagued by nightmares, and when he wakes up sweating, he wishes for Sage's soothing touch but finds himself alone.

The next morning, Elias must face the media. A reporter asks whether he owes his playoff success to a popular ballerina, and Elias answers that Sage's devotion to her career inspired him to do more with his own, calling her his anchor. When another reporter asks if Sage will join him for game six, Elias says he is sure she will support the team, though privately he doubts she will show up after what happened.

After the press conference, Aiden confronts Elias about leaving the apartment. Elias admits he loves Sage but insists a relationship is not possible because she will leave for a year-long tour with her dance company. Aiden pushes back, telling Elias he is worth it and that long distance can work, citing his own relationship with Summer as proof. Aiden argues that distance tests a relationship but does not define its outcome, and urges Elias to tell Sage how he feels before she thinks he does not care.

As Elias steps into the hall, he spots Marcus Smith-Beaumont, who gestures for him to follow into his office. Marcus reveals that Sage asked to stay with him for the first time in years, which Elias did not know. Marcus tells Elias that Sage is different with him—that she becomes the version of herself she was before her childhood was ripped away. He shares his own story of giving up a career and a fiancée to take in the children who needed him, explaining that it is not giving anything up when you know what you are gaining is more valuable. Marcus warns Elias that if he hurts Sage, he will find a way to hurt him much worse.

The chapter ends with Elias heading to the biggest game of his career, unable to stop thinking about everything he should have said to Sage.

Key Events

Elias tells Sage he should go after she says she loves him, then immediately regrets it.
He spends the night at Socket's house, suffering nightmares and self-recrimination.
At the media press conference, Elias publicly calls Sage his anchor and credits her for inspiring his season.
Aiden confronts Elias about leaving the apartment and pushes him to admit his feelings.
Elias reveals his fear that Sage's upcoming year-long tour makes a relationship impossible.
Aiden argues that long distance can work, using his own relationship with Summer as proof.
Marcus Smith-Beaumont calls Elias into his office and reveals Sage asked to stay with him.
Marcus shares his own story of sacrificing his career for the children he took in.
Marcus warns Elias not to hurt Sage, and Elias heads to the biggest game of his career.

Character Development

Elias spends this chapter wrestling with the consequences of his own fear. He recognizes that his determination not to let his biological father interfere with his family has made him suffer alone for years, and that he has been avoiding relationships to protect himself from being exploited. Yet with Sage, he admits, being with her never felt like compromising his rules. His internal conflict is sharp: he wants to be selfish and keep her, but he cannot bear the thought of her questioning herself the way she does with her brother Sean. He tells Aiden that he loves Sage, and he tells Marcus that he cares more about her than about hockey—a confession he immediately regrets making to the general manager. By the end of the chapter, Elias is still unable to say the words to Sage, but he is clearly moving toward a decision.

Aiden serves as the voice of reason. He reminds Elias that he is worth it, that Sage looks at him the same way he looks at her, and that long distance is not a death sentence. His own relationship with Summer is living proof that two people can pursue their dreams and still have each other.

Marcus Smith-Beaumont reveals a softer side in this chapter. He admits he does not like Elias, but he is taking a second look because of what Sage has brought out in him. His story about giving up his career for the children he took in reframes sacrifice as a choice made with clear priorities. He warns Elias not to hurt Sage, but he also offers a kind of blessing by saying he will not interfere.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Fear of vulnerability is the central theme of this chapter. Elias's inability to say “I love you” back is not a lack of feeling but a fear of being seen. He tells Aiden that letting people in means letting them see all your vulnerabilities, and he does not want Sage to see his.

Self-worth doubts run throughout Elias's internal monologue. He believes Sage would be happier without him as a burden, and he questions whether he is good enough for her. Aiden and Marcus both push back on this, insisting that he is worth it.

Love vs. career conflict is the practical obstacle in the chapter. Elias is convinced that Sage's year-long tour means they cannot be together, and he refuses to make her choose between him and her dream.

Sacrifice and priorities are explored through Marcus's story. He gave up a career and a fiancée for the children he took in, and he frames it not as loss but as gaining something more valuable. This directly challenges Elias's assumption that love and career are mutually exclusive.

Plans changing unexpectedly is a motif that Marcus articulates when he tells Elias that plans change when you least expect them to. This echoes the larger arc of the novel, where both characters' carefully constructed plans are disrupted by their feelings for each other.

Love as anchor appears in Elias's public statement about Sage. He calls her his anchor, a metaphor that suggests stability and grounding, even as he is emotionally adrift.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for Elias. It forces him to confront the fear that has kept him single for years and to hear, from two different people, that he is wrong about himself. Aiden's argument about long distance dismantles Elias's practical objection, while Marcus's story about sacrifice reframes what it means to prioritize love. The chapter also raises the stakes by revealing that Sage has gone to her uncle for support, which signals how deeply Elias's rejection hurt her. By the end, Elias is heading into the biggest game of his career with his mind on Sage, not on hockey—a clear sign that his priorities are shifting.

Study Questions

Why does Elias say “I should go” when Sage tells him she loves him, and what does his immediate regret reveal about his internal conflict?

Elias says the words because he is overwhelmed by the emotion in Sage's confession. He has spent years avoiding relationships to protect himself from being exploited, and his instinct is to retreat. His immediate regret reveals that his fear is not about his feelings for Sage but about his belief that he is not good enough for her and that he will hurt her by staying.

How does Aiden's argument about long distance challenge Elias's reasoning for ending things with Sage?

Aiden points out that long distance exists for a reason and that his own relationship with Summer is proof that two people can pursue their dreams and still have each other. He argues that distance tests a relationship but does not define its outcome—that outcome is up to the people in it. This directly challenges Elias's assumption that Sage's tour makes a relationship impossible.

What does Marcus's story about giving up his career reveal about the novel's view of sacrifice and priorities?

Marcus's story reframes sacrifice as a choice made with clear priorities. He gave up a career and a fiancée for the children he took in, but he does not see it as giving anything up because he knew what he was gaining was more valuable. This suggests that the novel views love and commitment not as losses but as gains, and it challenges Elias to reconsider whether keeping Sage would truly be selfish.

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