Chapter 22 — Ada: 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 Ada trying on outfit after outfit while Emmy and Teddy supervise from her bed, having arrived with Diet Cokes and spare clothing options. Ada is still learning the rhythms of friendship, but she's grateful for their presence and reflects that she now talks regularly with Cam and considers her a friend.

Teddy pushes Ada to try the long black suede skirt with layers of fringe that they bought the previous weekend. Ada hesitates, worried the Western look might be too on the nose, but Emmy and Teddy's enthusiasm wins her over. When she emerges from the bathroom wearing it, they erupt in genuine praise. Teddy, who makes clothes herself, insists the skirt looks like it was made for Ada. The fringe moves with her, and Ada feels confident for the first time in a long while.

Teddy then asks Ada to pick her favorite feature from the waist up, a question no one has ever asked her. Ada chooses her chest and her tattoos. Teddy selects a tight black short-sleeved shirt with a cinched seam that lowers the neckline. Emmy contributes a pair of black cowboy boots she brought with her. Ada has never worn cowboy boots before, but she loves them.

Looking in the mirror, Ada compares herself to the woman who first arrived in Meadowlark, staying in a motel. She notices small changes—more freckles from the sun, grown-out bangs, fuller cheeks—but the deeper shift is internal. She feels comfortable. She still enjoys solitude, but she no longer feels lonely, and she wonders if she might belong here, with Wes, Emmy, Teddy, Cam, and Amos.

Wes knocks on the door. Teddy and Emmy shout for him to go away, then Emmy tells him Ada will meet him in the entryway. Teddy calls out that Ada looks hot, and Wes's voice carries a smile as he says he can't wait. Emmy coaches Ada through a deep breath before she heads out.

In the entryway, Wes is adjusting his flannel shirt over his T-shirt, wearing new jeans and boots Ada hasn't seen before. When he sees her, his dimples appear, and he bites his finger in a gesture of frustrated desire. He kisses her neck and jaw, and they're interrupted by Emmy's theatrical cough. Teddy waves them off with a playful warning.

They head to Wes's truck, where he's carrying twenty slices of pie—one of every flavor from the Meadowlark Diner. Ada asks what they're supposed to do with that much pie, and Wes says they'll eat it. He's protective of his coconut cream slice, warning Ada that if it touches the cherry pie, he might cry. Ada files away the fact that he's a coconut guy.

On the drive, Wes asks about Ada's week. She recounts a string of problems at the renovation site: the storm blew off shingles and revealed roof damage requiring a new roof, the kitchen cabinets arrived in the wrong color, they ran out of flooring because measurements were off, and she dropped and broke an entire box of tile. She worries she's been too honest, remembering that she's technically his employee. But Wes responds calmly, asking if she's worried. When she says no, he tells her he trusts her to do her job, and if she were worried, they'd figure it out together—the project belongs to both of them.

Wes then explains his own week: the storm caused significant damage on the ranch, worsening existing winter damage, spooking cattle that wandered off, and downing trees. Emmy and Brooks have been pitching in on ranch work, with Brooks handling repairs. Ada reflects on how hard all four Ryders work and how much they love their ranch.

Wes turns onto a winding dirt road that climbs a mountain. He backs the truck toward the cliff edge, which terrifies Ada, though she secretly admires how smoothly he handles the truck. He's prepared the truck bed with blankets and pillows from a storage box. They settle in as the sun sets over a panoramic view of Wyoming.

Wes reveals that Meadowlark claims to be the pie capital of the western United States—a joke, he admits, but it should be. He hands Ada a fork and walks her through the options: strawberry, blueberry, peach, banana cream, pistachio cream, sweet potato, pumpkin, pecan, key lime, cherry, and his favorite, coconut cream. Ada tries key lime first and is stunned by how good it is. Wes sketches a pie bracket in his sketchbook, and Ada notices his drawings are genuinely good.

They trade stories. Wes tells Ada about Makeout Point, the high school name for this overlook. He shares an embarrassing memory: when he was sixteen, he shared a truck with his brother Gus. One night, Wes was lying in the truck bed when Gus snuck out, got in the truck, and drove off—with Wes still in the back. Gus picked up a girl named Mandy Miller, and when they arrived at Makeout Point, Wes was discovered. Ada laughs at the image of teenage Wes waving from the truck bed while Gus fumes.

Wes asks Ada to tell him something no one else knows. She admits that when she was little, she wanted to be a Price Is Right model—she loved the idea of dropping a Plinko ball, showing off a blender, and running her fingers across a new car. Wes tells her she would have made one hell of a model, and she shoves his shoulder, laughing. They spend the next couple of hours trading stories, and Ada mentally adds each new piece of Wes to her growing collection of things she's holding close.

Key Events

Emmy and Teddy help Ada choose an outfit for her date, settling on a fringed suede skirt, a black top, and cowboy boots.
Ada has a mirror moment where she recognizes how much she's changed since arriving in Meadowlark—she feels comfortable and no longer lonely.
Wes picks Ada up, and they drive off with twenty slices of pie from the Meadowlark Diner.
Ada recounts her difficult week at the renovation site: roof damage, wrong-colored cabinets, a flooring shortage, and a broken box of tile.
Wes reassures Ada that he trusts her and that the project belongs to both of them.
Wes drives Ada up a mountain to Makeout Point, where he's prepared the truck bed with blankets and pillows.
They eat pie, and Wes sketches a pie bracket.
Wes tells the story of accidentally stowing away in Gus's truck during a teenage date.
Ada shares her childhood dream of being a Price Is Right model.

Character Development

Ada continues her arc from isolated outsider to someone who belongs. The chapter shows her accepting help and friendship from Emmy and Teddy, letting them hype her up, and allowing herself to feel confident in her appearance. Her mirror reflection is a turning point: she sees the same woman who arrived in a motel, but she feels entirely different. The chapter also deepens her vulnerability—she shares a childhood dream with Wes that she's never told anyone, and she admits to a stressful week at work without downplaying it.

Wes reveals his thoughtful, gentle side. He prepares the truck bed with blankets and pillows, orders twenty slices of pie to share, and reassures Ada about her work worries rather than dismissing them. His story about Gus and Mandy Miller shows his playful side and his willingness to be the butt of his own joke. His trust in Ada—telling her the project is both of theirs—marks a shift in their dynamic from boss-employee to partners.

Emmy and Teddy function as a support system for Ada, treating her with the same warmth they'd show any friend. Their enthusiasm is genuine, and their presence helps Ada feel like she belongs.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Belonging is the chapter's central theme. Ada's reflection that she might belong here—with Wes, Emmy, Teddy, Cam, and Amos—marks a significant emotional shift. She's no longer just passing through; she's building a life.

Trust appears in both the professional and personal realms. Wes trusts Ada to handle the renovation, and Ada trusts him enough to share her worries and her childhood dream.

Vulnerability is shown through Ada's confession about the Price Is Right and through Wes's willingness to share an embarrassing family story. Both characters lower their guards.

Shared experiences—eating pie, trading stories, sitting in the truck bed—build intimacy. The pie bracket is a playful symbol of their growing connection, turning a simple dessert into a shared ritual.

Home is a motif woven throughout. Ada's discomfort with putting away her purchases because it feels too permanent shows her lingering fear of settling down, while her mirror moment suggests she's ready to try.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks a turning point in Ada and Wes's relationship. Their date at Makeout Point moves them from a physical connection to an emotional one, as they share personal stories and build trust. Ada's realization that she might belong in Meadowlark—and with Wes—sets up the emotional stakes for the rest of the novel. The chapter also reinforces the theme of partnership: Wes explicitly tells Ada the renovation project belongs to both of them, signaling that their relationship is no longer just employer and employee.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Ada's mirror reflection in this chapter show her character growth?

Ada compares herself to the woman who first arrived in Meadowlark, staying in a motel. She notices physical changes—freckles, grown-out bangs, fuller cheeks—but the deeper change is internal. She feels comfortable in her own skin and no longer lonely. The reflection shows that her time in Meadowlark has given her a sense of belonging she's never had before.

2. What does Wes's response to Ada's stressful week reveal about his character?

Wes listens without judgment, asks if she's worried, and when she says no, tells her he trusts her. He also says that if she were worried, they'd figure it out together because the project belongs to both of them. This shows he values partnership over hierarchy and that he sees Ada as an equal, not just an employee.

3. Why is the story about Gus and Mandy Miller significant for Ada and Wes's relationship?

Wes shares an embarrassing personal story about being stuck in the truck bed during his brother's date. By making himself the subject of laughter, he shows Ada he's willing to be vulnerable. Ada's laughter and her own confession about the Price Is Right model dream create a reciprocal exchange of trust, deepening their emotional intimacy.