Chapter 23 Summary: Wes

⚠️ 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 on a Thursday with Wes at the Big House feeding Loretta when Ada calls. She asks him to stop by the job site before furniture arrives the following week. During the call, Wes accidentally lets slip that he has been privately calling the site Baby Blue. Ada is delighted and playfully scolds him for keeping it to himself, telling him to come over so she can be mad at him in person.

Instead of driving, Wes rides Ziggy along the trails, with Waylon running alongside. He reflects that he hasn't been riding as much during the renovation, partly because driving guarantees evening time with Ada. He also wonders whether Ada has ever ridden a horse and imagines riding with her.

When Wes arrives, the crew is carefully carrying the emerald-green marble island countertop into the house, with Evan directing the delicate installation. Wes is struck by how much progress has been made: floors are in, drywall is up, the built-ins are finished, the vaulted ceiling beams are in place, and the exposed brick wall has been power washed. His favorite feature is the fireplace, which he helped restore after finding an old photo in the attic showing it had originally been stone. Ada had disassembled the wooden mantel, and now the stone fireplace with its vintage marble border and gold inlay is a focal point.

Ada shows Wes a rendering for the wainscoting, and they agree it should rise two-thirds up the wall in a blue slightly darker than the floral wallpaper. Wes compliments the marble, saying the colors make the space feel homey, and Ada notes that's the point.

Ada then leads Wes through all six finished bedrooms in a vintage palette of powder blue, greens, and pinks that pays homage to the bathroom tile they both love. Wes notices she says we when referring to the tile, and he likes it. In the primary suite, French doors open onto a refinished patio, bracketed by white linen curtains painted with wildflowers and roses. Ada reveals that she, Emmy, Teddy, and Cam made the curtains together, using wildflowers from the ranch and roses from the bushes outside the Big House—Wes's mother's rosebushes. She also saved and dried the wildflowers, making resin coasters and decorating candles, jars, glasses, and tea lights.

Ada then asks whether Wes wants any decor items from Rebel Blue incorporated into the new house. Wes mentions that most of the original items ended up in the attic at the Big House, and then, with visible emotion, tells her about his mother. She was a painter, and stacks of her paintings are stored in the attic, covered for a long time. He says he thinks she would be happy to have them displayed in the new house. Ada wraps her arms around him and tells him that sounds perfect.

Key Events

Ada calls Wes and asks him to visit the job site before furniture arrives; he accidentally reveals the Baby Blue nickname, which delights her.
Wes rides Ziggy to the site instead of driving, with Waylon running alongside.
The crew installs the emerald-green marble island countertop under Evan's direction.
Wes observes the renovation progress: floors, drywall, built-ins, beams, exposed brick, and the restored stone fireplace with vintage marble and gold inlay.
Wes and Ada agree on wainscoting height (two-thirds up the wall) in a slightly darker blue.
Ada gives Wes a tour of six finished bedrooms in a vintage palette.
In the primary suite, Ada reveals the handmade wildflower-and-rose curtains made with Emmy, Teddy, and Cam, plus resin coasters and decorated candles from dried wildflowers.
Ada asks about decor from Rebel Blue; Wes reveals his late mother's paintings in the attic and says he wants them displayed.
Ada embraces Wes, approving the idea.

Character Development

Wes continues to open up emotionally. He admits to himself that he is fully in love with Ada, even if he isn't ready to say it aloud. His decision to share his mother's paintings is a significant act of vulnerability—he has kept them covered in the attic for a long time, and offering them to the new house signals a willingness to let his past become part of their shared future. His pride in Ada's work, and his contentment being an accessory to her greatness, shows a mature, supportive love.

Ada demonstrates her thoughtfulness and collaborative spirit. She has been quietly making handmade touches—curtains, coasters, decorated candles—that weave the ranch's landscape and Wes's family history into the house. Her gentle reaction to Wes's emotional confession, wrapping her arms around him without pushing for more, shows emotional intelligence and care.

Their partnership is evident throughout: they make design decisions together, and Ada's use of we when referring to the tile signals how naturally they have become a unit.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Growing romantic love. Wes's internal admission that he is fully in love, combined with the intimacy of Ada crawling into bed with him on tired nights, shows the relationship deepening beyond the physical.

Restoration of history and legacy. The fireplace restoration—uncovering the original stone beneath a wooden mantel—mirrors the way Wes is uncovering and honoring his family's past, especially through his mother's paintings.

Home and belonging. The renovation transforms a house into a home, and Wes's comment that the colors feel homey underscores the theme. The handmade curtains and dried-flower crafts make the space feel personal and lived-in.

Collaboration and partnership. Wes and Ada make decisions together, from wainscoting height to decor, and Ada's we language reflects their growing unity.

Handmade personal touches. The curtains, coasters, and decorated candles are acts of care that embed memory and place into the house.

Vulnerability and emotional openness. Wes's throat-lump moment when mentioning his mother's paintings is a rare display of raw emotion, and Ada meets it with warmth rather than pressure.

Nurturing and care. Ada's quiet, steady care—both for the house and for Wes—is a recurring motif, from the handmade items to her embrace at the chapter's end.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks an emotional turning point in Wes and Ada's relationship. The accidental reveal of the Baby Blue nickname shows how deeply the project—and Ada—have taken root in Wes's inner life. More significantly, Wes's decision to bring his mother's paintings into the new house is a major act of trust and healing. It connects the renovation's physical restoration to an emotional restoration, suggesting that the house will carry forward both Ada's design vision and Wes's family legacy. The chapter also reinforces the collaborative, tender partnership at the heart of the novel, setting the stage for the final month of the project and whatever comes after.

Study Questions

1. Why does Wes's accidental reveal of the Baby Blue nickname matter to Ada and to the reader?

The nickname shows that Wes has been emotionally invested in the project from the start, even privately. Ada's delighted reaction—calling it the most perfect thing—signals that she recognizes and values his quiet attachment. For the reader, it confirms that Wes's feelings for Ada and for the house are intertwined.

2. How does the fireplace restoration function as a symbol in this chapter?

The fireplace was originally stone but had been covered by a wooden mantel. Wes found an old photo in the attic, and Ada painstakingly removed the mantel to restore the original stone with its vintage marble border and gold inlay. The restoration mirrors Wes's own process of uncovering and honoring his family's history, particularly through his mother's paintings.

3. What does Wes's decision to display his mother's paintings reveal about his character growth?

Wes has kept the paintings covered in the attic for a long time, suggesting he has avoided confronting the grief of losing his mother. Offering them to the new house shows he is ready to let her memory live on in a shared space, and it demonstrates trust in Ada—both in her design judgment and in her emotional support. It's a significant step toward healing and openness.