Chapter 18: Gigi – Family, Advice, and a Bulk Box of Condoms

⚠️ 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

Gigi begins the chapter by exchanging texts with Ryder, confirming their rescheduled session later that evening—Beckett will also join. Before hockey practice, she meets her uncles Dean Di Laurentis and John Logan at Della’s Diner. The conversation quickly turns to her recent breakup with Colson. Dean, a Yale coach, produces a large package of fifty condoms as a “safe sex” gift, warning her to watch out for the “slutty boy” in any friend group. He jokingly names Tucker as the former “slut” of their own crew, a claim Gigi doubts. Logan returns from a call and also asks about Colson. Gigi firmly shuts down further discussion. After bickering over the bill, Gigi pays and packs the condoms into her bag, then heads off to meet Luke Ryder.

Key Events

Gigi and Ryder finalize their rescheduled training session via text, with a playful exchange about emojis.
Gigi meets her uncles Dean and Logan at Della’s Diner for pie and coffee.
Dean gives Gigi a bulk box of condoms, prompting embarrassment and a lecture about safe sex in college.
Dean warns Gigi to avoid the “slutty boy” in any group, naming Tucker as the historical example in their friend circle.
Logan returns from a phone call and also inquires about Gigi’s breakup, which she deflects.
Gigi pays the bill, takes the condoms, and prepares to go meet Ryder.

Character Development

Gigi: Demonstrates her ability to handle awkward family situations with humor and confidence. She sets boundaries with her uncles about discussing her breakup, showing emotional maturity. Her decision to pack the condoms, despite her initial shock, reflects a willingness to go along with family banter while maintaining her own agency.
Dean Di Laurentis: Comes across as both caring and mischievous. His gift, though embarrassing, shows he genuinely wants Gigi to be safe. His teasing about Tucker highlights the playful dynamic among the old friend group.
John Logan: More reserved than Dean, but also nosy about Gigi’s love life. His threat to tell her father suggests a protective, albeit meddling, role.
Ryder (off-page, via text): Their text exchange reveals a growing rapport—Gigi’s teasing about emojis and Ryder’s middle-finger emoji response show a comfortable, sarcastic friendship.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Found Family: Gigi reflects on her large network of aunts, uncles, and godparents, emphasizing the love and support (and nosiness) that came from her parents’ friends. This contrasts with her father’s estranged relationship with his own father.
Generational Advice: Dean’s condom gift and his warning about the “slutty boy” in every crew represent older generations’ attempts to guide younger ones through college social life, often with an embarrassing or humorous delivery.
Sexual Health and Responsibility: The entire condom scene underscores the theme of safe sex, treating it openly rather than as taboo. Gigi’s eventual acceptance of the box signals her openness to that responsibility on her own terms.
Gender Dynamics: Dean’s comment “there’s always one slutty boy” subverts the typical slut‑shaming directed at women, applying the label to men instead, and prompting a discussion about double standards (e.g., Tucker’s one-night stand being framed as romance versus promiscuity).

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens Gigi’s characterization outside of her hockey‑centered life, showing her family dynamics and her ability to navigate interpersonal conflict with wit. It also sets up her next encounter with Ryder by reminding readers that they are about to spend more time together—now with Beckett present. The condoms scene may serve as a precursor to future romantic or sexual tension; the “slutty boy” warning could foreshadow how Gigi will later evaluate Ryder’s or other characters’ reputations.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Gigi handle her uncles’ probing questions about her breakup with Colson?
Gigi firmly tells Dean that the breakup is old news and she is not getting back together with Colson. She refuses to discuss it further, demonstrating her ability to set boundaries with her family while still maintaining a playful tone.

2. What does Dean’s gift of condoms and his warning about the “slutty boy” reveal about his character and his relationship with Gigi?
Dean’s gift shows he cares about Gigi’s safety and wants her to be responsible in college. His warning, though delivered humorously, indicates he views himself as a source of worldly advice. The fact that he gives her the condoms privately—and asks her not to tell her parents—suggests a bond of trust and a slightly rebellious side.

3. How does the theme of found family appear in this chapter, and why is it significant for Gigi?
Gigi recalls that her parents were only children with small families, so her father’s friends became her aunts and uncles. This found family has provided her with love and support throughout her life. The chapter shows both the benefits (nosy but caring relatives) and the occasional embarrassment (condoms) that come with such closeness. This background helps explain why Gigi values her relationships with Ryder and her teammates as extensions of her family.