Chapter 26 Summary: A Year Ago – Lucy’s Trip to PEI
⚠️ 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 flashes back to “Summer, One Year Ago.” Lucy’s life collapses in three blows: her flower shop In Bloom is vandalized, her boyfriend Carter breaks up with her for being emotionally distant, and her beloved aunt Stacy is diagnosed with aggressive cancer. Lucy spends Stacy’s final weeks at her bedside, witnessing a rare, tender moment between Stacy and Lucy’s mother, Cheryl, who reconcile. Stacy dies four weeks later, leaving Lucy a short note.
Deep in grief, Lucy accepts Bridget’s plan for her to stay at a cottage on Prince Edward Island. Felix picks her up at the Charlottetown airport and drives her to Salt Cottages, a row of four white houses he built himself. Suffering from nausea and exhaustion, Lucy asks for a tour. Felix shows her the place with pride, including a welcome basket with a personally written guide to PEI.
Over the next several days, Felix cares for Lucy. He makes her breakfast, watches The Great British Baking Show with her, and stays overnight in the cottage. Lucy slowly begins to heal: she reads, walks on the beach, picks wildflowers, and feels her aunt’s presence. She texts Bridget that she doesn’t want to leave the island.
Felix reveals that he and his girlfriend Chloe have broken up. Lucy shares that Carter dumped her. On Lucy’s second‑to‑last day, Felix takes her to drive his Mustang, teaching her stick shift. They visit Point Prim Lighthouse and later go to Basin Head Beach, where Felix gives her a piece of white sea glass he found. He rubs sunscreen on her back. As they talk about Carter, Felix says Carter wasn’t the right guy for her. Lucy admits she fears she’s “broken” and unable to commit. Felix insists she’s not. The attraction that has been building between them finally surfaces: Lucy kisses him, and they both confess they want each other.
Key Events
- The break‑in at In Bloom, Carter’s breakup, and Stacy’s cancer diagnosis.
- Lucy’s final conversations with Stacy in the hospital; Stacy dies four weeks later.
- Felix picks Lucy up at the airport and drives her to Salt Cottages.
- Felix gives Lucy a tour of the cottage he built; she sees his personal guidebook.
- Felix stays with Lucy, cooking for her, watching TV, and sleeping in the next room.
- Lucy begins to recover: walking, reading, picking wildflowers.
- Felix reveals his breakup with Chloe; Lucy tells him about Carter.
- Felix teaches Lucy to drive his Mustang.
- Beach day at Basin Head: lunch, sea glass gift, sunscreen, deep conversation.
- Lucy admits she fears she’s broken; Felix reassures her.
- They kiss and confess mutual desire.
Character Development
- Lucy is at her lowest point, raw with grief and self‑doubt. Her aunt’s death strips away the emotional armor she used to keep Carter at a distance. Through Felix’s steady care, she starts to heal and to question her belief that she is incapable of a meaningful relationship. The chapter marks a turning point in her self‑awareness.
- Felix is shown as mature and competent: he built the cottage, runs his business, and knows exactly how to comfort Lucy. His actions are tender and patient, a departure from his earlier flirtatious persona. He opens up about his own failed relationship and his reluctance to let people close.
- The friendship between Lucy and Felix deepens from casual hookup into genuine affection and intimacy. The chapter recontextualizes their present‑day connection as one built on shared vulnerability.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Grief and Healing: Lucy’s mourning is physical—she can’t eat or sleep, she vomits on the road. The island itself becomes a sanctuary, and wildflowers and seabirds represent the slow return of life.
- Books and Seeds: The ongoing exchange of seeds and books remains a secret language between Lucy and Felix, symbolising a bond that exists outside their “rules.”
- The Sea Glass: Felix’s gift of a white piece of sea glass (not rare, but hard for him to find) becomes a token of care and luck. It’s a physical object connecting them.
- The Cottage as a Home: Felix’s pride in the cottage he built reflects his growth into the person he is meant to be, and it provides a safe space for Lucy to fall apart and put herself back together.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the emotional core of the novel’s backstory. It explains how Lucy arrived at her current situation and why her relationship with Felix is so charged. The flashback establishes the depth of their connection before the events of the present timeline, showing that Felix’s devotion to Lucy began long before their recent reunion. It also clarifies why Lucy fears intimacy and why she sees Felix as someone who could break through that fear.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Lucy believe she is “broken,” and how does Felix respond?
Lucy says she wonders if she might not want to find the right partner because she only seems drawn to men she can’t have—specifically Felix. Felix refutes her self‑judgment, telling her she is not broken, though the sentence is cut short when she kisses him. -
What does the sea glass Felix gives Lucy symbolize in this chapter?
The sea glass represents Felix’s thoughtfulness and the rarity of their connection. He found it specifically for her, and the white color—though common—gains meaning because it came from his hands and his beach. It becomes a tangible symbol of care and the possibility of something precious being unearthed. -
How does the chapter use physical detail (e.g., the cottage tour, the car ride, the beach) to convey Lucy’s emotional state?
The drive to PEI is described as a journey to “the end of the world,” mirroring her despair. The nausea and tears align with her grief. As she recovers, the sensory details shift: she notices bird songs, wildflowers, and the feel of sand underfoot, signaling a return to vitality. Felix’s careful attention (rubbing her back, cooking her favorite butter) grounds her in the present.