Chapter 32: Skylar – A Billboard Nomination and a Promise to Stay
⚠️ 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
Skylar wakes in West’s bed after sneaking in; Emmy finds them and crawls between them after a nightmare. West tells Skylar to stay. Later, Skylar receives an email nominating her new single for a Billboard Music Award. It is the first song she has ever truly loved—a stripped-down swamp-rock track she wrote with producer Ford. West celebrates with her, calling her “his girl.” Skylar admits she must go to Los Angeles soon to prepare for the awards, but promises to return. West says he cannot leave Rose Hill because of his kids, but he wants her to chase her dreams. Skylar’s feelings shift: her old dreams of the city are being replaced by a desire to stay with West and the children. The chapter closes with the full lyrics of her song “Photosynthesis,” which mirrors her internal journey from a porcelain city life to finding peace in nature and family.
Key Events
- Skylar and West are caught by Emmy after sleeping together; Emmy has a nightmare and joins them in bed.
- West asks Skylar to stay, echoing an earlier moment, and she does.
- Skylar learns her single has been nominated for a Billboard Music Award.
- She reflects on creating the album with Ford—the first project she has loved from start to finish.
- West celebrates her success, lifting her and spinning her around, then reassures her that he is proud.
- Skylar tells West she needs to return to Los Angeles for the award show but vows to come back.
- West admits he cannot leave Rose Hill because of his children, but he encourages her to pursue her dreams.
- The chapter includes the full lyrics of “Photosynthesis,” which express Skylar’s newfound peace and her break from a fake former life.
Character Development
Skylar Stone: Skylar experiences a seismic shift in self-worth. For the first time, she feels genuine pride in her work—not just meeting expectations but creating something she loves. Her recurring nightmare about leaving Rose Hill reveals that her priorities have changed: the city no longer represents freedom but a cage. She is learning to accept care and warmth from West and Emmy, despite her upbringing teaching her that her needs were an inconvenience.
Weston Belmont: West shows vulnerability by asking Skylar to stay instead of letting her sneak away. His immediate protective response to her tears—ready to fight whoever made her cry—underscores his devotion. At the same time, he wrestles with the fear that Skylar will leave, and he tries to unselfishly encourage her to follow her career even though he wants her to stay.
Emmy Belmont: Emmy trusts Skylar enough to seek her out in the night and instinctively includes her in the family unit. Her statement that Skylar “had a nightmare too” and should stay shows that Emmy already sees Skylar as a permanent part of their lives.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
True artistic fulfillment: Skylar’s nomination comes from a song she wrote with joy, not obligation. The contrast between her past work (done for a paycheck she gave to her parents) and this album (made for herself) highlights the theme of reclaiming one’s creative voice.
The tension between two lives: The recurring nightmare about leaving Rose Hill, paired with the need to go to Los Angeles, symbolizes Skylar’s internal conflict. The lyrics of “Photosynthesis” explicitly contrast a “porcelain life” with finding peace in simplicity.
Family as a chosen home: The scene where Emmy crawls into bed and West says “Stanna” (stay) redefines home for Skylar. Family is no longer a place of rejection but a place where she is wanted.
The power of being seen: West’s unwavering pride in Skylar—calling her “my girl” and saying she deserves to feel incredible—demonstrates how his belief in her helps heal her self-doubt.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the emotional crux of Skylar’s arc. Her professional breakthrough (the Billboard nomination) coincides with a personal reckoning: she no longer wants the life she once chased. The lyrics of “Photosynthesis” serve as an artistic manifesto, declaring that she has found home in Rose Hill, in West’s arms, and in the love of his children. The chapter sets up the central question of the remainder of the story: will Skylar choose the career that expects her in LA, or the family that wants her to stay? West’s fear of being left and his sacrificial encouragement to let her go deepen the romantic stakes. This chapter also cements the found-family bond between Skylar and Emmy, making any potential departure heart-wrenching.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Skylar feel like an “inkräktare” (intruder) in West’s bed, and how does Emmy’s reaction change that feeling?
Skylar’s childhood taught her that her needs bothered her parents; she expects to be an inconvenience. Emmy, however, assumes Skylar belongs there—she even says Skylar “had a nightmare too” and should stay. This acceptance begins to rewire Skylar’s sense of worth.
2. What does the song “Photosynthesis” reveal about Skylar’s emotional state in this chapter?
The lyrics contrast a “porcelain life” in the city with the peace she finds “in the pines, by the water, in the arms of a lover.” The song declares that her previous version of herself is now behind her and that she has found home. It mirrors her real-life shift from a corporate, controlled existence to an authentic, rural life with West and the children.
3. How does West’s reaction to Skylar’s nomination show both his support and his fear?
West immediately celebrates her success by spinning her around and kissing her, expressing pure pride. But when Skylar says she must go to LA, his hug tightens and he says “I can’t leave here… my kids.” He clarifies that he wants her to pursue every dream, revealing his fear that she will not come back—even as he tries to be selfless.