Beach Read

Gus and January, coming off their deep conversation, slip into having sex again in the tent. This time, it feels more calculated and less like them losing control on one another. They end up sleeping in the tent that night and having sex several more times. In the morning, on the way home, January feels happy and can tell Gus is genuinely happy, too. January feels like her old self who believes in love and is willing to put herself out there completely.

When they stop for breakfast on the way home, January sneaks away to call Shadi and tell her what happened. Shadi is still staying with the family of her love interest, Ricky. She is excited to come visit January and see a version of Gus that’s in love.

Gus and January go to a bookstore near the diner, then head to a local bar. They laugh over their worst book reviews, then the conversation turns serious. January asks why Gus tried to keep her away from New Eden. She explains that she knows he wanted to shelter her from the experience but that the whole point of the bet was for him to teach her to see the world the same way he does.