The Last Love Note: A Novel

Kate immediately guesses that Genevieve is the woman who broke Hugh’s heart, and she is jealous. She rubs an ice cube over her neck and realizes both men are watching her. Kate feels like she and Hugh have been involved in a dance, and she doesn’t know the next steps. As they leave the café, Hugh says he will explain about Genevieve, but it’s complicated. Kate leaves with Andrew to attend the writing festival.

Kate enjoys the writing festival, especially a session that tells her how she can write about her personal experiences using fiction, with the “[s]ame emotional punch but not [her] exact life” (283). She meets up with Andrew, and they have some prosecco and champagne at a bar; he tells Kate she reminds him of Genevieve. Kate dances and video-calls Grace, who is delighted to see her friend so happy and says she has missed the old Kate. Kate notes that Justin is with Grace. Kate wonders if deep grief can just be a temporary mode. Hugh arrives and leads Kate outside to speak with her.