With Win and Bo’s new living situation, the terms of the romance have substantially changed. The author employs forced proximity, a popular trope of the romance genre, which builds sexual tension between the two lead characters and fosters an emotional connection as the protagonists learn more about one another. The impact of this forced proximity is particularly evident when Win reflects to herself, “It’d be far too easy to fall for him now, with all these increasing layers of circumstance and proximity between us” (196). The first important step in the protagonists’ emotional journey is the shared confession of romantic history, in which the characters divulge their past wounds and the reasons they are hesitant about new love. The backstory adds dimension to the characters, while the hesitancy provides ongoing conflict for the romance. Each protagonist has an internal obstacle that they must independently resolve before they can be together. In doing so, the author continues to develop the theme of The Healing Power of Healthy Relationships, as Win and Bo’s increased vulnerability with each other about their past experiences lays the groundwork for restorative romantic developments between them in the future. 

Bonam-Young presents the revelation that Win put aside her dream for Jack to show the depth of her emotional wound and emphasize the contrast between Win’s ex and her potential romantic partner. The camp also gives Win a character goal and motivation for healing. Jack, an antagonist and Bo’s foil, made Win feel inadequate even as he took financial advantage of her. The physical move from her crummy apartment to Bo’s pleasant and adult house marks a leap forward in her character arc, just as the financial security of being partially supported by Bo’s much larger income demonstrates his ability to provide for her and the baby. The refrigerator’s ice dispenser—an amenity that Win did not previously have—symbolizes how much Win’s situation has improved.

Bo’s confession about Cora presents a further reason for Win to defer sexual or emotional intimacy, thus adding suspense and sexual tension to the plot and complicating the characters’ forced proximity. Bo’s presumed attachment to his ex holds Win back even as their domestic situation reveals accumulating indications of his desirability: the glasses, the attractive “nerdiness” of his Lord of the Rings and D&D interests, his talent for cooking, and Bo finding it hard to resist Win when she uses a vibrator alone. Sarah’s fascination with Caleb’s involvement in D&D foreshadows how Bo’s “nerdy” qualities are also alluring to Win, just as his comic books reeled her in.

This larger acceptance of each other’s quirks—like the way Bo accepts Win’s numerous houseplants—reflects each protagonist’s level of comfort with the other’s physical differences. In doing so, the author continues to develop the theme of Perceptions About Disability and Ableism. Win wants Bo to feel comfortable enough with her that he doesn’t feel the need to wear his prosthesis if he doesn’t want to. Bonam-Young demonstrates that Win is perceptive to how Bo’s amputation and prosthesis affect him—such as when she notices his leg pain—and the societal stigma that may make him feel wary about not wearing it around her. Additionally, Bo’s caresses of her smaller hand indicate that he accepts and embraces all of her; this is something that she did not experience with Jack, which draws further attention to him and Bo’s positions as foils. 

This mutual acceptance is important on several levels for each protagonist. For both leads, their past romantic partners saw their differences as a flaw or barrier. For Win, in particular, her hand represents her concerns that motherhood will be too big a challenge for her, continuing to thematically explore The Challenges of Expectant Motherhood. The meeting with Cam, a fellow lifeguard, and his invitation to have Win work with Henry provides a moment where Win’s difference is not a hindrance but a strength. Cam’s gesture of support, when paired with the way Bo believes in and wants to invest in her, leads Win to resurrect her dream and start exploring the practical steps she would need to take to open her summer camp. This next step shakes her out of her holding pattern and shows that she is ready to move forward to embrace new life opportunities—and, eventually, new love.