For the first time in many years, Julian hosts a tea party. Monica and Riley admire the old architecture of Julian’s home. Riley offers to help Julian sell a closet of his old belongings online. Julian notes that Riley “mimicked [Monica’s] gestures and sat just a little closer than one would expect” (89). Julian believes Riley has fallen for Monica.

Monica’s Café has been thriving. Julian’s art lessons led to other businesses renting out the café for classes. For the first time since opening the café, Monica is on her way to earning money and feels like a part of the community. She is trying not to get too excited about Riley, but she is developing feelings.

Betty Wu, an older Chinese woman, is sent to Julian to teach him tai chi. Every Friday, Julian visits the Admiral’s grave. Now, there is a group of friends waiting for him there.

Riley has been helping Julian organize and sell some of his old belongings. Riley enjoys London but feels torn about Monica. He is dazzled by her intelligence but harbors the guilt that he knows intimate things about her because of his access to “The Authenticity Project.” Riley decides not to get too close to Monica ahead of his departure from England; he resolved not to have sex with her to avoid developing deeper feelings.

Hazard is bored on his beautiful tropical island. He can’t clamp his desire to be a part of “The Authenticity Project” again so he sends a postcard to Monica tell her that he’ll see her soon.

Betty Wu has started attending Julian’s art classes. When Riley asks Julian for art museum recommendations in Paris, Julian proposes that they all take a class trip to Paris. Riley helps Monica close the café after class and sees the postcard Hazard sent. Monica doesn’t know who Hazard is and finds the postcard mysterious. Riley leaves abruptly, hurting Monica’s feelings.

Monica helps Julian clean out his musty house. She asks him about his family and Julian reveals he is completely alone. Monica invites him to spend Christmas with her and Riley, and Julian tells her that Riley seems in love with her. Julian expresses his gratitude that the notebook brought Monica and Julian together. They wonder who picked up the notebook after Monica, and Monica reflects that her life has gotten significantly better since discovering the notebook.

Riley stews in his guilt that he hasn’t told Monica about the notebook. He contemplates throwing the notebook away altogether, but instead decides to write his own entry.

Riley witnesses his first snowfall. He and Monica play outside, delighting in one another and the romantic weather. As they hold one another and dance, Monica sees a young mother with her baby and believes that she is watching and judging Monica for not having the most important thing in life.

At 11:00pm, Alice walks the streets with her baby Bunty. Desperate to get her baby to sleep, Alice sees a couple dancing in a café. Alice’s relationship lacks the passion she sees in the café. The woman in the café sees Alice, and Alice wishes she could be her: “Then a bus went past, lighting up the pavement and, just at that moment, the girl in the café turned and looked at Alice with pity in her eyes. You poor thing, she seemed to say, don’t you wish you were me?” (128).

At 26 years old, Alice is the only one of her friends to have a baby. She had been in a rush to have a picture-perfect life but now finds herself lonely and overstressed. Her large social media following is drawn to what they perceive to be an idyllic, fashionable life. She hides the truth from them. 

Betty and Julian continue their tai chi lessons. Julian almost lets it slip that Betty’s grandson Baz is in a relationship with another man, Benji.

Riley tells Monica he likes her a lot, but he still refuses to sleep over. Monica tries not to worry about his intentions or feelings about her, since she is happy with the way her life is.

Alice wakes up for Christmas celebration preparation overtired and resentful towards her husband Max. Alice is anxious about Max’s family visiting, as his mother doesn’t like Alice. The narrator observes that Alice: “presumed that having a baby would bring Max and her closer. They’d have a new purpose and shared adventure. Yet in reality, Bunty’s arrival seemed to be driving them further apart” (143). Max has been coming home late and ensuring that Alice can’t see what’s on his computer. She worries that he is having an affair.

Julian attends Monica’s gathering of friends for Christmas lunch. He gifts her with an oil painting portrait of her. Benji reveals that Julian told Betty about Baz and Benji’s relationship. Baz accuses Julian of being a fraud and storms out. 

Riley enjoys the Christmas lunch and embraces Monica. He thinks he may be falling in love with her. Their celebrations are interrupted by the arrival of Hazard in the café.