The Paris Match

Griffin takes Layla to a small perfume shop he had noticed earlier. He pays for her purchase in advance and waits outside, wanting her to choose a scent solely for herself without his influence. While waiting, Griffin reflects on Michael’s secret about his past with Sara Beth. He reasons that Emily could be hurt the same way Layla was hurt—discovering a truth after the fact—though he distinguishes between the two situations: Jamie genuinely changed his mind, while Michael has been withholding a truth. He resolves that he must intervene.

Layla emerges from the shop wearing her new perfume, a scent of lily and white musk among other notes. Griffin pulls her close to smell it on her neck. To reinforce the idea that her own desires should come first, he playfully lies and tells her he hates it. She understands his meaning and replies, “I don’t care. I do” (350), which pleases him. They share a series of passionate kisses on the street before acknowledging that their hour is up and that they must head back to the hotel for the open-house event.

At the open house, Layla feels a growing sense of dread. She notes the tension between Michael’s parents and sees Emily masking her anxiety with forced cheerfulness. Michael arrives late and alone, looking disheveled and emotionally withdrawn. He pulls Layla aside and asks, with suspicion, whether she’s truly over Jamie. Before Layla can redirect him to Emily’s real concerns, Griffin enters the apartment.

He walks directly to Emily, whispers something in her ear, and immediately turns and leaves without speaking to anyone else. Upon hearing Griffin’s words, Emily’s face drains of color. She stares in shock at Michael, who remains frozen and silent, creating a tense standoff as the party continues around them.

Layla finds Griffin in his hotel room, where he confirms what he whispered to Emily: “that she needed to ask Michael about Sara Beth” (364). Griffin proceeds to tell Layla the entire story. Sara Beth was Michael’s long-term high-school girlfriend, whom he planned to marry, and she was also one of Griffin’s closest friends. The summer after his college graduation, Sara Beth was staying with Griffin in his rundown off-campus rental house, living in the basement room. An accidental electrical fire started in the basement, and she was killed.

Griffin explains that he tried to reach her from her outside entrance but was severely burned in the attempt. Since the fire, Michael’s parents have relentlessly blamed him for Sara Beth’s death, though Michael himself never has. Griffin also reveals that after he told Michael that he would tell Emily if he wouldn’t, Michael’s response—“Then tell her” (372)—was less a dare than a broken, almost inviting acceptance. As he finishes his confession, Griffin is overcome by an intense episode of neuropathic pain and asks Layla for help.

Layla wakes up in Griffin’s bed the next morning after spending the night caring for him through his severe pain episode. She checks her phone at 4:30 am and sees that there are still no messages from Emily or any of the MacKenzies. When Griffin wakes, she moves closer to cuddle with him. Sensing that she’s still consumed with worry about the wedding situation, he distracts her with sex. In the quiet aftermath, Layla’s phone, which she had set with a loud pager-like alert, blares, signaling an incoming message.

The message is a group text from Manon, announcing that the rehearsal breakfast is proceeding as planned. Layla and Griffin arrive at the apartment together, holding hands, and find a tense gathering. Michael and Emily aren’t there, and their belongings have been removed. Soon after, all the guests receive a group text from the couple announcing that they have “mutually decided not to be married today” and have already left Paris (387).

In the ensuing shock, Fitz confronts Griffin, blaming him for the cancellation. Layla intervenes, shoving Fitz away from Griffin. The tense scene is interrupted when Samantha gets sick again, and Jamie announces that she’s pregnant. When Griffin punches Jamie, Fitz yells, “You can’t help but burn everything to the ground” (393), visibly devastating Griffin, who quickly apologizes and leaves the apartment.

Layla rushes out of the apartment after Griffin, but Jamie stops her to apologize for how she learned about the baby. Layla cuts him off, stating firmly, “I do not care about the baby” (396). She tells him that their pretense of being family is over and that he should go take care of his real family. She catches up to Griffin on a quiet street, where he tells her that he isn’t the good or reliable person she deserves. He explains that he can’t make promises to her until he has worked through his own issues and knows which ones he can keep.

He tells her that his own pain is the only force that could ever make him let her go—framing it as a reassurance rather than a farewell—but cautions her not to wait for him, and they part. As they do, he asks if she would still “do it again” (408), referring to their week in Paris. She calls back, “I would,” and then leaves the city alone.

Three and a half months later, Griffin is undergoing intensive pain-management therapy. Every Tuesday, he maintains a ritual of texting Layla, “Would you still do it again?” (415), and she always replies, “I would.” One day, Michael calls him for the first time since Paris, and they reconcile. Michael admits that Griffin did the right thing by telling Emily the truth and that he had always known it needed to be done but was too much of a coward to do it himself. He reveals that he and Emily are taking it slow and that he isn’t going to Germany, though it has caused problems in his job and his family. The two men acknowledge that their respective therapists have described their friendship as having been codependent.

The conversation turns to Layla, and Michael tells Griffin that she’s currently in Boston. While Griffin is still on the phone, he books a flight. He overhears Emily in the background telling Michael that she knew Griffin was only waiting for Michael to call before going to find Layla.

Layla is walking along the Charles River Esplanade in Boston with her friend Cara. Layla has spent the last few months working, traveling, and taking French lessons with an online tutor named Sabine. Cara soon reveals that she conspired with Emily to get Layla to the Esplanade at this specific time. She then makes an excuse and leaves. Moments later, Griffin appears.

He apologizes for how long it took him to come to her but explains that he can now make her real promises. He lists his commitments to managing his health, processing his trauma, and building a life with her. In response, Layla kisses him and recites a list of French words and phrases that express her feelings, ending with “J’ai envie de toi” (432), meaning “I want you.” He tells her that to him, she looks like a “city of light,” a “tower of gold,” “Paris,” “[her]self,” and “the woman [he] love[s]” (433). They officially reunite.

A year and a half later, Layla and Griffin are at the airport, preparing to fly to Italy. Their relationship is strong and stable. Layla continues to work as a traveling doctor, and they have successfully learned to navigate their periods of long distance and their time together. On the plane, they witness another passenger stage a public proposal to his girlfriend.

After the commotion dies down, Griffin hands Layla a folded piece of paper—a secret itinerary he has planned: After their trip to Italy, they will spend a few extra days in a private apartment in Paris. He tells her that they can wander, with no pressure, and that she can think about what’s next. Smiling, Layla tells him that she already knows what’s next and whispers, “Je t’aime,” meaning “I love you.”