Tourist Season

Nolan races down to the bottom of the cliff. He plunges into the water, desperate to save Harper. He tries to swim her limp body onto the shore and begs her not to die. A rescue boat appears and brings the two on board.

Eventually, Harper regains consciousness. Nolan is relieved. Harper insists she couldn’t die yet because she has unfinished business. Nolan helps her get settled, realizing that, despite everything, he is in love with her.

Harper wakes up next to Nolan in her bed at home. She shakes him awake when she notices he is sweating and convulsing. Nolan was having a nightmare. The two spent the last several days in the hospital while Harper recovered from the accident. Some townspeople visited her, but “it was Nolan who stayed” by her bedside the whole time (292).

The lovers lie next to each other, discussing the near-drowning incident and the bodies they have yet to exhume from the Ballantyne property. Finally, they express their feelings for each other and share a passionate kiss. Harper wants to have sex, but Nolan is worried about hurting her. They engage in sexual foreplay, talking intimately throughout the encounter.

Afterward, Nolan leaves to give Harper time to rest.