Contents
Chapter 2
Overview
Harriet flies to Knott’s Harbor for the annual friends’ reunion, buoyed by nostalgia and relief from residency stress. She avoids answering Sabrina’s questions about Wyn, intending to delay hard news. At the cottage, after warm greetings from the group, Harriet’s surprise is revealed: Wyn Connor—her fiancé—has arrived, reigniting fraught emotions.
Summary
On a turbulent flight, Harriet calms herself with a “happy place” meditation that conjures Knott’s Harbor, Maine. She lands, giddy to reunite with her closest friends after a difficult year of surgical residency. A curt seatmate’s small talk can’t dampen her excitement as she collects her bag and steps outside.
Sabrina arrives in her father’s red Jaguar, sweeping Harriet into an exuberant, affectionate reunion. On the drive toward the coast, they banter about the flight, Sabrina’s eccentric pilot “Ray,” and Harriet’s grueling but satisfying residency. When Sabrina asks about Wyn, Harriet deflects, deciding to postpone any difficult conversation until everyone is present.
They reach the sprawling family cottage overlooking the cliffs, triggering Harriet’s warm memories of past trips and early college heartbreaks soothed by Sabrina and Cleo. Inside, Kimmy greets Harriet with boisterous affection, and Sabrina and Kimmy hint at a planned surprise while guiding Harriet toward the kitchen where Cleo and Parth wait.
Rounding the corner, Harriet freezes as the surprise stands: Wyn Connor. Calm and composed, Wyn rises from the breakfast bar, his presence detonating Harriet’s carefully maintained equilibrium. Harriet’s internal panic crashes against the setting that has always been her refuge, as she confronts the last person she expected—or wanted—to see.
Who Appears
- HarrietNarrator; surgical resident arriving for Lobster Fest, elated to reunite but dreading Wyn talk; shocked when Wyn appears.
- Sabrina ArmasHarriet’s close friend and host; picks her up, teases and banters, orchestrates the surprise at the cottage.
- Wyn ConnorHarriet’s fiancé; unexpected surprise at the cottage, calm demeanor intensifies Harriet’s emotional turmoil.
- KimmyCleo’s girlfriend; exuberantly welcomes Harriet and helps lead her to Wyn’s surprise reveal.
- Cleo JamesCollege friend; present at the cottage, part of the core group welcoming Harriet.
- ParthFriend in the group; arrives earlier with Sabrina and is there for the reunion.