You Shouldn't Have Come Here

Calvin goes to Betty’s Boutique to return the cake pan from his party. Betty warns him not to get attached to Grace, to ensure she leaves. She also says Almond came by to question her about Calvin.

While Grace practices yoga, she realizes Albert is ogling her. She thinks, “What started out as an enjoyable and relaxing vacation seven days ago had turned into a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from” (193). She discovers Calvin purchased a library of classic books in the previous week to impress her. Charlotte shows up and tells Grace that she had a fling with Calvin. Grace reiterates that Calvin doesn’t want her at the farm anymore, having said so while they made love the previous night. Calvin appears just as Charlotte is about to leave.

Calvin decides to discourage Charlotte for good, and she reveals she slept with Joe the previous night and told him everything. Calvin demands to know what she said. When she strikes him, he pushes her away and she falls, hitting her head on the ground and gashing it. Charlotte gets into her car and calmly drives away.

Calvin enters Grace’s bedroom and apologizes for not telling her about his fling with Charlotte. He confesses his love for Grace, but she does not respond. He eventually leaves the room.

Late at night, Grace feels someone get into her bed. She assumes it is Calvin until she smells Albert’s whiskey. She screams, summoning Calvin. Albert is drunk and confused, and staggers away. Grace shoves Calvin and demands that he put a lock on her door.

Grace wakes to Calvin installing her lock. He hands her the key and thinks, “How could we have gone from lovers to strangers in twenty-four hours” (206).

The next morning, Albert apologizes to Grace, saying he has demons like everyone else. She asks about his medical bracelet, and he reveals his many allergies. Calvin’s truck pulls in, followed by a police car with flashing lights.

Calvin is so fixated on Grace that he does not notice Wyatt behind him. Wyatt punches him and demands to know why he injured Charlotte. Grace tells him that Calvin simply defended himself, and that Charlotte confessed to having sex with Joe. Wyatt gets in his police car and speeds away.

Grace confronts Calvin about the fact that he is not running an Airbnb for money. He confesses, “I started Airbnb simply because I was lonely” (213). Grace asks for the status of her car, and he says repairs are scheduled for the next day. Albert asks Calvin to take him out to buy alcohol, and Grace encourages him to do so.

As Grace considers breaking into Calvin’s basement, a beaten Joe bursts into the house. He reveals Wyatt beat him upon finding out that he slept with Charlotte, and assumes Calvin was the one who told. He rambles about the way his father abused his mother, claiming he wants Grace to avoid what happened to her. Frightened, Grace calls 911 via landline. Joe takes an accelerant from his pocket and sets some curtains on fire. Grace searches for a fire extinguisher, but he restrains her: “I’m saving you, Grace […] From Calvin” (221).

Pulling into the driveway, Calvin sees smoke. He dashes into the kitchen and grabs the fire extinguisher. Before he can extinguish the fire, Joe strikes him. Calvin hits him with the fire extinguisher and puts out the fire. Joe confronts him, claiming their mother shot their father, then shot herself. Calvin searches for Grace, finding her in her bedroom closet. He helps her onto her bed and speaks to the police about what happened. Almond shows up, and Joe confesses that he started the fire. Calvin leads Almond to Grace’s room, where the sheriff asks to speak to her alone.

Almond asks Grace when she is leaving, and she says in two days. He remarks “I’ve got a six sense for trouble, and this place reeks of it (229). Grace asks if the police have found the missing Briana—to no avail. She considers sharing her experiences at the ranch but decides against it.

Calvin drives away, following the police to their station. Grace takes the opportunity to break into his basement. There, she finds taxidermized animals, a family photograph revealing Albert as Calvin and Joe’s uncle, and Calvin’s guestbook—the last signature belonging to a Bri Becker. She hears a car door slam, takes Calvin’s hunting knife, and leaves the basement.

Standing in the driveway in her nightgown, Betty stares at the ranch. When Grace goes to her, Betty warns her that she should not have come and that she might not be able to leave. In her room, Grace finds that Calvin installed her lock backward, so he could lock her in.