Chase visits Kya almost daily, taking her to distant waterways and into easy companionship. He is intrigued by her marsh knowledge but belittles her careful note-taking and paintings, and Kya laughs along to please him. Later, alone on the water, Kya unexpectedly spots Tate sampling research vials. She hides in the grass, watches him, and rows away, remembering her first love.

On a foggy day, porpoises circle their drifting boat as Chase plays harmonica, and Kya softly sings “Michael Row the Boat Ashore.” Their courtship continues on beaches and by campfires until Chase asks to kiss her, and she allows it. They grow physically closer but do not have sex.

Meanwhile, Tate races toward Kya’s channel, determined to apologize and rebuild a future with her in the marsh after finishing his PhD and landing a local research job. He instead sees Kya and Chase meeting playfully by boat and kissing. Ashamed of his past betrayal and recognizing her new attachment, he turns back to town.

Seeking independence from waiting for boats, Kya retreats to her remote reading cabin. She recalls using the Sea Oaks library, where Mrs. Hines obtained university texts for her. Reading scientific articles on mating tactics and sperm competition, she reflects that nature’s audacity ensures survival by any means and wonders what, if anything, makes humans different.

Chase begins scheduling punctual visits, and Kya imagines picnics with his friends, then marriage, though she cannot ask him to introduce her. On a hot day, their intimacy escalates on the boat; when Chase pushes for sex, she stops him, asking for assurance he won’t leave. He claims he’s falling in love, and she remains cautious.

At the Piggly Wiggly, Kya encounters Chase’s parents, Patti Love and Sam, who pointedly avoid her. That evening she asks Chase about meeting his family; he promises “soon” without conviction. Weeks pass as she continues to resist sex; he backs off each time. The owl drifts from the oak, doubts linger, and small-town gossip about their relationship spreads across the water.