Alice, having run her skiff onto a rock, is approached by the green-eyed man from the grocery store in a yellow speedboat. He assesses the situation and suggests using an oar to push off. Alice tries to free herself, struggling with the oar and refusing his help, while the man teases her lightly.

When he calls her “Red,” Alice firmly objects. After she manages to slide the boat off the rock by herself, he applauds and continues joking. A familiar phrase makes Alice suddenly recognize him as Charlie; he confirms his identity, referencing the photo she sent and John Kalinski’s skiff, and teases her about earlier mishaps in town.

Alice tries to restart the motor repeatedly, and Charlie warns her she will flood it. She persists and floods it, and he explains they must wait about twenty minutes. He offers a tow back; after noting her sunburn and assuring her she can trust him, she agrees. He tethers the boats, lifts her aboard his, and gives her a towel, their physical proximity creating charged, awkward chemistry.

As Charlie pilots the boat one-handed, he points out a picnic spot and asks if she will have guests, probing lightly about her relationship status. Their banter reveals that Alice is single, and Charlie reacts with amused approval. His demeanor shifts between teasing and sincere, and Alice notices his attention to her and the water.

During the ride, Alice realizes with a jolt that Charlie is the older brother from the old photo of the yellow boat she pinned up, a figure she once fantasized about. She hides her reaction and wrestles with a surge of adolescent-like nerves and attraction.

Charlie calls it unusual that Alice is spending the summer alone with her grandmother. Alice explains they are close and that she wanted to get Nan out of the house. He insists her care is not ordinary, telling her, “I bet you’re not like anyone else, Alice Everly,” leaving her unsettled and seen as they near the cottage.