On Wednesday, July 9, Alice and Nan sew curtains and pillow covers and make regular walks as Nan improves with her cane, though Nan is irritable and refuses to discuss her rift with John Kalinski. Charlie visits daily after working on the tree house with Sam Florek, doing odd jobs around the cottage and escorting Nan to her first choir practice; Nan plans to partner with him for community euchre night.

On Thursday, Charlie arrives with lumber to build a proper railing down to the lake so Nan can swim. Shirtless and working in the heat, he claims the Pegasus-unicorn float for their routine swims while Alice uses the moose. The day before, they had bonded over work, city life, favorite media, and families; Alice learned Sam is a cardiologist and Persephone (Percy) is writing a novel, and that Charlie ended a short relationship with Genevieve after Christmas. Both avoided delving into Alice’s ex and the details of Charlie’s recent argument with Sam.

As Alice watches Charlie work, Nan teases her about mutual attraction. Alice, wearing a new yellow bikini she bought after her editor Willa’s terse “Ok” acceptance of Alice’s unretouched swimwear photos, brings Charlie water. He appears overheated and unsteady, so Alice guides him inside, cools him with a damp cloth, and reassures him as his breathing steadies.

Charlie asks why Alice wrote her "seventeen-year-old summer" bucket list. Alice explains she wants to relive a carefree version of being seventeen to briefly escape a rough year before returning to her city life in September. They reflect on the appeal of fewer responsibilities and fewer consequences, and Charlie asks to see the list again. He teases her about “low-key drugs???” and calls her a “good girl,” contrasting with his own reckless teenage years.

Prompted by Alice, Charlie opens up about his parents: a loving, stable marriage, a diligent father, and a lively mother; their family felt "almost perfect" until his father died when Charlie was fourteen. Pressured by expectations to be “the man of the house,” he coped by joking and acting unbothered to keep his family steady, while Sam withdrew until Percy became his best friend and helped him reengage. Alice shares a childhood anecdote about stealing a bird encyclopedia and being forced to apologize, underscoring her rule-following nature.

They trade confessions about first kisses and flirt openly. Charlie says he would have kissed Alice back when she visited Barry’s Bay at seventeen. The mood is light and intimate, with teasing and physical closeness.

Alice proposes that they complete the list together and invites Charlie to have a “seventeen-year-old summer” with her. Charlie agrees enthusiastically, photographs the list, and points out she has already completed some items. They commit to doing the rest together.