Ford returns to the office on Tuesday morning after a weekend trip to the city with Cora, having spent the entire time tormented by thoughts of Rosie. When he finds the painter Scotty chatting with Rosie at her desk, Ford fires him on the spot out of jealousy. Rosie closes the barn doors and confronts Ford about his behavior, calling him a jealous little boy. Their argument escalates into a passionate confession: Ford tells Rosie he's been obsessed with her for years and will never get over wanting her. Rosie admits she was equally miserable over the weekend. Their confrontation turns physical as Ford bends Rosie over his desk and they have intense sex. During the act, Ford accidentally tells Rosie he loves her. Rather than retreating, Rosie asks him to flip her over and make love to her tenderly, which he does. Afterward, Ford carefully redresses her, and they discuss safe sex practicalities before Ford's parents—Gemma and Ford Senior—arrive unexpectedly. Rosie smoothly covers the state of the office by blaming Ford's "temper tantrum," though Gemma, a sex therapist, clearly sees through the ruse.

That afternoon, Ford introduces Cora to his parents at his house, first laying ground rules about respecting Cora's existing family. Ford Senior bonds with Cora over his iconic guitar, teaching her a simple tune and gifting her a pick. That evening, Ford hosts a bonfire where Cora connects joyfully with her newfound grandparents. Afterward, Rosie and Ford sit on the dock, discussing Cora's future—Ford acknowledges Cora will likely return to her recovering mother but expresses sadness about it. Rosie reassures him that Cora will remain in their lives. Ford invites Rosie to stay at his house, and she agrees to sleep in the guest room to keep things professional around Cora.

Unable to stay away, Rosie sneaks upstairs to Ford's bedroom that night. He goes down on her, then they have slow, intense sex with Ford placing the diary key in her mouth as a silent bond between them. Afterward, Ford tenderly cleans her up and holds her all night. The next morning, Rosie wakes alone and finds Ford's parents and Cora in the kitchen—Ford has already left for the office, leaving her tea in a new pink travel mug. Gemma's knowing looks confirm she understands what's happening. Rosie heads to the office to find Ford shirtless, painting the walls himself. She provokes him by dumping paint on the floor and stepping in it, challenging him to stop clinging to the past and see her as the woman she is now. She pulls the diary key from his chain and drops it in the paint, symbolically releasing their old dynamic. Then she drops to her knees and performs oral sex on him amid the mess, leaving paint handprints all over him.

Later, Ford meets West at the bowling alley and confesses he's in love with Rosie. West surprises Ford by revealing he already knew and fully supports the relationship, with only playful conditions: Ford must stay on the bowling team and wear the team shirt. Bash arrives and also takes the news in stride. A local woman named Tabby drops off a large, brooding man named Rhys as a replacement team member. The team settles on the name "The Ball Busters" and commits to practicing regularly. West privately tells Ford he's happy for them. The chapter ends with a brief email exchange where Ford informs Rosie about an upcoming black-tie fundraiser, having ordered her an outfit, and Rosie playfully demands he return to being witty and borderline mean in his emails.