Dreamland

Morgan and her friends wait for him after the show. Colby admits that he sang “Margaritaville” as a nod to Morgan and her friends, who had been drinking margaritas. She invites Colby to join her and her friends for a bite to eat.

The women call for an Uber while Morgan rides with Colby. During the ride, Morgan asks about his work as a farmer, taken with the idea that he is “a man’s man” who could survive “a zombie apocalypse” and finding her own life “boring by comparison” (114). When she asks about his sister, he emphasizes her role in raising him, leaving out that she is “also a survivor” (115). At the restaurant, Morgan’s friends continue grilling him, and he learns more about them as well. Morgan’s friend Maria shows Colby some of their dance routines, and he is impressed. Later, as they are saying goodnight, Colby invites Morgan to go kayaking the following day, and she agrees.

Colby is surprised to be going on a date, but he finds Morgan “charismatic” and wonders what they are building towards (120, italics in source text). He does not want it to be “a simple fling” (120).

Awake at dawn, Colby goes for a run then prepares a cooler with snacks. He and Morgan meet at the Don CeSar Hotel and head to the kayaking spot, chatting about their past relationships along the way. She reveals that her friends were unsure of her decision to go kayaking with Colby. As the youngest in their group, she is the one they are most protective of, not only in terms of physical safety but also emotional, since she has lived a sheltered life. Colby is again impressed by her thoughtfulness, self-assurance, and careful preparation for the next stage of pursuing her dream, while he had mostly focused on having fun. He wants to know more about her.

As they paddle through the mangroves, both are struck by the “eerie and serene” atmosphere; neither wants to break the silence (130). Once through, they spot two manatees. Morgan takes photos of them and Colby. After kayaking, they have a picnic. When the conversation shifts to their families, Colby reveals that his mother took her own life, slitting her wrists in the bathtub; Paige was the one to find her. Morgan apologizes for having asked about his mother, but Colby assures her he does not mind. She asks to watch him write a song. When he wonders whether any ideas will come to him, she gently kisses him and asks if this is enough inspiration. Caught off guard, he says, “That might work” (138).

Morgan and Colby return to his rental. He wonders about the motives behind her kiss. She wriggles on his sofa, stating that she is “trying to catch whatever it is you have that makes writing songs so easy,” which he laughs off (141). She has brought a notebook with the early stages of a song she is working on, and he agrees to listen. Colby immediately recognizes the commercial potential of the song. He listens to the recording she has brought on her phone a few times, strumming along on his guitar, experimenting with variations until he finds one that he likes. She tells him the story she is trying to tell, about a woman emerging from a breakup and realizing her own strength. When she sings, he is amazed at the power of her voice.

After a couple of hours, they have a song. Morgan is thrilled, calling it “their” song, though Colby insists he only helped pull out the song that was inside her. Watching and learning from his process captivates her. She kisses him, and he tells her that he believes she will become a big star. He realizes that he is falling, or has already fallen, for her.

As he and Morgan head out for cheeseburgers, Colby reflects that he feels “undeniably different” (149). Morgan wants to know if they can work on more songs together. His reply—that he would like that, or almost anything that means “spending time with you”—catches her off guard (149). Their conversation turns toward her childhood vacations to the Philippines to visit her paternal grandparents as well as to Hawaii, Costa Rica, and the major cities of Europe. She admits that, as a child, she did not find it as exciting as it sounds, but her parents believed culture molded young minds.

At the restaurant, they find seats at the bar with “a view of the sunset” and agree it “must be our day” (152).

Over iced teas, Morgan tells Colby about her childhood, the private school she attended, and the positive and negative experiences she had there. Colby notices that both found in music a way “to take charge of shaping [their] identities and to escape [their] traumas” (153). He asks her to have dinner the next night after his show, and she agrees. When he brings up her dance recording, she reveals that it will be her last one. The other women are hoping to continue, since it is profitable for all of them, but she does not want to be defined as a social media influencer, a role she feels ambivalent about. The growth of their account has also brought stress and anxiety around the pressure to be perfect.

Morgan turns the conversation back to Colby and his experiences as a farmer, amazed by all that he does. She notes that she does not believe herself cut out for that kind of responsibility. He tells her that she need not worry because she is “going to be famous” (156).

After eating, they return to Morgan’s hotel. Both agree it has been their best day in St. Petersburg. He pulls her close, and they kiss passionately before parting. As he walks down the beach, he reflects that his life “[will] never be the same” (162).