You Shouldn't Have Come Here

Alone in the house, Grace lies in front of a fire, thinking about everything that has gone wrong on her vacation. Calvin arrives after helping Charlotte. Grace reminds him that he lost their fishing bet. They walk to the river, where Calvin takes off his clothes and jumps in. He challenges Grace to do the same, which she does. After some conversing, she walks back to the house naked.

As Calvin grooms his horses, he muses aloud about his affection for Grace. She approaches and asks who he is talking to. He asks if she would like to go for a horseback ride, and she hesitantly agrees.

Calvin helps Grace into a saddle and explains how to use the reins. He asks why she chose his ranch for her vacation, and she explains she saw it on social media. When she tries to get her horse to trot, it takes off in a gallop. Grace pulls the horse to the side and it throws her off, knocking her out.

Calvin insists Grace needs to see Dr. Reed, the community physician. She is carried to his truck, and he thinks, “She was a stubborn woman, which is also what I liked about her. I enjoyed being challenged” (92). He takes her to Dr. Reed, who examines her and asks questions, some of which she has trouble answering. He says Grace has a mild concussion and should get an MRI, but she refuses. Grace is surprised when Calvin pays her medical bill, having told her that the ranch was struggling financially.

Calvin takes Grace to a grocery store so he can buy supplies to care for her, including a teddy bear. They see Charlotte, who asks what happened to Grace with feigned sympathy. Falling asleep at the house, Grace dreams of Calvin’s taxidermized animals attacking her. Calvin wakes and comforts her. She reminds him that he promised her a massage, which he proceeds to give her. During the massage, someone pounds on the door—new County Sheriff Almond. He questions Calvin about Briana Becker, an Airbnb guest who intended to check into the ranch a week before Grace. Calvin says he does not recognize her picture, that she never showed up. Grace is again troubled by Lisa’s underwear in her dresser, the nightmare-like woman’s scream, and now, the missing Briana.

The next morning, Calvin knocks on Grace’s door to check on her. He made her coffee and set up a hammock. She teases him, and he thinks, “She knew exactly what she was doing to me” (110).

As she lies in the hammock, Grace thinks, “There was a sense of dread I had been carrying with me since I arrived” (111). Despite her suspicion, she acknowledges how much she likes Calvin. She makes sandwiches and takes them to him on his tractor.

Calvin takes a shower after his farm work and watches Grace in her red bikini, as she goes outside to read. He hears his younger brother Joe pull up in his truck and hastily dresses so he can intercept him before meeting Grace. Joe remarks on her beauty, and Calvin warns him not to interfere with her. Calvin introduces the two, and Grace asks Joe to look at her car.

As Grace watches the brothers walk away, she feels there is an underlying problem with them and the ranch.

Joe tells Calvin that the repairs to Grace’s car will cost $600. Calvin asks Joe to go out with him for a beer. Joe asks Grace if she would like to come with them. The three go to the Rustic Pine Tavern, where Grace attracts attention from locals. They drink beer and play darts, at which Grace excels. Calvin is surprised by her ease. As he buys more beers, Charlotte joins him at the bar, having seen Joe’s truck outside. The four talk, drink, and play pool as two teams. When a favorite song comes on the jukebox, Charlotte drags Calvin to the dance floor and Joe asks Grace to dance. Separated during the dance, Calvin sees Grace push and slap Joe. Joe staggers toward her, and Calvin punches him in the face. He offers to drive the drunken Joe home, but he refuses and walks out of the tavern.

Calvin and Grace drive a drunken Charlotte home. Grace stays in the truck while Calvin helps Charlotte to bed. When he returns, Calvin asks Grace what Joe said that caused her to slap him; she refuses to answer. In turn, Grace asks Calvin about Joe’s history; he refuses to answer.

The next morning, after finishing chores, Calvin goes to Grace’s door and listens to see if she is awake. Standing outside, she asks what he is doing. He apologizes for the previous night and offers to reimburse her if she wants to leave. Grace reminds him that her car needs to be fixed, but she will stay for his birthday party regardless. Calvin feels relieved, as “[y]ou can’t be mean to someone on their birthday, and you can’t leave them either” (137). Furthermore, Grace agrees to stay for the duration of her vacation if he promises not to keep secrets.

In preparation for Calvin’s party, Calvin and Grace go to the grocery store and fill a cart with food. Charlotte runs the cash register, wishes Calvin well, and says she looks forward to attending the party that night. Betty greets Grace and asks if she is enjoying her vacation. She comments on her and Calvin: “Look at you two getting along so well. You’re not going to want to leave, Grace” (142).

Wrapped in a towel, Calvin enters the kitchen where Grace cooks. They kiss, but Joe interrupts to apologize for the previous night: “I’m not sure what happened. I hadn’t even drunk that much. […] Felt like I had been drugged or something” (145). He hopes his drunken behavior didn’t come between the pair, and reveals his friend, deputy, and Charlotte’s ex-husband—Wyatt—drove him to the ranch.

Calvin goes to the bedroom to dress, and Joe brings Grace a beer as she prepares brussels sprouts. Joe reveals Calvin hates brussels sprouts, and that people are treating him gingerly today because his girlfriend Lisa died on his birthday a year ago. When Calvin comes out of the bedroom, Grace forces him to eat three brussels sprouts. She then goes outside and meets Wyatt. She asks if the police have found the missing Briana, and he says they have found her car and phone. Charlotte arrives, and Grace realizes she has dressed like her. Wyatt tries to interact with Charlotte, but she ignores him. Betty arrives and tries to check the ranch’s beehives, but gets stung repeatedly. Dr. Reed and his receptionist, Patty, show up with steaks and a bottle of wine.

In the kitchen, Charlotte shows Grace where the corkscrew is. She taunts Grace about leaving in four days, but also says she hopes Joe keeps her in Wyoming.

Calvin watches the party guests move in and out of the house as he grills food. He listens to Wyatt and Joe speculate about why Charlotte divorced Wyatt. Joe says she must be cheating on him, which Wyatt never suspected. Betty and Joe ask Calvin about his relationship with Grace. He blushes and is noncommittal, but he desperately hopes she will remain with him.

In the kitchen, Betty asks Grace if she has gotten what she wanted from her vacation. Grace asks what happened to Calvin’s parents, but Betty refuses to answer. She then watches Charlotte try to get into Calvin’s good graces.

When the guests depart, Calvin finds Grace washing dishes. They embrace again, but Charlotte interrupts. Devastated, she rushes out and Calvin follows her. She insists Grace does not belong at the ranch and reminds him that they once made love. He responds, “Charlotte, I want every night with Grace, but with you, one night was enough” (168). She runs away.

Afterward, Calvin tells Grace that he has a surprise. Producing a picnic basket, he takes her to a pasture and spreads a blanket. Surrounded by candles, the pair make love. Grace again asks about Calvin’s parents, and he reveals they died in a fire. She then asks what Charlotte meant by saying Joe might keep her in Wyoming. Calvin explains Joe’s drunk driving is what killed his girlfriend Lisa, and that he was punished with six months in prison.