At Honky Tonk, Naomi steels herself to see Knox by telling herself she is the “ice queen swan” (454). When Knox arrives, he apologizes. Naomi offers little reaction. During the shift, however, a sexy woman wearing suede, stiletto-heeled boots and jeans that looked painted on comes in and kisses a stunned Knox. She comes over to Naomi and introduces herself as Lina, one of Knox’s exes. She wants to talk and takes Naomi to a biker bar.

Over drinks, Lina shares her story about her relationship with Knox some 10 years earlier: Knox dumped her after a sex-crazed month for the same reasons he dumped Naomi. Sloane joins them, and Naomi confides her concerns about getting guardianship of Waylay, given how attached Waylay and Knox are. They are commiserating over their broken relationships when Lucien and Nash walk in. 

Jokingly dubbing themselves the women’s babysitters, Lucien and Nash join the table. Naomi tells them about her frustrations, about how everything in her life seems “wrong or broken or a mess” (471). The table sympathizes. Lina suggests Naomi be strong as an example for Waylay. Nash tells her that Knox has been an emotional mess since their father developed an alcohol addiction when they were kids.