Meet Me at the Lake

Ten years prior, Fern is living in Toronto and has been for the last four years for college. She has another week before she graduates, and everyone—her mother, her boyfriend Jamie, and her best friend Whitney—expects Fern to move back home to work at the lake resort.

It’s the final day of Whitney’s visit to Toronto. Fern had hoped that she could show Whitney more of the city, but they didn’t have enough time and Whitney never seemed interested. Fern feels guilty that she’s not excited to move back to the resort and live close to her best friend and boyfriend. After seeing Whitney off, Fern heads to her job at a coffee shop. She thinks about how everyone back home will still talk about her wild teenage years. Fern loves that no one knows her in the city.

Fern’s coffee shop is closed for the day. Her job is to supervise an artist painting a mural inside. Her coworker asks if she likes the mural, and Fern says it’s a bit basic. The artist, who has just returned from lunch, hears Fern’s comment. He jokes about it. Fern is surprised by how tall and handsome he is. The artist’s name is Will Baxter. He’s sorry that Fern thinks his work is basic.

Once they’re alone, Will asks for Fern’s honest opinion of the mural. Fern explains that she liked the whole shop better before the owners renovated it. Will understands. He grew up in Toronto, and every time he returns, things have changed, and he gets “the chance to get to know the city all over again” (21). Fern likes his perspective.

In the present, Fern cannot believe Will is here. They were 22 the last time they saw each other, and Will has completely changed. Jamie asks for Will’s name to check him in. Will is unsure if Fern recognizes him. Fern remembers everything about their day together and how it changed her life. She once thought that Will was her soul mate. She’s spent years wondering what happened to him.

Jamie checks Will into a cabin. Will says Fern’s name. Fern panics and excuses herself, running out the front doors. Will calls after her. Fern picks up the pace and trips, falling to the ground.

Will helps Fern to her feet. Fern snaps at him that she doesn’t need help. They confirm that they remember each other. Fern asks if Will got the date wrong that they were supposed to meet. Will explains that he’s a business consultant. He met Maggie last summer and they worked out a deal for Will’s services. Will doesn’t know Maggie died. He hadn’t spoken to her in a couple months. Fern explains that Maggie went out for ice because the ice machine broke. She was always going out of her way for the resort. It was dark, and she hit a deer.

Will realizes that Fern had no idea he was coming. Fern realizes that Will knew all along that this was her family resort and still made no effort to contact her in the last 10 years, even after making a business deal with her mother.

Will apologizes to Fern for her loss, and Jamie escorts Fern away. The last thing Will said to Fern 10 years ago was “You and me in one year, Fern Brookbanks. Don’t let me down” (29).

In the past, Fern watches as Will paints an airplane into the mural. Fern has a list of things she wants to do in the city before she leaves in nine days. She’d planned to add to that list, but she’s been distracted watching Will paint. Will jokes that he can feel Fern’s judgment and asks for some music.

Fern developed a love for music from Peter, her mother’s best friend. Peter has been around since Fern was a baby and played a role in raising her. The two regularly exchange playlists. She and Will put on one of Peter’s playlists, which Will enjoys.

Fern declares she needs coffee and offers to make some for Will. Fern enjoys making latte art for regular customers. Most of them get hearts, but for special people or special days, Fern will draw a fern. She doesn’t realize until she’s handed Will his coffee that she drew a fern for him.

Fern tells Will she’s moving home soon and has a list of things she wants to do in the city. Will jokes that one of her destinations is basic. Fern is nervous at how comfortable she already feels around him. Fern has been with Jamie since she was 18, and they worked together on the docks at the resort. Despite the rumors of Fern’s wild behavior, Jamie didn’t treat Fern any differently.

Will invites Fern to help him varnish so they can leave sooner. While they work, Will explains that he just graduated from an arts university. Fern asks if Will is a surrealist because he has a pin that says so on his collar. Will says his girlfriend gave him the pin ironically. Fern is disappointed to learn Will has a girlfriend.

They talk about Fern’s family. Things are complicated between Fern and her mother. Their relationship was strained during Fern’s teen years because her mother was always working. Fern read her mother’s diaries and saw something that set her on a destructive path. After four years, their relationship is finally recovering.

Like Will, Will’s mom is an artist. She looks down on Will’s work. She got him the job painting the mural because she knows the coffee shop owners. Though his mother hates it, Will prefers having boxes to work within, like comic strips. Will asks what Fern likes. Fern likes music, coffee, and walking around. Will is surprised to learn Fern majored in business management.

While Will cleans up, Fern notices Will has painted a small fern onto the rudder of the airplane. Fern loves it. Will offers to show Fern his favorite places around the city. Fern agrees, but feels guilty because she should only want to spend time with Jamie.

In the present, Fern wakes up around 2 am, experiencing insomnia. She’s sleeping in her childhood bedroom in the house she and her mother shared at the resort. She cannot believe that Will is there. She wonders how bad things must be for her mother to bring in a consultant.

Fern texts Whitney to tell her that Will Baxter is at the resort. Whitney knows who Will is because Fern was obsessed with him for a while. Whitney calls and they talk about Will and Whitney’s new life as a mom.

Fern is supposed to return to work the following week. She runs one location of a local coffee chain in Toronto. She dreams of one day opening her own coffee shop. Fern is at least a year out from being able to afford start-up costs. She knows she could sell the resort, but the thought makes her sick.

Fern wonders what happened to Will after all this time, why he never came to meet her like they’d planned nine years prior, and what brought him to the resort last year.

The following morning, Fern makes coffee from an instant single-cup machine. She hates this coffee, but it’s all she has. Peter drops off Fern’s mother’s diaries so Fern can have them. Peter is the resort’s pastry chef. He’s been there since before Fern was born. Peter hasn’t read the diaries; he’s just kept them safe. Peter recalls Maggie was happy about the deal she made with the consultant she hired.

Fern visits Will’s cabin across the way. Will also didn’t get much sleep. Fern invites Will to her porch for bad coffee. Will notices she made it how he likes. Fern asks about Will’s role at the resort. Will explains he has a soft spot for struggling businesses like the resort, so he and Fern’s mother agreed to a deal: four-weeks free stay for Will in return for his help. It’s a significant discount for Will’s services.

Will asks how Fern is doing. He knows she never wanted to run the resort. Fern feels sore feelings for Will coming up again. She tells Will that they were supposed to be here together a long time ago. She asks if he forgot. Will didn’t forget, but he feels Fern wouldn’t have liked the person he was then. Will excuses himself, leaving the offer to help the resort on the table.

In the past, while Will changes out of his coveralls, Jamie texts Fern. He asks if they can smoke a joint on the phone together. Fern texts him that she’s out, but she’ll be back in town soon. She hasn’t told Jamie how much she doesn’t want to return. Fern doesn’t tell Will about Jamie. She’s not a cheater, but for now, she wants to forget about what’s waiting for her at the resort. Fern likes the way Will dresses.

Will takes Fern on a streetcar and offers her a lemon candy. They talk about the pins on Will’s bag. One is a lemon embroidery done by Will’s girlfriend. Will likes lemon-flavored everything. Fern recalls how Jamie compared her to a lemon pastry because her sourness makes people appreciate her sweetness. They talk about Will’s other pins, which he’s collected in his travels. Will talks about his family. His parents are divorced. His mother lives in Italy now. He’s close with his younger sister, Annabel.

Fern talks about growing up at a resort and how she’s supposed to move home. Will realizes she doesn’t want to return by the way she talks. Fern insists she does, and Will encourages her to tell the truth since he’s basically a stranger.