Claire considers her impulsive decision to offer to share a room with Delilah, worried that her attraction to Delilah will resurface in close quarters. Delilah flirts with her before they get massages. Iris arrives. Though she resumes her usual hostility toward Delilah, she insists that the three of them should collaborate to stop Astrid’s wedding, declaring, “Even Delilah can see he’s a ghastly excuse for a human being,” leading Delilah to retort, “I’m going to choose to take that as a compliment” (132).

Delilah is skeptical of their goal to convince Astrid that she deserves romance and suggests that Astrid will resist any open manipulation; the three of them must find a way to get Astrid to realize on her own that Spencer is a bad partner. Claire is saddened by the realization that Astrid is so ready to accept such a bleak future. Iris declares that they have reached a consensus.

Delilah finds herself equally baffled that she has agreed to work with Claire and Iris to help Astrid, bringing her close to three people she planned to avoid. She blames her involvement on her sympathy for Claire. As they prepare for their massage, Claire comes close to Delilah to ask if their plan has any hope of success.