Original subtitles

The last time I was truly happy was at prom, Johnny.

Look at me.

I'm a grown woman in a loveless marriage.

Every day we've been together, we're just playing a part.

My heart is with Billy now.

And yours is with Betty.

That's right.

I know about her. Hold on. You're saying that she knows about Betty?

Dot is clearly better for him. Oh, please.

That was only in it with Johnny, because she was teased that Billy dumped her

senior year.

He's with Betty now, but just wait. In the next book, he'll go back to Dot.

You'll see.

Marcus Harlow, you are a genius.

Ruby, dear, there's something that we wanted to discuss with you.

There's another blind date ambush, because you know how badly that went

time. What?

I supposed to know the chiropractor was an oddball?

He seemed perfectly nice when I gave him your number at the coffee shop. He

claimed he was allergic to water.

I appreciate that you all want to help, but I don't need my mom and her friends

playing matchmaker.

Honey, don't you think that it's time that you loosened up on this dating?

You find one thing wrong with the guy, and that's it. There's nothing wrong

having high standards.

Besides, I really want to focus on my writing right now.

Before I can even think about dating.

I need to get a book deal.

That's actually what we want to discuss with you.

You remember that retreat that I mentioned to you a couple of weeks ago,

that is happening at the same time as my yearly trip to Tahoe?

You mean the sweepstakes to win a book deal that you said was the opportunity

a lifetime?

It is not a sweepstake. It is, in fact, a very competitive process.

And I...

submitted your Viking story on your behalf.

You what?

You did it.

You're in.

Dear Miss Easton, congratulations. You have been accepted to the annual Romance

Writers Retreat at the West Twin on Lake Tahoe.

Congratulations.

Wait, a Romance Writers Retreat?

Seriously, Dean?

It's good money, Woody.

You know, your old man used to love having events like this here.

Yeah, this is not what I had in mind when I took over running this place.

Is that right? And what exactly did you have in mind, huh? A nature enthusiast

and expert climbers only convention?

Actually, yes.

Well, we could use the publicity, Woody.

I realize the timing isn't great.

What do you think?

Look, kid, you're still smart over your breakup. I get that. The last thing you

need is all this...

romance mumbo -jumbo going on, but we can use the money.

Okay, so what? We're just going to start pandering to the pumpkin spice latte

crowd now, huh?

Well, look, look, this Marcus Harlequin, or Harlow, whatever the heck his name

is, apparently he's a big -time writer, you know? We're lucky to have him.

And who knows? Maybe this will be just the ticket to get you over your broken

heart, yeah?

Here.

A week in the wilderness to discover the art of penning true love.

And while you're hosting the writers, I'll be taking some much -needed time

A little staycation, as it were.

It'll be good for you to run the place without me doing the heavy lifting.

And when Marcus Harlow arrives, he's all yours.

I prefer the expert climbers.

You took one of my stories and you sent it to this pyramid scheme behind my

back. It's not a pyramid scheme. It's incredibly competitive.

They only take three writers a year.

It's easier to get into Yale than it is to get into this.

Okay, I didn't know that part.

But still.

You've been trying for years to get a book off the ground. I just wanted to

you a boost.

Yeah, but this is not my thing. I mean, look at this.

Hiking?

Canoeing? What does any of this have to do with writing?

Who cares?

It's Marcus Harlow. The same Marcus Harlow you've been obsessed with for

It's a chance to learn from your hero.

It's not good at the outdoors.

Just get over it.

I'm very prone to mosquito bites.

Use bug spray.

What if he doesn't like my writing?

I will be there as moral support.

I've always wanted you to come to Tahoe with me.

Now's the perfect time.

I just... I wanted to get a publishing deal the real way, just me and my

writing. A retreat, there's so many other things to think about.

Give it a chance, honey.

Worst case scenario, you'll be having a nice vacation with your mom, long

overdue.

The dead light to commit is tomorrow.

I need the night to think about it.

Okay. Fine, fine. Think on it.

Marcus Harlow, you are a genius.

Mom!

Okay, I'll go.

But you have to promise not to hover and to actually be on vacation.

I guess we're going to Tahoe.

Mr. Harlow.

I'm Woody.

Welcome to the West Wing. Call me Marcus. Looking forward to working

Can you give me some insight on what you have planned for tomorrow?

First things first, the kitchen's open until 10. We don't do late -night meals

here.

Trail maps are available in the lobby, so we've got some really great heights.

assume you have an itinerary of the activities?

Sorry, come again?

You're the activities coordinator, right?

Activities coordinator.

But... You proved it, did you not?

I hope you don't mind I put your picture off the internet.

Dean must have forgotten to... You know what, just tell me what you need from

me. Well, since the writers need to follow the theme of love in the

I assumed you would plan some wilderness activities for them to draw inspiration

from? Can't actually spend the whole week only talking about, right?

I'm taking care.

Right, right, right, right. Of course. Wilderness activities.

No, I did plan. I just, um... Look, I wanted it to be a surprise.

That's all.

No, the wilderness is an unexpected place.

There's no itineraries in the mountains.

Unpredictable weather.

Bear attack at noon, right?

I like it.

Expect the unexpected.

Right.

Anyway, your room keys?

If you need anything, just holler.

Right -o.

And just make sure there are a lot of dairy -free milk options for him, okay?

Dairy -free milk options.

Mom,

the pink is cute, but don't you think it's a little, I don't know, loud for

arrival? I like to make an entrance.

Oh, do you smell that?

That is real oxygen, kid.

Welcome to the West Wing.

Oh, well, hello there.

Check it in.

More like checking out.

You know what I mean?

What was that?

Yes, we were checking in. I'm here for the romance writers retreat.

Are you both writers?

Oh, no, no, no.

She's the brains. I'm just here on vacation.

Well, breakfast is at 9 a .m. every morning in the lodge. Okay.

Thanks. So, you're a romance novelist.

Kind of.

I'm, uh...

I'm an accountant.

I'm just trying to be a novelist.

You're in the packet, right? You're the activities coordinator?

Yep.

I'm in the packet.

So, I'm not great with outdoorsy things.

We're not going to be doing anything too dangerous, are we?

Nothing too bad.

I thought we'd start out with some...

Whitewater rafting. Maybe check out some of the bear caves nearby.

Joking.

You're a group of writers. I'm working on the assumption. I gotta go easy on

guys. Very funny.

Hey, have you seen Marcus Harlow around yet?

Yeah, he arrived earlier today.

What's he like?

I don't know. He's a guy.

Well, it would be a little bit more descriptive.

Like you're the writer, that's your job.

I'm just an activities coordinator, room 23.

Bears pray.

Tourists.

I didn't see you.

Um, that... Thank you. That's quite all right.

Are you Marcus Harlow?

That's me, and you are?

Ruby. Ruby Easton.

I'm one of the writers here for the retreat.

Ruby, yes. Of course, your story about how calling was one of my favorites from

the submissions we received.

Really? Oh, absolutely.

Your voice is...

Refreshing. That ending was heartbreaking.

Wow, that means so much coming from you. Thank you.

You know, I have a book club at home, and we read all of your books, and I

have... Marcus, I have Erica from the studio on hold. She's asking about the

film rights.

I have to take this. It was nice to meet you, Ruby. I look forward to working

with you. You too.

This is Marcus.

Who is it?

Woody.

activities guy.

Oh, right, yeah. Come in.

You left this downstairs.

Thank you.

This too.

Are you expecting to fight a lot of bears while you're here?

Uh, no.

Why?

Aren't there a lot of bears here?

Yeah, there's a few.

But don't worry, I'm sure with your industrial -sized can of mace, You will

them away.

Very funny.

I need to keep unpacking.

Sure.

Oh, and just one more thing. Keep an eye out for the mountain lions.

They like to claw at the windows at night.

That's not funny.

It really is, though.

There she is.

Hey, can I get you something and a drink?

Sure. You really do all of the jobs around here, don't you?

I do what I can.

Woody was telling me that this hotel's been in his family for generations.

Yeah, the land has been ours since the mid -1800s. A little oasis from the

outside world.

That's nice.

Enjoy your night, ladies.

He is so dang cute.

Yeah, in a lumberjack kind of way. Did you know his ancestors were famous

pioneers? And they smuggled hooch during Prohibition.

More importantly, I just met Marcus Harlow. And he remembered my story. His

assistant interrupted him to take a phone call about film writing. I think

might be Marcus Harlow movies soon.

I told you coming here was a good idea.

I don't know how I'm going to get any writing done with all the outdoor

activities they've jammed into the schedule.

Sorry. Um, I can now put over here. Are you here for the retreat?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, um, I am, and she's here for vacation.

Oh. Well, I'm Rachel. Hi. You must be Ruby. Yeah.

I read the program, and I know the other writer, but your name was the only one

I didn't recognize.

Oh, yeah, I'm, uh, well, I'm new at all of this. She's new.

Oh. Well, I was just about to meet the other writer on the lawn.

Do you care to join?

Okay. Yeah.

Yeah, is that okay? That would be nice.

He's a bit of a curmudgeon at first, but that's just how writers are. They're

competitive and petty.

But I promise you, once you get to know him, he's great once you peel back the

outer layer.

So how does this whole thing work?

The retreat, I mean. But honestly, whoever wins the book deal is usually

who Marcus is gunning for. Right.

Here he is.

This is Fitz.

Our competition.

Hi.

This must be the mysterious young novice.

Yep, that's me. How did you manage to sneak in under the fence without ever

publishing?

Nepotism? College connection?

My mom submitted one of my stories without me knowing.

I've been trying to get a book deal for a while, and I guess she just thought

this was a better idea.

I love that.

A tremendous...

first act set up the consummate underdog so do you have a lot of books published

already i prefer historical dramas but romance pays the bills i publish

under my pen name judith blue you're judith blue

guilty wow fierce competition i have a feeling they're gonna be

just fine

May the best book proposal win.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is our curmudgeon.

Morning.

Please tell me you're not planning on wearing those.

What? What's wrong with these?

You didn't bring hiking boots?

I'm here to write a romance book proposal, not learn how the Neanderthals

I'm pretty sure Neanderthals didn't wear hiking boots.

Whatever. You know what I mean.

They're just shoes. They'll be fine.

They look good now.

Welcome to the start of this year's retreat.

And I have some very exciting news.

Gull Publishing has upped the book advance money to $120 ,000 for this

winner. I know, I know. Pretty hefty chunk of change.

Now, as you all know, we really want you to lean into this year's wilderness

theme and incorporate as much as you can into your proposals. Woody, want to

come over here?

This guy.

He is going to be the key to your proposals.

Woody here is going to take us on various nature -themed excursions over

next week, introducing us to the ways of the mountain man.

Isn't that right, Woody?

Right. I mean, I'd say more mountain man -like.

Diet mountain man. That'll do fine. We don't want anyone falling off a cliff

now, do we?

Didn't get insurance for that.

All right, shall we head out?

You know what? Woody, on second thought, you take the reins on this one.

I've got some business to attend to.

Everyone, have fun.

Okay.

Guys, we're going to partner up. Everyone just do a little buddy system,

and Rachel.

You're with me, attend the shoes.

Pick up the pace.

We've got to catch up to the group.

Well, great.

Looks like we're hiking Everest today.

Let's go and finish shooting.

Right here

is where my family originally wanted to build the hotel.

It's a better view.

But the avalanche risk is too high for comfort.

Can

you

help me?

Okay.

Great. Berries.

Looks delicious, right?

Yeah. No, not so fast.

In general, stay away from any white or yellow berries. That is, unless you're

into any poison.

Am I going to have any time today to work on my proposal?

We haven't even gotten to the hard part yet.

Great.

The Jeffrey Pine.

The most abundant type of tree here in Tahoe.

It's got some of the longest needles of any pine.

Ruby?

Ruby! Oh, over here!

What are you doing?

Uh, I'm writing. No, I mean, what are you doing here alone?

What happened to the buddy system?

Well, I thought I would take a break, and then I got an idea, and I thought I

would write my idea down.

And I guess I just lost track of time.

But if I want to submit a great proposal, I need to spend as much time

as possible.

How'd those shoes work out for you?

They worked out perfectly, thank you.

Look, next time we're out in the woods, I'd appreciate it if you stuck with me.

I just need to make sure that Marcus is impressed by this proposal.

It's a deal with this Marcus guy.

I mean, is he really that important?

He's only the greatest romance novelist of all time. This book deal could change

my life, and I am very out of my league here.

So I need to get a head start on my proposal.

I came here to write, not to climb mountains.

Fair enough.

But when I'm leading an activity, just stick to my rules, would you?

Got it.

What?

My feet maybe hurt.

Yeah, I called it. I knew it.

Oh, look, just jump on.

Are you kidding?

I'm serious. Hop aboard the Woody Express.

Don't be ridiculous. I can walk.

Ah! The final offer is going in three, two, one. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay,

just...

You can't tell anybody about this, okay?

Promise me.

Hi,

hon. How was your first day?

The activities guy just had to carry me down the mountain. And apparently the

book deal is worth $120 ,000.

So, no, no pressure.

Bazooka. That is a lot of change.

And you should see the other writers.

They're so professional and professorial and pernicious.

And did you know that Judith Blue is a guy?

I always thought Judith Blue excelled at male characters.

Darling, what makes you strong as a writer is that you follow your instinct.

Well, my instincts just about landed me in a patch of poison ivy, and I do not

have the proper footwear.

Why didn't you ask Marcus for help?

That's the other thing.

He was only there for a grand total of two minutes before he had to rush off.

I should go get some writing done.

Don't you want to stay?

Hang with your mom?

I should really stay focused.

I'll see you later.

Okie dokie.

Oh, too bad about your shoes there.

Yes. Ow.

Oh, gotcha.

Pardon me.

That's all right.

I was trying to enjoy the view of the lake.

Kept noticing the leaves musting it all up.

Then I couldn't sit still.

I know the feeling.

Yeah, can't have leaves bombarding a beautiful lake.

Oh.

I'm Dean.

Diane. Diane.

Well, Diane, coast is clear.

Nothing but unobstructed blue water and a leaf -free beach.

My work here is done.

Thank you, sir.

Hey there.

Hi. How was the hike?

It was great.

It was great.

Are you moving rooms or something?

Oh, no.

I have to jet off for a few days. There's a studio in L .A. that's

of my novels, so duty calls.

Wow, that's so awesome.

Not to worry. I'll be back in a few days. And my assistant Tim has all my

Besides, the first bit is really about the wilderness theme, so you're in good

hands with Woody.

Good luck in L .A.

See you soon.

Mom, this feels like summer camp.

I still don't understand what tromping around in a mountain is going to do for

my writing.

It's the first day.

Give it a chance.

Marcus left for L .A. for a few days. I mean, what's the point of all of this if

he's not even here?

Well, he's a successful guy. Things like this are to be expected.

I guess I was just looking forward to getting to know him, that's all.

And I stupidly hoped that he would take me under his wing.

You never know.

to happen. Not if he's not here.

What should we do for dinner?

I'm afraid I can't do dinner tonight.

I have a date.

With who?

A handsome man who is raking the beach.

Toodaloo.

Raking the beach?

I'm glad to see your feet are feeling better.

Yeah, they are.

Thank you for your help earlier.

No problem.

Although my back might be feeling it tomorrow.

Where can I get some dinner around here?

There's a barbecue being served out back.

I highly recommend it.

Thanks.

Who's that?

Her.

She's one of the writers.

Close your jaw there, pal. You're staring.

What? No, I wasn't. Yeah?

Nah, she's, um, look, she's practically incapable of being outdoors.

Should have seen her on the hike today. She's not cut out for nature. And

besides, you know the rule.

No dating guests.

That rule's nonsense.

Where are you going?

We'll have a date.

With a guest.

Don't you ever stop?

What?

Writing.

Is that pen fused to your hand or?

See those writers?

They're a part of a club I'm nowhere near a part of yet.

What club? The Fedora meets caffeine addiction club?

It's better than a bays in the river and only where it's flannel club.

Touche.

They're both successful.

and published me i just have a stack of rejection letters this might be the only

chance i have to get into that club you know well look you should join us to

make some s'mores i would love to but i really need the book deal

come on what's a couple hours of socializing gonna do i really got to

Never wonder if the thing keeping you out of the club isn't actually other

people not wanting you there, but you refusing the invite.

Anyway, I hope the writing goes well.

So you can carry your own weight from the lot.

Nice shoes.

How did you know my size?

I took a guess.

So, what are we doing today?

We are hiking.

Again? Didn't we already do that?

Don't worry.

This mountain's bigger.

Bigger? As in taller?

You bet.

Buddy sees them again today.

Tim, go join up with Beth and Rachel.

How did the others get ahead so quickly?

Wait, how high up are we going exactly?

Don't worry, Ruby.

People do this every day.

Hey, I didn't get to say thank you for the shoes, so thank you.

Yeah, don't mention it.

It's really more of a gift for me than you.

I'm trying to avoid having to carry you down another mountain.

Fair enough.

Uh, we're not going all the way to the top of that, are we?

Oh, yes, we are.

I'm just not very good with heights, and I'm not very graceful.

Yeah, I gathered that.

Here.

What's this?

Sugar. And this will help with the altitude.

Look, we can take it at your pace.

Maybe I should just wait in the van?

Just one step at a time, Ruby. You got this.

Okay?

Okay. But what are we going to do when we get up there? And how are we going to

get down? Don't worry about it now. Just look at me.

Now, how's this for some first -class inspiration?

Like, uh, Thoreau's first glimpse of Walden. See, I can do literary

too. Walden was flat.

Somehow I'm sensing a theme here.

I can't do this. I can't. I just can't.

It's fine.

You can't get to the top of a mountain and miss the view.

You got it? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

There you go.

Get your head.

Describe what you see.

What do you mean?

You're a writer.

Describe what you see.

Well, I see trees woven into a green blanket.

What else?

A cerulean sky.

Earthy fresh air.

And over there, there's the peak of a mountain that's still clinging to

It's very writerly.

Oh, come on.

What? What's the rush?

You see how the leaves on the trees are starting to flip over?

Yeah, I see the lighter underside of them.

It means the rain is coming, so we should probably, you know, Pick up the

Fitz! Rachel!

Romance people!

Let's call it a day, shall we?

One thing about New Yorkers is they do know how to whistle. I'll give them

How's that for some rain, huh?

Oh, wow.

I love it.

Oh, my gosh.

This is crazy.

I know.

I know.

Why?

Do you want any help?

No, no, no. You go on. No, really. I don't mind.

I owe you for the boots anyway. Really, it's okay. Just go inside.

Stay dry. I want to help. What can I say?

I'll grab the rope, all right?

All right. Good?

One, two, three.

Woo!

Oh, you really weren't kidding when you said it was going to rain.

I'll grab some tow. Okay.

That was crazy.

Oh, thank you.

Oh. Oh, that's okay.

Backup generators are kicking any minute.

Backup generators, pooch.

Or not.

Everyone, not to panic, just a little power outage. I'm going to build a fire

and we can all wait it out together.

Sorry, just might take a few hours to get everything back up and running. It

takes screws a little bit longer to make it up here. I'm going to grab some

extra candles. I'll be right back.

So much for pottery class.

You're sopping wet.

I know.

I climbed a mountain today. You climbed a mountain?

Yeah. Crazy, right? Who convinced you to do that?

Buddy, actually.

Mom,

I know that look.

Stop it.

Can you blame me?

You're such a hunk. I mean, I bought paper towels from less good -looking

spokesmen. You remember? Yes, I remember.

Woody, hey, um, how long will we not have power?

Because Marcus is going to kill me if I don't connect with him, like, like now.

Yeah, it could be several more hours.

Great.

So,

uh, when did Marcus say he was going to be coming back?

Sometime tomorrow or the next day.

I'm not sure.

What's it like working with someone who's so talented?

It's good.

Only a few hours and people are already going through crazy.

Yeah, well, there's not much to do to pass the time.

Sure there is.

Like what?

When I was a kid, my dad used to tell stories to wait out big storms.

What kind of stories?

Well, actually, it was the same story over and over again about how he

and my mom met.

Well, tell us.

Really? Yeah, I want to know.

Okay.

Well, my father was a big guy, all right?

Barrel chest, gigantic hands, real salt -of -the -earth type.

He's about 25 years old, and he's decided he's going to live entirely in

woods. No phones, no cars, no outside contact, no running water.

Nothing. Why?

Well, he'd just gotten dumped by his college sweetheart, and I guess he just,

you know, wanted to empty his head for a bit, you know, give himself some quiet

time. So he just ran.

I'm not saying it was a rational response, but that's what the big man

Anyway. You know, out there in the woods, and he's got this routine going.

Okay? He'd wake up early. He'd take a walk down to the river. He'd get a swim

in.

Journal. Do some fishing.

The man would ponder all of life's big questions.

And then at night, he'd head back into camp and watch the stars come out.

So my dad, he does this every day for almost a year.

And every day, he'd ask himself,

Am I ready?

Am I ready to open up again to love?

And every day he'd decide against it.

So on the 365th day, my dad goes about his usual routine, and at the end of the

day, he asks himself that question, right? I mean, it's been a year.

He should be ready, right?

So he looked up at the stars, and he said, today's the day I am to open up

again.

Please give me a sign.

Well, the power's back on.

Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes. That's good.

Good. It's a very good story. It's so good.

It's a very good story. I'll hear the rest later, okay? It's weird, huh?

So, what happened?

Yeah. With your dad?

Well,

he asked for a sign, and he heard a splash.

Follow the noise down to the river, and what did he find?

My mother.

There she was.

She was taking a night swim, and this big bearded man comes crashing out of

woods, and he scared the heck out of her, and she threw a shoe at him.

Came out looking like Tarzan with Jane, and they were inseparable ever since.

Sorry.

I should probably go help out with the generator.

Hey, what are you doing up?

Oh, is it okay that I'm working here? I couldn't sleep.

No, it doesn't bother me at all.

What are you doing up?

I want to see.

Okay.

What exactly are we doing?

We are going to see Cygnus.

Who? Here, have a seat.

Ah, there.

What's it supposed to look like?

It's a swan.

Huh.

So you stayed up until the middle of the night to look at a swan made out of

stars.

Well, when you say it like that...

Yeah, I mean, it sounds a little crazy, but it's a lucky constellation.

Growing up, my dad considered the day that constellation showed up as the

official start of our busy season.

He'd come out and sort of just stare up at it.

Good luck.

After he died a few years ago, I decided to carry on the tradition.

Sorry to hear about your dad.

Sounds like he was a great person.

He was.

And it's okay. I mean, this is probably all mumbo -jumbo, but it can't hurt,

right?

But we need the luck this year.

You know, I didn't realize you'd just taken over running the place.

Why's that?

You're good at what you do.

I grew up here, so I never really knew anything else.

Plus, Dean's always here to keep an eye on me.

My mom seems to like him a lot.

Well, you know, he's quite taken with your mom, too.

Good. It's about time she focused on herself for a change.

What do you mean?

Well, the only reason I'm here is because my mom submitted one of my

without telling me.

Nope.

She's been trying to get me to come up here with her for years.

So I guess she was just trying to find the right thing to convince me.

And what?

Better way to get me up here than a chance to meet Marcus Harlow.

To be honest, I mean, I don't really understand why people flock to Marcus.

I mean, the guy left his own writing retreat.

His books are brilliant.

And he's one of the highest -selling romance authors of all time.

He knows what he's talking about.

You should read some of his work. Then you'll understand.

Not really my cup of tea.

What?

Romance novels?

All that fairytale nonsense.

It's not what real love is like, you know?

Real love is messy and complicated.

Just read a Marcus Harlow novel before you decide you hate it.

Have you heard the myth of Cygnus?

It's a swan.

Zeus disguised himself as one to seduce Leda.

Swans tend to be a symbol of deception.

See, they're beautiful.

They seem harmless, but they can be brutal.

Sort of like an ancient Greek version of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

They're a little on the nose, don't you think?

I'm just saying.

There's got to be other ways to be a good writer than to follow a bunch of

confusing rules.

And don't you think that you should listen to people who know better than

Not at the expense of our own voice.

Sorry, I'm saying too much.

No, it's okay.

It's late.

I should head inside and try to get some sleep.

Good night.

Night.

Tired?

I couldn't sleep last night.

I can't tell you how happy I am that we are not hiking today.

Hey. Marcus is still in L .A., so we're going to be switching up the schedule.

Pack your bags, because for the next two days, we're going to be camping in the

mountains.

Camping? As in sleeping outside?

I have tents. Don't worry.

Okay, but how are we supposed to work on our proposals if we don't have our

laptop?

Newspaper. In the meantime, Tim made some copies on Marcus' tips and tricks

how to make your projects more marketable.

Here.

Don't think it, write it.

Is there enough love?

This is like a series of bumper stickers. What does this even mean?

Don't ask me. I'm just an activity guy.

Bus leaves in ten minutes.

Is it always like this?

What, pitching a tent?

No, professional writing.

Is it always this perplexing? I mean, does anyone even know what any of these

rules mean?

I know you probably thought you'd come here to get a bunch of tips from Marcus,

but I just think you're looking at it wrong.

How so?

You don't need Marcus telling you how to be a good writer.

Believe me, I read your story.

Did he ever help you with your writing?

In a way, I suppose.

Well, what kind of advice does he give you?

The other day he told me to find the plot.

Find the plot?

Yeah. Find the plot. Be one with the page.

Seriously?

Yeah, I don't get it either.

I can't wait to see what dark we get on board.

Marcus, we're not going to be able to greenlight Lakeside Affairs.

Why not?

I thought the studio approved it to be stopped by the end of the year. All the

contracts are cleared. Yeah, the studio head is looking for a bigger time period

piece. Something older, maybe medieval.

I've got just the thing.

An expansive, epic love drama about

a war -torn Viking who falls in love with a woman who washes ashore after

a shipwreck.

It's called Valhalla Calling.

Two words.

Love it. When can we read it?

Well, I need a...

A little more time to clear some things up with it. I wasn't planning on using

this one so soon.

Give me until the end of the week.

Sorry. I can sob if you need to work.

No, it's perfect.

You should keep playing. I love it.

All right.

I wish you had your laptop.

No.

I'm actually really enjoying free writing.

I'd live out here if I could.

Why? Have a broken heart like your dad?

Actually, I did just go through a breakup a few months ago.

Oh.

Sorry, I didn't realize.

It's okay.

Yeah, she wasn't the right person.

Why not?

Um, well, on paper, she was great.

She liked all the things that I like.

Checked all the boxes, but I don't know and it just sometimes it's just It's not

there, you know?

Yeah.

What about you?

What, you had any big loves in your life?

No. You gotta get your inspiration from somewhere. Oh, no, I am way better at

writing about love than I am at actually eating it.

Really? Why is that?

I think it's easier to design the perfect person when you're writing.

I've dated a bit, but I haven't connected with anyone yet.

And... I tend to spook.

Spook?

I don't know. I just... I think I have an idea of what I want, and when someone

doesn't thrive to that, I... spook.

I haven't been great in relationships because...

Romance novels are the standard I hope people do.

That's a lot of pressure.

Yeah.

Probably unfair of me.

Maybe it's time to let something real in.

I think Fitz is fighting with his test again. I just don't understand why he

keeps getting caught in the zipper. I mean, it's not that hard.

Anyway.

Fitz!

I'm coming, man.

Ruby, what are you doing? Woody!

What are you doing?

Everyone's sleeping.

I'm tracking.

Huh?

Tracking. Test if a good tracker's to do it before sun's up.

Do you ever sleep?

Uh, as the insomniac.

Are you writing again?

Yeah.

Come on, follow me.

Now?

Okay, but it's dark.

These are for her.

Come on.

Listen. What?

You hear that?

What?

You can't hear it if you're talking.

Just listen.

Is it water?

Right. I want you to lead me to it.

What? Track it. Me?

Find the water.

How?

Just follow the sound.

I can't do that.

Yes, you can, Ruby.

Stay calm, focus, find the water.

We should go back to camp.

Ruby, trust me, you can find it.

No, not that way.

I'm not a tracker. How am I supposed to know?

Just listen.

Turn up all the thoughts and really fully listen.

You got it.

I found it.

I can't believe I found it.

I guess the noise from the city didn't wring out your ears. It's good.

You know, the thought of... Being somewhere so remote

used to scare me.

How come?

The idea of the quiet and the space was intimidating.

What about now?

I see the appeal of it.

Yeah, you know, when I was a kid...

I always wanted to move out to the city.

My dad, uh... I used to give my dad a hard time for always keeping the hotel.

Really?

You wanted to live in the city?

Yep. Huh.

Oh, but then... Something shifted after he passed, and I realized that actually

this way of life is a gift.

What was that?

Was that a bear?

It's not fair.

I'm too small. It's probably a skunk. We're fine.

I probably seem like a paranoid tourist to you.

A bit.

That's okay.

I have to admit, I might have been a bit harsh on you.

It's not fair for me to really expect everyone to understand the way of life

here so quickly.

Wow.

I probably owe you an apology, too.

I don't think I came out here with enough respect for this place.

Bruce?

Who knows?

Maybe I'll have to make it a habit of coming out to places like this for

vacations in the summer.

Vacations, right.

Right. Yeah, I keep forgetting you guys are only here for a few more days.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So, what's the most important part of survival?

Staying in civilization.

Okay. When civilization isn't an option, what's the most critical skill to know?

Delta 50.

Absolutely right.

Today, I want you guys all to build a shelter using things only from the

All right, everyone pick a buddy. Let's do it.

This one's good.

What do you think?

I'm actually impressed.

It looks really good. Yeah, tee piecing worked out.

Yeah. Or you can place that branch. Let's see.

It's the door. Yeah, it's the door. Yeah.

Guys, Marcus is back.

I didn't realize you all would turn into woods people when I left.

Yeah, well, we had to find a way to occupy ourselves where you sold your

Hey, what do you say we call it? They have a decent amount of writing to get

done. Maybe we ought to head back to the hotel, let them work?

Yeah, well, isn't this part of the program? I thought you wanted them to

actually learn about nature.

This is what that looks like.

Hey, everyone, how about we get back to the hotel early, sleep in a real bed?

I definitely have a lot of writing to do, so maybe it's for the best.

Great.

Everyone get packed. Let's head back to the real world.

There you are. Oh, Marcus, hey.

I was hoping we could chat. Are you free for dinner tonight?

Oh, yeah, sure.

Great. Okay.

Nice to finally have some time together.

It is.

I'm sorry I've been so busy with the retreat.

I've been occupied with Dean.

Woody is sweet.

Yeah.

He's actually really nice.

Just nice?

There's nothing more there?

Mom, we live in two completely different places.

And I only met the guy a few days ago.

Nothing real can actually come from that.

Besides, now that Marcus is back, I really need to focus on the book deal.

Whatever happened?

I'm glad we had this time together.

Me too.

We should have done it earlier.

Oh, Woody the Woodsman!

Hey, Diane.

I was just about to do some canoeing. Do you care to join?

Uh, no.

No, I look terrible in like that.

Why not?

You can't spend every waking hour writing.

Sure. I guess I can go.

Well,

no vest, no canoe.

Oh, thanks.

Have fun, you two.

Mommy, you're not coming?

No, no.

I'm going to the spa for a massage.

You two go along. Have fun.

Hey, I'm sorry about the weirdness back at the campsite.

I think I was just enjoying camping.

It's Marcus's retreat and I should have never argued.

Yeah. It's okay.

I was actually really enjoying camping too.

You're not a bad tracker, you know that?

So, what are you writing anyway?

It's a story about two people who are a complete opposite.

but they need each other to survive.

It's not at all in line with any of the roles Marcus has given us, and it's

probably not very marketable.

His books are also commercial.

Mine just feel very specific to me.

It's really hard to figure out how to write like him.

Well, I think you should write what makes you feel good.

It's your book, not his.

This is my favorite view of the place.

Family's crown jewel.

Family's always uses hotels as a sort of paradise.

Sleepy travelers.

Yeah, I do feel like I've had a chance to breathe for the first time in a

Good.

I don't know if you know this, but I'm a little bit of a scary cat.

But I have surprisingly enjoyed all of your activities.

Wow. Do I sense a future nature lover for me?

Well, I am in a boat, and I'm not having a panic attack yet.

Oh, really?

Well, what if you didn't have a paddle?

What?

No, Woody, don't do that. I'm going to do it. Don't do that. We're going to get

stuck. Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't. No, we're going to get

They float.

You should have seen your face.

but I'm actually writing a new book that is about a sushi chef.

Really? Yeah. Wow.

So,

Ruby,

I have a proposition for you.

Oh?

Your story about the Viking romance, Valhalla Colony, what are your plans for

it?

Plans? Well, I mean, what's the end goal with it? What do you want to see come

of it?

I hadn't really thought about it.

Well, when I was in L .A., I found out that the head of the studio is looking

for something just like it.

Really? Yeah.

And I hope you don't mind, but I might have brought the project up.

Really? Of course I don't mind. That's incredible.

Yeah, and I was thinking you and I can work on it together.

Look, I really think this could be the thing that launches your career, Ruby.

Wow.

I don't know what to say.

What about the book deal and the rest of the retreat?

The book deal is peanuts compared to a movie deal.

I was kind of looking forward to finishing my proposal.

Tell you what.

How about I set everything up with Valhalla Calling, and you can focus on

proposal?

Okay.

Yeah, yeah, I guess that could work.

Great.

Now, the execs will want to have a video call to discuss everything tomorrow. Of

course, because they know me, it might be better if I take the lead on it. Is

that okay?

Oh, uh, sure.

Yeah.

Great.

This looks good.

Yeah.

Cheers. Cheers.

Whatcha reading?

Nothing? No, not so fast. I saw you.

Okay, what?

I wanted to know what the big deal was.

Sue me.

And?

What do you think?

He's definitely gonna pick God. Right?

Your, um, book proposal.

Looks great.

Have you seen my mom around?

She didn't tell you?

Tell me what?

She went on a date with Dean.

Oh, right.

I'm starving.

I went for dinner with Marcus, but the portions were for literal infants.

The kitchen in the lodge is closed.

There's not to worry.

I can open it.

Oh, you don't have to do that. Oh, not a problem.

Shall we?

Yeah.

You are going to like it. I would like any food right now.

This is exquisite.

I'm glad you like it.

I have danced in years.

Oh, no more reason to now.

Hey, what do you think you're doing?

What do you mean?

Well, if I'm opening this kitchen, you're helping me cook.

Look, in this house, you don't eat unless you work.

Oh, right, of course. Why would you serve me? It's not like I'm a guest or

anything.

So what's on the menu, chef?

Only the finest, most delicious, handcrafted artisan mac and cheese.

You need my help to make mac and cheese?

Let's try this.

Okay.

Come on, pick up the pace, Lopo.

I'm an accountant, not a chef.

Nope.

You're a writer.

Mm. Mm -hmm.

This is really hitting the spot.

Old family recipe.

Secret is too much cheese.

Yeah.

I see why you love it here.

Yeah, it's not too shabby.

More people should know about it.

Now you sound like my father and Dean.

Look, I know you want to keep it a hidden gem, but more people should

this. Yeah, I know.

Maybe I should give the latte crowd a chance.

The latte crowd?

Is that what you think I am? Please.

You have never ordered drip coffee in your life.

I hate that you're right.

I should probably go get some work done.

This late?

We pitch our proposals tomorrow.

And, um... Marcus offered to use one of my ideas for a movie deal.

It's pretty crazy, right?

Wow.

That's big. Did you accept?

Yeah, um...

Marcus says he has big plans for me.

And this could be huge and launch my career.

Exactly what I wanted.

But I thought you were super into this book deal.

I am.

But a movie deal could be even bigger.

You don't seem happy for me.

I'm just...

We already have people who over -promise and under -deliver, but I'm sure this

is really a big deal.

Congratulations.

Thanks.

Okay, I'm gonna go get some work done.

Thank you for the mac and cheese.

Good night, buddy.

Sequel to Lakeside Affairs.

Must be Marcus's.

Hey, Woody the Woodsman.

Mr. Harlow.

What's up?

I came to return this.

Oh.

Yeah, I hope you don't mind. I might have read some of the notes. There's a

sequel to Lakeside Affairs. It's a great ending, by the way.

Right, thanks.

Don't share anything you read.

Can't have spoilers all over the internet.

Yeah, right.

Well, I gotta jet.

Ruby and I have a big meeting today.

Sure, yeah. Good luck. Just look out for her, okay?

Sure thing.

Just remember, let me take the lead, okay?

Right. Sure.

I'm just nervous.

Don't be. You'll be great.

Marcus, so good to see you.

Great to see you, too.

Everyone, this is Ruby. She's the one helping me with Valhalla Calling.

Hi.

Love the pages you sent over. The Vikings thing is hot right now. So hot.

How about...

Modernizing it a touch. Okay, modernizing. How do you think we should

Space Vikings.

A steampunk future period piece.

That could work.

What? No, no, no, that's great. We can definitely adjust the time period.

And the female lead?

Let's lose the troubled past. It makes her read too unlikable.

Okay, we can definitely make her less problematic. Sorry, no, but her past is

what informs her character.

The entire crux of this story is that she's trying to discover what happened

before the shipwreck, and then she discovers that she wasn't a good person

before. We need our female leads to feel likable.

She's a Debbie Downer right now.

Debbie Downer. Can you give us a moment?

Sure.

Is everything okay? I don't think we should be making all of these changes.

It's always like this. What's the big deal?

The big deal is that you're taking my story and you're turning it into some

strange sci -fi space Viking thing that I don't want.

Ruby, Ruby, come on. This is not a big deal. These initial meetings are always

like this. In the end, none of these suggestions will stick.

We just need to go with the flow. Trust me.

Okay.

Yeah, I'm sure you're right.

You ladies.

Hey, Tim.

Everything okay?

You have a bit of a storm cloud over you.

Yeah. I guess it just gets difficult sometimes being invisible, you know?

You're not invisible, man.

Sure feels like it.

Can I get the check?

Sure thing.

Tim. Tim, wait.

You wrote it, didn't you?

I don't know what you're talking about. I found your notebook.

Okay, look, I assumed it was Marcus's and it has his entire next book in it,

it's your handwriting.

You're writing all of his stuff.

I should go.

Marcus should be out of his meeting by now. Come on, man.

Why are you ghostwriting for Marcus?

You're better than that.

I don't think you should trust Marcus.

What's going on?

He's not who he says he is, Ruby. He didn't even write Lakeside Affairs.

Tim is his ghost.

What are you talking about? His ghost writer.

Tim is the one writing all of his stuff and just pretending to be his assistant.

You've got to listen to me.

You know what?

This is insane.

I am just trying to make a career here.

And I don't need you interjecting, telling me who I should and shouldn't

to. Last time I checked, Marcus was the best -selling author, not you.

This is his area of expertise, not yours. I don't know if this is jealousy

what, but I am about to go do my book proposal, and I do not need this right

now.

Marcus is a great writer, whether or not you want to believe it.

Because what would some guy who spends all day hiking know, right?

I'm just an activities coordinator.

How can I possibly compare to the world's greatest author?

That's not what I said.

But it's what you meant.

Good luck with your pitch.

Quinn. Marcus.

Right on time.

I can't wait for you to hear these proposals.

Oh, perfect.

Ruby,

you're up.

So, Ruby, tell me about this story.

Uh, it's a story about a woman who meets a man who teaches her to let go of her

fears. And they grow to depend on one another for survival.

Well, it certainly reads well.

But we haven't done a quiet romance since... Oh, what was that book of hers

called again?

Which one? The one about the girl that gets trapped in the snowstorm with a

trucker.

Um, Snowfalling.

Thank you, Tim. Correct.

Right. Yeah.

Beautiful story.

It's getting harder to sell these quiet, simple love stories.

This may not be marketable, but it's real.

And maybe that's what the romance genre needs more of.

Love that feels real.

And is maybe imperfect at first.

Someone told me recently that true love is messy.

And I think that's more interesting.

Ruby's actually helping me right now with a big Viking project, Valhalla

Calling, so she has the range to do bigger commercial projects. Actually,

no.

Uh, I'm not.

Sorry?

I'm not letting you use my story for your movie deal.

I don't want you watering down my idea, and I certainly don't want you treating

me half as badly as you've treated Tim.

What is she talking about?

I... I don't know. Ruby, you might want to think about what you're doing.

I have.

I came here to meet my favorite writer.

I idolized you.

I had a book club dedicated to you.

And it turns out you didn't even write the book that I fell in love with.

Tim did.

Tim has been crafting all of your novels, hasn't he?

Marcus, you know our policy on ghostwriters.

Tim didn't write everything. He just helped.

Tim, is this true?

She's right.

Marcus hired me when I graduated from Indiana, and I've been writing

since.

It's just too scared to speak up.

Thank you for your proposal.

We will be announcing a winner shortly.

Marcus, I will deal with you later.

Have any of you seen Woody?

Good evening, everyone.

I want to thank you all for working so hard on your proposals.

There are certain criteria we look for in a book proposal, like market

viability.

But I'm tired of making decisions based on formulas.

So, Ruby, a quiet, simple, real love story is just

what the doctor ordered.

Even without all the frills, I can see your talent.

Welcome to Gelt Publishing.

Thank you so much.

I'm so proud of you. Thank you, Mom.

Give me a second.

I... Thank you for what you did.

I hope I didn't get you into too much trouble. Oh, actually, Quinn gave me a

book deal, too.

Oh, that's amazing.

Congratulations.

I'm really happy that I can finally say I met my favorite writer.

It means a lot to finally hear someone say that.

Congratulations, Tim.

Oh, Ruby.

You are so smart and so strong.

Do you think that we should celebrate your big publishing deal?

I have to go find Woody.

He helped me dodge the biggest bullet, and I was a huge jerk to him.

Go get him.

Ruby, what are you doing?

I'm canoeing. No, you're kayaking, Ruby.

Close enough. I can't get it to go straight.

Use both sides of the paddle like this.

I can't get over there.

Hold on. I'll come.

Hold on.

Hang on.

Hold on, hold on.

Good, good, good, good, good.

Got it?

Yeah, I got it.

Hi.

Hi.

How'd you know I was out here?

I guess all those tracking lessons came in handy.

You were right about Marcus.

He's a total fake.

He just wanted to change all of my work.

Well, I gathered that he was stealing Tim's work.

Well, you were right, and I should have listened to you.

I'm sorry if I made you feel like you were less than him.

You're a million times the man I'm looking for.

But it worked out okay.

I got the book deal.

You won?

I won.

right now make it okay

I think I need somewhere quiet to write my book.

Well, I'll tell you something.

She wants to stay out here in the wilderness.

You'll have me.

Yeah, we might have the space.

And I do run it in after all.