Character Analysis
Okay, we're just going to admit it right off the bat. Wes is every girl's dream guy. He's gorgeous, he's fun, and he's a caring big brother. He's an artist with an ever-so-slight streak of the bad boy in him—but not enough to be scary. He's a great friend, and he's not really into appearances; he thinks girls with flaws are the interesting ones.
As Kristy would say, sa-woon.
The Strong, Silent Type?
We get to know Wes pretty well right alongside Macy, who plays a pretty telling game of Truth with the guy:
After only a few weeks, I know what Wes worried about, what embarrassed him most, his greatest disappointment. (12.51)
But even after weeks of telling each other secrets, Macy still doesn't know some of the more extraordinary things about Wes, like how his artwork has been recognized all over the place with awards and scholarships. She writes, "I couldn't believe he hadn't told me all this, but then again, I'd never asked. Quiet but incredible." (19.43) We guess Wes just isn't the type to brag.
But by letting Macy talk openly and answering her questions honestly, he's giving her exactly what she needs: "He was the one person I could count on, unequivocally, to say exactly what he meant, no hedging around" (19.60). This is a whole new world for Macy, who's spent a couple of years now doing a lot of hedging herself.
Lean On Me
Wes has a lot to deal with in his own past, like his stint in reform school and the death of his mother. But those things just help him understand Macy even better, and he knows just how to support her when times get rough:
When he first put his arms around me, it was tentative, like maybe he expected I'd pull away. […] I let Wes pull me against him, pressing my head against his chest, where I could feel his heart beating, steady and true. (16.40)
Instead of isolating his family members from each other, Wes's mom's death pulled them all closer together. Maybe because of that, he knows that friendship, loving support, and acceptance will help Macy heal, too.
And hey, dating hot guy couldn't hurt either.