I do kind of wonder how the story will string Ian and Lena together after the beach house if they broke up. If they were just friends before hand and had committed to other people (or any and all people), I can see how things could stay friendly. But if they blow up, rather than commit to any of the different relationship flavours, it seems kind of too far gone at that point to salvage.
I am getting more of a ~16 chapter vibe from the story at the moment, not a ~20 chapter, but there is a hell of a lot of plots to wrap up. Model shoot, living situation, book competition, battle of the bands, Ian's new job, MMA tournament, and the approaching end states for every character (especially Gillian, Axel, and Ivy). Things could definitely slow and spread if the late introduced characters get focused on. This red string is a winding.