Showrunner reveals Cole-Jackie pairing in season three finale

Season three of “My Life with the Walter Boys” finally delivers the long-awaited Cole-Jackie romance, but the victory is short-lived as the season’s finale tears the couple apart and leaves fans stunned.

The show’s adaptation of Ali Novak’s young-adult novel series has spent three seasons building tension between Cole, a transplant from New York adjusting to life in Colorado, and Jackie, the ranch owner’s daughter who has always seen him as more than a friend. The early seasons leaned on Cole’s grief over his family’s death and Jackie’s struggle to reconcile her identity as a queer woman in a traditional setting. Showrunner Marc Cherry told *The Hollywood Reporter* that the writers wanted to honor Novak’s ending but also give the characters room to grow beyond it. “We knew fans were desperate for Cole and Jackie to be together,” Cherry said, “but we also knew that real growth doesn’t come from easy endings.”

The season’s final act delivers exactly that. After months of slow-burn tension, Cole and Jackie share a heartfelt confession on a snowy night, only for Cole to leave Colorado the next morning for a job in New York. The abrupt departure leaves Jackie reeling and fans questioning whether this was the intended “happy ending” or a deliberate gut punch. Co-star Nikki Rodriguez, who plays Astrid, said the finale was “brutal to film,” but necessary. “Jackie’s journey is about learning to love herself first,” Rodriguez said. “And sometimes that means letting go of what you thought you wanted.” Nielsen data shows the season-three finale drew 1.2 million viewers in its first weekend, the show’s highest number since season one.

What happens next remains unclear. Cherry hinted that the series could continue on Netflix, but no renewal has been confirmed. Fans are already speculating about spin-offs, including one centered on Astrid and another following Cole’s life in New York. For now, the unresolved love triangle leaves audiences debating whether the season’s outcome was a bold creative choice or a misstep in fan service. Either way, the show’s ability to spark conversation—even controversy—proves its place in the crowded YA adaptation space.