What was formerly sexual attraction deepens into emotional connection in this section between Emmett and Reese. In the middle of the media fire-storm surrounding Harrison Kaiser’s trade, Reese seeks comfort with Emmett. Reese’s decision to stay with Emmett in his hotel room mirrors the opening act where they stayed together in San Diego. The parallels of these scenes show the personal growth of both love interests, the development of their relationship thus far, and The Duality of Independence and Interdependence. Their interactions in this hotel scene are much deeper and more emotionally intimate than the prior one.

When Reese doubts herself most, she comes to Emmett for advice and affirmation. Emmett’s unwavering confidence in Reese is essential to her maintaining a steady head and outward confidence. These tender moments don’t only allow for Emmett to take care of Reese but also open a door for his care to be reciprocated. Even while “holding Reese, comforting Reese,” Emmett notes that he “might be the one who needs her” (285).

These chapters also test Reese’s confidence and authority more than ever before when facing Female Authority Tested by Institutional Sexism. A male podcaster calls the Harrison Kaiser trade “one of the worst moves [they’ve] seen in years” and makes a bold claim that “instead of hiring a president who actually knows a thing about the game, [Reese] decided she was capable of taking on the role herself” (279). Even her decision to call up Milo Jones to the majors is criticized more because of who she is than the decision itself: Though the media acknowledges his impressive stats, the credit for discovering the player is given to her grandfather, Arthur. It is as if the concept of Reese, a woman, discovering a hidden gem is unfathomable. Her former confidence surrounding Milo Jones’s talent wavers after his poor debut performance, as the scrutiny and criticism of overtly sexist voices in the industry rise to a crescendo.

Reese finds it increasingly easy to balance business professionalism with The Importance of Leading With Compassion after the Kaiser trade. She drops her “‘me against the world’ attitude” and accepts the support of Emmett and the team when “every single one of them who’s been interviewed […] has stood up for [her] publicly” (289). Her induction into the baseball family is proven with the way the team firmly call out reporters for asking disrespectful questions regarding Reese. At one point she notes, “it’s the Warriors against the world” (289). Further proof of this family dynamic is showcased in the scene where Emmett and the baseball players meet at the field on their day off to help Milo with his hitting.

The more compassion and support Emmett shows for Reese—and the more she witnesses him showing it to others—the more she considers the relationship they can’t have. As his direct superior, she acknowledges the “metaphorical rulebook” that would hypothetically advise against dating someone in her organization, and worries about the damage that would do to her reputation (311). She even acknowledges the rampant institutional sexism that would highlight her more in headlines should she follow through with a relationship with Emmett: The “situation would be entirely twisted to fit a narrative, and [she has] a responsibility to other women who are trying to break into this industry to not give [them] a bad name” (311). With all the barriers preventing them from pursuing their feelings for one another, the narrative tension is at its max.