Emmett Montgomery is a former MLB All-Star turned field manager for Chicago’s MLB team—the Windy City Warriors—and has held the position for over seven years. Though he comes off grumpy and “a little intimidating with [his] build and tattoos […] anyone who knows [him] knows [he’s] a nice guy until [they] piss [him] off” (14). Though he’s massive and muscular, he’s got warm brown eyes that give him a soft expression.

Emmett has an adoptive daughter named Miller who was the daughter of his previous partner, Claire. Emmett was with Claire for only a year before she passed away from cancer, leaving him a 25-year-old single dad. He dropped his career as an MLB player to focus on giving Miller a stable childhood and became too busy for romantic pursuits. Now in his mid-forties, he’s still yet to date other people since Claire. Emmett has viewed Miller as his “entire world” since she became his. However, Miller feels guilty over all Emmett had to “give up” to be her father. She regrets that he had to quit early which is why, now that she’s an adult, she’s pushing for Emmett to put himself first and find a partner.



Reese clearly recognizes the way Emmett cares for others and as she gets closer to him, she wishes to care for him and help him achieve his dreams, even if it’s simply coaching for the team and living in Chicago. She’s the first person in Emmett’s adult life to take care of and look out for him in the way he always does for others without expecting the same in return. She’s also very encouraging of Emmett prioritizing himself, stating at one point, “You made a lot of sacrifices at a very young age that you were happy to make, but you’re also allowed to be excited to live your life for yourself, Em” (219). Emmett, like Reese, learns The Duality of Independence and Interdependence as their relationship progresses.

The Rhodes are a combination of blood-related, adopted, and found family that make up the backbone of Emmett’s life. The Rhodes consist of brothers Kai and Isaiah and their wives Miller and Kennedy, as well as Kai’s son, Max.

Kai Rhodes, nicknamed Ace by the team, is the former Windy City Warriors’ ace pitcher. He joined the team a few years ago but retired at the end of last season. Kai made the decision to retire from playing to focus on his family. Now, he is part of the coaching staff alongside his future father-in-law, Emmett, serving as the team’s pitching coach.

Kai’s is engaged to Miller, who used to nanny for Kai’s son, Max. Miller is Emmett’s adopted daughter, whom he describes as “the wild child [he] raised who once never felt settled in one place” but now feels calm and at peace in Chicago with Kai and Max (10). In childhood, Miller learned to cook and bake because Emmett was terrible in the kitchen. Her love and talent for baking led to her traveling the country to create Michelin-star dessert programs until she settled down in Chicago and opened her own patisserie.

Isaiah Rhodes is Kai’s brother and a current player for the Windy City Warriors. After an impulsive Las Vegas wedding, he became married to Kennedy Kay—the team’s former athletic trainer who recently got promoted to the team doctor—which has remained strong ever since.

Scott, Phil, Ed, and two other unnamed men serve on the advisory board for Reese’s franchise. Phil is briefly in the novel and in all these instances, he is unimpressed with Reese and wears an expression “as if he’s about to have to repeat himself for the hundredth time to a child who can’t seem to grasp a basic concept” during every meeting (23). However, the most notable members of this board are Scott and Ed, who couldn’t be more opposite.

Scott is Reese’s least-favorite member of the board. He’s the closest to her age and “unbelievably entitled in his position” (25). Most of what he says to Reese is accompanied by a patronizing tone. When Arthur was owner, he hired Scott during his last few years to help him with the President of Baseball Operations portion of his job. Since Reese has taken over, she’s reclaimed that work for herself and Scott hasn’t taken it well. Scott continuously attempts to assert his power over Reese by arriving late to meetings, taking the liberty of calling meetings himself, or inviting others outside the board to meetings to back up his arguments. 

Scott is the most blatant example of the theme Female Authority Tested by Institutional Sexism throughout the novel. Not only does he subscribe to many sexist beliefs that prompt him to tear women down rather than support them in the sports business, he also uses blackmailing tactics specifically related to her romantic life to try to remove her from her position as President of Baseball Operations. His decision to threaten her and his panic when faced with the possibility that Emmett might quit his position instead to spare Reese losing hers is a double standard that Scott holds true to. He clearly values Reese’s contributions to the franchise much less than Emmett’s.

Ed is one of Arthur’s closest friends and Reese’s only avid supporter on the advisory board. While the four others are eventually fired because of their disrespect toward Reese, Ed’s support is rewarded with a promotion and pay raise. Ed becomes Vice President of Baseball Operations and the person handling the coaching staff of their minor and major league systems, as well as all coaching hires, promotions, and salary negotiations.