Both Reese and Emmett are extremely independent people but both take enjoyment in caring for others. As they explore their romantic relationship, they realize that allowing themselves to depend on and take care of each other doesn’t erase their own independence and, in fact, only strengthens their resolve in the face of adversities.

When Emmett first finds Reese hiding in the field manager’s spot in the dugout, she immediately becomes defensive. There is “not a chance in hell [she will] tell him [she] was having a sentimental moment in the place [she] used to hide out in as a kid” (34). This first instance exemplifies the emotional barriers Reese erects when she is around others. She does not feel comfortable sharing personal or vulnerable information with Emmett.

Eventually, the novel displays some of Reese’s home life. She lives by herself in a luxurious condo that she’s never brought anyone to—let alone a man. She is content with her solitude, and is willing to spend her life forever alone in favor of pursuing her career. Since her previous failed marriage with Jeremy, she’s “learned and accepted that most men don’t find [her] job impressive. They find it intimidating” (49). Her condo reflects this decision. Just as she lets no man into her safe space, she’s also resolutely against inviting another man into her heart.

Despite this conviction, Reese does place her trust in Emmett early after their first press conference, during which he supports her publicly despite their private arguments about letting go one of his video coaches. She hopes to have his support in an advisory board meeting when she brings up wanting to trade Harrison Kaiser, but when he votes against this decision, she is shocked: “It feels a touch too vulnerable to admit that I thought maybe, just maybe, he’d see my vision. That he’d have my back. That we could make a good team together” (62). She decides that relying on him—trusting him—was a mistake that she will not make again. This reinforces her dedication to remaining completely independent.

This conviction is repeatedly put to the test the more often she’s around Emmett. He continues to display protective and caring behaviors that slowly break down her walls and cause her to reconsider her stance on complete independence. His protectiveness over her makes her think “that if [she] ever gave [her]self permission to feel fragile, it’d be safe to do so” around him (86). Even before there’s a romantic relationship between Emmett and Reese, his very presence prompts her also to think about how she’s “been on [her] own so long now that [she] couldn’t tell you what it feels like to have someone think about [her]” (152). 

Similarly, Reese’s presence prompts Emmett to consider how he’s never had anyone look out for him throughout his adult life. When Miller shares her pregnancy with him and Reese, he can’t help but notice how nice it is to share exciting moments with someone else. He eventually decides to let Reese into his emotional world just as she does with him, and by the end of the novel, they have truly become a team both on and off the pitch.