Chapter 25 Summary: Reese Faces Her Feelings
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Reese offers her stadium suite to Ed and his son Michael for the evening’s baseball game, planning to watch from elsewhere. While looking down at the dugout, she spots Emmett laughing with Kelly, a reporter who has shown romantic interest in him. Jealousy surges through Reese; she abandons her plan to visit him pregame and retreats to her office. After the team loses 6–4, she heads to the gym to work out alone. Emmett soon arrives, dripping sweat and visibly angry. They argue in silence until Emmett accuses her of having a date (Michael) in her suite. Reese clarifies that Michael is Ed’s son and that she is not interested in him. She in turn asks if he was flirting with Kelly. The argument escalates: Emmett cages her against the door, reminds her of their kiss, and confesses how maddening it is to want his boss. Reese admits she wishes she could want someone else, but she can’t. After a charged moment, they kiss, but Reese pulls away saying they can’t. Emmett walks off, defeated. Reese, unable to leave, locks the gym door, straddles him, and kisses him again of her own accord.
Key Events
- Reese stocks her suite for Ed and his son Michael, then watches the crowd from above.
- She spots Emmett alone in the dugout but hesitates when she sees Kelly approaching him.
- Emmett and Kelly share a laugh; Reese feels possessive jealousy and skips her pregame routine.
- After the team’s loss, Reese goes to the gym, finding it empty, and begins an uphill walk.
- Emmett enters shirtless and sweaty from a run; they silently work out, shooting hostile glances.
- When Reese tries to leave, Emmett stops her and accuses her of bringing a date.
- Reese explains Michael is Ed’s son, and the suite was for them alone; she then calls out Emmett for flirting.
- Emmett pins her against the door, says he wasn’t flirting, and kisses her intensely.
- Reese breaks the kiss, citing their professional boundary; Emmett pulls away, frustrated.
- Reese locks the gym door and straddles Emmett, initiating a second, deliberate kiss.
Character Development
Reese: This chapter marks a significant emotional breakthrough. For the first time she admits she is jealous, calling herself “petty” and “irrational.” She confesses that she wishes she could want someone other than Emmett, which would solve her problems. Her decision to lock the door and straddle him shows she is willing to act on her desires despite the risks. Reese moves from avoidance to direct confrontation of her feelings.
Emmett: Emmett’s vulnerability is on full display. He admits he has not been interested in anyone for twenty years until Reese, and that being around her is “the biggest fucking tease.” He uses the argument as a substitute for physical intimacy, stating, “if I’m not fighting with you, then I’m too busy wanting to fuck you.” His confession that he has no fight left for anyone else deepens his character arc, showing how Reese has broken down his emotional walls.
Ed and Michael: Though minor players, Ed and Michael serve as catalysts. Ed’s hope that Reese and Michael might date reminds readers of the outside pressure on Reese to move on. Michael’s presence triggers Emmett’s jealousy, forcing the confrontation.
Kelly: The reporter remains offstage but functions as a mirror for Reese’s possessiveness. Without uttering a word, Kelly’s casual touch and laughter spark Reese’s realization that she cannot bear to see Emmett with someone else.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Jealousy as Truth-Teller: Jealousy acts as the emotional force that finally pushes both characters to speak honestly. Reese’s irrational anger and Emmett’s accusatory tone strip away their professional pretenses.
Power Dynamics and the Workplace: The repeated references to “boss” and “employee” highlight the tension between personal desire and professional consequences. The gym—a neutral, after-hours space—becomes the only place where they can cross that line, even temporarily.
Physicality as Language: Sweat, proximity, and physical contact dominate this chapter. Emmett’s bare torso, the feel of his thigh between Reese’s legs, and his hand around her throat all communicate desire more directly than words. The chapter’s climax hinges on body language: Reese locking the door and straddling him.
The “Pretty Necklace” Motif: Emmett’s earlier comment about his hand making a “pretty necklace” returns here, establishing a private, intimate symbol between them. The image suggests possession and tenderness intertwined.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 25 is a turning point in the romantic arc of In Her Own League. Until now, Reese and Emmett have mostly exchanged banter and one kiss; here they lay all their cards on the table. Both confess that they want each other, and both acknowledge the impossibility of their situation. The chapter ends not with a resolution but with Reese actively choosing to indulge her feelings, setting up a critical decision for the chapters to come. It deepens the central conflict: how can they be together without jeopardizing Reese’s position as owner and Emmett’s role as field manager?
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does the setting of the gym enable the confrontation between Reese and Emmett?
The gym is dark, empty, and private—a space where both characters have come to release anger and frustration. After hours, it is free from the public eye and the expectations of the baseball field or the office. The mirrors reflect their silent standoff, amplifying the tension. The lack of witnesses allows them to speak and act without fear of being overheard, making the setting essential for their emotional honesty.
2. What does Reese’s admission that she is “jealous and petty” reveal about her character growth?
Reese has always presented herself as composed and in control, especially as the team owner. Admitting jealousy—and owning it without apology—shows she is willing to be vulnerable. She acknowledges that Emmett makes her irrational, which is a huge step from the guarded person she was earlier in the novel. This self-awareness marks her emotional evolution.
3. Emmett says, “If I’m not fighting with you, then I’m too busy wanting to fuck you.” How does this line capture the dynamic between them?
The line sums up the central paradox of their relationship. Fighting is the only acceptable outlet for their attraction within professional boundaries. Emmett admits that their arguments serve as a substitute for physical intimacy, highlighting how desperately they are trying—and failing—to maintain distance. It also reveals his frustration, as the constant conflict exhausts both of them.