Chapter 4: 2 Reese – Budget Battles and Dugout Confrontations
⚠️ 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
Chapter 4 introduces Reese Remington’s perspective for the first time. Fresh off her grandfather’s retirement, Reese is now the sole owner and President of Baseball Operations for the Windy City Warriors — the first female MLB owner in history. During a meeting with the five-member advisory board, Reese learns that most of the team’s departments are operating in the red. The board, particularly Scott, patronizes her and suggests she stick to the business side, leaving baseball operations to him. Reese pushes back, insisting that the President role stays with her.
After the meeting, Reese retreats to her childhood hiding spot: a small alcove in the dugout behind the half‑wall where the phone sits. There she reviews the budget and dwells on Emmett Montgomery, the Warriors’ field manager. She resents how her grandfather gave Emmett everything he wanted, including paying a nanny salary for his daughter and reconfiguring a plane. Emmett still hasn’t fired one of three video coaches as she ordered, and Reese worries she’ll be the “bad guy” if she has to do it herself.
Leaving the dugout, Reese collides with Emmett. He catches her, expresses concern, and they verbally spar about the video coach and Reese’s travel plans. Reese announces she will accompany the team on every road trip, surprising Emmett, who hoped she’d follow her grandfather’s habit of staying home. The chapter ends with Reese walking away, determined to run things differently.
Key Events
- Reese learns from the advisory board that the team is deeply in the red; she realizes her grandfather spent freely.
- Reese corrects board member Phil, insisting Dr. Rhodes is the proper title and explaining why she fired the previous team physician.
- Reese stands firm that she will remain President of Baseball Operations, rejecting Scott’s implied suggestion that he take over.
- After the meeting, Reese goes to her secret dugout alcove, a place she used as a child to hide from her parents and now uses to escape scrutiny.
- She reviews the budget, noting Emmett’s salary is a steal but worrying about re-signing him next year.
- Reese recalls grievances against Emmett: his daughter was paid as a nanny for a player’s child, and the team reconfigured a plane at his request.
- She decides that if Emmett doesn’t fire a video coach by week’s end, she will do it herself.
- Reese physically collides with Emmett in the dugout; he helps her steady herself and asks if something is bothering her.
- Their conversation reveals Emmett still refuses to fire a video coach; Reese gives him a deadline.
- Emmett questions why Reese is in “his” dugout; she retorts that it’s her team.
- Reese informs Emmett she will travel with the team for every road series, a departure from her grandfather’s practice.
Character Development
Reese Remington: This is the first chapter from Reese’s point of view, giving readers direct access to her internal thoughts and insecurities. She feels isolated — the advisory board patronizes her, she suspects many want her to fail, and she knows the players and fans likely share that sentiment. Her repeated mantra that “baseball is a business” shows how she’s trying to adopt a hard‑nosed, pragmatic mindset, contrasting sharply with her sentimental memories of the field from childhood. Yet she still needs moments of vulnerability; the dugout alcove is her place to breathe. Her determination to not give in to pressure, whether from the board or from Emmett, indicates a character who will fight to be taken seriously even if it makes her unpopular.
Emmett Montgomery (as seen by Reese): Reese views Emmett as entitled and manipulative, someone who got her grandfather to fund personal favors. She believes he won’t see her as his boss because she’s younger and female. Yet during their encounter, he shows perceptiveness (“You seem off”) and seems genuinely interested in her well-being. He also admires her sharp tongue, suggesting his earlier attitudes may soften. Reese’s assessment of him is likely biased; the narrative hints at a more complex character.
The Advisory Board: Phil, Scott, and the others are condescending and dismissive. Scott is openly hostile, hoping Reese will fail so he can take over baseball operations. Ed alone shows a sliver of support. The board represents the institutional sexism Reese must navigate.
Harrison Kaiser: Though only a brief encounter, the player’s patronizing behavior (“sweetie” and comment about her manicure) reinforces the gendered obstacles Reese faces even from her own employees.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Baseball as Business vs. Family: The central tension of the chapter. Reese grew up viewing the team as an extended family, but now must make cold financial decisions. This conflict is embodied in her struggle with Emmett, who treats the club like family and was enabled by her grandfather.
- Secrecy and Vulnerability: Reese’s dugout alcove symbolizes the need for a private space where she can drop her public façade. It’s a holdover from childhood, suggesting that despite her tough front, she still needs comfort.
- The Red Ink: The budget numbers printed in red symbolize the financial mess left by her grandfather and the weight of expectation on Reese to clean it up. They also represent the emotional cost of her decisions — she’ll be hated for cuts.
- Name‑Calling and Titles: Reese insists on “Dr. Rhodes” and “Ms. Remington” to demand respect in a male‑dominated world. The board and Harrison use “sweetie” and “Stanford” to belittle her. The battle over titles mirrors the battle for authority.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 4 deepens the novel’s conflict beyond romance. It firmly establishes Reese as a protagonist fighting institutional sexism in a male‑dominated sport. Her financial woes raise the stakes: she cannot afford to fail, yet every decision risks alienating those around her. The introduction of Emmett as an antagonist (from Reese’s perspective) sets up a workplace power struggle that will likely evolve into the central romantic tension. The chapter also roots Reese’s emotional life in the ballpark, making the stadium a character in its own right.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Reese feel like an “outcast” among the other league owners and even within her own club?
Reese is the first female team owner in MLB history. Many people — the advisory board, fans, players — hold the outdated view that women don’t belong in baseball. She also has to make unpopular budget cuts, which will make her disliked regardless of gender. -
What does Reese’s childhood memory of the dugout alcove reveal about her relationship to the team?
It shows that Reese’s love for the Warriors is personal and emotional. She grew up there, considering players and staff as family. Now she must suppress that sentimentality to run the club as a business, causing internal conflict. -
How does Emmett Montgomery’s reaction to Reese’s travel announcement set up future conflict?
Emmett is clearly surprised and dismayed that Reese will attend all road games. He likely expected her to stay in Chicago like her grandfather, giving him more autonomy. Her decision puts him on notice that she will be watching him closely, raising tension between them.