Chapter 10 Summary, Themes, and Analysis

⚠️ 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

Kennedy's phone buzzes with a text from Dean, who informs her that their parents are in Atlanta for business and that they are all expected at a family dinner the following night. Kennedy tries to beg off, but Dean insists she attend, and he asks her to use her fake marriage to Isaiah as a distraction. He hopes that revealing her marriage will shift their father's attention away from his baseball career and his decision not to join the family business. Dean also teases her about her taste in men, referencing her past relationship with Connor and her drunken marriage to Isaiah.

Later, at the team hotel, Kennedy waits in line to collect her room key. When she reaches the front, her key is missing. She spots Isaiah leaning against a pillar, holding a single key card labeled "I. Rhodes & K. Rhodes." Kennedy protests, but Isaiah points out that no one else on the team is married. She approaches Glen, the travel coordinator, to complain, but he explains that he gave her room to Reese, a new addition to the traveling party, and that Isaiah's grandfather approved the shared arrangement. Glen jokes that the newlyweds would end up in one room anyway, and Reese laughs along. Kennedy is trapped.

In the room, Kennedy discovers there is only one bed. Isaiah immediately volunteers to sleep on the floor, but Kennedy insists she should take the floor since it is her job to keep his body game-ready. Isaiah refuses to let her, and they briefly consider calling for a cot before deciding it would raise questions about their marriage. Isaiah receives a text from Travis and Cody inviting him out for a beer. He seems reluctant to go, looking at Kennedy as if waiting for her to give him a reason to stay, but she does not.

Isaiah changes clothes in the room, stripping down to his boxer briefs in front of her. Kennedy tries to look away but finds herself watching him, noting the muscles in his back and the strength in his legs. She catches herself staring, and Isaiah teases her about it. He leaves to go out, but before he does, Kennedy realizes she forgot her toothbrush. Isaiah calls the front desk, flirts with the clerk, and learns the hotel is out of free toothbrushes. He decides to skip his plans with Travis and Cody to walk with her to a nearby drugstore instead, calling the errand a chance to "be domestic."

At the drugstore, Isaiah grabs a toothbrush he thinks is red but is actually orange. He blushes, and Kennedy realizes he is colorblind. He explains that he has protanopia, a condition that makes it difficult for him to see reds and oranges. He tells her that he memorized her hair color as "Kennedy Kay Auburn" after asking Cody what it was when they first met. Kennedy is touched by this detail.

As they talk, Isaiah gently touches her elbow, and Kennedy flinches involuntarily. He immediately pulls away and apologizes. He asks if someone has touched her in a way she did not like, but she reassures him that is not the case. She explains that her childhood was isolated, raised by nannies and sent to boarding school, and that she never learned to be comfortable with physical contact. She braces for him to be disgusted, but instead he asks a simple question: does she want to be touched? She whispers yes. He asks if she wants to be touched by him, and she says yes again.

Isaiah accepts this without judgment and turns back to the toothbrushes. He asks her favorite color, and she admits she likes neutrals. He refuses to buy her a beige toothbrush, so she picks purple. He reaches for it, careful not to touch her. As they walk to the register, his fingers graze hers, and she does not pull away. He tells her he does not have a favorite color because he was always afraid of getting it wrong. She picks yellow for him, saying it is bright and happy, like him. He agrees, smiling, and they pay for the toothbrush together.

Key Events

Dean texts Kennedy about a family dinner and asks her to reveal her marriage to deflect their parents' attention.
Kennedy discovers her hotel room has been given to Reese, and she is forced to share a room with Isaiah.
Isaiah volunteers to sleep on the floor, and the two negotiate the sleeping arrangements.
Isaiah skips drinks with Travis and Cody to accompany Kennedy to the drugstore.
Isaiah reveals he is colorblind and explains how he memorized her hair color.
Kennedy flinches at Isaiah's touch and confesses her isolated upbringing.
Isaiah asks if she wants to be touched, and she says yes.
The two pick out a purple toothbrush, and Isaiah adopts yellow as his favorite color.

Character Development

Kennedy continues to reveal the emotional walls she has built around herself. Her flinch at Isaiah's touch is not a rejection of him but a symptom of a childhood devoid of physical affection. She expects him to recoil, as Connor did, but instead he asks what she wants. This moment is a turning point for her: she admits, out loud, that she wants to be touched, and she allows Isaiah to set the pace. Her decision to pick purple over beige is a small but meaningful step toward embracing color and joy in her life.

Isaiah shows a softer, more vulnerable side in this chapter. His confession about his colorblindness is delivered with embarrassment, a stark contrast to his usual cocky demeanor. He reveals that he memorized her hair color because it mattered to him, and he admits he never chose a favorite color because he was afraid of being wrong. His patience with Kennedy is notable: he does not push her, he asks for consent, and he respects her boundaries. His decision to skip his friends to run an errand with her signals a shift in his priorities.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Forced Proximity: The single hotel room and the single bed force Kennedy and Isaiah into an intimate setting. The lack of space mirrors the emotional closeness they are beginning to develop.

Consent: Isaiah's question—"Do you want to be touched?"—is a direct and respectful request for consent. It stands in contrast to Kennedy's past experiences, where her discomfort was dismissed.

Colorblindness as Metaphor: Isaiah's inability to see reds and oranges symbolizes his initial inability to see Kennedy clearly. He memorizes her hair color because he cannot perceive it naturally, and his effort to learn it represents his desire to truly see her.

Color Symbolism: Kennedy's choice of purple and her assignment of yellow to Isaiah are acts of trust. Purple is a color Isaiah cannot fully see, yet she chooses it anyway, and yellow represents the brightness she sees in him.

Childhood Isolation: Kennedy's confession about her lonely upbringing explains her discomfort with touch and her fear of being seen as "cold." It reframes her perceived aloofness as a learned response, not a personality flaw.

Domesticity: Isaiah's comment about "being domestic" turns a mundane errand into a meaningful act of intimacy. The drugstore run becomes a space where they can be themselves without the pressures of the team or their fake marriage.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the emotional connection between Kennedy and Isaiah, moving their relationship from a drunken accident to something more deliberate. Isaiah's reaction to Kennedy's confession is a critical moment: instead of judging her, he asks what she wants and honors her answer. This establishes a foundation of trust and consent that will be essential as their fake marriage continues. The chapter also humanizes Isaiah, revealing his insecurities about his colorblindness and his fear of being wrong. By the end of the chapter, both characters have taken a step toward vulnerability, and the reader understands that their connection is becoming real.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Isaiah decide to skip his plans with Travis and Cody to go to the drugstore with Kennedy?

Isaiah tells Kennedy he was only going out with his friends because he had no other plans. Once Kennedy needs a toothbrush, he reconsiders and decides to accompany her instead. His choice suggests that he values time with her over time with his teammates, and it marks a shift in his priorities. He frames the errand as "being domestic," indicating that he is interested in building a normal, everyday intimacy with her.

2. How does Isaiah's reaction to Kennedy's flinch differ from Connor's reaction in the past?

When Kennedy flinches at Isaiah's touch, he immediately pulls away and apologizes. He then asks if someone touched her in a way she did not like, showing concern for her comfort. In contrast, Connor criticized Kennedy for being cold and told her no man would ever want to be with someone who flinches. Isaiah's response is patient and curious, while Connor's was judgmental and dismissive. This difference highlights why Isaiah is a better match for Kennedy.

3. What does the toothbrush scene reveal about both characters' vulnerabilities?

Isaiah's colorblindness is a source of embarrassment for him, and he admits he never chose a favorite color because he was afraid of getting it wrong. This reveals his fear of making mistakes and being judged. Kennedy, meanwhile, confesses that she has never been comfortable with physical touch because of her isolated upbringing. She expects Isaiah to be disgusted, but instead he asks what she wants. The scene shows both characters lowering their defenses and trusting each other with their insecurities.