Chapter 17 Summary and Study Guide

⚠️ 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

Isaiah spends Friday night alone in his apartment, declining repeated invitations from his teammates Cody and Travis to join them at a nearby bar. The group chat is full of their usual teasing, including jokes about using his apartment for hookups and complaints about his celibate lifestyle. Isaiah admits to himself that he'd rather stay in and get a good night's sleep so he can see Kennedy at the airport the next morning. He reflects on how deep he's fallen into their fake marriage game, unsure whether his feelings are real or just his own delusion. He's frustrated that Kennedy keeps avoiding him and that she hasn't asked him to share her bed without guilt.

As he's about to order a late-night pizza, there's a knock at the door. Expecting one of his teammates, he's stunned to find Kennedy standing there, wearing his team-issued hat and holding another one. She claims she came to return the hat he left in his locker stall, but Isaiah immediately sees through the flimsy excuse. He teases her about it, noting she could have given it to him at the airport in the morning. Kennedy is nervous and clearly out of her comfort zone, but she doesn't leave. Isaiah, enjoying the moment after years of chasing her, makes her work for the invitation. When she starts to walk away, he calls her back and asks if anyone has ever cooked for her, offering to make her spaghetti as a new "first" for her checklist.

Kennedy accepts, and they share a cozy midnight dinner on his couch. She laughs at the ridiculous décor his teammates chose as punishment for losing their fantasy football league—signs like "Live, Laugh, Love" and a canvas that says "You had me at merlot." Their conversation turns more personal when Isaiah mentions his mother taught him to make the spaghetti sauce. Kennedy gently offers to listen if he ever wants to talk about her. Isaiah admits he misses his mom deeply, even though he's lived more of his life without her than with her. Kennedy reframes his grief as a privilege—a sign of having loved someone so much that their absence is felt. She confesses she's never felt that kind of love, not even for her late father, and hopes that one day she'll be missed by someone. Isaiah is struck by her hopefulness and silently vows to teach her how important she is.

When Isaiah stands to get another bowl of spaghetti, he aggravates a hip injury he sustained during the game when he slid into third base. Kennedy insists on examining him, and despite his protests, she leads him to his bedroom. She diagnoses a sprain, but during the exam her hand slips under his waistband. She apologizes, but Isaiah stops her, telling her work is over and that she doesn't have to be professional if she doesn't want to be. He places her hand on his abdomen, making his desire clear.

Key Events

Isaiah declines his teammates' invitations and stays home alone, reflecting on his growing feelings for Kennedy.
Kennedy shows up at his apartment with a hat as a pretext, clearly wanting to see him.
Isaiah invites her in and cooks spaghetti, leading to a playful conversation about his apartment décor.
Kennedy offers to listen about his mother, and they share a vulnerable moment about grief and loss.
Isaiah reveals his hip injury from the game, and Kennedy insists on examining him in his bedroom.
During the exam, her hand slips under his waistband, and Isaiah tells her work is over, implying she doesn't have to maintain professional boundaries.

Character Development

Isaiah is increasingly aware of how deeply he's fallen for Kennedy. He admits to himself that he's "in too deep" and that the line between their fake marriage and reality is blurring. His decision to stay home rather than go out with his friends shows how much he prioritizes seeing her. His vulnerability about his mother reveals a softer side—he's still the heartbroken thirteen-year-old boy underneath his easygoing mask. Kennedy's reframing of his grief as a privilege shifts his perspective, and he becomes determined to teach her that she is loved and worthy of being missed. His physical desire for her is also undeniable, and he's no longer willing to hide it.

Kennedy steps out of her comfort zone by coming to Isaiah's apartment, using the hat as a flimsy excuse. Her nervousness and fidgeting show how much courage this takes. She offers to listen about his mother without pushing, demonstrating her empathy. Her confession about never feeling deep grief—and her hope to one day be missed—reveals her own emotional isolation and longing for connection. When she examines his injury, she's professional at first, but the physical intimacy breaks down her defenses. Her apology when her hand slips shows her awareness of boundaries, but Isaiah's response invites her to cross them.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Blurred lines between game and reality: Isaiah explicitly wonders if his feelings are real or just part of the fake marriage game. The chapter shows how the game is becoming indistinguishable from genuine emotion.
Pretexts for connection: Kennedy's hat is an obvious excuse to see Isaiah. The hat symbolizes her desire to be near him while maintaining plausible deniability.
Grief as privilege: Kennedy's perspective that grief is a privilege because it means you loved someone deeply reframes Isaiah's loss and highlights her own lack of meaningful attachments.
Hope to be missed: Kennedy's wish to one day be missed underscores her fear of being unimportant to others, a theme that drives her character.
Professional boundaries crossed: The medical examination becomes a moment of intimacy, and Isaiah explicitly tells her she doesn't have to be professional, signaling a shift in their relationship.
Domestic intimacy: Sharing a home-cooked meal and laughing over décor creates a sense of domesticity that contrasts with their public fake marriage.
Teaching and learning: Isaiah wants to teach Kennedy that she is loved, and she offers to learn about his mother. Their relationship is framed as a mutual exchange of lessons.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks a turning point in Isaiah and Kennedy's relationship. For the first time, Kennedy actively seeks Isaiah out, even if she hides behind a pretext. Their conversation about grief and loss deepens their emotional connection, moving beyond playful banter into genuine vulnerability. The physical escalation in the bedroom—and Isaiah's explicit invitation to cross professional boundaries—sets the stage for a more intimate phase of their relationship. The chapter also reinforces the central tension of the fake marriage game: the line between performance and reality is dissolving, and both characters are beginning to confront their true feelings.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Kennedy come to Isaiah's apartment, and what does her excuse reveal about her feelings?

Kennedy claims she came to return Isaiah's hat, but the flimsy excuse is transparent. She could have given it to him at the airport the next morning. Her nervousness and reluctance to leave reveal that she wanted to see him but was afraid to admit it. The hat serves as a pretext that allows her to initiate contact without fully exposing her vulnerability.

2. How does Kennedy's perspective on grief change Isaiah's understanding of his mother's death?

Isaiah has always viewed his mother's death with anger, focusing on the time he didn't have with her. Kennedy reframes his grief as a privilege—a sign that he loved her deeply enough to miss her. This shifts his perspective from loss to gratitude, and he begins to see the thirteen years he had with her as a gift rather than a shortcoming.

3. What does Isaiah mean when he tells Kennedy she doesn't have to be professional?

After Kennedy's hand slips under his waistband during the medical exam, she apologizes and tries to pull away. Isaiah stops her, saying work is over and she doesn't have to be professional. He's explicitly inviting her to drop the boundaries that have kept them apart, signaling that he wants a real, intimate connection beyond their fake marriage arrangement.