Birthday Girl

Pike is the male lead and romantic hero of the novel, and he is one of its two point-of-view characters. At the beginning of the novel, he is 38 and a successful entrepreneur. His age, career, and role as a father put him in a different place in life than Jordan. He is described as brown haired, tattooed, tall, and handsome, with eyes that range in color from hazel to blue to green. He is the archetype of masculine good looks, just as curvy and blonde Jordan is portrayed as the ideal of feminine beauty.

Pike is responsible, no nonsense, and plagued by a sense of isolation. Having had Cole as a teenager, Pike has devoted his adult life to being a present father. He is cut off from his peers, who married and had children in their later twenties and thirties. At the beginning of the novel, Pike often feels like his life has passed him by and that his chance at happiness is limited. He embodies several archetypes of the romance genre, including the brooding, silent hero.

Meeting Jordan is an important milestone for Pike. She represents hope and new opportunities and helps unstick him. Shaken out of his inertia, Pike begins to see the world afresh. He tends to be judgmental and old-fashioned, especially when it comes to women’s clothing and sexuality, and Jordan challenges his assumptions. Pike often tries to control Jordan’s choices; when challenged by her, he questions his attitude and frequently apologizes. This shows that Pike is open to learning new values and evolving.

In addition to representing the strong, silent romantic hero, Pike represents the caring, present father. Throughout the novel, Pike feels torn between Cole and Jordan, fearing that his romantic relationship will drive away his son. He also feels like Cole keeps him at arm’s length, even though Pike has always put Cole first. Pike judges Cole’s mother, Lindsay, his ex, for being an overtly permissive parent.

As the novel ends, Pike’s patience with Cole pays off, with Cole finally recognizing his father’s sacrifices for him. Pike also realizes that he needs to prioritize his own happiness and publicly acknowledge his relationship with Jordan. He goes on a journey to recover Jordan. In a variation of the archetypal hero’s quest, he finds her and wins her heart. Pike is a dynamic character who transforms and learns from his mistakes.

Cole is the third party in the novel’s central romantic triangle. Blonde, tall, and handsome, Cole is initially easygoing, lax, and irresponsible. Jordan describes the playful, energetic Cole as “the most adorable tornado” (19). Though he has always been a good friend to Jordan, he can be a neglectful boyfriend, failing to pick her up in time after her night shift and leaving her home alone with his father. Unlike Jordan, who is in college, Cole does not want to study further at the beginning of the novel. It is because of his irresponsible behavior that he and Jordan are evicted from their apartment, yet Cole does not seem too apologetic. Pike notes that Cole’s treatment of Jordan is shabby, with Cole often leaving her to do his chores. Jordan has been forced to grow up fast. In contrast, Cole’s father is well-off and supportive, and Cole has the freedom to remain a child. Cole represents boyish immaturity and selfishness, which is in stark contrast to Pike’s stability and empathy. For his part, Cole often feels that he has failed his hardworking, successful father.

As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that there is more to Cole than meets the eye. His infidelity is the lowest point in his character arc. Afterward, Cole admits to Pike that he mistreated Jordan, who always stood by him. He begins to understand the sacrifices that his father has made for him. In a watershed moment, Cole asks Pike to chase his own happiness with Jordan. This shows that Cole has matured. By the end of the novel, Cole has joined the Navy, which gives him the structure and direction he has craved. In the Epilogue, he is shown to have accepted Pike and Jordan’s relationship and is a responsible husband and father. Thus, Cole is a dynamic, round character.

Cam, 23, is Jordan’s older sister. Cam is an erotic dancer at The Hook and a single parent to Killian. Described as very pretty and having brown hair, Jordan sees her as a “carnival ride.” Cam is honest, outspoken, and expressive in her sexuality, and she is often dressed glamorously. Ever since she left home at 16, Cam has fended for herself, dancing since the age of 18 at The Hook. The novel suggests that Cam is resilient, hardworking, and a responsible parent. Jordan also states that Cam is a responsible and loving sister. She is fiercely protective of Jordan. When Cam learns about Jordan’s relationship with Pike, she warns Jordan against getting her hopes up, and she later knees him in the groin.

Her loyalty to her loved ones is her strongest character trait. However, she can be pushy, such as when repeatedly asking Jordan to join The Hook. Jordan also thinks that Cam weaponizes her sex appeal and good looks. Through Jordan’s perspective, Cam seems to hate being a dancer and only does it because she feels like she has no choice. However, it can be argued that Jordan’s perspective infantilizes Cam, taking away her agency. Cam’s function in the plot is to act both as a mother figure and as a foil to Jordan, with her display of sexuality standing in stark contrast to Jordan’s ideas about privacy.