1 | Hayden | Croft | Ellen's fiancé. |
| Eleanor | Newhouse | Narrator and Protagonist. Aka: Ellen Branford, The Swimmer. |
| Roy | Cummings | The man who saved Ellen from drowning. Chet's nephew. |
| Paula | | The owner of Victoria's Inn. |
2 | Chester | Cummings | Gran's lover. Aka: Chet. |
| Ruth | Goddard-Ray | Ellen's grandmother. |
| Lucy | | Grant's housekeeper. |
| Winston R. | Jennings | Ellen's boss. Owner of a law firm. |
| H.C. | Croft | Hayden's father. The Senator from Pennsylvania. |
| Ron | Croft | Hayden's uncle. A governor in Maryland. |
| Cheryl | Higgins | Hayden's cousin. A congressional representative. |
| Celia | | Hayden's great-aunt. |
3 | Brandy | | Ellen's secretary. |
| Walter | | Roy's friend. |
| Hap | | Roy's friend. |
| Phil | | The cashier at the store. |
4 | Dan | Snuggler | Owner of a pet store. |
| Milarky | | Dan's poodle. |
| Arlen | Fletch | The receptionist at Beacon Municipal Building. |
5 | Skip | | A bartender. |
| Billy | | The man at the bar. |
| Bridget | | A bartender. |
| Bliss | | The woman Ellen met. |
| Wendy | | Bliss's friend. |
| Blake | Abbott | Ellen's former lover. |
| Gordon | | Billy's friend. |
| Dr. | Belden | The Periodontist. |
6 | Trimmy | Taylor | The ballroom instructor. |
7 | Janice | | Hayden's secretary. |
| Bradley | Porter | The current owner of Gran's House. |
| Susan | Porter | Bradley's wife. |
| Katy | Porter | Bradley and Susan's daughter. |
8 | Wade | Shelby | Gran's former schoolmate. |
| Lila | Falk | Gran's friend. |
9 | Mr. | Puddy | Roy's cat. |
10 | Troy | Blanchard | The owner of a beauty salon. |
| Flynn | Sweeney | The director of the Auction House. |
11 | Noreen | | Lila's nurse. |
| Dr. | Martin | Lila's doctor. |
| Totty | | The Inn's receptionist. |
| Rodolfo | | The inn's attendant. |
12 | Cynthia P. | Branford | Ellen's mother. |
| Smythson | | Hayden's best man. |
| Chad | | Ellen's trainer. |
13 | Tom | Frasier | Hayden's friend. |
14 | Peter | Herbert | A veterinarian. |
| Laurie | Herbert | Peter's wife. Paula's cousin. |
15 | Sugard | Falk | Lila's daughter. |
| Childe | Hassam | An American Impressionist. |
16 | Beezy | Bridges | Gary's wife. |
| Gary | Bridges | One of the Ellen's wedding guests. |
| Cici | Baker | Cynthia's former tennis partner. |
17 | Ben | | Chet's cousin. |
| Henry | Goddard | Ruth's husband. |
18 | Jim | | The Times reporter. |
| Tally | | The Times photographer. |