Cassidy knocked at David�s dorm room door. Alex answered.

�He�s in his room taking a shower.�

Cassidy went into David�s room and sat down in his

�reading� chair by the window. His ex-PA, Lexi, had decorated his room and had spared no expense. What college student has a sixty-inch TV as their PC monitor?

The reading chair was an oversized leather high back that might be the most comfortable chair she�d ever sat in. She planned to have him leave it to her in his will.

She heard the water turn off, and a few minutes later, David walked out naked. He almost jumped out of his skin when he realized he wasn�t alone.

�What the fuck, Cassidy?�

�Alex said you wouldn�t mind.�

�I did not,� Alex called from the other room.

Cassidy ignored Alex. David didn�t bother to cover up while he tracked down his boxers. It gave Cassidy a chance to be reminded why he was in such demand as a model and movie star. David had put on twenty pounds when he thought he would play defense for the football team, and it had all gone to his legs, chest, shoulders, and arms. She looked forward to seeing him play quarterback this year.

He was going to be a beast.

�What do you want?� David asked as he pulled on his boxers to end the floor show.

�I want your car keys.�

�Nope,� he responded without even thinking about it.

�Not the Demon, the Porsche. I�m the designated driver tonight.�

�Where are you going?� David asked like he was her dad.

�The football party, and before you ask, I�m meeting Oliver there.�

David chuckled.

�Knackers finally wore you down, did he?�

�Knackers� was USC�s new Aussie punter who earned his nickname when she kicked him in the nuts for being fresh.

He was old for a freshman at 25 and could be annoying as hell. But despite that, he somehow grew on you, and you no longer thought he had a punchable face once you knew him better.

For some reason, Oliver had made it his mission to get Cassidy to go out with him. It wasn�t like he didn�t use his Aussie charms to seduce anything with a skirt; he did. And he did it in such a way that when women shot him down, they would do it with a smile. But many fell for his charms.

So, he never looked back if he was rejected. That was true for everyone but Cassidy.

Over the summer, Cassidy had hooked up with Tank Bryce, USC Football�s Strength & Conditioning Coach. But they�d agreed it was just a summer fling after Cassidy found out that Tank had a long-term girlfriend who was moving in with him.

David had always told her that it was hard to go without once you got used to having sex. It had been almost a month, so Oliver began to look better because she knew she would never be serious about him.

Of course, her roommates constantly teased her that she should just get her lady balls and tell David how she really felt. If she thought he was anywhere near ready to settle down, she would�ve made her move. But right now, he was kidding himself by saying that he and Crystal were faux dating. They�d told themselves they would be each other�s plus-one and hook up to ease their sexual needs after their breakups.

For Crystal, it was Matt Long, who she�d broken up with.

Matt was David�s main competition at quarterback. Crystal

wasn�t ready to date yet.

David�s ex was Lexi, his former PA. For some reason, those two could never be totally honest about how they felt, which led to Lexi sleeping with one of David�s acting friends. In football, they have a term for how something like David�s summer had gone: Unsportsmanlike Conduct.

Lexi�s infidelity led to all kinds of regrettable situations in his love life.

Part of his coming out of it was Crystal. Cassidy hated to admit it, but David and Crystal were a good match on paper. They were both leaders with ambition, and they honestly looked damned good together.

�I wouldn�t go there if I were you,� Cassidy threatened.

David just went to his dresser, grabbed the car keys, and tossed them to her.

�What are Pam and Tracy doing tonight?� David asked.

�They�re going to a party at Loyola Marymount,� Cassidy said, then asked, �What are you doing?�

�Crystal has to take her sorority to a frat party, and I�m not really up for that, so I figured I�d watch some UNLV

game film.�

UNLV was USC�s opponent for their first game, which was next Saturday. It was being nationally televised because David was starting his first college game. The storyline of the number one recruit and movie star was the perfect draw for the first week of college football, where there were mostly meaningless games.

If it had been anyone else, Cassidy would have been worried about the kind of pressure that would put on David. But something she knew from experience was that David thrived when thrust into the spotlight. And it wasn�t just because he was an amazing athlete, although he was.

David simply worked harder than anyone she knew. Tonight was an example. Everyone was out partying while David would watch game film.

�If you want company, I can bail on the party,� she offered.

�Hell, no. Knackers is irritating enough. If I stole his girl, I would never hear the end of it,� David said.

�But it would be worth seeing him whine,� she said with a chuckle.

�It would,� David admitted. �Have fun.�

Cassidy gave David a kiss on the cheek and left.

◊◊◊

Oliver was on the lookout for Cassidy. When he saw a group of USC women rowers, he walked over to a cooler and grabbed a beer for his �date.� Once he found her, he handed her the beer, and Cassidy took a long draw.

�Tell me something good.�

�Well,� Cassidy contemplated for a few seconds. �I�m still hot!�

The reason he liked her so much was that she was fearless.

�Where�s your sidekick?�

�David is home watching game film. But let�s not talk about him. Tell me something about you. Do you have a secret girlfriend I don�t know about?� Cassidy asked.

�No secret girlfriend. How about you? You don�t have a girlfriend either, eh?�

�Tell me about your first girlfriend,� she said to deflect his question.

�Tish was the hottest girl in school. Her boyfriend, Josh, was the coolest guy. They weren�t just part of the in-crowd; they led it. But I knew old Josh was a player, so I waited for him to cheat and made sure Tish was aware. She kicked him to the curb, and I slipped in.�

�Why did you break up?� Cassidy asked.

�She said I was too nice.�

�Christ. You couldn�t have been going out long. Did she even know you?�

�That was low. I think you should have to do a shot,�

Oliver said.

�No way. I�m the designated driver.�

�I dare you.�

◊◊◊

He�d dared her, the dillhole. After a few, Cassidy felt no pain and thought she could dance. She promptly tripped over Oliver�s feet and crashed into Chuy�s date, spilling beer all over her top. Not to be outdone, Oliver tried to catch her and ended up face-planting in the middle of the living room. Cassidy�s embarrassment factor lowered from 100 to, oh, a 97.

Oliver rose to his feet, disappeared into the kitchen, and returned with two beers�some Aussie microbrew for himself and a can of the cheap crap for Cassidy.

�What the hell?� Cassidy complained.

Oliver shrugged.

�I saw what you did with your last one.�

She couldn�t really argue about that. She caught him looking at her legs.

�What are you doing?� Cassidy asked.

�Sorry. It�s just that you have great legs, and I�m not sure what the rules are since, you know, this is our first date and all. But then again, we also made out, so I don�t know where we�re at in our relationship on the complimenting-your-body-parts scale.�

�Two things � made out? And there�s a scale?�

�On David�s show, we seriously made out, and of course there�s a scale. I mean, I wouldn�t just ask if you�re wearing a thong on a first date, even though I�m dying to know,�

Oliver said. The look Cassidy gave him caused him to cover

his balls. �You know, I�m just going to stop myself right there.�

�Since you�re from down under, I�ll clue you in on dating American girls. You have to wait three dates for the good stuff.�

Oliver choked on his beer.

�Stone the crows! Three dates without the good stuff?

What am I supposed to do with this stiffy you�ve given me?

My donger will quit me if I have to wait for three dates,�

Oliver complained.

�Ask any girl here, and they�ll tell you about the three-date rule. No sexual activity of any kind until after the third date. If a guy�s only interested in a quick, easy lay, you dump them. If you are truly interested, I�m worth the wait,�

Cassidy said.

�You�re kidding, right?�

�Nope. I bet you can�t do it,� Cassidy added with a smile.

�Fuck me sideways,� Oliver said, looking defeated. �I guess I deserve this because I dared you to do shots. You�re on, but let�s get these three dates out of the way quickly because I have some serious plans for you.�

Cassidy realized that messing with Oliver was more fun than kicking him in the knackers. Then she got excited.

�I love this song! Come dance with me,� she said as she pulled Oliver onto the dance floor.

◊◊◊

Towards the end of the night, the party started to clear out. Cassidy found the girls she�d brought and explained that she was in no shape to drive, and none of them were either, so they made their own arrangements to get back to campus.

�I�m from Australia. I�m fine to drive,� Oliver said.

�No! David would kill me if I let you drive his car,�

Cassidy worried.

�I think he would rather you get home safely than worry about me driving his car.�

�Uh, no thanks.�

�Then I�ll walk with you,� Oliver offered.

�You know, I think this was our third date,� Cassidy teased.

�Really? How do you figure?�

�We can count the time you were on David�s podcast.

Then there was the time David bought all the freshmen lunch, and I was there, and we sat across from each other.�

�And tonight!� Oliver said. �Give me the keys. We need to get to your place right now!�

Cassidy giggled and handed him the keys. She�d parked in the alley behind the apartment complex where several football players were living this semester.

As soon as they were in, Oliver started the car and took off like a bat out of hell, obviously eager for what was to come. Cassidy had a big, pleased smirk on her face.

Then they saw an old truck pull into the alley, headed toward them. It was a bang-bang sort of situation as the Porsche was going much too fast to stop. The path was barely wide enough for two cars, and Cassidy screamed when Oliver swerved left instead of right. She knew that he�d relied on instinct, and in Australia, they drove on the left side of the road.

She had time to brace her hand on the dash when there was a deafening crash as they hit the truck head-on. The Porsche crumpled to absorb the impact, but the truck�s bumper was higher, so the car�s front end slid under the truck until it hit the truck�s wheels.

Cassidy�s last memories were the airbags deploying, her arm feeling like it had been ripped off, and the truck�s bumper as it went through the windshield.

◊◊◊

David was awakened when his phone made a strange alert sound. He glanced over at the clock and saw it was almost two in the morning. He grabbed his phone and saw a message saying his car had been in an accident. Then a moment later, another one came stating that emergency services had been notified.

As part of the Porsche package, David had purchased an app-based safety service that could tell if your car had been in a crash. They would contact you and see if you needed assistance. Either someone was hurt, or no one responded, because they called for an ambulance when that happened.

David tried calling Cassidy and only got her voicemail, so he used the Find Me option to locate her. David hit his panic button to be safe because he knew they would make sure Cassidy got the help she needed if the app failed. He sent a quick message saying that it was Cassidy, where she was, and that he was on his way.

David threw on some clothes and was almost in his Demon when his mom called.

�Are you okay?�

�I am, but Cassidy�s been in a car wreck. I�m just getting into my car to go see if she needs help.�

�Call me as soon as you know.�

David quickly sent out a group message to stop the phone calls. Of course, that didn�t stop Brook, Cassidy�s best friend, from calling.

�What�s going on?� Brook asked.

�Don�t know yet. I�m headed there now. It�ll only be a couple of minutes,� David said.

�Don�t hang up,� Brook ordered.

He was glad that Brook didn�t try to talk to him while he raced to where his app told him Cassidy was. David gasped when he turned into the alley.

�What! What�s happening!?� Brook asked.

�It�s bad. Her car hit a truck head-on, and it�s on top of the Porsche. I need to go,� David said as he pulled to a

stop.

He jumped out, ran to the driver�s side, and found Knackers moaning.

�Help Cassidy,� Oliver managed to get out.

Momentarily, he wanted to reach into the car and strangle Knackers for drinking and driving, but his sense of protectiveness for his little ninja won out. David ran around the other side and cringed. Her face was bleeding from the glass, and she was unresponsive.

The ambulance came to a stop.

�Over here! She needs your help!� David called out.

The driver came over to look at her while the other paramedic carried a bag and checked on Knackers.

�Is anyone hurt in the truck?� the driver asked David.

�I�ll go check.�

He found the truck empty.

�No one there,� David called out.

�They either stole it or are illegal,� the driver said.

Another ambulance and a fire truck arrived. The fire crew had to cut both Knackers and Cassidy out of the car.

Cassidy hadn�t come to, which David felt was probably for the best because her arm looked terrible with a bone sticking out of it. He felt helpless, only able to watch as the EMTs cared for his friend.

Knackers was blubbering about driving too fast and swerving left instead of right. By now, the police had shown up, and David had the pleasure of dealing with them since both Cassidy and Knackers were whisked off to the emergency room.

◊◊◊

Oliver felt like death on a cracker. As far as fuckups went, this was in his top five. If Cassidy died, he�d do serious jail time. He knew how these things went because his older brother had served five years in prison for something similar.

He�d spent the night in the hospital to avoid rotting in a jail cell. Oliver looked at the clock; it was just after seven in the morning. That would make it three a.m. in Sydney. Fuck it, his brother would have to understand.

�Who died, mate?� Tom, Oliver�s brother, asked.

�Tom, I need your help.�

Oliver explained what had happened.

�How badly hurt is the sheila?�

�I don�t know. They had to cut her out of the car, and there was blood everywhere.�

�Were you pissed?� Tom asked.

�I was over the legal limit. What I want to know ��

Oliver began.

�Do you trust me?�

�Yes, but ��

�Do. You. Trust. Me?�

�There�s no one I trust more, but ��

�No buts. We�re done with the buts and the whys and the stories. Whatever else comes out of your mouth this morning better not be a question,� Tom said.

Oliver knew that when his brother sounded like this, he was dead serious, and Oliver should listen.

�The coppers will be there soon to take you in. You need to be gone,� Tom said. �Go home only long enough to pack a bag and grab your passport, then take the train to San Francisco. Once there, lie low while I talk to the rellies to arrange to get you out of the States.�

Oliver guessed that Tom would call their uncle because he was swimming in it and had places all over the world.

He figured he could hide out for a while until everything cooled down.

�Good on ya, mate. I owe you,� Oliver said and hung up.

Tom would come through for him.

◊◊◊

David had spent the night in the uncomfortable waiting room. He�d made arrangements for Roy Tyro, the owner of Lincoln Flight School, to fly Cassidy�s dad and brother in.

His mom had agreed to have them stay with his family at the Malibu house and to have transportation once they arrived.

Brook Davis was also flying in.

Pam and Tracy, Cassidy�s roommates, had called when they saw the alert. David had told them to get a good night�s sleep and come in the morning.

He was zoning out when Pam sat down next to him.

�Coffee?�

She handed it to him.

�Ahh, the nectar of my people.�

Tracy chuckled as she sat down next to Pam.

�Tell us,� Pam ordered.

�Cassidy had three surgeries overnight. One to relieve the pressure on her brain and another to stop some internal bleeding in her gut. They also worked on her arm, but I was told what they did was only temporary. They�ll need an orthopedist and a vascular surgeon to fix it.�

�What about rowing?� Pam asked.

�I don�t know,� was David�s honest answer and biggest fear.

He�d seen how messed up Cassidy�s arm was when they pulled her out of the wreck. When the first doctor came out to give him an update, he�d said they might have to take

the arm, but David was adamant that they not do that until her dad got there. He had Brook looking for the best surgeons to give Cassidy a chance at using the arm again.

Both bones in her left forearm were broken in multiple places, and the flesh looked like someone had taken a meat mallet to it. The doctor thought he might have to take the arm because he was afraid they might not be able to return proper circulation if the veins were compromised. They did what they could, but soon, another surgery�maybe more than one�would be needed to deal with the bones and circulatory system.

�We�re sending you home to get some sleep. We promise to call you with any updates,� Tracy said.

�If you need anything, call my mom or dad,� David said as he got up to leave.

◊◊◊

�Where the hell is Dawson?� Jason Merritt asked his offensive coordinator, Wyatt Thomas.

�He left a message. Last night, Oliver Shaw was driving while drunk and had a serious car accident. Cassidy Hope was in the passenger seat and is in critical condition.�

�Jesus. Was Shaw hurt?�

�They held him overnight for observation, but David said he should be okay,� Wyatt said. �David spent the night at the hospital. I guess Cassidy needed several emergency surgeries. He�s gone home to get some sleep.�

�This couldn�t have come at a worse time. Give David today to get his head straightened out, but he has to be at practice Monday.�

�Should I have Amy reach out to him? She�s a psychologist, after all.�

�Good call. If anyone can get David focused, it�s Amy,�

Jason said. �Let�s get the other quarterbacks in here. One of them might have to step up and take David�s place.�

�What about Matt?� Wyatt asked.

�Long is suspended, and I�m not about to make an exception just because David flakes out. Hell, we�ll just hand the ball off and still win the UNLV game.�

�I�ll get them in here.�

As the interim head coach, Jason was already under a ton of pressure. He felt bad for David�s friend, and the team loved her, but he didn�t have the luxury of letting his feelings get in the way of his job. His job was to win football games � period.

◊◊◊

David hovered somewhere between asleep and awake, too afraid to face the realities this day would bring. The sun streamed through his window, warm on his face. He glanced over at the clock; he�d slept five hours, so it was mid-afternoon.

He closed his eyes, and when he couldn�t avoid it any longer, David opened them again. It took a moment as he got the sleep out of his eyes, but they finally snapped into super-sharp-high-def, and he took a deep breath as he shoved his sheets to the side.

�Get up,� David said to himself, knowing that if he slept any more, he�d never get to sleep tonight.

He put on a pair of shorts and went out into the living area. Alex was in just boxers, obviously embracing a college Sunday before school started.

�What smells so good?� David asked.

�Crystal stopped by and brought you something to eat. I was told that if I touched it, she would come in during the middle of the night and cut my nuts off.�

David opened the bag and was impressed that Alex had shown so much self-restraint. The bag held an Italian beef sandwich, a cup of hot giardiniera, and fries. Plus, it was all still warm.

�Split it with me?� David asked.

�I thought you�d never ask,� Alex said as he jumped up and grabbed plates and a couple of sodas out of the fridge.

�You want to cut it?� David asked.

�Why does that matter?�

�Because in my family, whoever cuts it has to let the other person pick their half. My mom made up that rule so my brother and I wouldn�t fight,� David explained.

�Whatever, I trust you.�

David carefully measured it out and sliced the sandwich down the middle. He gave Alex his half while he put the spicy Italian relish on his half and took a big bite�heaven.

As he ate, David called Tracy.

�Any word?�

�They put her into an induced coma,� Tracy shared.

�Why would they do that?� David asked.

�For the bleeding in the brain. The doctor explained that it helps with �burst suppression.� The brain goes completely quiet for several seconds, alternating with very short bursts of activity. The brain�s quiet period gives it vital time to rest and heal.�

David�s appetite was suddenly gone, so he handed Alex his fries.

�How bad is she?� David asked.

�The doctor said she�s in good shape, and they think she�ll come out of it just fine. But the healing process will take some time.�

�Has anyone else shown up?�

�Cassidy�s dad and brother are in with her. Brook is here. Do you want to talk to her?� Tracy asked.

She handed the phone to Brook.

�I found a couple of doctors for her arm,� Brook said without preamble. �One specializes in sports medicine, orthopedic trauma, and fracture management, and focuses on shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand injuries. Dr. Varhus has agreed to come to examine Cassidy today.

�The other is a specialist in vascular surgery. As bad as her arm is, he�s the one who has the most challenging job.

Dr. Nayan is one of the best.

�It�s going to take both of them to save her arm,� Brook shared.

�Are you flying them in?� David asked.

�No. Dr. Varhus is stuck in LA traffic, and Dr. Nayan is already here.�

�I need to take a shower, and I�ll be there shortly. Does anyone need anything?�

�Real food might be nice.�

�Okay, I�ll stop and get something,� David said before hanging up.

He grabbed his grocery app and ordered a bunch of food, and it said his order would be ready for pick up in thirty minutes.

◊◊◊

Coach Stackhouse had been asked to come and check on their quarterback. She wanted to make sure that David didn�t lose focus on his commitment to the football team while supporting his friend. She found him in the ICU

waiting room, off to the side, looking pale.

�How are you feeling, David?� she asked.

David looked up. She could see he was confused as to why she was there. Coach Stackhouse sat down beside him.

�I�m fine.�

�How�s Cassidy?�

�They�ve induced a coma for her brain injury, and the ortho guy just saw her. He�s concerned about her left arm.

But he thinks that he and his team can work with the vascular guy and come up with a plan to put it back together again.�

�Oliver has gone missing. How does that make you feel?� Coach Stackhouse asked.

David cocked his head like a dog does when it hears something out of the ordinary.

�What�s your degree in?�

�I�m a psychologist.�

�Thought so. My uncle�s one, and he loves all that touchy-feely stuff,� David said, and then his face clouded over. �What do you mean, Oliver is missing?�

�His roommate said he came into the dorm, gathered some stuff in a suitcase, and left. The police are concerned that he may try to flee the country.�

David shrugged and then surprised her.

�Good. I hope he gets away.�

She wasn�t buying it. If anything, David should be ready to go out and find Oliver and mete out his own justice.

�That�s an enlightened response.�

David shrugged again. Coach Stackhouse had a bad feeling that David knew he had the resources to find Oliver whenever he wanted. But right now, she guessed that Cassidy was his priority. After she was well, Oliver might have a problem.

�So, why are you here?� David asked.

�Honestly, for two reasons. The first is to assess if you�re ready to take over as USC�s number one quarterback.�

�And number two?�

�To tell you that you are required to attend Monday�s practice. You have until then to get your shit together.�

He smiled for the first time. At that moment, Coach Stackhouse quit worrying about him. David had shown he was more mature than almost all guys his age, and he knew what his responsibilities were.

�You should talk to my uncle because you�re a much better psychologist than he is. I just need someone to tell me what they expect, and I�m good.�

�So, I�ll see you at practice?� Coach Stackhouse asked.

�Sure. Let�s go with that for now,� David said, pulling her chain.

It was her turn to laugh.

�If you plan to bail, call me. But if you do, I doubt you�ll start.�

�Good to know.�

She was eighty percent sure she would see him at tomorrow�s practice when she walked out. The twenty percent would happen if he felt Cassidy needed him. If that turned out to be the case, she would make Coach Merritt understand.

◊◊◊

David spent the rest of the afternoon updating everyone, including his best friends Tami, Wolf, and Tim, about Cassidy�s condition.

Crystal showed up with more food, which everyone appreciated because the hospital cafeteria was only serviceable at best. David noted that Brook and his new

�girlfriend� disappeared for a while to �get coffee.� They came back laughing, so he let it slide.

Coach Hope wanted to have a word with David, so they went for a walk. David wanted some fresh air, so they found a little flower garden with a bench.

�What can I do for you, Coach?�

�Call me Tony. I�m no longer your coach, and I hope we�re friends.�

�Tony it is.�

�What happened Saturday night? They said Cassidy�s blood-alcohol level was through the roof when they brought her in. I didn�t think she drank.�

�Knackers ��

�Who?�

�Oliver Shaw, the man driving, is a punter on USC�s team. He�s a bit of a wild card because Oliver is older, I think like 25, and he�s from Australia. Nothing against Aussies because I loved them when I filmed there. It�s just

that they can drink just about anyone, except maybe an Irishman, under the table.

�Oliver has had a crush on Cassidy from the start, but she has a mind of her own and rejected him. Oliver didn�t give up and wore her down. Last night was supposed to be their first date.

�I wasn�t worried about her drinking because she was supposed to be the designated driver. Oliver must have talked her into drinking with him,� David explained.

�I talked to the police, and they said it didn�t look like Oliver ever hit the brakes.�

David thought for a minute and suddenly felt sick. In Australia, they drove on the wrong side of the road. He�d read about an American woman who was traveling through the Outback and came upon a road train (where a semi pulls three or more trailers) that had drifted into the middle of the road. Out of instinct, she�d swerved to the right, while the trucker swerved to his left. She ended up hitting the truck head-on, killing her and her young daughter.

�I think he swerved at the last moment and went left into the oncoming truck�s lane,� David explained.

�The police say that he skipped town.�

�When the time comes, he�ll be found,� David said.

Tony gave him a stern look and then just nodded his understanding.

�Right now, my biggest concern is making sure my daughter gets the treatment she needs. But I might have to get a second mortgage, and even then, I might not be able to pay for what the insurance doesn�t,� Tony worried.

David knew that the school�s insurance for athletes covered a lot, but it might not cover bringing in the specialists.

�Brook and I have your back. I want you to just focus on your daughter�s recovery. We�ve both been blessed and would do anything for Cassidy. I know you�re a proud man,

but this isn�t being done out of charity. We�re doing it because we love her, and she�s part of our family, too.�

Tony�s eyes teared up, and he pulled David into a tight hug.

�To think, I told her to stay away from you.�

�With my reputation, you were right to do so. But you need to trust Cassidy�s judgment. I�m okay once you get to know me.�

�I know, and I�ve known that for longer than I ever admitted. If I forget, thank you for taking care of my little girl,� Tony said.

�It�s not just me, and it�ll take all of us before this is all over. I�ll do my part.�

◊◊◊

Brook received a call from Dr. Varhus, who would lead the surgery. She had him talk to Cassidy�s dad. He planned to do surgery early in the morning, and they would set all the breaks and put a plate in Cassidy�s arm to support both bones just below the elbow.

Since Cassidy was still in a coma, everyone decided to go home.

Brook stopped David before he left.

�Care to go somewhere and catch up?�

�I don�t really feel like going out,� David admitted.

�My hotel is right across the street.�

David�s eyebrows raised, but he followed her to her room. When the door closed, Brook put on a sultry expression�or as sultry as she could manage. She placed her hands on his abs, feeling the ridges and his muscles contract under her fingertips.

�We probably shouldn�t �� David managed to get out.

She knew him too well. It wouldn�t take much for him to break, so she continued her exploration of his chest. David looked down and asked, �What�s this about?�

The stupid boy always looked a gift horse in the mouth and wanted to talk about it. Why couldn�t he be like other guys and just go with it?

�It�s about you and me forgetting about a horrible day and reminding ourselves of better times,� Brook said and then shut him up by kissing him.

She teased his lips, coaxing him and trying to remember how they�d made out in the past. It wasn�t that hard because the memories came flooding back.

�I want you. I�ve always wanted you,� David said.

Anxiety and something else�maybe fear of falling for him again�swam in her veins as she slipped her hand farther down. David sucked in his breath as Brook inched her fingers past the elastic band on his boxers. His stomach tightened, and he stole the breath out of her kiss.

Brook pulled her lips back and shoved her hand into his underwear until she found Mr. Happy.

�Well, hello there, big fella,� Brook thought as his dick throbbed in her hand.

David grunted as she grasped him and started to tug gently upward.

�I�ve missed this,� David moaned.

David reached down and undid his belt and pants so they would drop down his thighs. Brook pushed his boxers down so he was now exposed. She gained confidence, which caused her to pick up her jacking motion. After she�d traveled up and down his rigid cock a couple more times, she could feel David�s breathing get ragged as he buried his face in her neck.

David nibbled lightly at her skin, causing shivers to go up her back.

�Stop. That tickles,� Brook pleaded with a small smile.

David chuckled and moved back to her neck, so she countered his attack by jacking him off. He groaned in response, which caused her to go faster. That was when all

the old feelings for him rushed back. David was a drug, one she didn�t think would ever leave her system.

�You keep that up, and I�ll cum,� David warned.

Brook doubled her efforts, which caused David to make his �cumming� face. She pointed him away from her, and he shot his load all over the hotel rug. Brook made a mental note to never be a hotel cleaning lady.

David chuckled and pressed his forehead against hers.

�Want me to return the favor?�

�Will that hold you?� Brook asked.

�Yeah, and thank you. I needed that.�

�Could you sleep with me tonight and just hold me? I need that tonight,� Brook said.

He agreed. She always felt safe and loved in his arms.

After seeing her best friend in a coma, it just felt right. She knew if he weren�t there, she would have tossed and turned all night. They both fell asleep almost right away.

◊◊◊

Cassidy�s surgery went on for what seemed like forever.

Finally, sometime after noon, Dr. Varhus came out.

�It went very well, and I think that after rehab, Cassidy will regain full range of motion.�

�How long will her recovery be?� Tony asked.

�Once the swelling goes down, and we are sure there are no issues with the surgical sites, we�ll immobilize her arm for about six weeks. Then she�ll have to rehab for another four months. More if she plans to row again,� Dr.

Varhus shared.

David�s whole day just got better.

�Any idea how much longer she�ll be in the coma?� Tony asked.

�The swelling in her brain went down overnight, so we�ve taken her off the medicine that induced the coma.

She should be awake soon, and I�ll have a nurse come get

you once we have her in her new room. She�s moving out of the ICU.�

◊◊◊

After Brad and Tony saw her, it was Brook and David�s turn.

�I hear I killed your car,� Cassidy said as David walked in.

�Good thing it�s insured,� Brook said as she walked in.

�Brook!� Cassidy called out, obviously happy to see her best friend.

�I see where I stand,� David grumped.

�Shove it. You get to see her all the time,� Brook teased.

�How are you feeling? Is there anything I can do for you, Buttercup?� David asked.

Cassidy gave Brook a quick look and then looked sad.

�I hurt,� Cassidy said with a pout.

David knew he was in for it, but he didn�t care. His friend was going to be okay.

�I�ll go find a nurse,� David said as he left the room.

Before the door closed, he could hear both Brook and Cassidy giggle. Brook chastised her for being a bad girl.

◊◊◊

David missed his first day of classes, but he suspected that all it entailed was a brief introduction, a recap of the syllabus, and then everyone would go on their merry way.

He wasn�t too worried because he�d loaded up on Tuesday/Thursday classes to allow him to get done early on Fridays.

Then he went to football practice, where he didn�t shine.

Because of his play, Coach Merritt got on him pretty hard and then made the team run conditioning. Everyone knew it was a ploy because football coaches loved to work their

asses off before the first game. But David had never been the cause before.

By the time he left the field, he was dead on his feet.

Then his thoughts turned to his friend.

His heart ached for Cassidy, and he wished he could take her pain away.

�This is positively the worst first day of school ever,�

David said to himself.

�And just think, it�s not over yet,� a girl said, surprising him out of his funk.

�Thanks, that gives me something to look forward to,�

David said as he shook his head slowly.

He glanced up and saw the earnest face looking back at him.

�If Hello Gorgeous hadn�t come along �� David thought as he smiled.

�I�m David, better known as Bond, Ian Bond.� His voice dropped at �Bond� like a TV announcer.

�You and my mom are BFFs. You took her to coffee and then invited her up to your room. My dad told me to look you up.�

�Here I am.�

Maybe the day wasn�t going to be utterly sucktastic after all.

◊◊◊

David�s second day of school went much better. Brook had called and told him that the doctors were much encouraged by Cassidy�s progress, so much so that her dad and brother were flying back to Illinois tomorrow. Football practice had also done a one-eighty, and the offense was back on track.

After practice ended, Coach Merritt had one of the team managers tell David he�d been summoned.

When he reached the coaches� offices, he found Rachel, Coach Farrow�s daughter, at the reception desk. When she saw it was him, she rolled her eyes and sighed loudly.

�You�re certainly different, aren�t you, Rach?�

�I don�t know. Is that good different or I-should-come-with-a-warning-label different?�

�I guess that depends on the day. Are you inclined to tell me why I�ve been summoned?� David asked.

She gave him an unbelieving look.

�And spoil the fun?�

�Dawson, quit flirting with Rachel and get in here,�

Coach Merritt called from his office.

�Until next time,� David said as he gave Rachel a bow.

He could see the sides of her mouth quirk up involuntarily. He kept his own smile in check because he knew he was wearing her down.

David walked in and found that Coach Merritt wasn�t alone. He was with Drew Langford, USC�s new athletic director, and Brent Allison, the Pac-12 commissioner. He had a feeling he knew what this was about.

�Brent, how�s your wife doing?� David asked as he shook his hand.

Drew gave them a surprised look, so David enlightened him. �Brent came to my birthday party this summer.�

�I told Governor Blackfarmer I�d be seeing you today. He said he�d like to sit down with you and discuss the homeless situation. He was impressed with all the money you raised,� Brent said.

�It probably won�t amount to anything, but I would be open to talking to him,� David said.

�His people will be in touch,� Brent said and then shifted topics. �Why don�t we tell David why we asked him here?�

�I understand that you have an agreement in place concerning your image,� Drew said to begin the meeting.

�Because of my other activities, my image is important to me. Before it�s used, I would like my PR people to approve any promotions using my name, image, or likeness,� David said.

�We�re asking that you do some short commercials for the university that would be run during football and basketball games. And the Pac-12 would like to use your name and image for similar endeavors,� Drew explained.

David expected this was coming, so he was prepared.

�Frank Ingram handles my PR. Let me give you his number. I pay him too much money to make sure my image isn�t tarnished not to get his approval before I do anything,� David said.

Coach Merritt handed him a pad of paper to write down the number.

�Once we get his permission, how soon could you do the commercials? We�d like to have them ready for Saturday�s game,� Drew said.

David wanted to tell him to stuff it because Drew had waited until the last minute but kept those thoughts to himself. Instead, he gave him a smile. David knew he might want to cultivate his relationship with the new athletic director since he would be hiring the next football coach.

�If you can work it in around my other commitments, I�d be happy to help.�

�Of course, football comes first.�

�And school,� Coach Merritt added.

�Yes. School is a priority,� Drew said to cover his blunder.

�What about you?� David asked Brent.

�Nothing concrete right now. I just wanted to see if you were open to doing something.�

�Do you have any pull with the Pac-12 Network?� David asked.

�They�re their own entity, but I do have some sway.�

�Could I suggest a student reporter? Tracy Dole covered baseball last spring, and she would make a perfect representative for USC,� David suggested.

�This is why I like you. You�re always thinking of ways to network to advance your goals. I�ll see what I can do,�

Brent promised.

�You don�t know how you can help me unless I tell you,�

David said with a big smile.

�And now you�ll owe me,� Brent fired back.

�I think it�ll be the other way around when you see what Tracy can do,� David said and then turned to Coach Merritt. �Anything else?�

�Are you going to see Cassidy?�

�After dinner.�

�Let me know how she�s doing.�

David nodded and left.

◊◊◊

After David left, Jason called in Amy Stackhouse and told her about the meeting he�d just had.

�I have to say, it was pretty amazing to watch David in action. Did you know that he�s on a first-name basis with Brent Langford, the Pac-12 commissioner? And that he knows and has met with NCAA President Mark Ellison? I can�t remember any player having those connections.

Anyway, by the end of the meeting, it felt like David had

called the meeting and had run it. He even worked to get another student a job.�

�And you�re wondering if Dylan was wrong in naming Matt the starter in spring ball?� she asked.

�I admit, I made some assumptions because I was focused on the defensive backs at the time. I didn�t pay close attention to the offensive side of the ball. It was right before fall practice began when I was named head coach. I know I said that all positions were open to competition ��

he trailed off.

�Remember, I told you the decision was going to be hard because they both played well,� Amy said.

�I�m starting to wonder if I�ve discounted David�s leadership abilities in favor of Dylan�s assessment,� Jason said. �Though now that I think about it, he was more than a bit biased toward his favorites. This may very well be one of those cases.

�You should have seen David at the end of the spring game. With the second-string offense against the number one defense, he turned a broken play into a long score.

Matt couldn�t have done that.�

�In the end, it�s your job to decide who starts. I suggest you sit down with all the coaches and get their feedback.�

�If it were you, what would you do?� Jason asked.

�I�d start Dawson because he�s shown his leadership, and I think the team will follow his lead. But then again, Matt has a much better grasp of running the offense.

Despite my concerns about Matt�s leadership, I think you can win with either.�

�David certainly learned the defense quickly. He may not be up to speed on the offense yet, but I suspect he�ll get there quicker than most people think. But none of that really matters; for this week, I have no choice.�

◊◊◊

Cassidy�s room looked like a florist�s shop. She had flowers from the rowing team and coaches, from the guys she�d trained for the NFL, and from the girls she�d gotten into shape. She even got some from the football team, which surprised her.

Cassidy was in a mood when David arrived. When Brook saw him, she pulled David outside so they could talk.

�She�s starting to internalize how messed up she is from the accident,� Brook explained.

�What did the doctors say?�

�That she might never row again. When she asked about the Marines, Cassidy learned it would never happen.�

�I wouldn�t count my little ninja out as far as rowing goes. You know how hard she will rehab,� David said.

�Her dad wants her to come home to Illinois to rehab,�

Brook said to drop the real bombshell.

�She�d have to take a semester off,� David worried.

�I know.�

The two of them were quiet for a minute. Finally, he sighed.

�We need to have a united front,� he said.

Brook gave him a funny look.

�What?� David asked.

�You make us sound like her parents.�

�In a way, we are. It�s our job to protect her,� he said.

�No, it�s not.�

David was taken aback by what Brook had just said. It took him a few minutes to wrap his brain around the implications. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized she was right. Cassidy was an adult now, and it wasn�t up to David or Brook to decide. It was just their job to be her friends.

�Should we have offered to pay her medical bills and fly her dad and brother out?� David asked.

�We are blessed to have money. The way I look at it is that so long as it doesn�t hurt us or our families and,�

Brook drew out, �we decide to do it voluntarily, it�s our money; we can do with it what we want.�

�Okay.�

�Cassidy�s accident has made me think about this, and I encourage you to do the same. I�ve been too quick to open my wallet. We both have enough money that we could retire today, but I�ve seen people like us lose it all due to

�helping� friends and family,� Brook explained.

David had heard cautionary tales of professional athletes who�d squandered staggering amounts of money doing exactly what she described.

He knew that Brook had her own money given to her by her grandmother. He also knew Grace would come to her granddaughter�s rescue if she ever needed it. But Brook�s point wasn�t lost on him.

�So, what exactly are you saying?� David asked.

�That we honor our commitments we�ve made. The two specialists and their teams were expensive, but Cassidy would have lost the use of her arm without them. But from here on out, we step back and only help when asked.�

�Even if Coach Hope has to get a second mortgage on his home?�

�It�s not our place to tell him or Cassidy how to live their lives.�

David chuckled.

�What�s so funny?� Brook asked, looking annoyed.

�I think this is the first time you�ve given me a life lesson. Normally it�s either Tami or some adult like my uncle schooling me.�

�You don�t think I�m capable?� Brook asked, taking it the wrong way.

�No, that�s not it at all. I�ve always admired you and respected what you�ve told me. But you will always be my friend who�ll do wild and crazy stuff like skydiving with me.

That person isn�t the one I think of when I need a life

lesson. I was amused because, at some point, you became Miss Responsible,� David explained.

�I�m still fun,� she fired back.

�And that right there is why I never argue with women,�

he said, softening it by grinning at his pouting friend.

Brook realized that he wasn�t attacking her and smiled back at him.

�I don�t want Cassidy to go home,� David said as he got serious again.

�How did you feel when I told you I was moving to Cincinnati?�

�The same way.�

�And what did you do?�

�Supported your decision,� he admitted.

�We�ll just have to do the same for Cassidy.�

�But I won�t like it.�

�Neither would I,� Brook agreed.

�When are you leaving?� David asked to change the subject.

�Tomorrow. I have to get back to school.�

�Does Cassidy know?�

�I told her today, and she�s fine,� Brook said to put his mind at ease.

�Why don�t I go back in to give you a break?�

�Tracy and Pam will be here in an hour and agreed to stay with Cassidy until visiting hours are over. I could really use a hot shower and some room service, so I�ll take you up on your offer,� Brook said and leaned in and kissed David�s cheek.

�I love you too,� he said as he got up and went to Cassidy�s room before it got weird between him and Brook.

◊◊◊

David had sent Crystal a message that he was headed back to his dorm. He grabbed some carryout and asked if

she wanted to join him. She hadn�t had any alone time with him in almost two weeks, so she agreed. David said he would message her when he got to her sorority.

Taylor popped her head in the door and saw Crystal getting ready to go out.

�Where are you going? I wanted to talk to you about rush.�

Taylor was this fall�s pledge mistress.

�It�ll have to wait. I�m going over to David�s.�

�Don�t forget to ask him if he�ll be a celebrity bartender at my rush,� Taylor pressed.

�You mean �our� rush,� Crystal reminded Taylor. �He�ll be here in a second to pick me up. You can ask him yourself.�

Crystal�s phone buzzed.

�He�s here.�

Taylor raced her down the stairs and threw the door open before David could knock.

�Just the man I was looking for,� Taylor announced.

David glanced at Crystal to see what her redheaded friend was up to. Crystal shook her head to let him know he was on his own.

�What can I do for you, Taylor?� David asked.

�First, I want a ride in your car sometime. But the main reason I need to talk to you is that rush starts next week.

Crystal said you would do whatever I needed to make sure it ran smoothly.�

�Did she?� David asked as he cocked his head sideways.

�She did,� Taylor said, confident in her lie.

Crystal stood still as they both looked at her.

�You two can work this out,� she finally said.

�I want you to be our celebrity bartender,� Taylor said.

�But you can�t serve actual alcohol at a rush event,�

Crystal quickly added.

�Can I make my own special mocktails?� David asked.

�Anything you want if you�ll say, �yes,�� Taylor said.

�If Crystal said I would do it, I will,� David said.

Taylor was a complete spaz as she jumped up and down.

�Come on before she ropes you into anything else,�

Crystal said.

As they got into the car, Taylor yelled, �I love you, David!�

�I think you have a new fan,� Crystal said as they drove to David�s dorm.

When they got to his suite, they found Alex and Chloe lounging in the living room.

�My man! I was hoping you brought some grub,� Alex said when he saw David had food.

David had stopped at a new place that offered double-fried chicken, giant buttermilk biscuits, and onion rings.

While the boys got everything organized, Chloe wanted to talk to Crystal.

�My mom turned me onto a cosmetics company that wants to launch a new moisturizer. I�ve set up a meeting to see them Friday, and I was hoping you would go with me.�

Crystal had agreed to help Chloe figure out how to monetize herself as an Internet influencer. She wanted to be an agent someday and felt that influencers needed honest representation. There were some stories of shady stuff done to some of the early influencers. Working with Chloe would help her learn the ropes.

�That was great of your mom. We�ll have to think of some way to kick things off with a bang.�

�Alex said we could go out on his boat on Sunday.�

Chloe wasn�t sure about that because the last time she went out, it was on a small boat, and she got seasick.

Before she could object, David said, �It�s more a yacht than a boat. Think Russian oligarch size.�

�How many people can you get on it?� Crystal asked.

�A hundred easily, but I was thinking it would just be maybe twenty or thirty people,� Alex said, then added, �You

should have David be your crash test dummy. If anyone knows about creams, it�s him.�

Crystal chuckled because Alex was right. David had more stuff than most girls she knew.

�I was taught that skincare was essential for people in modeling and movies, so you can all bite me.�

�Will you help me?� Chloe asked David.

�As long as it doesn�t take too long. I want to have fun, too. And I have to clear it with my PR guy.�

�Deal,� Chloe said.

Everyone grabbed their food and then got comfortable because Chloe had picked out a movie to watch on streaming video. The evening was relaxed and chill.

Although, for Crystal, it was nerve-wracking because every time David leaned in close to talk to her, she expected him to kiss her. Every time he touched her hand, she thought he would hold it. Crystal worried she had food stuck to her shirt or something every time she caught him checking her out.

When the movie ended, David asked, �Do you want me to give you a ride home?�

Not sure what to say, she agreed. After he drove off, Crystal realized that if she had said �no,� it meant he wanted her to stay the night. She was a neurotic idiot.

◊◊◊

David was someplace he had never been before, the Hoose Library of Philosophy. It was the oldest library on the USC campus. It harkened back to the stunning buildings built nearly a hundred years ago. The main reading room was topped by a high cathedral ceiling, filled with original artwork and furniture from local artists. David could see coming back here to study because of the inviting ambiance.

�Come on, people, let�s get everything set up!� a student director called out.

Professor Blum and his ex, Colleen O�Connor, oversaw a swarm of film students shooting today�s commercial. The young director looked frazzled and thought he had to approve every tiny detail, so David decided to take the time and actually study.

David had signed up for a critical thinking class. It wasn�t normally offered, but a visiting lecturer, Professor Paul Elder, was teaching it this semester. The purpose of the course was to cut through rhetoric and uncover manipulation or deception from different places, such as scientists, religious zealots, and politicians. It was basically to help hone your BS detector.

Today�s class involved chain arguments. The conclusion of one argument may be the premise of another, so a series of arguments may be linked together like a chain to reach a conclusion. Professor Elder�s contention was that every link in the chain must work (including the premise)�not just most of them. His example was based on a piece of art stolen from a museum.

�The fact is that between the time the art was placed on the wall and the time the theft was discovered, no one and nothing touched it. That means that the art could not have been stolen between the time it was hung and the time the theft was discovered. Therefore, the art must have been stolen outside that period,� Professor Elder had taught.

He broke this chain down into three separate arguments:

i. The fact is that between the time the art was placed on the wall and the time the theft was discovered, no one and nothing touched it.

ii. That means that the art could not have been stolen between the time it was hung and the time the theft was discovered.

iii. Therefore, the art must have been stolen outside that period.

If any of the three could be brought into question, then the whole chain was suspect.

The call, �Ready on set!� interrupted David�s thoughts, and he looked up.

�Good Lord,� he muttered.

The director was going to make sure he got every angle.

Usually, there would be straight-on cameras for the actors and then one off to the side to catch them both; this guy had seven plus a handheld.

�Are you ready?� the director asked David.

�Yes. Let�s do this,� David said as he looked back down at his book to get ready.

�Action!�

A female student sat down across from David, causing him to look up.

�Are you �?�

�David Dawson, hi.�

�I�m sorry,� she said, acting like a total fangirl.

�That�s all right. I�m a student, just like you.�

�But you could have gone to college anywhere.�

�But this place is great. The University of Southern California is a place like no other.�

�And cut! Let�s do it again!�

�Fuck me,� David thought but went back to looking at his book so they could do it again.

He started to miss his days filming the J-dramas and their one-shot-and-move-on approach when, after the tenth iteration, Professor Blum had to stop it. David had agreed to some voice-over work, so he, Colleen, and Professor Blum walked to USC�s sound studios.

Colleen tried to talk to him as they walked, but David ignored her.

When they arrived, a girl was finishing up, so they had to wait a moment.

�Thanks for being professional earlier. My next lesson is going to have to be about delegation and allowing your crew to do their job,� Professor Blum said.

�And maybe not as many cameras,� David suggested.

�The only time I remember ever having that many for a shot was when filming a stunt they didn�t want to do more than once.�

When it was David�s turn behind the microphone, the director simply asked, �Are you ready?�

�I am.�

�Okay. I�ll just let it run, so start whenever you want and watch the clock. Each spot is thirty seconds.�

David nodded and began to read his lines.

�There�s a place steeped in tradition that�s been forged in California sunshine and strengthened by the inspiration of a world-class private research university. It�s meeting tomorrow�s challenges today. It�s breaking old ways of thinking with new creativity and celebrating our achievements. The University of Southern California is a place like no other,� he recited and paused for a moment before beginning on the next one.

�One thing is still certain. Our students need skills that last a lifetime. Flexibility, resilience, creativity, and the humility to realize at graduation that their education has just begun. The University of Southern California is a place like no other.�

For the second one, he slowed his pace and paused so that he ended both right at the thirty-second mark.

�We got it. Thanks,� the director said, and David was done.

◊◊◊

David went to visit Cassidy.

�My love for daytime TV is vast, but even it has its limits,� was Cassidy�s opening remark.

�Does that mean you want to go home?�

�I get checked in the morning, and if all is good, I�m free. Your mom is picking me up.�

�Where are you planning on going to rehab?� David asked.

She sighed.

�I�m going to fly home with my dad.�

�If you can�t handle it, I have a bye week in five or six weeks. I plan to fly back to watch Phil play football. If you clear it with your dad, you can come back with me.�

�Do I get to be the pilot?�

�Maybe�when it�s on autopilot.�

�You don�t trust me to fly with one hand?� Cassidy challenged.

David wasn�t taking the bait. His little ninja was frustrated with lying around, so she liked to start arguments to liven things up. Instead, he told her about doing his commercials and how Taylor had talked him into being their celebrity bartender.

�You better watch yourself, or Alpha Mu will turn you into their pet.�

�As long as I get belly rubs.�

Cassidy made an inappropriate comment, which caused them both to laugh. The two of them fell into an easy banter until he had to go.

On his drive home, David flipped the switch to football.

It was finally time for him to play his first college game.

◊◊◊

The night before the game, the football team was loaded onto buses and taken to a downtown hotel. The new players soon learned that room assignment depended on a combination of depth chart and seniority.

Players like Willy Powell, USC�s center and offensive captain, got a room on the top floor with the best view.

Those like Nick �Big Cat� Collins, a freshman, had a room on a lower floor overlooking the parking lot and on the same floor as all the coaches. David and Alex were both starters with no seniority, so they were on the top floor but overlooked the dumpsters.

After a team dinner and quick meetings, everyone was allowed to do as they pleased so long as they didn�t leave the hotel. David was called to a conference room where Coach Merritt, Coach Thomas, and Coach Stackhouse wanted to go over film with him one last time.

After the film session, Coach Thomas held David back to have a word with him. When they were alone, he began,

�How are you feeling?�

�Equal parts excited and scared,� David admitted.

�You might not know this, but I played quarterback when I was in college. I was a career backup until midway through my senior year, when our starter went down. I was terrified when I stepped onto the field. In my first two series, I fumbled a snap and threw an interception.�

David winced because that was his worst nightmare.

�I settled down after that,� Coach Thomas said. �We got our butts kicked, but I discovered I belonged on the field.

My coach told me what my role was and to just do my job.�

�Good advice.�

�I want you to take it to heart because we�re good enough to beat UNLV without any heroics on your part. I know that you have the ability to throw a ball into a tight

window and make a play, but that isn�t your job tomorrow. I would rather you dump it off, and we have to punt the ball.

The only way we lose is if we turn the ball over,� Coach Thomas said.

David wanted to argue because he was confident in his abilities, but Coach Thomas got paid to make these calls. If he wanted David to play it conservatively, he would.

�If I were UNLV,� Coach Thomas continued, �I would want to force you to make bad decisions. They�ll blitz, try to trick you with disguised coverages, trash talk, and get you to doubt yourself.�

�Yeah, that�s pretty much what Coach Stackhouse told me.�

�Well, she�s right. Keep a clock in your head when you drop back to pass. If nothing is open, either dump it off or run the ball. They have never seen someone like you with your size and speed.�

�I can do that.�

�And if you�re going to get hit, slide. I can�t risk you getting hurt,� Coach Thomas added.

�Yes, sir.�

�You ready for this?�

�Yes, sir.�

�Then get a good night�s rest. Room check will be at 10:30,� Coach Thomas said to dismiss him.

◊◊◊

Alex had brought his game system and had it hooked up to the hotel�s TV. Most of the freshmen were in his room, playing a football video game. Big Cat and Chuy were currently playing.

�I can�t believe you picked Cleveland. Have they won anything this century?� Bear asked to harass Big Cat.

�That�s my team you�re disrespecting, and they�re getting better,� Big Cat said to defend his Browns. �My dad

was a Ravens fan, so I grew up a Ravens fan. Deal with it.�

There was an electronic sound at the door, and David walked in.

�Well, hello, boyz,� David drawled.

�We�re ordering pizza. Are you in?� Alex asked.

�I could eat,� David agreed.

�Bear�s collecting the money,� Alex told his roommate.

�You know the rest of the team will want in on this,�

David said.

�They can get their own.�

�When the offensive line shows up, are you going to tell them they can�t have a slice?�

Alex knew David was right.

�What should we do?� he finally asked his roommate.

�Have these guys go door-to-door and collect money. I�ll ask one of the coaches if we can use the ballroom we had dinner in. That way, our room doesn�t get trashed and smell like pizza all night,� David suggested.

�I�ll organize this bunch while you deal with pizza and locations,� Alex said.

Alex chuckled as he walked down to Willy�s room because he�d taken the easy job. He found him with a few other linemen in his room.

�Hey, Dawson�s organizing pizza. I need you to figure out who wants some,� Alex said and told Willy how much per head. He also explained that they had to get their own drinks.

�I like this. It�s good to see the new guys doing a bit of team building. I�ll make a couple of calls and get you the numbers. I assume everyone will want in,� Willy said.

By the time David returned from talking to the coaches, Willy had gotten them a rough headcount. Alex was impressed when David ordered pizza from a handful of different places. He explained that he�d learned that trick from one of his personal assistants. That way, no one place was overwhelmed with orders.

A half-hour later, players began to come down to the ballroom. Alex noted that the coaching staff had joined them. The team managers took over when the pizzas started to arrive. Willy held the team off until the last batch of food was delivered.

�Before we eat, I want to thank the rookies for organizing the food. Be sure to put your money into the pitchers at the end of the table ��

Willie was interrupted by Coach Merritt.

�No need to pay. I like this idea of a late-night snack where we�re all together before a game. I�ll get the university or boosters to pick up the tab. Next game, the sophomores are responsible for organizing the food. Be sure to thank the freshmen, and let�s eat!�

Alex saw that David had paid upfront for all the pizzas and had collected all the receipts. He made a show of giving the receipts to Coach Merritt. He chuckled when Coach Stackhouse made everyone switch tables so they were eating with people they normally didn�t hang out with.

It also wasn�t lost on him that David went from table to table to talk to each of his teammates. He saw that the coaching staff also noted his roommate networking.

Someday, that boy was going to run the world.

◊◊◊

David got to experience one of the game-day traditions.

When Pete Carroll was hired at USC back in the early 2000s, he started the Trojan Walk. Exactly two hours before each game, the Trojans arrived at the Coliseum on their buses. They would parade through the crowd on their way into the stadium under the Olympic torch.

It created a fan-friendly vibe that brought the players right to the forefront of the game-day experience while becoming a fixture of pregame B-roll for every USC home

game. Plus, how cool was it to see kids reach out and high-five their heroes?

David was halfway to the entrance when he heard,

�Daddy!� as Coby wiggled free of his grandma and ran to him. His son was all decked out in a number 11 jersey with Dawson on the back. USC was one of a handful of schools that had never put the player�s name on their uniforms, but his mom thought it was silly. His whole clan had them on.

David scooped Coby up, carried him over to where his family was, and said hello to all his kids. They wanted to tell him about tailgating. His mom had found a company that did it all for you. All his dad had to do was pull up and put cheese-filled hotdogs�which his kids thought was ambrosia�on the grill and kick back.

After the game, the company would return and take down the tent and everything under it. They�d added a fence around the outside of the tent so that the adults didn�t have to worry about the five little ones terrorizing other tailgaters.

�Uncle David!� Greg�s three cried out to get his attention.

He gave his niece and nephews a hug.

�David, you need to get inside,� Coach Stackhouse said.

While he�d said hello to his family, the rest of the team had already gone in.

�Sorry, guys. They can�t start the game without me.�

◊◊◊

After warm-ups, David had gone to the training room to get his ankles re-taped. They had a live feed of what was happening on the football field. The USC drum major marched out onto the field with a sword in his hand. From inside the locker room, David could hear the crowd respond as the sword was stabbed into the turf, directing the marching band to come onto the field.

Like Ohio State�s script Ohio and dotting of the I, this tradition was one of the most recognizable in college football.

The USC marching band performed their pregame concert accompanied by the USC Song Girls. He had to leave to meet with the team, so he missed when Traveler made his entrance. He was USC�s majestic pure white horse ridden by a guy in Trojan garb.

Originally, Traveler galloped around the track after touchdowns. Now, with the track removed, he trotted out to glad-hand fans along the edges of the stands.

After a quick meeting with the coaches, David finally had a chance to put his earbuds in, crank up some rock music, and mentally prepare for the game. It was a routine he�d started in high school that allowed him to block out the world for a time. He visualized himself and his teammates having success as he mentally ran through key offensive plays he would run today.

One of his teammates tapped him on the shoulder to let him know it was time.

Coach Merritt had the whole team gathered around.

�Take a knee!�

Once everyone was settled, he began.

�Instead of a traditional motivational speech, I asked Heisman winner and two-time Pro Bowler Charles White to say a few words.�

A man in his sixties came to the front of the room as the team politely clapped. Like him, David assumed that most of them had no idea who the guy was because he�d had to have played before David was even born.

�Wow � uh � What an honor to be here in front of you guys. It�s a great day today. You only get so many of these in your life. Season openers give you a chance to set the tone for the rest of the season. It also gives you a chance to finally hit someone other than your teammates,� Charles said to draw some chuckles.

�I remember my first game over forty years ago and the pride I took when I put on my USC uniform. It was the culmination of starting to play flag football in recess at grade school all the way through high school ball. All the work once I got onto campus, and fall practice, to finally get to strap a helmet on and represent this great university.

�Today, every college football team across America is undefeated. They all have dreams of winning the national championship. But I�m here to tell you that it will be USC

hoisting that trophy at the end of the season, and it starts right now.

�Let�s go out and show the country they have to go through us � that we are the team to beat!� Charles concluded.

David saw the team was ready as they followed Charles into the tunnel. In the stadium, loud rock music blared as they made their way to the entrance. Then the piped-in music stopped, and the USC marching band began to play Fight On! It was one of the most iconic songs in college football.

When David ran onto the field, the noise of the fans cheering washed over him. He saw the fans giving the traditional two-fingered V-for-victory sign. FOX had made this their Game Day destination, meaning they were the featured game today. That was how David came to throw up on national TV.

The sideline reporter wanted to have a quick word with him before the kickoff. Back home, it became a running joke that if he threw up before a game, it meant they would win. He discovered that throwing up got him out of having to do the interview.

David paused a moment to take it all in. The Coliseum was one of the most recognizable stadiums in college football, and it was packed. This was what he�d wanted, to step out onto a bigger stage and see how he measured up.

It was finally time to show the world what David Dawson was capable of.

UNLV won the toss and decided to go against the norm and take the ball to start the game. That turned out to be a mistake because they threw three straight incompletions before having to punt the ball. Their punter had a leg and kicked the ball on a line drive away from USC�s return man.

He was unable to catch it, so he let it roll inside their twenty-yard line.

Coach Thomas gave him the first play, a slant pass over the middle to Tyrell Mulford, their slot receiver.

David called the play and got everyone lined up with him under center.

�Seventy � seventy. Set!�

One of the linemen jumped offside to move them back five yards. Coach Thomas called the same play.

�Set! Check! Check! Hike!�

Willy snapped the ball, and David dropped back. Tyrell got stoned by an outside linebacker and went to the turf.

David went to his second read, his wide receiver Bill Callaway, when he saw rookie left tackle Bear Barber get beaten by UNLV�s defensive end.

David remembered what Coach Thomas had told him yesterday, so he tucked the ball and found a gap to run through. UNLV was in a press man-to-man to give the USC

receivers a hard time, which meant their focus was mainly on the receivers, not the quarterback.

Once David escaped the pocket, he ran right down the center of the field. He almost laughed because it was like the UNLV defense did one of those cartoon �uh oh� looks as they realized he was on the loose and sprinting downfield.

Their safety made one of those dives to take his legs out but bounced off David�s thigh.

That was one of Coach Farrow�s pet peeves, and the kid would have been benched if he�d been on USC�s team.

Their defensive coach preached that if you were making a

tackle, actually tackle the guy, don�t dive and hope it knocks him down.

Eighty-eight yards later, David had scored his first college touchdown.

◊◊◊

On USC�s third possession, they were up 7�3. Coach Thomas was trying to get his playmakers involved, but they seemed to have first-game jitters. Marcus Eshete, the Pac-12�s top returning running back, had seven carries for seven yards. Amari Weeks at wide receiver had been targeted three times and dropped each pass. USC had to punt.

While on the sideline, Coach Thomas told David about a change in the game plan.

Before they went back out, David stopped to talk to Amari.

�Hey, man, don�t worry about those drops. I know you can do this, and so do you. Just relax and shake it off.�

�Thanks, David. You�re right; I can do this. We can do this. Just give me a minute,� Amari said.

David then went to Willie and the offensive line.

�I just talked to Coach Thomas, and we are going heavy run-pass option. Just assume that every play is a run, and let�s knock their dicks in the dirt. Be mindful that when you knock them back, not to go more than five yards downfield.�

Then he turned to Bear.

�Quit worrying about their speed. Do what you did against Percy in the practice game that earned you a steak dinner. I want to see you pancake that pain in my ass on the next play and every play going forward,� David encouraged.

�Offense!� Coach Merritt called.

So far, the offense would gain two or three yards on first down and either get stopped on second down or lose yardage. David would then run an RPO play on third down and seemed to have to keep it to gain the first down.

◊◊◊

�The only thing that seems to be working for USC right now is David Dawson running the ball,� broadcast �color man� Tom Rubin said.

�It�s first and goal on the seven-yard line. What would you do on this play?� Jerry Hammill, the play-by-play announcer, asked.

�I�d run the tight end to the back of the end zone and let him use his height to score.�

�Dawson is in the shotgun and hands the ball to Eshete up the middle. His hard running gains three yards, making it second and goal at the four-yard line.�

�That�s the best run by Eshete so far this game. The difference is that he hit the line with purpose instead of trying to find the perfect running lane. He has to realize that there won�t be any today and play physically,� Tom said.

�Dawson is under center. He fakes the handoff and has their tight end, Nolan Hammer, wide open in the back of the end zone �� You could hear the groan of the crowd as Hammer dropped the pass.

�That one�s on Hammer. You have to catch those balls.

That one was eye level and with pinpoint accuracy. It looked like he had alligator arms. He has to know that ball is coming to him,� Tom said.

�What should they do now?�

�If I�m UNLV, I put a spy on Dawson. He�s been the only one to hurt them so far today.�

�USC is lined up in a shotgun. It looks like they�re going to throw the ball on third down. UNLV only has three down

linemen and has brought in an extra defensive back. It seems like they�ve gone all-in to prevent the pass.

�Eshete goes in motion to empty the backfield, and the ball�s snapped. Dawson has no one to throw to because UNLV has all his receivers well covered. Dawson rolls right, still looking, and now he�s running for the corner.

Touchdown, USC!� Jerry roared.

The crowd thundered their approval.

�You can have the perfect defensive calls, you can flush him from the pocket, but you�re not going to stop David Dawson. UNLV just doesn�t have an answer for that, and I would bet no one else will, either. Dawson is a special talent; he�s like a unicorn. What makes him so hard to handle is he�s a big kid at six-four and 235 pounds. And he�s probably the fastest man on the field. It�s evident in the moves he makes and his bursts of speed. As you�ve seen, UNLV can�t tackle him one-on-one,� Tom gushed.

�What should UNLV do to counteract Dawson?�

�They have to manufacture turnovers, which will happen if these USC receivers keep dropping passes.�

◊◊◊

By the end of the first quarter, USC was up 14�10.

Coming out of the commercial break, USC had the ball again.

�I might be going way back, but David Dawson reminds me of Vince Young. After the first quarter, he has 118 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He is going to push to get some serious playing time. Can you believe that he was originally a walk-on defensive player?� Tom asked.

�It�s hard to imagine, but you�re right, he spent most of his time in practice on defense. Matt Long was named USC�s starting quarterback in the spring but had to sit out this game because he violated team rules. He could be watching David Dawson claim his job today,� Jerry said,

then called the first play. �USC is in the �I� formation, and it looks like it�s a run up the middle � wait � David Dawson has the ball as he rolls out on a naked bootleg. He has Bill Callaway open on the sideline who makes a good twelve-yard gain.�

�David Dawson has a good arm. In high school, he won just about every award possible and was considered the number one recruit when he graduated. The question has been that he took time off to film movies. Would that time off hurt his game? That pass tells me he�ll be just fine.�

�In the �I�; Marcus Eshete the tailback. And David Dawson is out on the edge, displaying what you were just talking about. There he goes. With a slick move for about eight, almost nine effortless yards.�

�Man. He makes you hold your breath, doesn�t he?� Tom asked.

�You heard what I said to interim head coach Jason Merritt yesterday. How do you recruit quarterbacks when you have Matt Long and David Dawson on your roster?�

�A quarterback that size who can run like a deer. I mean, that should be illegal.�

�Second and a yard. Eshete carries the ball up the middle for a first down. Now, what about these numbers for David Dawson? At Lincoln High School in central Illinois, he was a three-time state champion and set a national record for the most passing yards in a football game. And was named the Gatorade Player of the year his junior year.

Plus, he was the co-MVP at Elite 11 that year, the first junior ever invited,� Jerry said.

�You imagine that kid in the huddle as a quarterback in high school. He�s a man amongst boys. I mean, everyone who played against David in high school said yeah, yeah, I played against that dude. He�s a legend. I mean, look at him. He walks up to that offensive line and stands tall over it. The kid is a beast.�

�First and ten, and it was supposed to be a quarterback draw up the middle. But Dawson shows his elusiveness by cutting it outside and is run out of bounds with a stiff arm to a smaller defensive back. There�s a flag down, which is probably going against him,� Jerry said.

�Boy, is he smooth, isn�t he? He made the six-yard gain look effortless. Jason Merritt is beside himself because he can�t believe they�re calling his quarterback for a stiff arm, but that�s exactly what the referees are going to do.�

�Jason is saying that his guy is six-four, and he�s hitting their cornerback in the facemask because he�s only five-seven.�

�Boy, but what an athlete,� Tom said as they rolled the replay. �No! That is not a penalty. David Dawson can�t believe it. That�s ticky-tacky.�

�That�s just a bad call. First and twenty-five, and USC, now in an obvious passing down, is in the shotgun. UNLV

sneaks up a defensive back to blitz. On the snap, Dawson sees the blitz coming and curls around the right end. There he goes into the secondary, and it looks like he might get a first down. He doesn�t quit as he takes on two defenders to get the first down.� Jerry has to shout to be heard over the USC fanbase.

�Do you think seventy-eight thousand fans love it? Just a little,� Tom observed. �Is he special or what? He is instant offense. Man, is Dawson quick,� Tom said and then added when they showed the replay, �Look at that change in direction. That isn�t some little jitterbug back; he�s a big, powerful boy. Then watch the end when he sticks his nose in there and blasts through those two defenders to pick up another three yards.�

�First and ten on the eighteen. Dawson has the ball in his hands again as he heads left. This time, UNLV rushes to stop him, and there�s a toss to Marcus Eshete, who is run out on the two-yard line.�

�Look out! USC is rushing to the line to prevent UNLV

from getting their goal-line defense in the game.�

�David Dawson takes the quick snap and bulls his way into the end zone for his third score of the game.�

By the end of the first half, USC was up 28�17 and would get the ball first in the second half. David had gained 198

rushing yards and passed for another 56. He�d accounted for over 80 percent of USC�s offense and had all four of USC�s touchdowns.

◊◊◊

When David reached the locker room, Marcus gave him a good-natured shove.

�What�s up with you stealing all my scores?�

�No one said you had to run out of bounds on the two-yard line,� David fired back.

�Yeah � well, just don�t forget your boy in the second half,� Marcus said with a smile.

Coach Thomas called David over and handed him the VR

goggles. Dare had figured out the real-time rendering issue, so he could use the footage captured during the first half. Everything was a bit disconcerting because Coach Thomas was driving the views.

�I wanted to show you two plays where you had opportunities,� Coach Thomas began.

He showed him two instances of RPO plays, and in each, Bill was getting himself free of the corner covering him.

David hadn�t thrown the ball because Bill wasn�t wide open, but David was confident he could get him the ball.

�If you see that again, I want you to ignore my earlier advice about throwing into a tight window,� Coach Thomas said.

They both knew that of all the receivers, Bill had the best hands. He would come up with it if the ball got close, even if it turned into a 50/50 ball.

Then he showed him the run portion of the option and why Marcus wasn�t gaining any yardage. The defensive end was playing to contain Marcus. It was apparent after the pitch, but Coach Thomas pointed out that if David kept the ball and cut upfield, the defensive end was in the process of stepping outside, so a hole would open up.

David rehydrated and got ready for the second half with that all in mind.

◊◊◊

Before they went back out on the field, Coach Thomas had the offense gather around for a brief talk.

�We�re up 28-17. It�s good to be ahead. But this is UNLV, for chrissake! We should be blowing them out. Linemen, I remember in practice when you were pushing our defense two or three steps downfield on every play. �One shot, one kill,� remember? Like Coach Bolton said, I want you to explode off the line and dominate!

�Receivers, I don�t know what�s going on out there, but you need to focus. You�re faster than they are; you�re better than they are. Time to collect some passes and show them what it means to try to defend USC.

�Running backs, if you�re not carrying the ball, you�re blocking, making holes for others, or protecting your quarterback. And if you are carrying the ball, look for those holes your line will be creating. Use your power to push through and punish those tacklers.

�David, you�re doing well, but you�re taking a lot of chances. Just do your job and protect the football, and yourself.

�We have the better team. We have the BEST team. Now I want you to go out there and play like it!�

◊◊◊

On USC�s opening drive, David threaded a pass to Bill, who gained eight yards.

�That pass right there confirms that Dawson�s play hasn�t at all suffered from his time off. He looks like he can put the ball exactly where he wants it, tight window or not,� Tom Rubin said.

On the next play, David tossed the ball to Marcus, who made it back to the line of scrimmage. On third and two, Coach Thomas called the same play.

David would hurry up and get his team lined up on each play, and if he liked what he saw, he would run the play.

Otherwise, he would wait for Coach Thomas to send down the play from the booth, and it would be signaled in.

�Set! Hut!�

Willie hiked the ball, and David ran the RPO to his left, where Bill was. Marcus had good spacing as David ran down the line. As soon as he passed Bear�s big butt, he planted his foot and ran upfield.

Up in the press box, the announcers made the call.

�It�s a third down and two on USC�s twenty-eight on the option. Uh oh, Dawson has room,� Jerry announced as the crowd erupted. �He breaks a tackle, now two. Can anybody get him? He�s cutting back against the grain. I think it�s lights out. David Dawson again takes it to the house.

Seventy-two yards for the touchdown!�

Tom commented on the replay.

�David Dawson might be playing the best opening game I�ve personally witnessed in all my years of watching college football. You cannot miss a tackle. Pause it right there. That is UNLV�s star linebacker who should have him dead to rights. Instead, David Dawson powers through like he wasn�t even touched. Now watch him stiff-arm the safety to get enough room to run past him.�

By the middle of the fourth quarter, USC was up 63�24, and David had 339 yards rushing and eight touchdowns.

Coach Merritt came to him.

�I�m inclined to take you out of the game, but the press box just told me you�re eight yards shy of USC�s single-game rushing record. You�re currently tied with the national record of eight touchdowns in a game. I�ll let you play one more series, and either you break them or you don�t. But be careful; I don�t need you getting injured in a blowout game.�

The offensive line heard their coach, and Willie announced, �We�re doing this!�

UNLV went three and out. The bonus was Big Cat, Nick Collins�USC�s freshman slot receiver from Baltimore�

took the punt and ran it back to USC�s forty-nine-yard line.

All they needed was fifty-one yards for another score.

On first down, David ran a quarterback draw for seven yards. He was shy of the rushing record by one yard. On second down, they ran the option, and this time the defensive end stayed at home. When David cut upfield, he ran head-on into the defender. His dad would later tell him that he could hear the contact up in the box seats his parents had gotten for home games.

David felt like he�d run into a truck as his bell was rung from the helmet-to-helmet contact. He staggered and was surprised when the defensive end went face-first into the turf. On instinct alone, he stepped over his opponent�s prone body and ran as fast as he could.

David wasn�t sure what was going on when his teammates swarmed him. The referee stopped the game for the injury to the UNLV defensive end as well as the score.

The stadium announcer took advantage of the stoppage to share that David had just set two records. As he went off the field, he felt dizzy and grabbed onto Bear.

�Help me get to the tent. I think I�m hurt.�

Bear helped him to the sideline, where he was met by the medical staff.

◊◊◊

Concussion.

After the game, David was taken to the hospital, where they first did a complete physical and a CT scan. He had to endure an MRI when they weren�t happy with the scan.

Dr. Liao, USC�s team physician, met with David to give him the verdict.

�We are keeping you here overnight to make sure you don�t suddenly get worse. Then you�ll be on a strict rest protocol, which includes limiting activities that require thinking and mental concentration for a minimum of two days.�

�What does that mean? Something like lying in a dark room listening to soothing whale sounds?� David asked.

Dr. Liao shook his head.

�No. It means no football, running, or lifting. I want you to stay away from the football facilities, and Coach Merritt will enforce that. For now, you can listen to music, watch TV, and rest. After a couple of days, you can do stuff like your schoolwork or play video games. If you have classes on Monday, you should plan to skip them. You can go to class on Tuesday if you feel up to it, but don�t push yourself.�

�I was planning on going on my friend�s boat tomorrow.

Can I do that?� David asked.

Before Dr. Liao would agree, David had to explain that Alex�s �boat� was a luxury yacht. The doctor added that David had to have someone else drive him.

�When can I get back to football?� David asked.

�It�ll be four or more weeks before you can return to practice.�

�No sooner?�

�We�ll be testing you, and if we feel your brain has healed, it could be sooner, but don�t count on it,� Dr. Liao

added.

David had had a couple of concussions and played much sooner than that in high school. He remembered that his friend Tami had warned him about some medical research she�d found at the time. It showed that not allowing the brain to fully heal could cause more significant problems. It seemed that sports medicine now agreed with his friend�s findings.

◊◊◊

�Good morning, Mother,� David said as he opened his eyes.

His dad chuckled, which earned him a scowl.

�I had to receive word that you were in the hospital from Alex.�

�I�ll be sure to thank him for that,� David shot back.

�What were you thinking?�

�Obviously, not much because I got my brain scrambled.�

�You�re currently at the top of the Heisman watch list,�

Dad said to try to change the subject.

�That won�t last long. I was told last night that I won�t be able to even practice for four weeks or more.�

�Good. Instead of putting some spine into him, we�ve been shielding him long enough and letting him get away with his monkeyshines. It�s time he realized his actions have consequences,� Mom said.

David gave her a pained expression but held his tongue.

How had he become the enemy in his own story? He knew his mom felt he�d caused some great offense by not telling her of his injury, and she was baiting him to start an argument.

�How bad is it?� Dad asked.

�My head feels like a spike has been driven through my left eye, and when I got up to use the little boys� room last

night, I became dizzy and about fell down,� David shared.

His mom�s whole demeanor changed in an instant.

�You�re really hurt?�

�What did you think? That my head is as thick as Coby�s?� David asked with a grin.

�It�s just that you�ve gotten them before �� his mom said as she trailed off.

�It�s okay, Mom. I�m going to be fine. They�ll run some tests this morning, and I�ll be released. I might have just enough of a spine to handle that,� David gently teased.

�Sorry, I didn�t really mean that. I was just upset,� Mom admitted. �Do you need anything?�

�I�m good. You and Dad probably have plans for today,�

David said to try to get rid of them.

�I do have a tee time,� Dad said and then flinched when Mom smacked his arm.

�Go. Like you said, I�ve had these before and survived.

It�ll take more than a knock to the head to take me out.�

�Carol, you can see that the boy lives. Let me take you to breakfast,� Dad said to get his mom out of his room.

�Next time �,� was his mom�s parting shot.

�I�ll call,� David promised.

It was too bad his dad no longer drank because David owed him a good bottle of scotch for diverting his mother.

◊◊◊

David got tipped off by hospital security that reporters were waiting for him in the lobby, so he escaped out a side entrance. Alex picked him up and had Chloe, Crystal, and Taylor with him.

�I brought you what I want you to wear for the podcast,�

Chloe said as he settled into the front seat.

David ignored her and asked Alex, �Did you bring my wallet, phone, and keys?�

�Sorry. One of the team managers bagged up what was in your locker, and I tossed it on your bed. But you won�t need any of that on the boat.�

David could only imagine how his phone was blowing up.

�How�s your head?� Crystal asked.

�I have a concussion and was told I can�t even practice or work out.�

�You�re still going to bartend for me on Wednesday, aren�t you?� Taylor asked.

�Quit being solipsistic,� Crystal said.

�Is that even a word?� Alex asked.

�It sounds like a word you would learn for your SATs, so it might be one,� David guessed.

�Douchetard sounds like a word, too, but I�m pretty sure you won�t find it in the dictionary,� Alex shot back. �Nor on the SAT.�

�For your ignoramuses� information, it means self-centered,� Crystal enlightened them.

�Now you�re just being truculent,� David fired back.

�We have a new rule for the day. No more ten-dollar words. You two remind me of this guy I hired to fix a paper I wrote. Simpler is better,� Alex complained.

�The fact remains that Taylor needs to dial it down a bit on pushing David to volunteer for �her� rush,� Crystal said.

�I might need a stool or chair because I seem to get dizzy,� David said.

�For you, I�ll make it happen,� Taylor promised, looking pleased.

◊◊◊

Chloe and Crystal were busy planning how they wanted the podcast done. The backdrop of Alex�s yacht with the LA skyline gave them the monied vibe the company sponsoring the social media campaign wanted.

They�d hijacked the lower deck area of the boat. They had Galen, Alex�s security guy, kick out all the football players, sorority girls, and jock bunnies.

David was sent to one of the cabins to change. When Chloe turned, she half-expected to find no one, but there he was. No man should be allowed to look that handsome. It just wasn�t right.

David had put on the white swimsuit that he�d worn in all the advertisements for his James Bond movie. It had shown him getting out of a pool, and they were close to being indecent as the trunks clung to his body. He completed the look with sunglasses and no shirt.

�Down, girl. You have to rub cream on him in a minute,�

Crystal teased Chloe.

Taylor came bounding out behind him, checking out his butt.

�Should we get you all wet like you were in the movie?�

Taylor asked.

David turned and looked over his sunglasses with a look that said, �no.� The issue was that when his suit got wet, it was all but transparent.

Taylor leaned in close to Crystal and whispered, �David is gorgeous. His abs are so defined that a girl might cut her tongue on his ridged perfection.�

Chloe gave Crystal a look that said, �rein your girl in.�

�Come sit on the couch,� Chloe encouraged. �I will give an intro to all my fans, and then I�ll rub cream on your chest. I want you to give your honest feedback.�

�We could probably start a new Internet challenge sensation where you rub the cream you�re hawking on hot bods. If you need help with David, I�m right here,� Taylor chirped.

David winked at her to encourage her misbehavior.

�That�s my weakness,� she admitted. �Call me a slut, but it wouldn�t take much more than that to get me to drop my

panties for him. Winking at me is like liquor to an alcoholic, and David is getting me drunk.�

David chuckled as Chloe gave Crystal a pleading look to deal with Taylor. Crystal sighed heavily and pulled the feisty redhead away for a �quick chat.�

�Ready?� Chloe asked.

David nodded.

◊◊◊

Crystal manned the phone to film Chloe�s intro. David tried to zone out because his headache had come back, and he needed one of his pills.

When it came time to rub cream on him, he smelled a pleasant citrus scent. Chloe began to describe the product, Rejuvenating Body Cream, as she slathered it all over his chest and abs.

�You need to rub it in,� Taylor announced as she got onto the couch and began to �help� Chloe.

David came out of his zone to find two scantily clad women touching his body. Usually, the big brain would have kicked in by now. Mr. Happy recognized a rare opportunity and seized control of the body. He must have known David was brain damaged�at least, that was the story he planned to use later.

�You missed a spot a bit lower,� David encouraged.

Taylor shoved him back against the couch and then started to kiss his chest. Every inch of it. David�s breathing grew unsteady. When her lips traveled down to the waistband of his trunks, he tensed up. Taylor lifted her head to check his expression and found it was tight with anticipation.

Then Chloe touched his chin and distracted David with a kiss.

�I�m not filming this,� Crystal announced as Taylor reached into his trunks and freed Mr. Happy. �Let�s have

him lie down.�

The girls let him free for a moment. David reached down, pulled off his swimsuit, and lay back. Crystal came to his head and smiled down at him.

�We want to make you feel good.�

Her lips found his, and a zing of pleasure raced through him. David closed his eyes as two girls began to share his cock in a double blowjob. He felt the incredible waves of sensation until they all were breathing hard.

�David,� Crystal said to get his attention.

She�d gotten naked, climbed up onto the couch, and straddled his head. He took the hint and began to give her head. His brain shut down when he felt someone put a condom on his cock, sit on it, and start to ride. All he could do was let the soaring pleasure take over. That was when he felt one of the girls push his legs apart and his nuts being sucked.

�Why is my girlfriend riding your cock?� Alex�s voice interrupted his pleasure.

Before David could do anything, Chloe was defending him.

�Because if you plan to bang some sorority girl or jock bunny, your girlfriend is fine with that.�

�That�s my boy,� David heard Willy announce. �The All-American deserves three hotties.�

It sounded like Alex had company from the chuckles David heard.

�Upstairs!� Alex ordered.

After they left, Taylor said, �Switch.�

Crystal got off his face so he could see Taylor straddle his waist and begin to ride his cock. Crystal and Chloe sat on the floor to watch. Taylor�s tight fiery snatch was leaking all over his crotch. He grabbed her hips so he could drive the action. All he could do was let the soaring pleasure take over. When they crashed back to earth, Taylor grinned

down at David and looked mighty pleased with herself.

They were both left breathless, bodies still fused together.

�Get off him, you greedy bitch,� Crystal said, acting tough.

Taylor stuck her tongue out at her friend but got off.

Chloe and Taylor left them to their privacy.

�I didn�t plan that,� David said.

�I was there and could have stopped it at any time. Did you have fun?� Crystal asked.

�What do you mean �have�? My fun isn�t done.�

�Good to know. Are you planning on tracking down a sorority girl or jock bunny?�

�I have a particular sorority girl in mind.�

�If you ask nicely, this particular sorority girl might be willing.�

�Please,� David begged.

�As my mom always says, that�s the magic word.�

◊◊◊

When David got back to the dorm, his phone had blown up. Alex had done him a favor by leaving it so he could enjoy an afternoon on the water.

About half the football team had shown up. It was a stark reminder of the differences between when he played high school ball and now. His teammates no longer needed him to start anything. They were more than capable of

�starting� their own stuff.

It reminded him of his friends Tim and Wolf. Once out of high school, they�d accompanied him to film in New Zealand and Australia. Even with Lexi in his bed every night, he estimated that his two friends might have had more sex than he did. For his USC teammates, the same held true. He guessed they�d all hooked up on the yacht, including Alex. David had seen him hook up with a jock bunny or two, and Chloe didn�t seem to care.

He sent a message to his list to let everyone know he was okay. He then called several people, including Cassidy, Pam, Brook, Tami, Tim, and Wolf. When David was done, he went to the living room and found Alex playing a video game.

�Want to play?�

�Thanks, but I�m not supposed to for a couple of days,�

David said as he sat in a chair next to Alex.

About a half-hour into watching his roommate, David finally addressed the elephant in the room.

�Today just sort of happened.�

�I was pissed when I walked in, but Chloe and I had a talk. She told me that she plans to have fun with you now and then, but other than that, we�re exclusive on her part.

I, on the other hand, am allowed to bang whoever I want,�

Alex shared.

�I can tell her �no,�� David offered.

�We both know that we�re casual. I don�t care if Chloe�s with you because I know you won�t treat her like shit,� Alex assured him. �What did Crystal think? Did you bang Taylor, too?�

�I did, and Crystal was surprisingly good with it. I sort of let my little head do my thinking, which normally is a bad idea.�

David realized that he felt comfortable enough with Alex to share what he�d done with girls. The only other person he felt that way with was his brother Greg.

�If you ever felt like reciprocating and sharing Crystal

��

David chuckled because now Alex was using ten-dollar words.

�First, Hell would have frozen over, or our relationship would have seriously changed before I would be up for that,� David admitted.

�How about Taylor?�

�Ask her. She�s actually a fun girl to be around. She always has me laughing,� David shared.

�I just might.�

David foresaw that while Chloe had been Alex�s first, she might not be his girlfriend for long. She would just be one of many female casualties who hooked up with college football players and thought it might be more.

�Are we good about earlier?�

�Yeah. I think Chloe is only after me to help launch her career as an Internet influencer. She looks at you the same way,� Alex said.

�Could be, but she�s a hundred times better than her sister.�

�I would be happy to never see Veronica again,� Alex scowled. �I�m glad she�s not coming back.�

She�d been part of the townies with whom David and friends had their prank war in the fall. A random cricket still showed up now and then.

◊◊◊

After classes on Monday, David was sent to talk to Coach Stackhouse.

�David!� Amy said as he entered her office.

�Coach.�

�Before the game, I saw you with a flock of little kids.

Are those relatives of yours?�

�Five of them are my kids; I have 4 boys and a girl. The other three are my brother�s children.�

�Wow. Five kids at your age? I had no idea.�

�Yeah, they�re really mine. I can tell you the story sometime, but I don�t imagine you asked me here to talk about my munchkins.�

�Well, you�re right. I need to talk to you about what happens now. During your rehab, I�ll be your point person

with the football team. Being the resident psychologist, Coach Merritt handed me that role for all injured players.�

�You worried about my mental health?� David quipped.

�Funny, coming from someone with a concussion. If you want, we can talk about how your parents messed you up or your feelings.�

David held up his hands in surrender.

�Just tell me what I have to do.�

�Swing by the trainers� offices each morning so the medical staff can evaluate you. Until they say otherwise, you can�t do any football-related activities. As you get better, they�ll be in charge of what�s allowed and what isn�t,� Amy said.

�And something else: what exactly do you think you�re doing taking on a defensive end? As much as you may not believe it, you�re not Superman. I�m told you�re tough, and you certainly looked that way to me. But here you are with a concussion. If you don�t want to repeat this exercise, you need to stop taking unnecessary risks.�

�Okay, I got it. So, what�s your role in all this?�

�To start with, I want you to give me regular updates on how you�re feeling. Once you begin doing more, we�ll see.�

There was a knock at the door, and Bryant Franzese, USC�s recruiting coordinator, stuck his head in the door and looked at David.

�Do you know Jim Ball?�

�Offensive lineman at Alabama?� David asked.

�That�s the one. He just entered the portal, and when I talked to him, Jim said he knew you. Was he your teammate in high school?� Bryant asked.

�And friend,� David admitted. �Jim was a year ahead of me and played left tackle. When he graduated, he was undersized weight-wise, but Jim�s been in the Alabama development program, and last I saw, he�s a beast.

�Why is he leaving?� David asked.

�He�s being recruited over and doesn�t think he�ll ever get playing time. My concern is, does that mean he can�t play here?� Bryant asked.

�I have no doubt you could plug Jim in at any position, and he would start for us. I�m not saying that because he�s a friend, I�m saying that because I had him as my starting left tackle for two years. He had better footwork in high school than John Johnson has now. And I�ll bet he�s in better shape than John, too; he used to regularly do sixty minutes of hell with the rest of us.�

�That was what I was hoping you would say. I think we�ll make Jim an offer,� Bryant said.

�Hey, while I have your ear, there is a receiver you should be looking at. Damion Roth is at Iowa Western Community College. He might be the best receiver I�ve ever had the pleasure of throwing to. When my high school team played against him, he was nearly unstoppable. I swear Damion�s the reincarnation of Randy Moss. I met him at Elite 11 camp.�

�We don�t normally look at JC players.�

�You may want to reconsider that. I looked it up once, and Frank Gifford, OJ Simpson, and Keyshawn Johnson all came to USC out of JCs. Anyway, you should check him out.

I promise you that you�ll look like a rock star when you sign him,� David promised.

�I�ll look into it. Thanks,� Bryant said and left.

�Do you know any other players we should be looking at?� Amy asked with a wry smile.

�My younger brother. He would make a better backup quarterback than�and I say this with no disrespect intended�the backups we currently have. You have Colt Macklin coming in the following year, who will step into my shoes when I leave.�

Amy just shook her head and kicked him out of her office. As David went to stand up, he all but toppled over as a dizzy spell hit.

�You okay to walk home?� she asked, clearly worried.

�The team managers have been running me all over campus in a golf cart so I don�t have to walk. I would be fighting the doctors on their concussion protocol if it weren�t for that small issue,� David admitted.

�Who arranged for the golf carts?�

�Dr. Liao.�

�Good to know,� was Amy�s parting comment.

◊◊◊

There were two golf carts out front when he went outside. One had his friend Tracy Dole driving, while the other had a woman driving and a cameraman sitting in the back with Pac-12 Network logos on their polo shirts.

�Guess who the new Pac-12 student reporter is for USC?� Tracy asked.

�And your first assignment is me?� David asked.

She gave him a big smile.

�Congratulations on getting the job.�

�They said they liked my baseball interviews and felt I was the woman for the job.�

�So, what�s the plan? We do the interview as you drive me around?� David asked.

�Part of it. We set up in the courtyard behind Heritage Hall.�

�Chip Wagner is going to have my balls,� David said.

He was the local Channel 10 sports reporter who David was still deciding whether he trusted or not. It never hurt to have an ally. David had told him that the only person who would get a scoop before him was Tracy, so Chip would just have to understand.

Tracy didn�t care as she began the interview.

The ride to the courtyard was quick, so Tracy had them take a roundabout way. She used it to get background on film before the actual interview.

When it aired on the Pac-12 Network, it was only three minutes long. They�d chopped it down from an hour and a half. They also packaged a one-minute segment offered to local TV stations around the country.

Tracy gave him a ride back to his dorm when the interview was done.

�I see that you launched a new social media challenge,�

Tracy said when they were away from prying ears.

�I highly recommend Rejuvenating Body Cream. If you�d like to participate, I have a jar in my room.�

�I have to go work on the video we just shot, or I would be tempted. You should take it over to our place and talk to Pam. I think she�s about finished with her latest boyfriend,�

Tracy shared.

�He still being a good boy and keeping it in his pants?�

David asked with a chuckle.

�He is. I think what Miss Grumpypants needs is an afternoon with you to remind her what good sex is. You might even get her to agree to marry you if you asked again,� Tracy teased.

Pam was the only girl he�d ever made that offer to. He�d done it three times, but she wisely turned him down. As Coby�s mother, he�d wanted to do right by her. But Pam was right; they were too young.

The thing was that if pressed, David would offer again.

But in all honesty, what he felt about Pam had more to do with friendship with benefits. When she began to date in college, his inner Alpha Male hadn�t reared its head and declared that she was his; instead, David had felt happy for her.

He was amused that her current beau wanted to play it slow. Logically, David understood the guy�s motive to get it right with Pam. David had never met the kid, but he suspected that Pam was out of his league, and he probably thought she should be treated right and not pressed to

sleep with him. If the dummy only knew the truth, he would slit his wrists for waiting.

�I�m not going to be the guy who breaks up Pam�s relationship. Now, if we were both out of college �� David said and acted like he was thinking about it.

Tracy had a good laugh. He had no doubt she would tease Pam about it later.

◊◊◊

David was preparing to go to bed. It sounded like Alex and Chloe were working on relieving some stress before they went to sleep when there was a knock on the door.

David opened it and froze.

�Hello, David,� a smiling Lexi Andon said.

�Fuck me!� David thought.

◊◊◊

Lexi walked past David and into his bedroom. He followed and closed the door behind him.

Lexi turned, looked him in the eyes, and smiled. She was gorgeous. She reminded him of the Russian models in thriller spy movies: tall, cool, with a touch of danger. You just knew that those women could use anything as a weapon if provoked. While filming in the UK, Lexi had found a paperclip and had him convinced that she would end him with it.

He couldn�t help but compare his ex with his current semi-fake girlfriend, Crystal. She was a spoiled California girl who used her considerable assets to bully her way into getting what she wanted. That was until she started dating David, when she became somewhat reasonable. At least she didn�t boss him around like she had Matt.

Crystal was the type of girl you would spank her bottom if she were bad; if pushed, Lexi might spank yours. So, each had her upside.

What they had in common was a mutual sexual chemistry with him. David could still feel it with Lexi, even though he would never get back together with her in this lifetime.

�I want one last fuck,� Lexi announced.

David knew she�d used that word to shock him, and it did wake up Mr. Happy.

�That�s about as subtle as a well-thrown brick and just as welcome.�

�Think of it as closure. We both know we�ll never get back together, but you must admit that the sex was always great. I�m proposing one last night together. A sort of a goodbye,� Lexi offered.

�What do you mean by �a goodbye�?� David asked.

As an answer, she stepped up to him, and her mouth crushed his as her tongue thrust forcefully into his mouth.

When David grabbed her hips and slid one hand upward to work under her shirt, Lexi moaned in approval. He cupped her breast and rubbed his thumb against her nipple. It hardened in response, and she whimpered, signaling she wanted more.

David pulled his head back to ask what was really going on.

�Shut up, David. Don�t overthink this.�

She turned him around and pushed him back onto his bed. He agreed that they didn�t need words right now, and he wanted just � to feel. Lexi kissed his neck and nipped at his earlobe while his hands roamed up her thighs toward her waist. She sat up and ran her fingers lightly over his chest before pulling her shirt over her head and throwing it across the room, landing on his desk. He looked at her intently in an effort to unravel Lexi�s end game and to burn the image of her body into his brain.

She ran her fingers across his chest, and he pulled her close to him. When his mouth found hers again, he flipped her over, pinning her to the bed. As she wrapped her legs around him, he was struck by the intense need to be inside her.

This woman drove him to the edge of sanity. Her smell surrounded David, intoxicating him and compelling him to want to possess her. He forced himself to slow down and bent down to take one of her nipples into his mouth. Lexi gasped as he flicked his tongue and suckled gently.

�David. I want � I need ��

�Hush. I know, and I want you to remember that good things happen when you let me be in charge.�

Lexi growled at him in response, which gave him a moment to reflect. She had always been the best PA he�d ever had because she knew him so well. Lexi had guessed right that he couldn�t resist being with her one last time.

He pulled off her shorts with nimble fingers while his mouth teased her navel. When he reached her soft mound, he gently spread her open and tasted her. Lexi gasped as her hands fisted in the blankets. Finding the sensitive little man in the boat above her opening, David gently worked it with his tongue.

When she cried out, shuddering in release, he moved back up to cover her body with his. He reached over to his nightstand and grabbed a foil packet. Pushing his shorts and boxers off, he put on the condom, positioned himself against her, and paused.

�Lexi, look at me.�

Her eyes fluttered open, still dazed from her orgasm.

David held her gaze as he began to push inside her, not stopping until he was fully seated. Lexi gasped, her fingers digging into his shoulders, pulling him toward her. She was so tight and hot that it took all of his control not to lose himself too soon.

He forced himself to move slowly inside her, trying to give her time to get used to him. David shifted her slightly and found the sensitive nub again with his fingers. He rubbed against it while she clung to him. His rhythm increased as her body responded to his. Feeling her writhing beneath him with her soft cries in his ears was a heady combination.

When Lexi wrapped her legs around him again and whimpered in his ear, David plunged into her depths with abandon as she met him stroke for stroke. When Lexi trembled with her release a second time, he couldn�t hold back anymore. He pushed into her once more and exploded inside her.

Collapsing on top of her, David buried his face in her hair. After a moment, he became faintly cognizant that he was probably crushing her. He rolled onto his side to give Lexi a chance to breathe and looked down at her. Her skin was flushed from their lovemaking, and she had a trace of a

smile on her face. Her eyes were closed, and he was struck once again by how stunning she was.

Bending down to kiss her softly, she wrapped her arms around him.

�Lexi?�

�Hmm?� she replied, lazily opening her eyes.

David propped himself up on his elbow and asked, �What did you really want?�

�Shut up, David. We�ll talk in the morning,� she said as she closed her eyes.

David gave up and let Lexi snuggle up next to him in an all-too-familiar way.

◊◊◊

Lexi woke David up and dragged him to the shower for another round. When they were done and dressed, she said, �Take me to breakfast so we can talk.�

When they left David�s bedroom, Alex was on the couch in just his boxers, reading his economics textbook.

�Oh, hell no,� was his response when he saw David with Lexi.

�Good to see you, too, Alex,� Lexi said.

�You�re not seriously �� Alex sputtered at David.

�I�ll talk to you later,� David said as he and Lexi left the dorm room.

When they got downstairs, they each grabbed a big breakfast and found a table for two.

�What�s going on?� David asked.

�Ben and I are through. I also quit Dawson Management,� Lexi began.

It was now called Holistic Wealth Management, but most people still referred to its old name.

�I�m sorry about you and Ben, though I�ll admit that I�m not surprised. So, what�s your plan moving forward? Are

you going to work for your dad at the studio or go to school full-time?�

�I want to take some time off and figure that out. That�s where you come in.�

�Okay. What do you want?�

�I want to live in one of your condos in Monaco.�

A couple of weeks ago, he�d gotten word that his two units had received their occupancy clearance, meaning construction was done. His mom was working with Cindy Lewis to decorate them for Airbnb rentals, and doing them with high-end d�cor would bring top dollar.

�How did you know they were done?� David asked.

�I�m still on the email lists as your PA,� Lexi admitted.

He would have to get that fixed today.

�Can you afford it?� was his next question.

�No. I�ve had to put my condo on the market because I didn�t save any money, and without a job � let�s just say that I�m not moving back home.�

�What are you going to do for money?� David asked.

�I guess I�ll have to find a job.�

�And what do I get out of all this?� David asked.

�You always said that I was the best PA you ever had. I can do that remotely for you. In return, you let me live in your condo and maybe give me some money to live on until I can figure everything out,� Lexi proposed.

�If I agree�and I�m not yet saying I do�all the shenanigans stop. No more sending crazy girl or Fiona after me,� David added.

Lexi smiled because she knew she had him, and David knew it, too.

�I would be working for you, not against you,� Lexi agreed.

David saw the benefit of having Lexi so far away but still being able to utilize her considerable skills. He could use her as a foil for Crystal and have her act as a devil�s advocate when it came to his dealings with Crystal�s dad,

Kendrick. She might also help Crystal help Chloe become an Internet influencer.

�Do you want to do anything formally, like a contract?�

David asked.

�No. I trust you, and I still have the debit card you gave me. How about you just make sure it has money available?�

�Fucking fuckwits!� David fumed. When Lexi was no longer his PA, his people�and he included himself on that list, which was why he was pissed�should have taken that away from her. Then again, she must not have touched it, or Megan and his dad would have said something. Mouse, aka Megan, constantly harassed him when he spent money on frivolous stuff. She also accounted for everything everyone spent and sent his dad reports.

David planned to call his dad and talk about what should be done when someone with Lexi�s access left his team.

�The only question I have is, do you think we can keep this professional? A lot has happened over the last few months,� David said.

�I can if you can,� Lexi countered.

David had to think about that for a minute. He would have flatly refused if she�d come to him during the summer.

Having Crystal in his life had been a help in getting over Lexi. Lexi was right, too: she was by far the best PA he�d ever had. That part he really missed at times because she was someone who knew the ins and outs of the entertainment industry.

One area he hoped Lexi could help him with was his new agent. He still wasn�t sure he trusted Kendrick.

�Let�s do this on a six-month trial basis. Call Megan, and she�ll book you a flight. You�ll have to put up with my mom and Cindy decorating. I think that�s long enough for us to see if this will work or not,� David decided.

�You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you,� Lexi said.

�Just don�t make me regret this,� David said and softened it with a chuckle.

They said their goodbyes because he had to get to his first class of the day.

◊◊◊

Crystal was in his dorm room when he got done with his day.

�Taylor sent me to make sure you made it to rush,� she explained.

Alex sauntered in.

�I read this book before I fell asleep last night, and it was about this idiot boy who hooked up with his evil ex.�

�I would tell you to quit reading before falling asleep, but we both know you can�t read,� David fired back.

�What are you two babbling about?� Crystal asked.

�Nothing,� they said simultaneously.

�I don�t have time for this. Take me to your cafeteria, and then I�ll drive you to the house.�

Crystal had discovered that their dorm had the best food on campus, so she ate dinner with David a couple of days a week now. Kirk stuck his head out of his door as they started for the elevator.

�Lindsey, Jamie, and Lauren are joining me for dinner.�

David hadn�t had time for his friends, so he talked Crystal into going with the group. Tonight, they had a taco bar, and David made himself a plate of fish tacos and a big salad.

�I�d never really given any thought to how much people take for granted. You know, the everyday occurrences that happen in our lives, like cereal for breakfast or knowing that MTV won�t really be playing music,� Lindsey said when David joined them.

�What�s she talking about now?� David asked.

�She went to a party on Saturday, and a drunk guy made a pass at her,� Kirk explained.

�And?� David asked.

�He couldn�t perform when the time came,� Jamie explained.

�Crystal, does that ever happen with David?� Lindsey asked.

�All the time. He gets drunk, and next thing you know, he�s worthless.�

�That�s why I got a strap-on. That way, my lady is never disappointed,� David said with a straight face.

�Really?!� Lindsey asked.

Everyone began to laugh.

�Linds. When have you ever seen David drunk?� Jamie asked.

�Oh. But is that really a thing? Do guys need strap-ons?�

�All the time,� Kirk said. �Jamie is too much woman for me, so I�m breaking mine out in hour nine when we have one of our twelve-hour sessions.�

�Really?!�

David had tears in his eyes, he laughed so hard. Kirk only wished he could go for nine hours straight.

�Linds,� Jamie said, shaking her head at how gullible the girl was.

David missed hanging out with these guys.

◊◊◊

Taylor grabbed David as soon as he walked into the sorority and showed him where the bar was. He�d decided on making three mocktails: Virgin Mojito, Planter�s Punch, and Virgin Sangria.

The Virgin Mojito was made with fresh lime juice and mint leaves, sweetened with honey syrup, and topped with club soda. Planter�s Punch had been a high school favorite.

It normally had rum, but they�d opted for Everclear. This

one had orange, pineapple, and lemon juices, and he sweetened the mix with grenadine. Virgin Sangria was a combination of red and white grape juices used to replace the wine and finished off with sparkling apple cider.

As David got to work, Taylor received a call.

�Fuck him, fuck that, and fuck you!� she screamed into her phone.

David guessed it wasn�t good news. Crystal heard the commotion and hurried to her friend�s side.

�The Sig Eps are out,� Taylor told Crystal, hanging up the call.

Her red hair was usually kept well controlled in a ponytail. Some had escaped, so she had to blow a few strands out of her eyes and sighed, infuriated.

�Sig Eps out of what?� David asked. �Out of their minds?

Out of drugs? Out of condoms? Help me out here.�

Sweet, funny Taylor didn�t find it amusing when Crystal laughed.

�They were going to be our eye-candy waiters for the evening,� Crystal explained.

�How many do you need?� David asked.

�Five,� Taylor said.

�Would you consider using football players?�

Taylor�s eyes lit up.

�They would have to wear the sexy vests.�

�Show them to me,� David said.

Taylor pulled out a bag from behind the bar. The vests looked like something a male stripper would wear, which put an evil smirk on his face.

�I know just the guys for the job,� David said as he got out his phone and made some calls.

◊◊◊

Crystal was about to pull her hair out of her head. She was so going to kill Taylor.

First, the police showed up because the neighbors had reported a wild drunken party, and they were there to arrest her. She had to let them come inside and have David show them the punch. He�d calmed them down and let them take a few selfies.

Next was the fire department.

�Ma�am, there is no way having that many people in your sorority is safe, so I�ll have to shut you down.�

�Hang on. Let me get David Dawson to talk to you,�

Crystal said.

�The quarterback who set those records last Saturday?�

the grumpy man asked with sudden interest.

�Yes. David�s my boyfriend and helping with our rush.�

�Could you get me a signed jersey?�

�I�m sure I can.�

�What time does this end?�

�Ten.�

�I�ll be back at 10:30 to confirm.�

The rush was scheduled from seven until nine-thirty, and girls began lining up at six-thirty, which was unheard of in LA� no one was ever early. But the lure of meeting David had caused a stir. It could have been partly due to Taylor harassing David until he�d had Lily put it out on his social media.

It didn�t take long to figure out that not all the people who wanted in were USC students. They�d had to check student IDs at the door to turn away the townies who tried to crash. Taylor had sent one of her girls to the other sororities, whose rushes hardly had anyone.

Taylor�s biggest concern was how they would sort through the hundreds of girls who�d come to the party to narrow it down to their goal of fifteen. Would they even be able to remember who was who?

◊◊◊

David would have bailed after the first hour if his uncle hadn�t pounded into his head that you honored your commitments. After making the first batches of mocktails, he�d had to teach a couple of Crystal�s sorority sisters how to make them because Taylor wanted him to let everyone get a picture with him.

That might not have been so bad, but there were so many girls. This was worse than when he did the voting awareness events for Governor Higgins. The only time it had been this bad was at the fundraiser for Washington High, where they ran out of food, and the governor helicoptered in.

The only reasons it wasn�t completely crazy were that it was a Wednesday night, and the sorority house could only hold so many people.

�It looks like you�re having a better day.�

David turned and found the girl whose mother he�d befriended on move-in day.

�Not really. I need a break. Want to sneak out with me?�

�Sure.�

Taylor spotted him.

�I promise I�ll be back.�

David led the girl through the kitchen and out the back door, where it was thirty degrees cooler.

�I never caught your name,� David admitted.

�Emily. Emily Nance.�

She was a vision of loveliness: slender, blond, with high cheekbones, delicate features, and just the hint of breasts that promised fun in the future.

�And, of course, you are Ian Bond,� she teased.

�At your service,� David said with a slight bow.

�I do have one question. That video where those two girls rubbed cream on you ended too soon. What happened afterward?�

David raised one eyebrow.

�I�m asking for my mom,� Emily added quickly.

�Tell your mom that a gentleman never tells.�

�I was asking you.�

David liked her. He waggled his eyebrows.

�I could show you.�

Her whole body turned the cutest shade of pink, making him chuckle.

�Do you want to join this sorority?� David asked.

�I think I do.�

�Then let me introduce you to some key people.�

David led her back in and found Crystal and Taylor in a deep conversation in the kitchen.

�Mind if I interrupt?�

They both gave him a curious look.

�I would like to introduce you to someone you want in your sorority. Meet Emily Nance. She lives in my dorm,�

David said.

Taylor perked up and told Crystal, �Ask him while I get to know Emily and introduce her around.�

David heard Taylor ask if Emily knew him as they walked away.

�We have a problem. Taylor having you blast out our rush on social media may have given us too much of a good thing. I�m afraid we won�t be able to remember all the good ones. She wanted me to ask if you remember any of the girls,� Crystal said.

�I have a list of some you should look at and a bigger list of the ones you don�t want.�

�How do you do that? How do you remember so many people?� Crystal wanted to know.

�My dad always taught my brother and me to network at events like this. We got pretty good at learning people�s names,� David explained and then had a thought. �You might also want to check social media for my name. I would bet that most of the girls who had their pictures taken with me will post them. They�ll also tag everyone in the picture, so you�ll have their names.�

David made his list of those who�d stood out in either a good or bad way and explained why to Crystal. He then went back to meet more girls.

At the end of the night, Alex and the four football players he�d invited�Big Cat, Chuy, Bill, and Bear�all wore stupid grins.

�What are you guys so happy about?�

�Let�s just say that tonight was a target-rich environment. Several hundred hot girls and six guys.�

�I take it you got a few phone numbers,� David correctly guessed.

�The man�s a genius,� Alex said. �Anytime you have something like this again, we�re your boys.�

�I like hearing that. I guess I don�t have to pay you for tonight,� Taylor said as she joined them.

�What do you think, guys?� Bill asked.

They all agreed that Taylor was off the hook. It helped that David didn�t know about the money, so they thought they were volunteering anyway.

Taylor made them give her one girl�s name that they thought would be an excellent addition to the sorority.

David wrote down six more names and eighteen he would avoid.

Alex gave him a ride back to the dorm when he was done.

◊◊◊

Thursday morning, David met with Dr. Liao and the trainers for his daily evaluation.

�I want to get another CT scan because you�re still having headaches, feeling dizzy, and don�t feel right. You�ve indicated that all these symptoms are getting better, but I want to ensure we see improvement in the scans.�

�And if you do?�

�Then we�ll let you start light workouts like riding a stationary bike.�

David had been somewhat happy with the time to heal because he had taken a pounding against UNLV when they did catch him. They�d put a little extra into each tackle. He knew that the first thing to go for an athlete when he didn�t train was stamina. Game-ready was different from just being in shape. Tank had told him the rule of thumb: for every week he sat on his butt, it would take two to three to get him back to where he was before the injury.

While riding a bike would help, it wasn�t enough. David would live with that because you couldn�t fake the tests Dr.

Liao gave him. It was in his best long-term interest not to rush his recovery.

As he came out of the trainers� room, David spotted his high school teammate Jim Ball lifting with the linemen. The last David had seen him, Alabama had added weight and muscle to his frame. Since then, they�d sculpted his body to the point he was carrying very little fat.

�Look who that cat dragged in,� David said as he walked up.

Jim embraced him in a bro hug.

�I hear you put in a good word for me.�

�Dawson!� Tank yelled across the weight room. �This is my time! Get your ass out of here!�

�Please, don�t piss him off,� Willy begged.

Tank was notorious for his evil ways of getting his team in shape. David interrupting weight lifting could be the excuse he needed today to spring something on them.

�You know what?! I�ve changed my mind. We�re doing legs!� Tank boomed.

�Fuck you, Dawson,� Willy said under his breath.

David chuckled as he made a hasty escape before Tank forgot he was on concussion protocol and made him join in.

◊◊◊

Last week, when the school year had first begun, Emily had bounced out of bed at the sound of her alarm, ready to start what had the potential of being a bright new day.

Now? She had a bit less bounce and a whole lot of crawl.

She�d barely sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes when there was a knock at her door. Thinking it was her roommate forgetting her keys again, Emily opened the door. She blinked twice before she recognized Taylor from Alpha Mu.

�Good morning. I brought you a bid to join our sorority,�

Taylor said as she handed her an envelope.

Emily was fully awake.

�Yes!� she squealed and began to dance around in excitement.

Taylor joined her in her squeals and dancing. She looked to be just as happy at her acceptance.

�We�re going to have so much fun!� Taylor babbled.

�Come to the house after your last class. I want you to meet everyone and all the new pledges.�

�I get done at three.�

�Perfect. Dress casual. We�re going to Phi Sig�s tonight for a party, so we�ll have dinner at the house, and � this is going to be so much fun,� Taylor said again.

�I can�t wait,� Emily admitted.

�I have to go and hand out more bids. I�ll see you this afternoon,� Taylor said as she left.

Emily opened the invitation and pinned it to her corkboard over her desk. Her mom was going to be happy for her. She�d been a Tri-Delt and had told Emily she could get in as a legacy, but everyone said that Alpha Mu was the house to join.

Her first class was soon forgotten as she called her mom.

◊◊◊

David had just been told by Coach Stackhouse that he wasn�t traveling with the team to their game at Stanford this weekend. They would only take 85 players, which meant that players didn�t get to travel to away games if they were injured or way down on the depth chart.

He decided to fly up, so he went to the athletic director�s office, where he found Rachel acting as the gatekeeper.

�Did you get a promotion?� David asked.

�No. Someone called in sick.�

�Well, I�m glad they left you in charge because I need a favor.�

She gave him a tight smile. David wondered if the Dawson charm might have just failed him.

�I need tickets to tomorrow�s football game,� he explained.

�Call the ticket office.�

�Come on. I know that you guys get a block. Be a sport and grab me a handful.�

�Uh � yeah � that would be a �no,�� Rachel drawled.

�Tell you what. I would even be willing to pay for them,�

David countered.

�What�s in it for me?�

David smiled because Rachel was finally negotiating with him.

�I don�t know. How many tickets can you get me?� David asked.

Rachel left her desk to go into the athletic director�s office and returned with six tickets. The away team was given a block of tickets for each game so their fans could all sit together. They were usually situated on the lower deck near the goal line on the visitor side of the field. These were ten rows up, nearly perfect for seeing the field.

David reached for his wallet.

�Not so fast. We haven�t settled on what I get out of all this,� Rachel said.

�I see how it is. Okay, what do you want?�

�I have a few questions first. Where do you plan to stay, and how are you getting there?�

�I was going to have my PA call around to find a hotel, and I planned to fly up in a private jet.�

�Then here�s the deal. You buy me two tickets, pay for a hotel room, and fly me and my plus-one up for the game.�

�If your plus-one�s a girl, then the two of you could stay with me.�

�No way, perv. And for your information, my plus-one might be a guy.�

�Then I would get you two rooms because your father would never approve of me helping corrupt you with an overnight male guest.�

�This isn�t the 1950s,� Rachel pushed back.

�So, do you need one or two rooms?�

Rachel blushed.

�Two.�

He kept his look neutral. He could tease her after she gave him the tickets.

�I was just about to call the hotel and release the rooms that no one claimed. I can reserve some in your name if you give me your credit card,� Rachel offered.

David decided on five rooms because one of the people he was taking was Tami, and she could stay in her dorm.

And he knew Crystal wouldn�t be able to go; her sorority planned to use the weekend to get to know their new pledges. That meant that he would only need a room for himself.

Rachel sold him the tickets and reserved the hotel rooms. He said he would send her a message to let her know when to be ready to leave.

◊◊◊

David realized that Dr. Liao could put a stop to his weekend plans, so he stopped by to get checked out. The doctor seemed reluctant to give him clearance, but after reassurance from David that he wouldn�t do anything strenuous, Dr. Liao gave his approval for David to fly to Northern California.

◊◊◊

David had Jim�who couldn�t play for USC until next year�and Chloe in the car as he drove up to Rachel�s apartment building. She was waiting outside with her overnight bag. Standing beside her was a guy with well-worn blue jeans hanging low around his narrow hips. The band of his boxers peeked over the top. David guessed that Rachel�s boy thought the sight of his underwear was like a crooked finger beckoning her. In truth, he could hear his mom telling Rachel�s boy to pull his pants up.

The guy wore a black t-shirt, was sporting what looked like the start of a beard, and wore black-rimmed glasses.

David estimated him to be about five-eight and hundred-forty pounds. He suspected that if he tried anything, Rachel could take him.

David jumped out of the car, jogged up, and took Rachel�s bag.

�David, I�d like you to meet Cormac.�

�Seriously? Cormac, the son of defilement? Your dad will kill me,� David said, shaking his head.

Cormac barked out a laugh. �I�ll have to tell my dad. He always pegged me as being gay in high school. He�ll be so proud.�

�If you two are done male bonding, let�s get this party on the road,� Rachel said.

When they got into the car, David introduced everyone.

Chloe pulled her phone out and made a recording about the fantastic trip she was taking with Academy Award-winning

actor David A. Dawson. Alex was right; she was using them to kick-start her new career as an Internet influencer.

When they arrived at the airport, his plane was ready.

David made a quick walk around, and they were soon in the air. Chloe joined him in the cockpit. She must be determined to milk her time with him for all it was worth because she chatted with her followers about how great it was to have him piloting them.

◊◊◊

Emily�s mom had been happy about her joining a sorority, but she�d been more interested in learning that her daughter had met David Dawson. Emily decided that her dad might be justified in worrying about her mom and David.

When she�d arrived at the sorority, Emily discovered that she had fifty new friends. She noted that almost all of them would have been the prom queen or head cheerleader at her old high school. Emily had a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that she�d been picked. What kept her insecurities in check was that everyone was friendly to her.

◊◊◊

They�d taken an Uber to the hotel. Jim and David got unpacked and then walked to Tami�s dorm. When Tami saw him and looked at him with concern.

�Sit!� she ordered. �I know about your concussion, and I don�t want you taking any chances.�

David gave in to the inevitable and took a seat on her bed as she greeted Jim.

�It�s been a while,� Tami said as she hugged him. �How�s your sister?�

�Suzanne is busy finishing up her bachelor�s. She�s planning on staying there and getting her master�s. I talked to her yesterday, and she told me to tell you hello.�

Jim�s sister had been a senior when David and Tami were freshmen. David suspected she was becoming a professional student because it looked like it would take her five years to get her bachelor�s. Going to school was way better than having to get a real job.

�My roommate turned eighteen today. We planned to grab dinner in Palo Alto, and then she�ll hit some parties.

She went over to get us a table when you called.�

�Maybe I could make her day,� David said.

�Here we go again. I miss David doing weird stuff,� Jim said.

�I don�t,� Tami said.

David stuck his tongue out at her.

◊◊◊

Each pledge class had someone who rose to the top.

Emily could already tell that was Wren, with her stunning looks and infectious personality. She had shoulder-length brown hair and wore tight black pants and a beaded pink tank top. Her smile lit up her entire face. She was currently flirting with this blond-haired Norse god named Lars.

Crystal came to Emily�s side, shaking her head.

�I�ve been warned to stay away from Lars,� Emily giggled.

�Please tell me you�re joking.�

�Nope. Apparently, they are �equals,� and I�m to keep my distance.�

�That�s rather ironic.�

�Well, he seems to have the one thing she wants.�

�What? A pulse?�

�A pedigree. Like a puppy.�

Crystal cocked her head in amusement.

�Lars� family are fishermen, not royalty,� Crystal shared.

�We should go save Wren before he soils her,� Emily said.

�I don�t know. Lars has his uses.�

They both laughed at that.

◊◊◊

David borrowed Jim�s baseball cap and slouched as he slid into the booth across from Tami�s roommate, Nia, and handed her a bouquet he�d bought at the convenience store down the street. She looked startled, confused, then suspicious�all perfectly natural and expected emotions under the circumstances.

�For you,� David said graciously, bowing just a hint.

�For � me? Who are you?� she asked brusquely.

Trace of a Southern accent�Georgia or South Carolina.

�I am a representative of the rest of the universe, which has directed me to bring a bit of sunshine into your life.�

�Uh � why?�

�Because it�s your birthday,� David said as if that explained it.

Instead, it made her more suspicious, but he detected the seed of a smile. Women loved flowers, so he hadn�t been told to leave � yet.

�And how did you know it was my birthday?�

�Hey, I just work here,� David said in mock protest. �I get the work order, and I go and dispense sunshine and happiness. I don�t ask why.�

The smile started to blossom. Time to strike.

�Hi, I�m Ian. Ian Bond,� David said as he removed his hat and gave her his best panty-dropping smile.

�Tami! Get your butt in here!� Nia called out.

In the process, the whole restaurant figured out who David was. Welp. This might have just gone south.

◊◊◊

The Phi Sig party was starting to wind down. Crystal found Taylor.

�Are all the pledges accounted for?�

�We�re missing Wren,� Taylor admitted.

�She was with Lars.�

�We better go get her,� Taylor decided.

Crystal asked the Phi Sig president which room was Lars� and warned him that she and Taylor were going up.

They came to his door and could hear what sounded like sex. Before Crystal could knock, Taylor threw the door open.

Crystal could see that her friend was pleased with herself because on display was Lars� muscular back and butt as he pounded Wren.

They thought it was Wren until Lars�s head snapped around, and the girl in question turned out to be Lucy Springs. Crystal knew her through the Panhellenic Council.

She was the Tri-Delts� representative.

Both Crystal and Taylor stood frozen because Lucy was the biggest slut they knew. And that was saying a lot since they knew pretty much all the sorority girls at USC.

�What do you two want?� Lars asked as he pointed his man parts at them.

�We thought � uhm � we�re looking for Wren,� Taylor stammered.

�She�s on the floor, passed out,� Lars said as he pointed to the other side of the bed.

�Did you �?� Crystal asked.

�She�s untouched. I prefer my women to at least be drooling.�

Crystal knew he was goading them, so she took hold of Taylor�s arm and led her around to where Wren was lying.

Taylor woke her up, and the two of them helped her stand up. When Wren saw Lars�s slick dick, she smiled.

�That�s not for you,� Taylor said.

It took a moment for the penny to drop, but Wren suddenly had a scowl when she saw Lucy. That was followed by her barfing at Lars�s feet.

�Let�s go,� Crystal said as she dragged Wren and Taylor out of his room.

Lars slammed the door and locked it. A moment later, they heard two bodies slapping together. Guys were gross because Crystal could never have had sex with barf on the floor. Well, some girls were, too. After all, Lucy hadn�t objected.

◊◊◊

David spent a nice evening with Tami and Jim after Nia went to her parties. Chloe had visited Alex while Rachel and Cormac did their own thing. When David got back to the hotel, he sent Crystal a text. She was back from the frat party, so he got out his tablet, and they jumped onto video chat.

�Tell me again why Wren was a �no� on your list of pledge candidates?� Crystal asked.

�She came across as entitled and full of herself. She actually said that I would be her boyfriend by Thanksgiving.�

�Your comment only said �Princess.��

David chuckled because he could tell Crystal had ignored his advice on the pledges.

�What did she do?�

�She bullied Emily a little,� Crystal said. When she saw David�s look of disapproval, she added, �but Emily thought it was funny.�

�If you say so.�

�Then she locked onto Phi Sig�s biggest man-whore, Lars. At the end of the night, we found her passed out in his room.�

�Had she �?� David asked.

�Lars said �no.� When Taylor and I went to find her, he was actually with another girl.�

�How was babysitting?� David teased.

�Having to be sober at parties sucks.�

�People aren�t as funny as they think they are,� David agreed.

�The new pledges were great. They haven�t gotten comfortable yet, so they were on their best behavior,�

Crystal said and asked, �What did you do?�

�It was Tami�s roommate�s birthday, so she, Jim, and I took her out to dinner. The roommate then met up with friends for some drinks. The three of us kept it casual and caught up. We had a great time.�

David�s phone dinged with a message from Rachel saying that she needed help getting Cormac to the hotel.

They were at a bar down the street, and he showed it to Crystal.

�Like I said. It sucks to be the sober one,� Crystal said as she rang off.

◊◊◊

Neither Cormac nor Rachel was in any shape to walk home, so David got a cab to take them back to the hotel.

One of the bouncers helped him get the drunks into the car.

David sent Jim a message on the way to the hotel, so he was waiting for them when they arrived.

When Jim went to help Cormac out of the car, Cormac said, �You�re tall.�

David bit his tongue because of the look Jim gave Rachel�s plus-one.

�Seriously. Are you a giant?� Cormac slurred.

�Men call short women petite. What do women call short men?� Jim asked.

Cormac had a confused look.

�That�s right. They don�t.�

Rachel found that hilarious.

Cormac straightened himself up and looked up at Jim.

�Has anyone ever told you you�re funny? Nope? I would take that as a sign, Mr. Tall Man.�

�Did you just get a new nickname?� David wondered out loud.

�Do you want to deal with these two alone?� Jim asked.

�Nope.�

�Then I don�t think I have a new nickname.�

�Yeah, right,� David thought.

◊◊◊

David had just gotten to sleep when there was a knock at the door. He managed to rouse himself enough to get out of bed and open it, where he found Rachel in her pajamas, looking miserable.

�Do you have any aspirin?�

He went into his bathroom and found his bottle of Tylenol. With his concussion, he wasn�t allowed to take aspirin. He saw that Rachel was in no shape to navigate the childproof cap, so he opened it and handed her two pills.

She went to his mini-fridge and took a water out so she could take them.

�Drink all of that,� David ordered.

�Yes, Dad.�

She chugged the water and then crawled into his bed.

�What are you doing?�

�I need to lie down. Now, shut up and turn off the light,�

Rachel ordered as she turned her back to him.

He debated whether to pick her up and haul her butt back to her room or not. He finally gave up, got into bed, and turned off the light. David got lucky because he fell asleep before Rachel began to snore. He discovered that little quirk when he woke up having to take a leak at three in the morning.

◊◊◊

Movement woke her. The arms around her were gone.

Rachel rolled over and watched as David disappeared into the bathroom.

Grabbing his pillow, she pulled it close, hugging it to her chest while waiting for him to come out. Rachel could get up, but the shower turned on, and she closed her eyes, listening until the water turned off again.

Rachel lay in the bed, watching the bathroom door, when it opened and a puff of steam escaped with David close behind. He was naked and rubbing a towel through his hair, water droplets scattered on his upper body. Desire raced through her body, and heat pooled between her legs, making the dull ache turn to a throb, reminding her she hadn�t had sex in six months.

David noticed her looking and quickly covered himself.

�Sorry. I thought you were still asleep,� he apologized.

�How are you feeling?�

�Not too bad. It was a good call about drinking that water before I went to sleep.�

�Why don�t you go get ready, and we can all go down for breakfast? You probably could use some pancakes,� David suggested.

Rachel got up, and as she was leaving David�s room, Cormac�s door opened. He gave her a smile.

�I was going to go down and get you coffee �� he said, trailing off when he realized she�d come from David�s room.

�David said that we should join him for breakfast in a few. Let me get a shower, and we can go down,� Rachel casually said.

She hurried to her room thinking, �Nothing to see here.

Coming out of David�s room was innocent.�

She glanced at Cormac as she went into her room. Yep, they were done.

◊◊◊

After the football game, they decided to eat before flying back. Tami knew a little out-of-the-way place that wasn�t packed. The only missing person was Cormac. He�d met some people who offered to give him a ride back to USC.

�Why did Cormac bail?� Chloe asked.

�He saw me leave David�s room this morning,� Rachel admitted.

�That makes sense,� Jim said.

�Why�s that?� David asked.

�Because you�re tall,� Jim said with a straight face.

When David and Rachel laughed, they had to explain what Cormac had said and Jim�s comeback the previous night.

�David�s worth losing Cormac over,� Chloe announced.

�Nothing happened,� Tami said.

�How do you know?� Rachel asked.

�She can read me. I�m sure I have some tell when I hook up with someone,� David said.

�I know what it is,� Jim said and paused. �She was drunk.�

Tami touched her finger to her nose to let Jim know he was spot on. David explained his �take a drunk girl home�

philosophy to Chloe and Rachel so they understood.

When they were seated and put in their orders, Jim said,

�Okay, Cap. Tell me what you saw today.�

�I don�t think the girls want to hear me talk about football,� David said.

�He�s learning, but I honestly like hearing how his mind works. I would like you to answer the question,� Tami said.

USC had lost to Stanford 17�3.

�Two things lost us the game. First, Coach Merritt is hypersensitive about his quarterbacks not making turnovers,� David began.

�Is that why you ran the ball so much last week?� Tami asked.

�It was. But Matt is a pocket passer, so Coach couldn�t take advantage of his legs today. Matt�s just not a runner,�

David said and then got back to his critique of the game. �If you watched Matt, it was obvious that he was hesitating.

Early in the game, his other problem was that he threw deep to Tyrell, which was incomplete.�

�He overthrew that pass big-time,� Jim added.

�Because of that, they never went back to the deep ball, which allowed Stanford to shorten the field defensively. It was a big reason why we couldn�t get anything started.�

�They were getting good pressure on Matt,� Jim said.

�Most people don�t see the reads Matt was making. We run a fair number of hot reads; good ones, actually. We run both the dig from the �X� and �Z� and the drive quite a bit.

Those routes were there, and Matt simply missed them more often than not.

For a dig pattern, the receiver started straight downfield before breaking across the middle of the field at a 90-degree angle. The drive was a shallow crossing route run by the outside receiver.

�As for why that is, I obviously couldn�t say for sure as I haven�t had a chance to break down the film. But it appears to be an issue with diagnosing post-snap coverage. On that third-down pass to Nolan at the end of the half, Matt clearly saw the coverage pre-snap. Stanford gave him the same look post-snap, and he stuck it in there for a first down. Doing that wins games.

�Now, at the start of the second half, they show him pressure and Cover 0 outside�that�s man-to-man coverage.

So he gets to the line thinking he only has to sell the safety on the seam route to open up a tough throw to his first read on the outside hashmark. But when the ball�s snapped, Stanford bails. Now it�s not Cover 0, it�s Cover 4. That�s often referred to as the �quarters� alignment because each member of the secondary is responsible for a quarter of the field. It�s a zone coverage. The defender is now ready to

drive on the outside hash. Matt practically gift-wrapped their pick-six.

�From there, his confidence was shot. When Matt got a look that he appeared to not recognize, he wouldn�t throw it. He hesitated because he didn�t want to throw another pick-six ball.

�I predict this problem will not be easy to fix because Matt�s head is messed up. If we had all summer to work on it, maybe. But we�re in season and have Texas next week.

It�s another nationally televised game where Matt will be worried he�ll be the cause if we lose,� David predicted.

�What would you do to help Matt?� Tami asked.

�Coach Thomas needs to be more creative and flexible with his play calling. I would try to get Matt some throws he�s comfortable with and run the crap out of the ball.

�The only real criticism I have of Coach Thomas�s game plan is he needs to sit Matt down and tell him to take more vertical risks with Bill in mind. Just throw the ball up, and if it�s a pick, it�s a pick. Oh, well. Matt needs to be aware that Bill will make the play more often than not. We�d have won if we�d completed one or two deep balls today,� David said.

◊◊◊

David went to the hospital Monday morning to get his CT scan. He remembered his mom telling him Mondays were usually bad for the kids in the pediatric oncology ward because their parents had to work. After his scan, he went to the children�s ward and found the head nurse at the desk handing out assignments.

�Sorry to interrupt, but would it be okay if I popped in and told the kids good morning?�

�You�re the football player?�

�Yes. David Dawson.�

�Okay, I�ll have Nurse Betty take you around.�

Nurse Betty was in her mid-twenties and wore scrubs with teddy bears on them.

�Have you ever done this before?� she asked before they went into the first room.

�My mom is a cancer survivor. Once she got better, she started a charity to help families. She also volunteered, and I helped out a bit. When I came in for a scan, it reminded me that I haven�t given of my time recently.�

�Let�s start here, then,� Nurse Betty said as they entered the first room.

There was a girl sitting in bed who was probably eleven or twelve. She was completely bald, and a younger girl sat in the chair next to her bed. She was also bald.

�Hi, I�m David,� he said and asked the younger girl,

�Why did you shave your head?�

�Because my sister�s hair fell out from the cancer, and now we look alike again.�

�Mission accomplished. Why do you want to look like your sister?� David asked as he gave the little one a warm smile.

�Because she�s the prettiest girl I know, and I want to be just like her.�

�Oh, boy,� David thought as memories surfaced of the effect cancer had on his mom when it ravaged her body.

�Your sister is very pretty. You are, too,� David said.

�My parents are worried about money, so I�ve been collecting some after school. I�ve raised nearly a thousand dollars, so my mom doesn�t have to worry about the rent,�

the little girl said. �Why are you crying? Are you sad?�

David hadn�t realized that he was. Sure enough, a tear ran down his cheek.

�They�re tears of joy. When I was a bit older than you, my mom got cancer, and I got a job to help pay her bills. It makes me feel good to see you care enough to help out.

What are your names?� David asked to change the subject.

�My sister�s Lisa. I�m Sadie,� the younger girl said.

�Nice to meet you. I�m David.�

Lisa, the older one, finally spoke. �Will you come back to visit us?�

Something his mother had taught him was to tell kids the truth. It was hard enough to be sick. They didn�t need false promises.

�I don�t know. I have a lot going on with college,� David said and saw Lisa�s smile falter. �Why do you ask?�

�Sadie gets sad sometimes and needs someone to talk to,� Lisa shared.

�Just shoot me now!� David thought. The sick girl was worried about her little sister.

�Do you come before school most days?� David asked Sadie.

�When my mom can drive me. We only live a few blocks away, but my mom doesn�t want me walking.�

�How about I pick you up two days a week? I can even take you to school after. I�ll do that until Lisa gets better,�

David found himself promising.

�Or I go to Heaven,� Lisa said.

David had to blink back more tears.

�Do you believe in Heaven?� Sadie asked.

�I do. I�ll give Nurse Betty my information. Have your mom call me, and I can meet with her to make sure it�s okay if I help out,� David said.

When he got out into the hall, he had to stop and lean against the wall.

�Heaven?� David asked Nurse Betty.

�Lisa is terminal. She puts up a brave face for her sister.�

David gave her his information for their mom and went to class. He couldn�t face more sick kids today.

◊◊◊

On Tuesday, Dr. Liao authorized David to begin doing light workouts with Tank. He cautioned that this was only the second step of a multi-step wellness plan, so he shouldn�t think he would play against Texas.

The chat rooms and press were all over the David versus Matt as starter controversy. It was probably best that David couldn�t practice with the team yet.

He did have something to look forward to, though.

Professor Blum had asked him if he could entice one of his former castmates to come in and talk to film students.

David said he would so long as he was the one to act as moderator. The entire department nearly had kittens when he told them Rita James had agreed to come in.

When it was announced, they quickly changed the venue to the Bovard Auditorium, which could hold over 1,200.

David had been given ten tickets in the front row; he�d given five to Alex and five to Crystal. The rest were reserved for students, faculty, and USC�s film-school staff.

Professor Blum planned to film the interview and put it on the campus website. Thankfully, the student director wasn�t the same one who needed too many cameras.

When Rita found him backstage, David was kicked back, doing his critical-thinking reading. This week, they were

learning about cognitive bias, specifically the Barnum Effect, which held that when confronted with a vague statement, a person�s mind filled in the gaps.

Because our minds are given to making connections, it�s easy for an individual to take vague statements and find ways to infer their meaning so they seem specific and personal. Combining their egos wanting validation with a strong inclination to see patterns and connections meant that when someone told someone a story about themselves, they would latch onto whatever fit their personal narrative.

Psychics, astrologers, and others use this bias to make it seem like they�re telling you something about you. People should look at the statement and consider how it might be taken to apply to anyone, not just them.

David put down his book, stood, and gave Rita a hug.

�People are excited to hear from America�s Sweetheart,�

David said to greet her.

�How could I turn down my son?� Rita teased about him being Ian Bond.

�Since you�re making me look good, I�ll save all the embarrassing questions for another time.�

Colleen stuck her head into David�s dressing room.

�They�re ready for you.�

David stood up and smiled.

�If you get nervous, I�ll be there for you.�

�Let me show you how this is done, boy,� Rita shot back.

�So much for softball questions.�

They were fitted with mics and walked out on stage together. The audience came to their feet to applaud the legendary star, and David stood to the side to give Rita her moment. When the applause died down, they took their seats.

�I�m starting to think that inviting you was a mistake.

Every time I�m with you, I�m no longer the star,� David quipped. Turning to the audience, he continued, �In case

you�ve been hiding under a rock, let me introduce you to Rita James.�

David read through the highlights of her career.

The interview format gave the students the opportunity to write down questions. Professor Blum had given David a stack in the order he was supposed to ask them.

David looked at the first one, rejected it, and did the same for the next three.

�I was supposed to ask you stuff you�ve been asked a million times. I should know because I was there at a lot of your interviews for Devil May Care. How about we make this specific to what the budding actors in the audience want to know? How the heck did you even get your first job?�

Rita gave David a look every teen recognizes when a mom is frustrated with them. She then turned to the audience and smiled warmly before answering.

�You guys know what it�s like; the odds of getting a good role are astronomically small. I mean, when I was starting out, I had to ask myself, how am I even going to break in?

For an unknown actor to get a great role, every other actor has to pass on it. Then it gets opened up to you and thousands of other actors trying to break into the business.

And we all know about the handful that are available,� Rita said.

There was a rumble of agreement from the audience.

�I remember the first role I tried for was as a waitress in the rom-com, Fools Rush In. The role called for a proper English accent. I paid money I didn�t have to hire a dialogue coach, and then I didn�t get it.�

That brought a chuckle.

�The next one I went for was Croupier, starring Clive Owen as a card dealer. It was one scene with Clive. The rest of it was me in the background for two weeks dealing cards to other extras, and most of the time, I was like, I don�t think the camera is even on me.

�I had one day of actual work, and when I did the scene the first time, I tried my accent. The director hated it, so much so that he almost kicked me off the set. I finally told him I could do it straight, so I kept my job,� Rita shared.

�And that led to The World Is Not Enough and your debut as a Bond Girl,� David said.

�From there, I was in and have been working ever since.�

The audience clapped. Before David could ask his next question, Rita turned the tables on him.

�Tell them how you got your start.�

�As you all might know, I play football. It was my freshman year of high school, and I went on my first recruiting trip to the University of Kentucky. At a party after the game, I spotted Ashley Judd and walked up to introduce myself.�

�You just walked up to Ashley Judd?� Rita asked, looking shocked.

�It�s like this,� David said to the audience. �In my first acting class, the other students wanted to know how I�d gotten into modeling, so I turned it around and asked what they wanted to do. The majority said they wanted to act on Broadway.�

�My uncle had taught me how to set and achieve goals.

If you take a business management class, this is project planning 101. I had them tell me everything they would have to do to reach that goal. We put their tasks on post-it notes, and then I had them put them in order.

�They listed stuff like learning improv, diction, working out, headshots, hiring an agent, and getting their degree.

Each student had a long list of steps that had to be taken to get a part on Broadway.

�Then I gave them mine. I had one: Go to New York and audition,� David said.

�So, you went up to Ashley Judd thinking she would get you a job in the movies?� Rita asked.

�I went up to Ashley just to meet her. I mean, it was Ashley fricking Judd,� David said with a big smile. �Once she got to know me, she was the one who begged me to be in her movie.�

�Tell them the truth,� Rita said, calling him on his BS.

�She did get my name on the list, but I had to audition.

They were holding them all over the country, and I went to the one in Chicago. They went all out and let the actors have access to costumes and makeup. Since the role was for Star Academy, most dressed up in fantastical military garb.

�I was a late add-on to the list, so I went last. I got bored, and to kill some time, I used the hotel�s exercise room. When I got back, I was shocked to find it was my turn. My audition was in gym shorts and a t-shirt I�d sweat through.

�I did the scene with Bree Steno. So, I did what any sixteen-year-old male would do when they find themselves in a room with Bree: I kissed her,� David said, which caused the room to erupt with laughter.

�And that won you the role?� Rita asked.

�No, I was rejected for that role. They wanted me to play Stryker instead.�

�Have you had to audition for any other roles since then?� Rita asked.

�I did for one other, and I didn�t get that one, either. I was up for the Star Wars young Han Solo role. But they wanted me to drop out of my senior year of high school to film it, so I had to pass.�

Rita�s eye roll brought the house down. Every actor David met thought he was crazy to put high school above taking a role in the Star Wars franchise. Even if the film was a stinker in comparison to their other films.

◊◊◊

Rita took her leave while David went back out to talk to his fellow students. He found Crystal waiting with her dad.

�When Dad heard you were interviewing Rita and that I had tickets, he insisted on coming.�

�I thought we could go to lunch and talk,� Kendrick suggested.

�It�ll have to be quick because I have class in forty-five minutes,� David said.

�I have to be going. Will I see you tonight?� Crystal asked.

�I was hoping so. Do you want to eat at my dorm?� David asked.

�Of course,� she said to David and then turned to her dad. �David�s dorm has the best food on campus.�

�We could go there for lunch,� David suggested, and Kendrick agreed.

They made their way through the cafeteria line and found a table for two. Once seated, Kendrick, David�s agent, explained why he was there.

�The NCAA isn�t budging on letting you monetize your social media, even when I asked Mr. Morris to intercede on our behalf. We explained that the income would all go to charity, except for my fees, of course, and they still wouldn�t budge.�

�That�s what I expected. The NCAA is hard to figure out at times,� David said.

�I think we should sue them,� Kendrick announced.

�I thought we agreed that my eligibility was paramount.�

�Hear me out. There are a number of ways you get paid when you have a following like yours. First is simply the number of clicks you generate, but the numbers go way up if you start to promote a product.

�I just hired someone who has helped some Internet influencers make a living. He told us that people in the industry use a rule of thumb that you earn a dollar for each

follower on an annual basis. That�s upwards of 10 million dollars for someone like you,� Kendrick explained.

David had his doubts about those numbers.

�I never made anywhere near that.�

�That�s because you didn�t have all your income streams maximized. My guy tells me that it�s more reasonable that it would be $5,000 to $10,000 per post per million followers to an influencer, depending on quite a few factors like niche, engagement rate, etc. For you, that�s $50 to $100 thousand for each time you mention the right things when you post. You�re leaving a lot of money on the table right now,� Kendrick pointed out.

David knew that his followers had exploded over the summer with the release of his movies. He�d also seen how sending out one message had flooded the Alpha Mu rush.

He had no doubt that drinking a particular beverage or mentioning a restaurant could be valuable.

His publicist had his high school friend Lily posting for him for the most part. She�d had to be careful in sharing things David liked, such as Cookie Butter, because fans would send him cases of the stuff, which he would end up having to donate.

Not for the first time, he wished that the court cases involving Name, Image, and Likeness would get settled in the athletes� favor. Kendrick was right; he was leaving a lot of money on the table.

�The NCAA already has their eye on me. For now, I�ll have to say no to suing them,� David decided.

Kendrick seemed to expect that, so he told David why he was really there.

�I�ve been approached by the soap opera The Young and The Wild. They would love for you to be a recurring character. The NCAA said it would be okay if you received no compensation since it would be for learning your craft.

It would be treated as an internship, and you would even get credits toward your film minor.�

Kendrick had covered all his bases on that one.

�You have all that in writing?�

�If you agree, I will.�

�Email me the character and a sample script. They also need to know that I can�t dedicate a lot of time to this,�

David said and then had a thought. �They are local, right?�

�They�ve agreed to film here on campus for most of your scenes. USC will also be involved in filming, so their students will get practical experience,� Kendrick said.

David knew that Kendrick was getting paid, but he was right about one thing: acting was like anything you wanted to be good at. You had to do it regularly, or your skills would erode. If it helped USC, that was a bonus.

◊◊◊

At the end of his day, David found Chloe and Crystal relaxing, waiting for David and Alex. The guys had just sat through a team film session for the Stanford game. Coach Merritt spent about half the session on the interception that resulted in a Stanford touchdown. David had watched as Matt absorbed his coach�s criticism. It was clear that Matt and Coach Merritt hadn�t yet built the trust necessary because, by the end, Matt had clearly tuned out.

�I�m going to change,� David told the girls.

�Where�s Alex?�

�He said to tell you to go to dinner with Crystal and me.

He�ll be home later,� David said.

David strongly suspected that Alex was meeting either a jock bunny or one of the sorority girls he�d met at rush. He was thankful his friend hadn�t told him what he was up to because David wouldn�t lie to Chloe. Alex understood that, so he just said he would be late.

When they went downstairs, David made it through the line first and sat down at one of the large round tables.

�Mind if we join you?� Emily asked with Wren beside her.

�Please,� David answered and then said to Wren, �I didn�t realize you lived in our dorm.�

�I don�t, but Emily was going on about the food, so I asked her to invite me.�

Lindsey and Jamie were soon followed by Crystal and Chloe.

Kirk chuckled when he arrived.

�I feel like I�m imposing on you and your harem.�

�How did your rush go?� Jamie asked Crystal, ignoring her boyfriend�s comment.

David zoned out as the girls talked about sorority life.

After dinner, David and Crystal went to his room to do homework. She claimed his computer so she could write a paper. He got out his management book to read about change management.

When they finished, he walked out to the main room and popped popcorn. They were watching a series on streaming video, and it was starting to get good. Chloe came out of Alex�s room, looking upset.

�What�s up? Alex not back yet?�

�I think he went out with someone tonight.�

�Didn�t you guys talk about that?� David asked.

�We did; I just didn�t think it through. I thought we were just casual, and I wouldn�t care.�

�Want to watch a show with Crystal and me?�

�I don�t want to interrupt anything.�

�It�s just a show. We can come out here and watch it,�

David suggested.

�If Crystal doesn�t mind,� Chloe agreed.

David got Crystal and quickly explained to her what was going on. He ended up on the couch between the girls with his arms around them. Chloe snuggled up under his arm with her legs curled under herself. Crystal looked at David

and raised an eyebrow, but he just shook his head and smiled.

Crystal shrugged as if to say it was his loss. Unlike Alex, David had experience with casual relationships. The key was talking to each other. Alex should have been honest and told Chloe what was going on tonight. David had allowed Mr. Happy to do his thinking the last time he was with Chloe, and Alex had admitted he was upset when it happened.

That made it easy to tell Crystal that he wasn�t up for a threesome, even though Alex had basically given him the green light. He planned to have a long chat with Alex when he got the chance because he liked Chloe and didn�t want to see her or Alex hurt.

When the show was over, David kissed Chloe�s forehead.

�My best advice is for you to go home tonight and have a talk with Alex tomorrow. If he comes in with the smell of another woman on him, you might say something you�ll regret.�

�You�re right. I have to think about this and figure out what I really want,� Chloe said.

�I should be going, too,� Crystal said.

�Uhm, no, you shouldn�t,� David said.

Chloe chuckled as she left. David held out his hand and led Crystal to the bedroom.

◊◊◊

Crystal beat him to his bed. David gave her a predatory look as he wrapped his hands around her ankles, yanked her to the edge of the bed, shoved her legs open, and dove in. Wanting better access, David jerked her panties down in one rough yank, baring her sex.

She squealed, but the squeal ended in a whimper as he brushed his lips across her folds, breathing out as he did so. She smelled amazing, like good, clean, innocent pussy.

It had been recently waxed, was soft as silk, and her center oozed her yearning for him. He licked the moisture away as she writhed, gasping and moaning. His tongue danced against her clit.

He could tell what she wanted, so he dove right in; no messing around, no teasing. He devoured her sex like a starving man. She was squirming under his mouth, bucking, writhing so hard that he had to press his forearm across her hips to keep her where he wanted her. Which only drove her wild.

�Ohmygod! You�re an animal!� Crystal shrieked.

He growled at her as he drove two fingers inside her tight, wet pussy. Again, he knew what she liked as he slid them out before pushing them back in. Faster and faster, he pumped into her as he simulated what he�d soon do with his cock. Crystal reacted by clamping down on his invading fingers.

�I love it when you do that,� David said.

He changed his approach and curled his fingers inside her. When he found her G-spot, David felt her shudder.

Crystal�s thighs clenched around his hand; if his head had been between them, it might have popped. Her butt came off the mattress, and her clit smashed against his chin by happy accident. David made a slight adjustment, then sucked on her engorged nubbin and flicked it with his tongue.

David pinched her nipples�one, then the other�as he sucked, licked, flicked, and fingered her to a pulsating, clenching, spasming, teeth-gnashing orgasm.

�Inside�for the love of God�I needed to be inside her.�

David thought.

�You beast! You fucking beast!� Crystal panted, the words nearly lost in the grinding of her teeth and the hoarse whimpers.

Then, mid-orgasm, she completely lost her freaking mind as her hand slammed against his shoulder to push David

away.

�What have you done to me!?�

She kicked David away as if she were fighting her orgasm. She wiggled up the bed to put distance between them as her whole body quivered. It was obvious too much pleasure was rushing through her system. When she came to a stop, David smiled.

He joined her on the bed and kissed Crystal. It wasn�t a rough, demanding kiss, but it wasn�t some slow, sappy, wet one, either. He kissed her like his inner Alpha Male wanted because he�d just claimed her as �mine.�

David found his hands on her waist and pulled her against him, their bodies pressed into each other. She felt soft, pliable. Her breasts were firm lumps squashed against his chest, her lips warm and damp on his.

Crystal was perfect.

She just fit.

A moment of frozen disbelief hit him. Crystal was supposed to be just a fake girlfriend who he just hooked up with to relieve sexual tension. When had she just fit or become perfect?

Crystal distracted his chain of thought as she initiated a kiss. Her mouth moved then, her lips sliding on his, tilting, gliding, wet on wet, and she probed the seam of his lips with her tongue. He opened them for her. David pulled her closer, and he knew there was no way she had missed the crowbar in his shorts wedged between them. Then she moaned, which set his lust on fire.

Crystal pushed David onto his back and straddled his chest. She slid her aching, throbbing, pulsating pussy down his chest to his belly, leaving a river of desire on his skin.

David picked her up and sat her beside him as he quickly lost his shorts and put on a condom.

He picked Crystal back up and placed her so he could feel the tip of his cock nudge against her opening. They looked into each other�s eyes as she leaned down, her

breasts flattened against his chest, her hands on his shoulders. He flexed his hips and impaled her to the hilt.

With her gasping raggedly as he split her open, she closed her eyes for a moment.

�David.�

�Crystal?�

She pressed her forehead to his and kept her eyes on David�s. She hesitated a split second, hips writhing helplessly, then sank down around his shaft. He let her set a slow, deliberate pace. Crystal�s eyes went wide as he stretched that tight, flawless pussy open.

�I love your cock. It�s so thick and long, and it touches all the right places. It might be perfect,� Crystal declared.

Her eyes were wide with excitement. Crystal lifted her hips to draw his length out, hovered there for a moment, catching her breath, and sank down again, taking him deeper.

�God, David! I fucking love you,� Crystal announced.

At that moment, he loved her too. He decided he would worry about what this all meant in the morning.

◊◊◊

Cassidy had to admit she was in pain. That was why she loved the pills they�d given her to manage the constant achy feeling. The problem was that when Cassidy took one, it made her a bit goofy, but it also made her feel like she wasn�t hurt at all. Cassidy had to be careful not to injure herself because she thought she could do more than she should.

Looking back, coming home had been both the best and worst decision. Being close to State meant she could take advantage of their fantastic rehab and medical facilities.

Having her dad take care of her was a huge help. While her friends back at USC would have been there for her, in the end, they were college students first.

Her dad had been great, but Cassidy had been out on her own for a year now. He was old-school, saying it was his house and, if she wanted to live in it, it was his rules.

She had a ten o�clock curfew on school nights! Not that she could drive yet or ever went out, but it was just the thought that made her want to escape.

She was also stuck in the house all day, which wasn�t Cassidy; she liked to be out doing stuff. The only thing that made her time there bearable was her dad�s cat, Claude. It started out as her cat when she rescued it, but it soon bonded with her dad, which was funny. Her dad was a devout dog person, but the little, now big, fur-ball now ran the house.

At first, Claude hadn�t liked that Cassidy had intruded on his home. But it didn�t take long for him to figure out that if he was friendly, she would love him up and allow him to sit on her lap while she watched daytime TV.

When she was in the hospital, she�d joked with David that she loved daytime TV. The truth was, she�d never watched it. She discovered her dad had cable and found a

new soap opera called The Young and The Wild. It was by far the most entertaining because of the hunky, well-hung men. She knew they were well-hung because a couple got naked in almost every episode.

If her roommates knew of it, they would, at the very least, DVR the show. In today�s episode, a group of gorgeous young people was getting naked in a hot tub.

That was why she was irritated when her phone rang, and she only answered it when she saw it was David.

�What�s up, Buttercup?�

�I�m warning you now that I�m coming back with you when you come home in a few weeks.�

�Your dad being a pain?� David asked.

�He gave me a curfew!�

�Maybe you should have one when you come back,�

David contemplated.

�Just remember that I can take you with only one good arm.�

�That I�d like to see,� David teased.

�Believe it. Now tell me what�s going on with you,�

Cassidy ordered.

David shared what had happened since she left.

�� then I landed a role on The Young and The Wild. It�s supposed to be a daytime TV show. The cool part is that since I�m not being paid, I get to treat it as an internship, and I�ll get credits toward graduation.�

Cassidy wanted to laugh and cheer because David didn�t know that nudity was required.

�Have you watched the show?� Cassidy asked innocently.

�No, but it has to be like all the other soap operas. I�m betting I play someone�s love child who I didn�t realize existed because I had amnesia.�

�It�s on cable.�

�I know it probably won�t have good ratings, but I�ll get back into acting,� David reasoned.

�It�ll get ratings; I promise you that.�

�Why do you say that?� David asked.

�Do I have to say it? It�s because you�ll be on it,� Cassidy said, playing to his enormous ego.

�I�m not so sure about that.�

�Oh, yeah. Your key demographic will love it,� Cassidy promised. �I�m sure I�ll watch it because you�re on the show.�

�I appreciate that. Thanks for believing in me,� David said sincerely.

Cassidy almost felt bad about not telling David what he was getting into. She would have to get someone to film his reaction when he got on set and learned that he�d have to go Full Monty on national television. Knowing him, he would just take it in stride since he was doing it for his art.

She found herself giggling the rest of the day. David needed to call her more often.

◊◊◊

Oliver finally reached his uncle�s estate in the Kuta district of Bali. It was known as a cheap tourist destination for Australians due to its close proximity. He was a quick motor-scooter ride away from the beach, which had several resorts, clubs, etc.

His uncle had said he could stay for a couple of months until the heat had simmered down.

Balinese and Indonesian were the most widely spoken languages in Bali, but many of the locals also spoke both Chinese and English because of tourism. His uncle�s place was in the middle of an English-speaking area, making everyday life much easier for him.

He finally got brave and called Cassidy.

�Hey,� Oliver said when she picked up.

Cassidy didn�t respond.

�Uhm � I just wanted to make sure you�re okay.�

�If you mean okay in that I almost lost my arm, had to drop out of school, now have a shit ton of medical bills that just keep piling up, and had to move back in with my dad, then I�m doing great.�

�I�m really sorry,� Oliver said.

�Sorry enough to take care of my bills?� Cassidy asked.

�I don�t really have any money,� Oliver admitted.

�And you think I do?� Cassidy asked.

This hadn�t been how he expected this conversation to go. He hadn�t thought it would be great, but she sounded like she wanted to kill him.

�I don�t really know what to say,� Oliver admitted.

He could hear Cassidy take a deep breath; he was sure it was the start of a monologue about all his shortcomings.

Then she let it out with a sigh.

�When I ask, David will come looking for you. Don�t tell me where you are because that will spoil his fun hunting you down. And when he catches up with you � well, you should just pray that he doesn�t,� Cassidy said and hung up.

Oliver�s brother had told him to get rid of his phone because it could be tracked. He planned to go out today and do just that.

◊◊◊

Emily was now officially a pledge and was learning about the history of Alpha Mu. It was founded in 1907 at Syracuse University. It was initially organized to attract the best and brightest with its cardinal principles of sincerity, morality, and scholarship. Its original intent was to limit membership to those who maintained the educational standards of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest honor society that inducted the most outstanding arts and sciences students.

In 1928, it was decided that the Phi Beta Kappa standard was hard to maintain and was soon dropped. But

the sorority did require a high GPA from its pledges. To that end, the pledges were required to come to the house to study three times a week, where the older members offered mentorship. They also maintained an extensive library of past tests that were supposed to be excellent study guides.

Tonight, there was a dinner where each pledge was given a big sister and a big brother, the brother being selected from one of the various fraternities. The job of the big sister and brother was to help guide the pledge successfully to full membership. Taylor had told them it was also a way to get to know the men in the fraternity their big brother came from. It was a whole new network of friends.

They were warned that it wasn�t a dating service and that they should treat their big brothers like siblings. Her mom told her that her big sister had been her best friend in college and that she didn�t know how she�d have graduated without her help. It was also the reason she was a borderline raging alcoholic during college.

Honestly, Emily didn�t want to know what her mom got up to in college. Her mom did tell her that it helped get all that out of her system before she met her father.

If the stories were true, her father was no saint himself.

He paid for all his extras while in school by playing poker, which he�d taught her, just in case.

Something else she learned was the importance of pledge ranking. Being at the top of your class meant getting the first pick of rooms and other perks. It was based on several factors, grades being a big part of it. They wouldn�t start to see how they ranked until midterms.

It did mean that the girls who agreed to be big sisters got to pick their little sister based on their overall ranking in the house. It was expected that each sister would eventually volunteer to be a mentor to a pledge while in school. Most of the upperclassmen had already been big sisters, and the two top-ranked sisters who hadn�t yet been were Crystal and Taylor.

Every girl wanted Crystal to be their big sister because she was president of the sorority and had recently been named president of the Panhellenic Council. That was a remarkable achievement for someone who was only a junior. Your big sister also picked out who your big brother would be. If anyone knew the best frat boys, it would be her.

◊◊◊

Crystal was about to go to dinner, where she would have to select her little sister. She was torn between two of them. Wren, who looked to be the top pledge and would need the most guidance, or Emily, whom she personally liked the best. The only thing that stopped her from simply picking Emily was that Taylor chose second. The thought of Taylor and Wren together gave her pause. Taylor didn�t need someone to encourage her.

Crystal went downstairs and found Lars chatting up two of her sisters.

�Take it down a notch, big boy. Tonight is about your new little sister,� Crystal said as she chased off the girls.

�I can�t believe you asked me to be a big brother. Am I allowed to know who it�ll be? I�m really hoping it�s Wren.�

�If it is, I�ll expect you to keep it in your pants.�

Lars acted wounded.

�Cut the act. I know you can be a decent guy when you try,� Crystal said as a grin touched the corners of her mouth.

�You could help me stay on the straight and narrow.�

Crystal had hooked up with Lars right before she started dating Matt. He�d been a nice distraction, but they were just friends. Neither of them had gotten a romantic vibe, but he wasn�t shy about checking in to see if she wanted some stress relief.

�I might need you soon. I think I made a mistake,�

Crystal admitted.

�What did you do?�

�I told David that I loved him after he gave me good orgasms. He hasn�t even sent me a message since.�

Lars had a good laugh at her expense.

�I�m sure David can handle a declaration of love. I imagine women tell him that all the time,� Lars said, then got a mischievous look. �Do me a favor and give me some insight into David�s game. I need to know what makes you declare your love for him.�

�I don�t think you could pull it off,� Crystal said as if she were helping him out.

�Why not?�

�Your dick doesn�t reach all the good spots,� she said and stuck her tongue out at him.

�You�re a funny girl,� Lars said, taking it in stride.

That was one of the qualities that made him so successful with women: Lars was unflappable.

◊◊◊

Emily was ecstatic when Crystal picked her as her little sister. Every girl in her pledge class was green with envy when she was told that Lars, a Phi Sig, was her big brother.

While all the big brothers were cute, Lars stood out, and she suspected it was because he was perceived as such a bad boy.

After the dinner broke up and everyone went off to get to know each other better, she found herself in Crystal�s bedroom. Lars had joined them.

�First off, if you could talk Crystal into a threesome, you would be the best little sister ever,� Lars claimed.

�That�s okay. Crystal said that if there were any threesomes, they would be with David Dawson,� Emily said confidently.

Crystal burst out laughing when she saw Lars�s face.

�That�s why I picked her. I predict that if you quit trying to get into her pants, you�ll find the two of you can be great friends,� Crystal said.

�Maybe she can help me rid you of this Dawson character. I�m starting to think he�s cutting into my territory,� Lars complained.

�Wren told me that her big brother plans to take her to lunch three times a week so they can get to know each other. He even offered to pay,� Emily said.

�I bet. Crystal said we�re now like siblings. Since I�m broke, I thought you might do your brother a solid and take him to lunch.�

�Maybe our sister would buy,� Emily said.

�I do like her,� Lars decided.

◊◊◊

Rachel had gotten David eleven tickets and four rooms for the Texas game. Alex had booked a two-bedroom suite for Chloe, David, and Crystal to thank him for flying his girlfriend to the games. Along with David were Jim, Chuy, and Big Cat, who�d been told they weren�t traveling with the team. Coach Merritt planned to redshirt the two freshmen. Rachel and Chloe each were given a ticket. The rest had gone to Crystal, who told him that Taylor, Emily, Wren, and a frat boy named Lars were joining them.

Rachel had snagged them rooms reserved for VIPs at The Driskill, the destination for the rich and famous for over one hundred years. It was where boosters like Ron Pennington; David�s grandmother, who was dating Ron; his daughter, Jennifer Tuttle; and Gabe Francis were staying.

When David�s mother found out, she warned him to be on his best behavior and not embarrass his grandmother.

When they pulled up to the hotel, David was impressed.

He�d stayed in high-end places in the past, and The Driskill

could hold its own among them. The suite was amusing.

They had named it the Cattleman Suite, and it was done in leather and had a cowhide rug in front of the fireplace.

The suite had two bedrooms, one having a king-size bed and the other two queens. Chloe claimed the king for her and Alex. He would have to sneak out of his hotel to join her.

�Did you know this place is haunted?� Crystal asked as David unpacked.

She�d picked up brochures from the concierge for ideas on where to go that night. There was a knock at their door.

�I told everyone to meet here so we could plan tonight,�

Crystal said as she left David to finish unpacking.

He came out to find them all in the dining room, looking at Crystal�s brochures.

�I say we hit Austin�s River Walk,� Taylor suggested.

�It looks like we�re in an area with a lot of restaurants and bars. This one has live music on Friday nights,� Crystal pointed out.

�You know what time it is?� Lars asked. �Party time!�

�I�m really starting to like this guy,� Jim said.

David smiled at them both. If Jim liked him, then he must be an okay guy. David figured having a friend in a fraternity might be something he needed in his life so he could let loose now and then.

David�s phone rang, and it was his grandmother, so he excused himself to gain some privacy to talk.

�Are you at the hotel?� Grandma Dawson asked.

�Yes, ma�am.�

�Ron is putting together plans for dinner tonight, and you are invited.�

�Can I bring someone with me?�

�Yes, but we�re going somewhere nice, so dress appropriately,� Grandma Dawson ordered.

�Yes, ma�am.�

�You can quit being so polite. It�s not like I plan to write you out of the will or anything.�

If she married Ron, David would like to be part of the will. That guy was loaded.

�Mom told me I had to be on my best behavior,� David revealed.

�We both know that won�t last, so you might as well slip now,� his grandmother teased.

�I�ll come. I�ll ask Crystal if she wants to join us or not and send you a message.�

�Meet us downstairs at seven,� Grandma Dawson said, then hung up.

David went out and asked Crystal.

�Who are these guys?� Jim asked.

�Ron made his money in trucking, and Gabe owns the company that made my movie, The Royal Palm. They donate a combined one hundred million dollars a year to USC athletics.�

�So, you have to go?� Crystal asked.

�I do, but I would understand if you want to skip it.�

�I think this falls under the plus-one part of our agreement. Lucky for you, I brought a dress,� Crystal said.

�What are you guys doing?� David asked the rest of the group.

�We�re going to hit the River Walk for dinner, and then we�ll see. Send me a message when you�re done, and you can join us,� Jim said.

◊◊◊

They ended up at a nice restaurant within walking distance of the hotel. Everybody knew each other except for Crystal. David made the introductions.

Not surprisingly, the discussion turned to football.

�By the way, that was a great game you had against UNLV. How long are you out?� Gabe asked.

�The soonest they think I�ll be back is the Arizona game.

It�s more likely Colorado because the bye week falls right before it. I just can�t wait to get back to it. Watching from afar is about to drive me crazy,� David said.

�Coach Merritt told us he�s worried about Matt and that having you in the quarterback room was a distraction,� Ron shared. Then he hastily added, �Not that you did anything to earn that. It�s more a matter of Matt�s maturity level.�

�That, and they plan to redshirt you. Coach Merritt felt that since you can only play in four games, you should get healthy and stay focused on next year,� Gabe added.

David made no comment because while they�d discussed the possibilities of him redshirting, no final decision had been made. All that discussion had come before Coach Merritt took over. David had believed his new coach when he said every position was open and David had a chance to start. Usually, the head coach and the player would sit down and discuss redshirting before it was decided. No one had said anything to him.

He�d thought he�d kept the surprise off his face, but David had forgotten his grandmother was at the table.

�They haven�t talked to you, have they?� she asked.

Gabe and Ron both looked guilty, but they were seasoned veterans in the business world, so they recovered quickly.

�We�ve heard about this virtual reality system you�ve brought in. How does that work? And how does it help the team?� Ron asked.

David launched into a description of the VR system that Dare and Corvus had put together and how the team was using it. It piqued Gabe�s interest.

�I don�t know if that�s something we at the studio might be interested in, but I�d like to talk to you about it sometime.�

�Of course,� David said. �We�ll have to find some time to do that. We may want to get some of your technical guys

together with the inventors.�

There was a pause in the conversation, so David changed the subject.

�Recruiting is going well.�

�We heard that you and the other freshmen have been active. What is that game everyone�s playing?� Gabe asked.

�Fortnight.�

Bryant, USC�s recruiting coordinator, had embraced the new class�s efforts to get to know potential future teammates. He�d given them a list of the top fifty players around the country who they wanted for the next class.

Each one of them had four or five recruits they were to follow.

Bryant helped the guys out by sending them each high schooler�s stats for their most recent game, plus other information like who was in their family, birthdays, and the like. That allowed them to personalize their messages.

Chuy came up with the Fortnight idea. In the game, there was a Battle Royale mode. It was sort of a Hunger Games-esque mode in which you could either lone-wolf it or team up as a Duo or a Squad of up to four. His teammates and the recruits all loved it.

The big plus was that you could talk in-game with the other players. It gave the recruits a chance to ask questions about what it was really like at USC.

�Bryant told me that it�s made a big difference. When the coaches hit the recruiting trail, doors are opening that they used to have to work to get into. Tell your guys thank you,� Gabe said.

�I will. Tell Bryant to check out this kid at Lincoln High.

He would help with depth at quarterback,� David said.

�That�s your little brother?� Gabe asked.

�That�s the one. I worked with Bud Mason in high school, and he helped me improve dramatically. This last summer, Bud coached Phil.�

David explained who Bud was. He had coached quarterbacks in the NFL for many years, and his claim to fame was the old Raider teams that liked to throw the ball deep.

�I can�t promise anything, but I�ll talk to Bryant,� Ron promised.

David knew if Ron or Gabe called and suggested a player, the USC coaching staff would at least take a hard look. He was confident that Phil was worth a flyer.

�Have you guys started looking for Coach Merritt�s replacement?� David asked.

�It�s still the early days, but we�ve started a task force,�

Gabe shared.

�If you want my advice, I would look for proven winners.

During my recruiting process, I talked to a lot of head coaches. The ones that stood out have a system that starts freshman year and develops their young men into starters.

Alabama and Wisconsin come to mind. They are consistent winners because of those systems, and they simply reload each year,� David shared.

The hidden message was USC was either feast or famine as far as wins went. A team like Wisconsin might not make it to the national championship, but they would be in the conversation as the winner of the Big Ten West each year.

Alabama was a whole different beast. Having the best talent and a system � meant they won national championships.

�If you had to pick two names you think we could get, who are they?� Ron asked.

�Matt Styles at Kentucky, and my up-and-comer is Bo Harrington at Western Michigan. Full disclosure, I consider both to be friends. Bo was hired to turn me into a quarterback before he got the job at Alabama,� David shared.

David firmly believed that both Matt and Bo could take the talent at USC and get it to perform well enough to win

the Pac-12 every year.

�Harrington was already on our list, and we�ll look into Styles,� Gabe said.

◊◊◊

After dinner, Ron wanted a quick word.

�The merger is almost done,� he said to let David know where they were with Morgan Fletcher Investments. �One of the details we need to work out is the loan you gave Holistic Wealth Management when they bought you out.�

�What did you have in mind?�

�I�d like to pay it off and buy your shares of the company.

I would buy them for what we project your shares will be worth in five years,� Ron said as he handed David a paper.

David read the figure and wasn�t sure what to do. If he weren�t careful, a huge chunk of that would be given to the taxman. Even so, it was more than he had earned to this point in total.

�Capital gains are going to kill me.�

Ron barked out a laugh.

�I thought only old people like me worried about that,�

he said and then got serious. �I can have our wealth management people work something up to help mitigate the impact.�

�Do that, and talk to my dad. In the end, he�ll have to okay it.�

�Your dad�s a sharp man. You did well when you entrusted him with your businesses,� Ron said.

That was high praise. It made him wonder if Ron was buttering him up for some reason.

�When do you need to know?� David asked.

�We have some time. I just need to know if you�re open to doing this.�

�I only have one question: why pay a premium? You could buy the stock on the open market for less.�

�It helps me because I need to make this move to solidify my standing in the company. If I went the open market route, I would have to make filings with the SEC to declare my intentions, which would announce them to the world.

Technically, I might get slapped on the wrist for doing this, but the fines are nothing,� Ron explained.

�Still,� David pushed back.

�I plan to marry your grandmother,� Ron admitted.

David connected the dots. This would be a way for him to move some of his wealth to her family. David figured if Ron could give fifty million dollars annually to USC, he could afford this.

�If you convince my dad and keep the tax bill to a minimum, I�m in,� David agreed.

Now no one could complain when he bought himself a fleet of planes.

◊◊◊

David and Crystal were in a good mood when they returned to the hotel. They walked in on what only could be called an orgy. Their friends had all decided on some naked fun.

Alex was with Wren, Chloe was being double-teamed by Lars and Jim, Taylor was giving Chuy head, while Big Cat and Rachel were still partially clothed and making out.

Crystal took his hand and led David to their bedroom.

Inside, they found Emily.

�Sorry. I just needed somewhere to go,� Emily said as she got up from one of the beds.

She�d been watching TV as she hid out.

�You can stay. David and I were just going to watch some streaming video,� Crystal said.

Mr. Happy made a formal protest to the big brain that David should get rid of his new girlfriend and go out to the party and join in.

�We are?� David asked.

Crystal gave him a look like he should be able to read her mind.

�We are.�

�Can I at least take this suit off?� David asked.

She laughed at him and sent David to the bathroom to change.

When he came out, the two girls had their heads together, giggling. David got comfortable on his bed and paid attention to the show they�d been watching.

◊◊◊

He didn�t wake up right away; it took quite a long time.

It felt like pushing up through an endless ceiling of water�

heading toward that tapestry of light above. Slow and agonizing.

Then he heard the pounding noise again.

David came fully awake. He looked over at Crystal; she was sound asleep. The pounding happened again. Someone was at the door of the suite.

He pulled on a pair of boxers and went out to see what was going on. As he almost reached the door, Chloe came out of her room.

�I�ve got it,� he assured her.

He looked out the peephole and saw Emily and Rachel, so he opened the door. They both shivered like wet dogs locked outside on a stormy night. The two of them surged toward him and wrapped him up in bear hugs.

�It�s okay. I�ve got you,� David said as he fell into dad mode.

When he got them inside the suite, he asked, �What�s wrong?�

�There�s a ghost in our room,� Emily said shakily.

Rachel simply nodded.

Chloe snorted her amusement and went back to bed.

He wanted to laugh too, but he stopped himself because it was apparent they were both scared. Talk of The Driskill being haunted had gotten into their heads. In his critical thinking class, he learned that if someone believed something, such as the existence of ghosts, they tended to rationalize events to support their belief. That meant that, at this moment, it was a waste of time to try to explain to them that it was probably something other than a ghost.

�It�s three in the morning, and we all need to get some sleep. Why don�t you come to my room where there�s an

extra bed? If there are any ghosts, I�ll chase them away,�

David said.

When they entered his and Crystal�s room, they found she was now awake.

�They have a ghost in their room,� David explained. �I told them they could sleep with us tonight.�

Crystal rolled her eyes and then buried her face in her pillow while David got the girls settled. He crawled into bed and realized that even when they went off to college, girls needed a dad to protect them from the monsters under the bed�or, in this case, ghosts.

◊◊◊

�You little hussy,� Crystal said.

David was confused because Crystal was on the wrong side of the bed. His arm wrapped around her, and her butt was pressed firmly against � Then his mind caught up.

Crystal�s voice came from behind him!

David�s eyes snapped open. Emily must have joined them sometime during the night. David tried to jerk his arm back, but she�d trapped it in her armpit. She giggled as David finally got himself free.

Crystal glared at the two of them, so David gave her his best innocent look, which he felt he nailed. It might have worked if his morning wood hadn�t made his boxers look like he was smuggling a beer bottle out of a convenience store.

He got out of bed with as much dignity as he could muster and went to take a shower. He�d stuck his head under the water when Crystal joined him.

�You fell for ghosts?� she asked as she stepped in front of him so she could get wet.

�They looked terrified, and I just wanted to go back to sleep,� David defended himself.

�And they both fancy you,� Crystal pointed out.

�It�s a good thing that I fancy you,� David said as he stepped into Crystal�s personal space.

She gave him an appraising look.

�And what do you plan to do about that?�

David had a few ideas, and he let Mr. Happy take charge of his decision-making.

◊◊◊

Crystal wanted to have a word with Emily and Rachel alone, so David went downstairs for breakfast. He joined Chuy, Big Cat, Lars, and Jim.

�Why didn�t you come out and join the fun? After she did everyone else, Wren wanted to go a round with you,� Chuy said.

�You all slept with her?� David asked.

�It wasn�t actually sleeping,� Lars said.

�She has a hot body,� Big Cat added.

�I told them about some of the stuff you instigated in high school. Remember that away game where the ref shit himself? The night before was classic,� Jim said.

David chuckled. That was the night he�d first gotten with Pam. It felt like a hundred years ago.

�I was torn, but Crystal and I haven�t talked about stuff like that yet.�

�Talked? What�s there to talk about? Some naked women were willing? It�s like the old saying. When pie is being passed around � you eat pie,� Lars said.

�That�s what I�m talking about!� Chuy said as he high-fived Lars.

�And the one I really wanted to be with snuck off to your room. Did you at least spend some quality time with Emily?� Lars asked.

�David will never tell, so don�t waste your breath,� Jim advised.

�Crystal told me I couldn�t get with Emily because she�s my little sister. I figure it�s like porn, and she�s my little stepsister,� Lars said.

Even David laughed at that.

�So, you can�t bang your sorority little sister?� Big Cat asked.

�Have you met Crystal? If she tells you something, you better listen. One word from her, and our whole frat will get blackballed. Trust me. My brothers would strip me naked and feed me to the Tri-Delts if I did that,� Lars explained.

�Why is that so bad?� Big Cat asked.

�Because they would end up fucking me to death,� Lars said.

�Maybe we should visit them,� Chuy said.

�We�ll need plenty of condoms and more guys than just us,� Lars predicted.

David felt that Lars might be a bad influence, but what the hell? This was college.

◊◊◊

Going into Darryl K. Royal Memorial Stadium was a circus. The Texas faithful were all decked out in their orange gear and in high spirits. They were expecting a capacity crowd for the nationally televised game. It had been hyped as two legendary programs going toe-to-toe in an early game to define national championship aspirations.

Texas got the ball first and ate up about three minutes on the clock before punting.

On USC�s first possession, Bill was lined up on the outside, and Matt hit him for a long gain to the Texas twenty-three-yard line.

Matt lined them up in an unusual formation. USC moved their three receivers wide of the left hashmark and put their tight end on that side, too. The whole right side of the

formation was open. Texas countered by lining up man-to-man on USC�s receivers and putting their safety just inside the right hashmark to cover half the field.

Matt came to the line and looked the defense over.

�They�re going to score,� David said excitedly as he hoped Matt saw what he did.

Mainly that the safety was sneaking up to support the run.

On the snap, John, their left tackle, let the Texas defensive end go, leaving Nolan, at tight end, to block him.

That freed John up to lead the run. Matt handed off to Marcus, who followed John�s broad backside three yards up the field, where John found a linebacker to block. Marcus saw a crease between the remaining linebackers and burst into the secondary.

The three defensive backs were too far away to lend run support, and the safety had come up to the line, so there was no one to tackle him. Marcus walked into the end zone untouched to give USC a 7�0 lead with ten minutes left in the first quarter.

David could see Matt�s confidence rise. If he kept it up, USC might have a chance in this game.

With a minute and a half to go in the first quarter, Texas managed a field goal to make the score 7�3.

It was second down on the Texas forty-three-yard line when Matt dropped back to pass. Bill was well covered on the outside, but Matt threw one up long, and Bill outraced the defensive back to catch the ball at the two-yard line.

The Texas defense stiffened on first and second down.

On the next play, Matt handed the ball off to Marcus, who ran it around the left end for the score to put USC up 14�3.

The Texas offense caught a break on the next possession when Todd totally whiffed on the tackle on a pass to the tight end. The big kid rumbled down the field for a forty-seven-yard score, making it 14�10.

Later in the second quarter, after a Texas field goal, USC

punted and pinned Texas inside their ten-yard line. On third down, Texas decided to pass the ball. As Todd blitzed from his outside linebacker spot, Percy pushed the tackle into the backfield. Instead of dumping the ball, the Texas quarterback tried to run. Todd caught him in the end zone for a safety, giving USC a 16�13 lead.

Or so everyone thought. The referee reviewed the play and ruled the quarterback had gotten outside the end zone, so the score reverted to 14�13.

The next time Texas got the ball, they drove the field and kicked another field goal to take a 16�14 lead into halftime.

�What do you think? Do we have a chance in the second half?� Lars asked David.

�If Matt continues to throw deep, we should win this.�

On the first possession of the second half, USC went three-and-out.

Texas moved the ball to midfield, where on first down, they jumped offsides, making it first and fifteen from their forty-five-yard line. Expecting a pass, Percy and Todd came from the Texas quarterback�s backside. Just as he released the ball, Todd laid him out, causing the quarterback�s helmet to come off and roll fifteen yards.

�Todd�s gone,� Jim predicted.

Sure enough, they called it targeting, giving Texas a first down, and Todd would miss the rest of the game.

Two plays later, Texas went long down the center of the field for a touchdown pass. They were now up 23�14.

On the next drive, USC got within field goal range.

Coach Merritt sent Alex in to kick a forty-nine-yard field goal. John missed his block as the guy on the end of the line flew in and blocked the kick. Texas picked it up and ran it in for the score. Suddenly, USC was in real trouble, now down 30�14.

Matt looked rattled on the next drive. He threw three straight incompletions, forcing USC to punt.

Texas marched straight down the field to the three-yard line. Their quarterback kept the ball on a designed run and scored, making it 37�14.

USC didn�t give up. Matt about killed USC�s slot receiver, Tyrell, when he led him right into a waiting linebacker in the next series. The kid leveled him and caused the ball to pop straight up, but it somehow landed in Tyrell�s hands to prevent the turnover.

It was determined that their linebacker had led with his head, so it was targeting, and Texas was a man down.

Texas ended up with the ball back and just ground it out to eat up the rest of the clock to give them the 37�14 win.

It was troubling that USC�s defense was supposed to carry the team this year, and they looked terrible at times.

It also didn�t help that Matt, who had played well enough in the first half, looked awful in the second.

If the fans were grumbling about who should start, they would be howling for Matt�s head this coming week.

�USC can hold its head high,� Jim quipped on the way to the airport. �So far, we�ve outscored our opponents 87�78.�

David kept his comments to himself since he�d quarterbacked for 70 of those points in his lone start. With Matt at the helm, USC had averaged 8.5 points per game.

Yep, the fans would be howling.

◊◊◊

When David got back to LA, he went straight to Malibu.

He needed his munchkin fix. They were at the beach with his mom and dad, so David had time to prepare for their return.

He found Rosy in the kitchen.

�Did you get what I asked for?�

�Cinnamon rolls?�

�And cupcake pans,� David said.

�What are you making?� Rosy asked.

�Bowls for ice cream.�

David had watched a video on how to make treats kids would love. He turned the cupcake pan upside down, sprayed it, then took a cinnamon roll and wrapped it around to make a bowl. He then baked them until they were golden brown.

They were coming out of the oven when his children got home.

Duke and Coby were the first up the stairs, following their noses. Duke spazzed out when he saw David, while Coby ignored him, went to Rosy, and tugged on her apron.

�That yummy smell is what your dad made. Go get your brothers and sister, and he�ll give you a treat,� Rosy promised.

David had to stop loving Duke to start making the kids ice cream.

�They haven�t had dinner yet,� his mom complained when she saw what he was making.

�Do we get one?� his dad asked.

�Rob, don�t encourage the boy.�

�There�s enough for everyone,� David promised.

His parents helped his kids make sundaes, making him the best dad ever. He sat on the floor with them as they chowed down.

When he�d seen the video on how to make it, he couldn�t think of two things he liked more than cinnamon rolls and ice cream with Cookie Butter. This might just be the best dessert yet.

To give everyone a break, David got the kids all fed and bathed. Then he took them to his apartment for a sleepover.

He borrowed a bunch of blankets, and they made the living room into a fort.

He would have to thank his parents later because going to the beach wore them out. He sent Tami a message when they�d fallen asleep around him in the fort. She jumped onto video chat, and he showed her what they were doing.

�That�s almost as cute as naked dance party,� Tami teased.

�What are you doing in on a Saturday night?� David asked.

�I have a chemistry test on Monday, and it�s kicking my butt. If I want to keep my scholarship, I have to get a good grade.�

�Need any help?�

She thought that was funny.

�I did get straight �A�s in AP chemistry. I�m not near as dumb as you think I am,� David said, acting put out.

�Poor baby.�

�You always have a way of emasculating men. You should just admit that I am smarter than you are.�

�Keep telling yourself that,� Tami shot back.

They goofed around until he told Tami about Ron Pennington wanting to buy him out.

�Have you told Grace?� Tami asked.

David cocked his head because he hadn�t thought of calling Brook�s grandmother. She would be the perfect person to run this by. Grace would give him honest advice, and she might also know what Ron was up to.

�That�s a good idea. As long as you�re dispensing knowledge, talk to me about Cassidy,� David said. Then he shared Cassidy�s intention to fly back with him when he went to see Phil play football during David�s bye week.

�Talk to her dad and see if she can take care of herself.

You might have to get someone to help her. At a minimum, she�ll have to rehab, and I�m assuming that the athletic department will help her with that,� Tami said.

�I should talk to Joey and Greg. Greg might be able to help out while Joey gets her back to health. I would feel better if I knew who was working with her; it would put my mind at ease,� David decided.

�What�s next?�

�Crystal.�

David explained how they�d only gotten together to avoid another lousy rebound and that they could help each other in other ways. Of course, Tami figured out what that was�sex. It kept them both from finding someone for some casual fun and the complications that inevitably occurred when the casual partner wanted more.

�Let me guess. You�re starting to have feelings for her,�

Tami said.

�After a good round of sex, Crystal said she loved me. I chalked it up to the forty-eight-hour rule that it doesn�t count unless said at least that long after orgasm.�

�You�re a dumbass.�

�Don�t mess with my beliefs, missy.�

�What did you do afterward? Tell me that you didn�t lie low and hoped it would blow over,� Tami said.

�I don�t think I should say.�

�Dumbass. Yep, you are a total dumbass.�

�She went with me to the football game, and we spent time together last night and this morning. I think all is well,� David said.

�Did you have the same feelings? And don�t lie to me because I can tell.�

�No, you can�t. If I wanted to tell you a lie, I could,�

David said confidently.

�Try me,� Tami challenged.

If he said he didn�t have feelings for Crystal, Tami would guess he lied. He wondered what she would do if he told the truth.

�I think I have feelings for her,� David said cautiously as Tami stared into his soul.

�Wow. You told me the truth.�

�How does she do that?!� David thought.

�I think you better have a talk with Crystal and redefine your relationship. That is, unless you want to risk her finding some other guy. Where is she tonight?� Tami asked.

�Their sorority is going to a frat party.�

�Hm. Alcohol, horny frat boys � I don�t see a problem at all,� Tami quipped.

�You really are evil.�

�Settle down. Crystal is a smart girl.�

�Okay, I�ll talk to her.�

�Anything else you need to tell me?� Tami asked.

�Not that I can think of,� David said honestly.

�Not even about Lexi?�

He�d almost put that out of his mind.

�It really isn�t that big of a deal,� David said.

�Then explain to me how Lexi went from hooking up with Ben and crying about it to willingly sleeping with him in Paris. Then all the craziness when Ben�s girlfriend exposed them, to now. What the hell do you think you�re doing?� Tami demanded.

�I don�t know. Tracy for real went crazy and slept with my biggest enemy, and she and I are good friends now,�

David tried.

�Deep down, Tracy always cared for you. Otherwise, you wouldn�t have given her a second chance. And by the way, that is something I love about you.

�Lexi is a whole different kettle of fish. Everyone, and I mean everyone who knows her, has told you not to trust her. You know that she acts as you expect her to act when she�s with you. The emphasis is on the word �act.� I would suggest you gracefully remove her from your condo as soon as possible,� Tami said.

�But ��

�I don�t care if she is the best PA you�ve ever had,� Tami said, reading David�s mind.

His head knew she was right, but his gut told him she was wrong. His gut made him say yes, even though his head told him to run.

�I guess I�ll see.�

�You�ve been warned. I�ll be there when she rips your heart out again, but I will have the pleasure of telling you,

�I told you so.��

�And I�ll deserve it,� David reluctantly agreed.

◊◊◊

When David got up, he took the kids to the house and fed them. He then played with them in the pool until he had to return to campus.

Duke told him he wanted to go back to campus with him, so David called Pam to see if the hound could stay with them this week. She said, �yes.�

When they got to the townhouse, Duke knew where he was. He ran in, expecting to see Precious. He ignored Pam and Tracy as he tried to find the kitty.

�Looks like someone misses that damned cat,� Pam said.

�She had her moments,� David said.

�You weren�t here for Thunderdome. I thought for sure she was going to kill that other cat. What was his name?�

Pam asked.

�Admiral Snuggles,� Tracy said.

�He was not coming out from under the couch,� Pam said.

�You should have been there when Precious caught the squirrel. Duke freaked out and chased it into Brit�s shirt when Precious let it go. Then it climbed my mom and launched itself to the roof of our garage. That had to be the funniest thing I ever saw,� David reminisced.

�I think everyone has a favorite Precious story,� Tracy said. �But the truth is that they all involved some kind of maiming or mayhem. I, for one, am glad Brit moved into an apartment.�

David might have to go visit his feline friend when he went home.

�Did Cassidy tell you that she plans to come back?�

David asked.

�Good, because she�s the only one who knows your password for the grocery store app,� Tracy said.

David knew he�d given it to all of them at some point, but it looked like Cassidy was put in charge of groceries, and they�d forgotten.

�You guys should have told me, and I would�ve given it to Tracy,� David said with a straight face.

�But � but you love me best,� Pam pouted.

�Tracy would make sure she only bought healthy stuff,�

David said.

�What if I need to get something for Coby?� Pam asked.

He and Tracy laughed.

�Honey, he isn�t falling for the Coby line anymore,�

Tracy said.

�Thank you,� David said.

�What if I want something?�

�Dummy. All you have to do is ask. He�ll do anything for you,� Tracy said.

�I want the password, too,� Pam said.

He wrote it down for them. They grabbed Pam�s phone and began to order food. He was worried about how much the first order would be because they�d been living on a college student�s budget since Cassidy went home.

David got ready to leave, and Duke was at his side, ready to go.

�Think I can sneak him into my dorm?� David asked.

�You�re David Fricking Dawson. Just act like it�s no big deal and walk in,� Tracy said.

David was shocked when the security guy just buzzed them in. When he reached the top floor, he ran into the floor�s RA. She even took a moment to give Duke a scratch behind the ear before going back into her room.

Maybe he was David Fricking Dawson.

When he walked into his suite, Chloe, Crystal, and Alex were watching pro football on the giant TV.

�We got a dog?� Alex asked excitedly.

�Duke needed a break from the kids, so I took him for the week,� David said.

�I always wanted a dog, but my dad said �no,�� Alex shared.

David put Duke�s food and water bowls down and gave him his favorite tennis ball. Duke seemed to know which room was David�s because he went in there to take a nap.

Crystal got up from the couch and pointed to his room.

�We need to talk.�

◊◊◊

No guy likes to have �the talk.� It never ends well.

David followed Crystal into his bedroom and closed the door. She sat on his bed, so he took the office chair at his desk and spun it around so they were facing each other.

�Last week, I told you something, and once I did, you ghosted me,� Crystal said.

�I love you.�

�Yes. What was that all about?�

David thought for a moment before answering.

�I honestly had the same thought when you said it,� he admitted.

�Then why didn�t you say anything?�

�Because with one of the first girls I dated, I blurted those same words out after we�d just had sex. She explained that you should give it 48 hours because a good orgasm makes you say things you might regret in the light of day. That if you still felt that way once the time was up, then it might be true,� David explained.

�But why ghost me?�

David sighed and then decided to tell her everything.

�Lexi Andon happened.�

�Your old PA?� Crystal asked.

�The very one.�

�What did she do?�

�Over Christmas break a couple of years ago, I traveled to LA to film a J-drama. At the time, I�d found the love of my life, or so I thought. Later, she broke it off due to some family drama, which caused her to move away. Lexi stepped into the vacuum, so to speak.

�She traveled with me when I filmed my James Bond and Star Academy movies. She made me a deal that she would act as my PA and join me in my bed at night,� David shared.

�Why would she do that?�

�Because she said we were both young, healthy, and willing. Why not help each other with our needs? Plus, it would prevent me from hooking up with another actor or someone on set, which would have happened because I was made several offers. Lexi saved me from being a clich� and following through with the hookups,� he said.

�And you developed feelings for her?� Crystal guessed.

�I did, and so did Lexi. She told me she loved me right before we were done filming, and I was caught off guard and sent her home early. See, I thought I was going to school at Oklahoma, so it made no sense to try the long-distance routine.�

�But you ended up at USC,� Crystal said.

�I did, and it gave Lexi and me a chance to reconnect. It was a little hit-and-miss because I�m a romantic at heart, and I take the whole love thing very seriously. If I were to commit to someone, it would be for life, not just for good sex. My problem is that Lexi has put me off marriage, and the funny part is, I was warned that would happen,� David admitted.

�What do you mean?�

�Do you know who Jeremy Pike is?�

�That name sounds familiar.�

�He�s a TV psychic. When I was promoting one of my movies, he was the guest before me on a talk show. We met, and he told me he�d like to do a reading for me. Right before the MTV awards, I met with him.�

�And he told you about Lexi?� Crystal asked.

�Not specifically. He did tell me a few things about my life that I didn�t know, like I have five kids. I thought he was full of it when he said I had a girl, but that turned out to be true,� David said with a slight grin. �And he correctly predicted some others.�

�God forbid you have a girl,� Crystal said sarcastically.

�Dawsons only have boys.�

�Until they don�t.�

David thought of a couple of witty comebacks for Captain Obvious but shrugged instead.

�Anyway. As I said, Lexi and I had our ups and downs during the spring. Towards the end, I decided that she was the one. But stuff got in the way. I had finals, and she got the job as Ben Cowley�s PA for a movie being filmed in Paris. Jeremy warned me that someone would put me off marriage, and Lexi was that someone.

�When I discovered she was sleeping with Ben, it made me wonder if she really ever liked me or if she felt it was part of her job. Then my next relationship cemented it when I caught her in bed with another man. After all that, I�m not ready for anything other than casual,� David explained.

�I�m not either,� Crystal said, looking relieved.

�So, when I took a step back, I wanted to see if I had feelings for you, and I do. Just not the forever kind of feelings.�

�What I want is to take the fake out of this relationship and agree to only see each other. I don�t want to get married, or anything like that, until after college,� Crystal said.

�Full disclosure time: I do see other women. Two of my best friends, one of whom is Coby�s mom, sometimes need me. And I�ve sort of had something going with Chloe,�

David said.

�And Taylor, Wren, and Emily would like me to share you,� Crystal said.

�Oh, and I might have a thing for Rachel.�

�What if I said I had a thing for Lars?�

David didn�t get the vibe that Lars was a threat.

�Use a condom.�

His Alpha Male checked in and wanted to know if David had lost his mind. But he seriously didn�t think Crystal and Lars would ever hook up while she and David were dating.

�I�ve never had a guy admit that he planned to cheat on me before,� Crystal said.

�I would understand ��

�No. It�s refreshing to hear you be honest with me. I just want to make sure it doesn�t interfere with our time together,� Crystal negotiated.

�Not unless someone joins us,� David said as he waggled his eyebrows. Then he got serious. �I don�t plan to go out and see other women. If I know of a time it might happen, I promise to check in with you first so we can talk about it.

For the most part, I prefer to be a one-woman man. But if something should happen, I want you to be prepared. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.�

�That does make me feel better,� Crystal said. �Do you want to date me, then?�

�Yes. Yes, I do,� David said as he stood up.

Crystal came to him and sealed the deal with a kiss.

�Can I admit I love you and not have you freak out?� she teased.

�I�ll try to do better.�

�Then take me to bed.�

◊◊◊

Duke took to college life. David talked to his mom, and they agreed that his parents would pick his hound up after this week�s home game. USC was playing Washington State in a rare Friday-night game.

He took his dog with him when he went to get his weekly brain scan. Duke had been trained as a service dog, and his mom used to take him to the cancer ward back home.

When Duke entered the hospital, he fell back into his training and was on his best behavior while David got his scan.

Afterward, they went to the children�s oncology ward, where he found Sadie visiting her sister, along with her

mom.

Duke ignored Sadie and her mom and went to Lisa.

�This is Duke, and I brought him to say hello,� David said to Lisa.

�Can I pet him?�

�Of course you can,� David assured her.

A dog�s unconditional love makes anybody�s day better.

Lisa smiled when David left, and her mom followed him out into the hall.

�I�m Janis, and I wanted to thank you for offering to pick up Sadie two days a week. I�ll admit, I was a bit wary when I first heard about this from my daughter. But then I had you checked out, and you seem to be a good guy, despite being a famous actor. Are you sure you want to do this?�

�I�d be more than happy to.�

They worked out the logistics, and David and Duke left to visit the other kids on the floor.

◊◊◊

At lunch, David finally got a chance to read the script for The Young and The Wild.

�Oh, hell no,� he mumbled.

The description of his character read: �Bisexual drug addict and con man ��

The first script described him having sex with a man and snorting cocaine. That was the exact opposite of the All-American boy image he�d been crafting since he began acting. He knew that Hollywood was going woke. Even the next James Bond looked like it would be played by an LGBTQ+ actor, so it was becoming more mainstream.

While the bisexual part gave him pause, the drug addict and con man parts were the deal-killer. If David wanted to continue doing action films where he was the hero, doing a role where he was strung out and the villain wouldn�t work.

He called Kendrick Knaggy.

�KAP Agency, how may I direct your call?�

�Kendrick Knaggy, please.�

�And whom may I say is calling?�

�David A. Dawson.�

�One moment, please.�

He was put on hold. At least they had decent music to listen to.

�David! Did you get a chance to read the script?�

Kendrick asked.

�I did, and I�m out.�

�What? Why?�

�Did you read it?� David asked.

�Uh � I was told it was edgy and you would shine in the role,� Kendrick deflected.

�Call me back when you�ve actually read it,� David said, adding, �And Kendrick, if you�re going to represent me, I expect better.�

David hung up on his agent.

Ten minutes later, Kendrick called back.

�You�re right. Let me talk to them and get your part rewritten. I let this one fall through the cracks,� Kendrick said, falling on his sword.

�The other concern I have is that they want full nudity, and I�m not doing that for a soap opera, even if it is on cable. Now, a major motion picture, we can discuss it, but I�m not going naked if I�m not being paid,� David added.

�Got it. Anything else?�

David chuckled. This was the most agreeable Kendrick had been since he met him.

�No, we�re good. Let me know if they�ll make the changes so we can move forward,� David said and then hung up.

David looked down at Duke.

�Come on, buddy. I get to start working out and practicing today.�

Dr. Liao had called and told him that he could resume working out with the team, with the only restriction being to have no contact this week. It looked like David would be back to full contact next week.

◊◊◊

Matt Long had just gotten the word that David was returning to practice, so he called his dad.

�Dawson is back,� Matt said as his dad answered the phone.

�That�s good.�

�No, it�s not. The press and the fans are calling for a change at quarterback.�

�Then it�s a good thing that Coach Merritt makes those calls. Didn�t he tell you David�s redshirting?� his dad asked.

�Actually, no; I overheard some of the coaches talking. I guess Coach Merritt forgot to inform David of that. He found out from a couple of our boosters.�

�That isn�t good. If he pulled that with you, I would be in Coach Merritt�s office, reading him the riot act.�

Matt felt good to know his dad was on his side.

�I have to wonder, what is David doing talking to boosters? Why would he even know them?�

�I don�t know. What should I do when David comes to practice?� Matt asked.

�Just what I�ve said before: be the good teammate and welcome him back. I would also ask him if he has any advice to help you. If he does, take it to heart. Just because the two of you are fighting for the same job, in the end, if you want to play in the NFL, you have to at least go through the motions of being a good teammate.�

�I get it, but I worry if he ever starts, I might never get to play another down of football at USC,� Matt finally admitted to his dad.

�Damn it, Matt! Quit selling yourself short. You�re every bit as good at Dawson throwing the ball. Yes, he is a better runner, but see what that got him? Running quarterbacks get injured. Even if you lose your job in the short term, keep your head up because David is one play away from never playing again.�

Matt knew that was true, but Coach Merritt would play whoever gave him the best chance to win. His dad was right in that if he were benched, Matt would have to show he was a good teammate, or he would never see the field.

�Okay. I�ll make an effort to welcome him back,� Matt agreed.

�Now, focus on Washington State. USC has to have this game, or their season will go down the toilet. Starting 1

and 3 would be a disaster.�

Matt chuckled.

�Way to put the pressure on, Dad.�

�You can handle it.�

◊◊◊

David left Duke in his suite when he went off to football practice. Getting on the practice field and taking some snaps felt great. Jim had been working at the center position under Willy�s tutelage since the offensive line captain would graduate this year. Jim teamed up with David to get extra work in. David was joined by Chuy and Big Cat to act as his running back and receiver in mock RPO plays.

�Could you have Crystal put in a good word for me to Wren?� Chuy asked.

�Hang on. David has been my friend longer. If anyone gets the first shot at her, it�s me,� Jim complained.

David looked at Big Cat, who found it all amusing.

�I already asked her to dinner. We�re going out Thursday night.�

�What the hell?!� Jim cried out.

�You sly devil,� Chuy added.

�You four! Get back to work!� Coach Thomas yelled at them.

Jim was so flummoxed that he snapped the ball over David�s head. David had to agree because Big Cat was the most innocent of the four of them. Granted, by all reports, he�d performed well last Friday night.

�If Wren is such a prize, maybe I should ask her out?�

David teased.

David found himself under a pile of his three teammates.

Coach Thomas came storming up, thinking David was dead.

What he found was everyone roaring with laughter.

�The four of you are running until the end of practice!�

Coach Thomas decided.

�Yes, sir,� David said as he led them to the edge of the field to run wind sprints.

It felt good to be able to stretch his legs. They were all about to die by the end of practice but had smiles on their faces.

◊◊◊

When David got in, he had a conference call with Grace Davenport and his dad to discuss Ron Pennington�s offer.

�Rob tells me Ron has offered to pay off the loan and buy you out at over market by a considerable amount. Do I have that right?� Grace asked.

�Yes, and Ron said two other things. First, that he would help me mitigate my tax bill for the capital gains. And second, that he was doing it this way to avoid having to file his increased stake to the Security and Exchange Commission,� David shared.

�The SEC requires everyone to disclose if they buy a substantial number of shares. It prevents someone from secretly buying a controlling interest in a company. It sounds like Ron wishes to become the chairman of the

board of Holistic Wealth Management,� Grace said and then asked, �How much is he offering?�

David told her and explained that it was what Ron projected the stock to be worth in five years.

�I shouldn�t be telling you this, but he�s taking you. We just ran our projections for the next ten years, and he�s giving you a third of the estimated value,� Grace informed them.

�So, I shouldn�t sell to him?� David asked.

�If I were you, I would,� Grace said.

�Why?� Rob asked.

�Because David can then make the appropriate SEC

filings, repurchase his stock on the open market, and pocket the profit or buy more stock,� Grace explained.

�Wouldn�t that both piss Ron off and be insider trading?�

David asked.

�He has a point,� Rob said.

�Sorry, you�re right. I was just letting my irritation get the better of me. If you didn�t know the income projections, his deal is more than fair,� Grace said.

�I don�t want to hurt you by selling. If you want me to turn Ron down, I will,� David said.

Grace chuckled.

�I�ll be fine. Now that I�m forewarned, I can make a move myself or let Ron take over. If he steps out of line, I can stop him. I was retired, if you remember,� Grace shared.

�And I wanted out of running businesses while in college,� David added.

�While I can work on my golf game,� Rob said.

�Don�t forget about the drone and VR businesses,� Grace reminded David.

With Grace�s assistance, David had helped Darius make some money on his inventions. Word had gotten out about the VR use in football, and universities and professional teams were inquiring about the technology. David�s one

requirement was that it not be sold to any team in the Pac-12 or any school on their schedule for the next few years.

The other issue was that Dare and Corvus were not satisfied with the software yet. USC and Western Michigan both acted as beta sites and sent the two nerds bug reports. Grace looked into a couple of companies that could produce the product and its parts, install it, train the end users, and provide customer support.

Personally, David found the software invaluable.

�Those are more passion projects than businesses,�

David said.

�What did I tell you? If you find something you love and can make a living, you�ll be a happy man,� Rob said.

�Listen to your father,� Grace advised.

Duke caught his attention. Someone had to go for a walk.

�I�ll call Ron tomorrow and accept his offer,� David said to end the meeting.

As he took Duke out, David still couldn�t believe that no one had complained about him having his dog in the dorm or taking him to class. In his critical thinking class today, Duke had dropped his tennis ball, and it rolled to the front of the room. His professor had simply picked it up and handed it to Duke when he charged down the aisle to get it.

◊◊◊

The next day, David received a new script with a note from Kendrick that he�d read it and thought David would be happy.

The setup for his character read: �Nikki and Mick have a history together. They were lovers and friends before Mick left to join the military. Mick�s return rekindles feelings that Nikki thought were gone. But if history dictates what will happen next, then Nikki will toy with the idea of a

relationship with Mick but then head straight into Vic�s arms after a while.�

The director would be on campus tomorrow to scout locations and wanted to meet David. It was arranged that they sit down at Doreen�s coffee shop first thing in the morning. Professor Blum would attend to represent the university.

◊◊◊

David and Duke went for a leisurely morning run and then showed up at the coffee shop.

�I see you brought your friend back,� Doreen said as he walked in.

�You remember Duke. He needed a break from my little ones, so he�s here for the week,� David explained.

�Little ones?� she asked with a sideways look at him.

�I thought everyone knew. I have five kids.�

David went on to explain his five children. He had Doreen get Duke a bowl of water, which the dog slopped all over the floor. David was cleaning it up when Professor Blum appeared with two young women.

�David, I would like you to meet Abigail Barnes and Moira Lim,� Professor Blum said.

David stood up and shook their hands. Abigail would be his director, while Moira would be her production assistant.

�I wanted to thank you for agreeing to join our cast. We don�t normally get movie stars,� Abigail said.

�If you�re looking for more talent, USC has a whole host of budding actors who would love an opportunity,� David said.

�Quite right. Please let me know if you need extras or more,� Professor Blum interjected.

�Have you seen our show?� Moira asked.

�No, but one of my best friends loves it. When I told her I would be on it, she failed to mention that it was geared

more toward adults.�

He planned to have a word with Cassidy later, if for no other reason than to give her a hard time.

�It�s sort of a cross between Spartacus and As the World Turns,� Abigail said.

David remembered that his parents� cable parental controls had prevented him and Greg from watching Spartacus. Tami�s mom wasn�t as watchful, so he and his friends had been able to watch an episode or three. It had a lot of nudity, sex, and gore, which made them all love it.

�Does that mean I get to use a sword on Vic when he poaches my love?� David quipped.

The women looked at each other and broke out in laughter.

�I would love to see that,� Moira admitted.

�Don�t you like Vic?� David asked.

�He�s a bit of a pompous ass, but he looks good and is a decent actor,� Abigail shared.

�What�s Nikki like?� David asked.

They looked at each other again and had tiny grins.

�Oh, you�ll like her,� Moira predicted.

They got down to business, and David shared his schedule with them.

�That doesn�t leave much time for filming,� Abigail complained.

�For me, this is a school internship, and my primary objectives are my family, school, and football. I was told you would work around my schedule,� David said, prepared to pull the plug if they weren�t on board.

�No, we�ll take what we can get. I just hope you�re as good as I�ve heard so we can get through your scenes quickly,� Abigail said.

�Have you ever been involved in a J-drama?� David asked.

They gave him a curious look.

�I have. To be exact, what they do is basically one take, period, because they don�t have the time or resources to do multiple takes. I had to do most of those in Japanese, which meant learning my lines and the proper voice inflections and having my acting ready to go.

�Doing this in English will be a piece of cake compared to that,� David assured them.

Professor Blum snorted, which he had to explain.

�David recently did some commercials for USC. One of the directors wanted to do multiple takes, which David put up with. Obviously, he�d nailed it the first time, so after something like nine, I shut it down. David will do fine,�

Professor Blum agreed.

They wrapped up their meeting. Filming would start next week.

Before they left, David introduced them to Doreen and suggested that the coffee house would be a good film location.

As he walked out, Doreen smiled at the possibility of free publicity.

◊◊◊

David took Sadie to see her sister. Duke was happy when he didn�t have to give up shotgun as Sadie climbed into the back. The trip went well until they got to her school, and she spotted a girl standing outside the front.

�What�s wrong?� David asked when the smile suddenly left her face.

�That�s Hailey. She makes fun of my hair and says I�m a freak.�

�Does she do other mean stuff?�

Sadie wouldn�t look up at him but gave a slight nod.

�Come on. I�ll walk you inside,� David said to get her out of the car. He left the windows open so Duke wouldn�t get overheated, knowing Duke would protect the car.

He walked Sadie in and made sure she made it to her first class. He then went to the principal�s office.

The woman manning the front desk recognized him.

�Oh, my,� she said as she looked up. �How may I help you?�

�I�d like to talk to whoever�s in charge.�

A minute later, he was in Principal Carla Hahn�s office, where he talked to her about Sadie being bullied. What seemed to be always the case was she had no idea of any bullying in her school. David wanted to suggest that she might want to get out of her office sometime and do her job but had another solution.

◊◊◊

David had been summoned to Coach Merritt�s office between classes, and Rachel was sitting out front, acting as the gatekeeper.

�You can�t bring a dog in here.�

David smiled because she was the first person on campus to stand up (figuratively) and tell him that.

�He�s only here today. Can Duke hang out with you while I go beard the dragon?� David asked.

He didn�t wait for her answer as he walked into Coach Merritt�s office.

�Door open or closed?� David asked.

�Closed.�

David took a seat before Coach Merritt said anything.

�I wanted to talk to you about redshirting.�

�Do I get a say in this?� David asked.

�I thought Coach Clayton had this discussion with you before he left.�

�That was when he wanted me to play defense. When you came in, you said all positions were open, and the best player would start. I assumed that meant that I had a chance to play my freshman year. I�ll remind you that you said that you�re not opposed to playing us both. In fact, you had us both at QB1 on your depth chart. And you said you were concerned about Matt�s maturity. What changed?�

David asked.

�You were injured. I think it�s best for you and the team to preserve your eligibility.�

David wanted to say that Matt could easily be hurt as well but held his tongue.

�I see. So, Matt gets a full year of playing time while I ride the bench. And are you following Coach Clayton�s philosophy of the starters getting all the coaching and reps? Then, come spring, I suppose you�ll spout the same bullshit about open competition. When what you�re really saying is that Matt is your quarterback, and you want me for when he goes to the NFL. Am I reading this right?�

David asked as he started to lose his cool.

Coach Merritt looked taken aback at David�s response.

�I suppose that would be the case.�

This felt like one more f-you he�d received from all his head coaches over the years. The frustration all bubbled up.

�I�ll put all my cards on the table,� David said. �Coach Clayton was a horse�s ass with his BS about me playing defense. Add to that the slap-on-the-wrist penalties for Matt and John when they tried to end my football career and maybe my movie career as well.

�I tried to be a good teammate and go along to do what was best for the team. Then he messed with my promised scholarship. If I hadn�t talked to the athletic director, I don�t think he would�ve ever given me one.�

�He did that?� Coach Merritt asked.

�You can see why I�m tired of being lied to. I�d hoped for a fresh start with you as our coach. But when Ron and Gabe told me you�d decided I was redshirting without talking to me, I lost a lot of respect for you. So much so that if you�re our coach come spring, I�ll transfer,� David explained. �I imagine there are other places where I can play. And start.�

It took Coach Merritt a moment to recover from his shock. His boosters were revealing his plans to his players?

He would have to speak to Gabe and Ron. But for now, he needed to get on top of this.

�What about this fall?�

That told David that Coach Merritt didn�t give a flying monkey about him. Arguing further was pointless.

�You get to decide who plays. I�ll take any playing time I can get to show off my abilities to the next school I go to.�

�I can see that I handled this all wrong, but the fact remains that I want you to redshirt.�

�As you wish,� David said. �Anything else?�

David didn�t wait for an answer as he got up and left. He found that Duke had won over Rachel as she was rubbing his ears.

�Come on, buddy. We have class,� David said as he left the athletic building.

Once outside, he was kicking himself for losing his cool.

At least now, he felt more in control, and he could honestly

say he spoke only the truth to Coach Merritt. He was done being jerked around by USC head coaches. If only he�d done that when he was younger.

◊◊◊

David had asked Crystal if she would help him on his mission to stop the bullying at the grade school. After lunch, Duke followed the two of them to the school like he was going to the cancer ward. Principal Hahn met them at the entrance and took them to Sadie�s class.

�Sorry to interrupt,� Principal Hahn said to the class.

�But we have a special guest who asked to speak to you today.�

�Hello, everyone. I�m David A. Dawson, the actor,� David said as he walked to the front of the class. He noticed Duke had walked with him and sat like he was being presented to the children.

Duke handed David his tennis ball, which had the kids giggling.

�My special guest is Duke. You see, Duke is a service dog I take to hospitals to bring joy to the patients, and he very much likes the attention he gets.�

�Can we pet him?� a girl in the front asked.

�Maybe after I�m done talking,� David suggested. �I wanted to tell you that Sadie is my very special friend. You see, she and I have a lot in common: family members that have or had cancer. In my case, it was my mother, and for Sadie, it�s her lovely sister Lisa.

�What you might not know about cancer is that the cure can feel like it�s worse than the disease. For my mother, it started with her feeling run-down and tired all the time, and then she lost her appetite. What she hid from me was the pain, which can be unbearable.

�As she got worse, I was afraid my mom might not make it. I was willing to do anything to make her feel better. Well,

I�ve found a kindred spirit in Sadie. When Lisa�s treatments made her lose her hair, Sadie cut her own off so her sister would feel better because Lisa is currently fighting for her life. It makes me sad to think that anyone would look at this lovely girl and make fun of her for her sacrifice,� David said and let a silly grin touch his face.

�But luckily for most of you, you�ll never have to go through that. What Sadie wants to do is bring some joy to you today. She has asked Duke and me to give you all ice cream bars,� David announced as Crystal and Principal Hahn brought trays of the treats to the front of the room.

He�d made sure the food was kid- and allergy-friendly because he didn�t need any of them getting sick and their parents suing him.

�Okay, class. Come get your treats,� their teacher said.

Everyone surged forward, and David saw the huge smile on Sadie�s face as all the kids thanked her. Duke was a happy boy as he also became the center of attention. Even Hailey looked delighted.

Crystal slid up next to him and squeezed his hand.

�That might be the kindest thing I�ve ever seen anyone do.�

�I just felt bad for her.�

Sadie rushed up and gave him a hug. She whispered in his ear, �Thank you.�

She then was off chattering with her classmates. Her being bald was suddenly quite all right.

�Come on, Duke. Let�s go so they can get back to learning,� David announced.

He chuckled when he reached the front door of the school.

�What�s so funny?� Crystal asked.

�My mom always gives me a hard time about feeding my kids sugar and leaving her with the fallout. That class will be bouncing off the walls before the end of the day.�

◊◊◊

David wasn�t surprised when a team manager told him that he was to see Coach Stackhouse before practice.

He found her talking to Alex. Galen, Alex�s security, was doing his best to blend into the woodwork.

�Are you explaining to him that his kicks might get blocked if John doesn�t do his job?� David asked.

�Bite me,� Alex said.

�I�ll see you at practice,� Amy said to Alex and then turned to David once he left. �I hear you�re in fine form today. What crawled up your butt?�

�Please. You just want to know if I�ll be a problem or not,� David said.

�We�d planned for you to host several recruits Friday, but if you don�t want to be a part of USC ��

Add that to the list of stuff that wasn�t discussed with him.

�What was said was between Coach Merritt and me; I guess it only makes sense that he would share it with you and everyone else. Do I need to worry that I�ll get asked about it the next time I�m with the boosters?� David asked.

�What do you expect me to tell them? Should I lie and tell them I agree with the decision, that I think it�s best for the team?

Amy started to say something but thought better of it.

Then she said, �Coach Merritt made assumptions and should have sat down with you and discussed it.�

�Look. Before this becomes a thing, tell your boss that I am at USC and will do whatever it takes for us to win and get better. When I leave, my dedication will be to my new team, be that in the NFL or a new college.�

�Your talk of transferring was true, then?� Amy asked.

�Coach Merritt is, unfortunately, a continuation of Coach Clayton. I won�t work with a liar. I told myself I would give it a season and see how it all worked out. The only reason I

came to USC is that Oklahoma went back on its word. Now I�m seeing the same thing here.

�In the back of my mind, I counted on Coach Clayton being replaced. When it happened before fall practice, I was hopeful the situation here would get better, and I would get a fair shake,� David said.

�Coach Merritt made a mistake. We all do at some time,�

Amy said.

�We�ll see.�

�So, about the recruits?� Amy asked.

�I�ll play nice, and only positive words will come out of my mouth,� David promised.

�Anyone else, I would have my doubts. Thank you,� Amy said.

�Who�s on my list?�

�Steve Barber and Colt Macklin, who Bryant tells me you�ve been helping recruit. He said that we�ve already made an offer to Steve. Coming with Colt is his primary receiver, Aidan Voss. Like Colt and Steve, he�s a top 100

recruit,� Amy said.

Steve was the younger brother of Jerry, better known as Bear. Bear was their freshman tackle, who was six-eight and 330 pounds, and who�d just moved up to second string at offensive tackle. Steve�s nickname was �Cub� because he was only six-seven and 300 pounds. Steve was the number two tackle in this year�s recruiting class.

Colt was in next year�s class, but he was currently the number one quarterback in all classes. He and David had become friends since David had been a guest speaker at the prestigious Elite-11 camp for quarterbacks. David had also worked with him at the Houston Elite and USC camps.

David had followed Colt, so he knew of Aidan. He was an impressive physical specimen at six-five and 210 pounds.

David couldn�t help but compare him with Damion Roth.

Aidan wasn�t quite as big as Damion, though, with his long legs, he had deceptive speed. And being tall, Aidan was

Colt�s top target in the end zone because he could outleap any defender he faced.

David could see why the coaching staff was nervous because each of these recruits was a game-changer. They were the type of players who would start sooner than later.

�Thank you for entrusting me with these three. I�ll make sure they all sign with us,� he promised.

Amy gave him a long look and then sighed.

�I keep underestimating you; that won�t happen again.

And I hope you give Coach Merritt a chance to prove that he�s on your side.�

�Something you should know is that when I get mad, it�s best to leave me alone because I cool off quickly and become more reasonable. I also believe in second chances, but not thirds and fourths like I seem to be on with head coaches here. I understand that I�m lumping Coach Merritt together with Coach Clayton, but if he just tells it to me straight, I might surprise him,� David said.

�I agree. And thank you. Bryant keeps singing your and the other freshmen�s praises for helping with recruiting. I understand you started it all, and everyone knows what an asset you are beyond football,� Amy said.

�Bite me,� David fired back.

�What?�

�Stop buttering me up,� David explained.

�Got it,� Amy said.

�Can I go to practice now?� David asked.

�Yes. Go to practice.�

◊◊◊

David met his recruits and their families at the John McKay Center. He wore his game-day jersey and jeans and noted that Steve and Aidan had on USC gear while Colt wore his high school jersey.

�That won�t do at all. You can�t be seen on a recruiting trip not wearing the school�s colors. It�s all about making the right impression,� David chastised.

�My son spilled grape juice on his USC t-shirt,� Mrs.

Macklin revealed.

�I was going to give you a tour of the locker rooms.

Since it�s game day, everyone will be at the stadium, so it�ll be safe to show it. We can get Colt geared up before he meets with the coaches,� David suggested.

David pointed out different features of the 110,000-square-foot facility dedicated to USC football as he walked.

He gave Colt his practice jersey to wear before handing the three of them off to Bryant, who had them meet their prospective position coaches.

Mrs. Macklin hung back, and after everyone had left, he gave her a curious look.

�I wanted to talk to you because you�ve been where Colt is. We�d like your advice on what he should do.�

�As far as recruiting goes, did Colt mention the discussion we had about the Houston Elite camp? That would be very valuable for him.

�In my own case, my dad and uncle were a big help.

They gathered all kinds of stats on which programs would help me get to the NFL. Not all destinations seem to produce quarterbacks for the league,� David began.

�Do you think they�d be willing to share their insight with us?�

�I can ask, but I think they would sit down with you.�

�What schools did you visit? I read somewhere that USC

wasn�t your first choice.�

David told her about each school he�d visited and their strengths and weaknesses.

�My situation was unique in that I planned to go to school with my two best friends. Not all of my top choices were willing to accept all three of us.�

David then described his top three schools and why he�d ended up at USC.

�USC was your third choice?�

He gave her a wan smile.

�I guess you could say that. If I�d known I was on my own from the beginning, I probably would�ve ended up at Ohio State,� David shared. Then he added, �But the place I fell in love with was Kentucky. They have a gorgeous campus.�

�What do you think of USC now?� Mrs. Macklin asked.

�We will win a national championship next year. USC is on the precipice of rejoining the top programs across the country. I plan to leave a legacy of success, and I want to turn the keys over to Colt when I�m done.

�Colt would be playing just thirty minutes from your home, and USC provides one of the best educations in the country. If I were him, I would accept USC�s offer and end his recruitment so he can enjoy his junior and senior years.

They have a long history of getting quarterbacks to the NFL, and I�m sure Colt will be one of them,� David said.

�I can see why they have you talk to recruits,� Mrs.

Macklin said.

David chuckled.

�This is my first group. Please let Bryant know I�ve done a good job,� David half-joked.

While they waited, they got to know each other better.

When Colt returned, his mom dragged him and his dad off for a quick word. Colt gave him the thumbs-up when he returned.

◊◊◊

David took his charges to his parents� tailgating tent, and Duke bounded over the fence to say hello to all the little ones. David left the recruits in his parents� charge as he changed to dad mode and spent time playing with his

children. His mom finally saved him so he could down a couple of brats before he had to go to the team locker room.

His recruits and their parents had seats in the VIP

section behind the bench. His parents made their way to their box seats. When you had five kids under the age of three, it was best to have them in a confined area, or they would be wandering everywhere.

David went to the locker room, where the team was preparing for the game. He and the other injured players, and those who weren�t dressing, walked out to the sideline to watch the pregame festivities before the team came out.

David looked into the stands, and the crowd was similar to what he would expect at State back home. The combination of it being a Friday-night game and USC�s shaky start�losing back-to-back games to Stanford and Texas�hurt the attendance.

Matt had asked him for advice for the game in the quarterback room, and David responded, �Run the damn ball.�

Washington State had a high-powered passing offense that put up a lot of points. What they didn�t have was a defense. David�s suggestion was based on USC�s strong running game, with Marcus Eshete leading the way. If they ran the ball, it would take time off the clock, keeping Washington State�s offensive juggernaut off the field.

It looked like his team had taken his advice when USC

scored their first touchdown. The drive took only five running plays, the highlight being Marcus�s fifty-yard run off right tackle. After only two minutes, USC was up 7-0.

After receiving the kickoff, Washington State threw five incompletions in six plays and had to punt.

USC got the ball back on their twenty-four-yard line. The key play on their drive was Matt being sacked for a nine-yard loss. He got up rubbing his shoulder, which had the team�s medical people in a frenzy.

After just one completion, Washington State got good field position and kicked a field goal to make it 7�3.

USC and Washington State traded touchdowns on the following three possessions to put Washington State up 17�

14.

That was when a pivotal moment in the game occurred.

USC was driving down the field when Matt tossed the ball to Marcus, but Matt had turned the wrong way. He made up for his mistake by recovering the football, but they�d lost seventeen yards on the play. A short punt�USC missed Knackers�put Washington State in good field position.

Eleven plays later, they scored again to go up 24�14.

At that point, the boo birds came out.

That was when Matt turned his season around. Instead of getting down on himself, he orchestrated a twelve-play series with only a minute thirty-nine left in the half. USC

worked their way down to the Washington State eight-yard line so Alex could kick a twenty-six-yard field goal with no time left on the clock. That made it 24�17.

Matt spent halftime having his shoulder checked out. He came out bouncing around like he could take on the world.

David recognized it for what it was: they�d shot him up with painkillers. He knew because they�d done something similar for him in high school after his car accident so he could get back onto the field.

The danger was Matt could get a serious injury and not know it. He looked at Coach Stackhouse and saw the frown on her face. She glanced over at David, and he grimly shook his head �no.� To his disappointment, Amy looked down at the ground and didn�t say anything.

The second half was a shoot-out as neither defense helped their team until Todd, their new star linebacker, made a play. USC had just gone up 39�36 in the middle of the fourth quarter. Washington State crossed the fifty-yard line and was almost in field goal range when Todd flushed

their quarterback from the pocket and tackled him for a loss.

The Cougars brought in their field-goal unit and missed the kick wide right.

Matt was hit hard after a pass on the next series and went down and didn�t get up. It looked to be his shoulder again. He was helped off the field, and Jaden Ponder came in. During spring ball, his throws seemed to sail over the receivers� heads. It hadn�t improved much in the fall, so USC was forced to run the ball.

Recognizing that the Trojans wouldn�t pass, Washington State put eight men in the box to stop the run. It worked because USC had to punt.

They got a good punt for once, and Washington State had to start their drive at their own twenty-six with five minutes left.

What made the Cougars so dangerous was that their head coach taught their quarterbacks to not throw to receivers but to open spaces on the field. Their receivers ran to the opening and got the ball. It was a difficult offense to defend against because they threw to where you weren�t.

Washington State�s quarterback began to pick the USC

secondary apart. They moved the ball to USC�s twenty-one-yard line with just a minute to go. It was fourth down and six. The field goal was the safe option, and with Jaden at quarterback, Washington State had to feel good about their chances in overtime.

If David were the coach, he would have gone for it because USC hadn�t shown they could stop them. He would�ve gambled for the win because winning on the road was hard. But he wasn�t paid to make that decision, and the Washington State coach decided to kick the field goal.

The ball was on the right hash mark. David noted that USC had put Percy in the guard-center gap because he was USC�s best rusher. When the kicker lined up, USC called

time right before the snap. If they hadn�t, they would�ve been tied since the Washington State kicker kicked it anyway, and the ball had gone straight through the center of the uprights.

USC put in both Willy and John to bracket Percy. Their job was to drive the Washington State linemen back so that Percy might have a chance to go untouched through the gap. On the snap, David held his breath.

Someone screamed, �It�s blocked!�

Soon everyone was dancing around, and the sparse crowd was on their feet, celebrating. USC had just won 39�

36 in a wild game to get to 2 and 2 for the season.

When David made his way back to the locker room, Coach Merritt wore a grim expression. He came up and said, �Get ready. You�re starting next week against Arizona.�

�Yes, sir.�

He did a mental fist pump as he left to meet up with his charges. Karma was a bitch sometimes.

◊◊◊

�Okay, parents. Time to give me your boys for the night.

I plan to take them out and corrupt them,� David announced.

All the recruits for the weekend were gathered together, with Bryant acting like a mother hen.

�Uhm,� Bryant worried.

�Will there be alcohol and women?� Mrs. Macklin asked.

�How else will I corrupt them?� David asked with glee.

The way he said it made the guys� moms and dads laugh and assume he was full of it. David had learned early on that if you told the truth, most times, parents couldn�t imagine their kids admitting they were going out to do anything they would disapprove of. Now, if he had said they

were going to a prayer circle, they would have stopped it immediately.

�Any advice we should give Colt before he heads off with you?� Mr. Macklin asked.

�To avoid the hard stuff and bring plenty of condoms,�

David said.

�Do you have condoms?� Mrs. Macklin asked her son.

Poor Colt was all but swallowed into the ground and taken to Hell. Everyone else roared with laughter. While the parents were having their fun, David grabbed Colt�s arm and pulled him toward Greek row. Bryant came trotting up.

�A word,� he said to David. �If there�s a scandal ��

�It�ll be fine. We�ll go have a few beers and give them a glimpse of college life. I�ll make sure they�re all ready for breakfast and the campus tour bright and early in the morning.�

Bryant still looked nervous.

�Trust me. They�ll all beg you to allow them to come to USC by tomorrow,� David promised.

�Okay,� Bryant said as they walked away.

◊◊◊

David had arranged for all the recruits to go to the Phi Sig house. Lars had promised that they would have a good time, but not too good of a time. The last thing David wanted was to babysit any of them while they puked.

David had also invited all the guys acting as ambassadors and all the freshmen from this year�s class.

All thirty-five of them gathered around before going into Phi Sigs.

�Here are the rules. You can have a couple of beers.

Some of you have games tomorrow afternoon, so don�t test me on this. If you meet a young lady who wants to spend some time with you, come to me, and I�ll find you a room.

�I was serious about the condoms. On one of my visits, I was asked, if a college girl would have sex with a high schooler � who else would she have sex with?� David shared.

The recruits all nodded.

�Finally � have fun. College will be the best time of your life,� David said and led them in.

Lars met them at the door and handed out special red cups to all the recruits. That would tell the pledges serving the alcohol that they were only to give them beer and not to overserve them.

They went to the basement and found Crystal and the Alpha Mu sorority girls waiting.

�Let�s dance!� David called out as he pulled Crystal onto the dance floor.

David noted that a smug-looking Big Cat was dancing with Wren. He was proud of his teammate for snagging the Alpha Mu pledge that everyone wanted to get with.

Crystal was right. The Phi Sigs were great guys. If David ever felt the need to join a frat, this would be the one.

David gathered his charges at midnight and walked them back to their hotel.

�I got laid,� Aidan announced.

Colt gave his teammate a high five. A few others admitted to getting lucky. When they got to the front of the hotel, David stopped them.

�Look. We want you to come and play for USC. We work our asses off, but we also have fun. As you saw tonight, we�re a family that looks out for each other. Tomorrow, when you talk to your position coaches again, tell them you want to commit.

�Trust me, you won�t find a better place to play ball and get an education. And when we win a national championship next year, I want you all there with me,�

David said.

The group cheered. He suspected that Bryant would be happy tomorrow.

◊◊◊

Emily got up early Saturday morning because her pledge class was going to Venice Beach for the day. She came down to breakfast to find David eating by himself.

�May I join you?�

He smiled and nodded to the seat across from him.

�I can�t believe I would see a sorority girl up this early on a Saturday morning,� David teased.

His nearness made her heart skip as she caught his earthy male scent mixed with a hint of mint.

�Well, yeah. Usually, I would sleep in, but my pledge class is going to Venice Beach. Taylor has organized a scavenger hunt that sounds like fun.�

�Have you ever been?� David asked.

�No.�

�I have, and it makes for a nice day. I suggest walking the canals. There are some great restaurants hidden in that area. If you want to get a feel of the whole neighborhood, rent a bike and ride the bike path,� David suggested.

�I think I�ll do the bike tour first.�

�What is Taylor having you find?� David asked.

�Well, it�s � uhm � called �shoot your shot.� The way she explained it is like when you go to a frat party and see a hot guy. Taylor said it doesn�t hurt to go and try to talk to him. It�s supposed to help us get more comfortable talking to guys,� Emily explained.

�Does Crystal know about this?� David asked.

�I don�t know, but Wren said she would help me.�

David�s look told her he didn�t think that was a good idea.

�What exactly do you have to do?�

�I have to get ten guys to take off their shirts and take a selfie with me,� Emily said.

�And?�

�Why does there have to be an �and�?� Emily asked.

�Because it�s Taylor.�

David must know Taylor better than she thought.

�A dick pic,� she mumbled.

�Do the guys all have to be at Venice Beach?� David asked.

�No. Taylor said that if we didn�t finish at the beach, we could get the rest at the party we�re going to tonight.�

�Want to get your list done before you go on your trip?

That way, you can just enjoy yourself,� David suggested.

�The first one done gets out of house duties for two weeks,� Emily said. �But the time stamp has to be today, and they have to have nice bods.�

�Finish your breakfast and come with me,� David said.

◊◊◊

David was meeting with Dr. Liao to get cleared for contact. He had Emily wait outside the locker room, and he went inside and came out with ten guys.

�Okay. This is my friend Emily, and I want you to treat her like you would your own sister,� David began.

�Willy�s from West Virginia, and I think sisters are fair game back there,� one of the linemen quipped.

�Settle down,� David said. �Emily needs you to take your shirts off and take a picture with her. One of you needs to let her take a dick pick.�

�I�ll do it so she can see what a real man looks like,�

Willy offered.

David chuckled when Emily blushed.

�You game?� David asked her.

�Uh, sure,� she bravely said.

David had planned to leave her but decided he�d better hang around and take the pictures for her.

Willy went first.

�Oh. My. Gosh,� Emily said as she checked out his package.

Willy was gifted, and it was apparent that Emily had never seen one that large. It made Willy�s day.

Once David took the photo of Emily with the last guy, she wanted her phone back so she could see the pictures.

David was caught off guard when she grabbed the back of his head and kissed him.

�What the hell? I get naked, and she kisses Dawson?�

Willy complained.

�Thanks, guys. This will give me the win for sure,� Emily beamed.

�Go show Taylor and have fun today,� David said.

After she left, David thanked his teammates, who had enjoyed the distraction. He went to see Dr. Liao.

◊◊◊

He didn�t know if he should be concerned or not. David suspected they�d shot Matt up with painkillers so he could play the second half of the Washington State game. Now, David had been cleared for full contact a week early because they needed him to start against Arizona next Saturday.

The result for Matt was that it looked like he would miss the Arizona game and possibly the one after that, depending on what the doctors found later today. He could potentially be done for the season. David wondered if he should get a second opinion on his own condition.

He didn�t have time to ponder his concerns because the team was gathered to watch the game film from the Washington State win. Once everyone was settled, Coach Merritt came in and addressed the team.

�We let them slip through our fingers too many times.

We�re still looking for an identity. We have too many guys

thinking they have to compensate for other guys. That doesn�t lead to very good play.�

He then began the film session. He always started by showing every penalty and calling out who got them and why.

�The next one is a delay of game, and this is just uncalled for. Most of these are my fault,� Coach Merritt said, �but this one wasn�t ��

David liked that he did this. Penalties killed drives and lost games. What Coach Merritt was doing was making everyone accountable for their mistakes. Not in a way to embarrass them, but to make them aware and hopefully avoid the same mistake next game.

�We had way too many penalties. Aggressive penalties are one thing, but dumb penalties are another.

Unsportsmanlike conduct, John Johnson, dumb � delay of game, dumb � How can this be dumb, dumb, dumb?� he asked as he pointed at his list. �We can�t have dumb, dumb, dumb. We have to be smarter than that. We�ve got to be smarter at coaching you at that,� Coach Merritt added.

Well, maybe he was trying to embarrass some people.

John had gotten penalties that killed drives in each of the games he�d played in.

After they watched the film and cheered Percy for blocking the field goal, they went out in shorts and t-shirts and worked on fixing mistakes from the previous game.

Stuff like Marcus running too wide on a particular play, causing him to lose yardage.

�Be sharp as hell � game like � game like!� Coach Merritt barked.

◊◊◊

Emily loved the tickling feeling of the sand eroding from underneath her feet as the ocean waves continued to roll in and then back out to sea. While all the other pledges were

busy chatting up guys, she was able to enjoy her day at the beach.

What amazed her was that it wasn�t all that packed this morning. Like the nearly four million people who lived here, she rarely made her way to one of the best places in LA. Today was sunshine, a nice breeze, and temperatures in the mid-80s. Why would anyone not want to be outside at the beach?

Wren joined her.

�Are you done?� Emily asked.

�Yep. Remind me next time to use your secret weapon: David.�

�How did you know?�

�Because I recognized a few of the football players, and you live in his dorm,� Wren explained her reasoning.

�It sort of was cheating, but now I don�t have to do house duties for a while.�

�You�re also my main competition for pledge ranking.

I�m going to have to keep an eye on you,� Wren said with a smile that told Emily she was just giving her a hard time.

�Our rankings might seriously change once we have midterms. My Intro to Economics is kicking my butt.�

�You know someone who�s a business major and a straight �A� student. You should ask them to tutor you,�

Wren said.

�Crystal?�

�No, David.�

�I couldn�t do that,� Emily hastily said.

�I might.�

Wren could be yanking her chain, but Emily felt the sneaky, snaking fingers of jealousy thread into her chest.

She kept getting the feeling that Wren wanted David for herself, which would be a major violation of the sorority sister code. You didn�t steal another sister�s boyfriend.

But if David was free � What? What would Emily do?

She�d never had a steady boyfriend and wouldn�t know

where to begin getting someone of his caliber. Whereas someone like Wren knew all about sex and men. Emily wouldn�t stand a chance if Wren set her eyes on David.

�And Crystal would make your life a living hell,� Emily predicted.

�Not if she helped us study,� Wren said as her face lit up with mischief.

Emily slapped her hand over her face in horror, making Wren�s day.

�My goal is to knock some of the innocent off you before we graduate,� Wren promised. �You know what would go a long way to doing that? If we get Crystal to let both of us

��

�NO!� Emily said and covered her ears so she couldn�t hear what Wren was saying.

Then she got the giggles because Emily suddenly imagined it. Wren was such a bad influence.

◊◊◊

After the team film session, the quarterbacks went to their room to watch more video. Each position was currently doing the same with their respective coaches.

The topic was Arizona, next week�s opponent.

David noted that Matt�s arm was in a sling.

�Arizona�s defense has some young guns. Last year, two freshmen combined for 179 tackles, first and second most in the Pac-12 for freshmen. As a matter of fact, their whole defense was young due to a coaching change a couple of years ago,� Coach Thomas said.

�Who�ll start if Matt can�t go?� Jaden asked.

�Dawson was cleared for contact, so he�s the next man up,� Coach Thomas said to make it clear. �Guys, I need you to focus. Winning is hard, and we�re going into Arizona on Family Weekend. It usually draws a bigger crowd, plus this game will be on ESPN2. Arizona will be fired up and

wanting to protect their home turf since they�ve lost to us four straight.�

�What�s the key to winning this week?� David asked.

�Eliminating the stupid penalties, protecting the ball, and winning the time of possession by at least five minutes,� Coach Thomas shared.

In David�s mind, that meant they would run the ball.

Coach Thomas then began to run Arizona�s film, giving them an idea of what to expect.

◊◊◊

Toward the end of their film session, Coach Merritt and USC�s recruiting coordinator, Bryant, interrupted. Bryant looked excited and glanced at their head coach, who gave him the nod to tell them his news.

�I wanted to share with David that his recruiting efforts bore fruit. Eight of them committed, but the others wanted to visit a couple of other schools before deciding. The good news is that as of right now, they all want to join us at USC,� Bryant said.

�Give me a list of both and any notes that�ll help us, and we�ll get them all into the fold,� David promised.

�What are you talking about?� Matt asked.

�David and the other freshmen have been helping Bryant and the other coaches recruit,� Coach Merritt explained.

�What did Colt Macklin decide?� David asked.

He was the crown jewel that every team in America wanted.

�He said �yes,� but his mom said they wouldn�t do anything officially until his senior year,� Bryant said.

�That�s a smart move. I�d want to know who the coach will be next year before I made my final decision,� David said and instantly wanted to pull it back.

The room went silent to see what Coach Merritt would say to that. Everyone knew he had the interim label, and

there was no guarantee he would be asked back. If David wanted to be a prick, he could have shared what Gabe and Ron had told him about their �quiet� search for his replacement. At no time had they mentioned that Coach Merritt was in the running.

David wished he could take back his statement because he didn�t want to look like he was retaliating for the redshirt news. When he said it, he was thinking he would want to know who the coach was if it were him in Colt�s place. Based on that, he could see if his skill set fit into the new coach�s style of play.

�That is a smart move,� Coach Merritt said to defuse the tension. �We�ll let you get back to it.�

Coach Thomas gave David a look over his reading glasses, but David gave him an innocent one back and dared him to call him out. He planned to have a word with Coach Merritt before anything had a chance to fester.

Better yet, he guessed Amy would be calling him to her office.

◊◊◊

After practice, David returned to his dorm and planned to drive to Malibu to spend time with his family. Sunday afternoon, he would start filming his soap opera.

His phone rang, and he saw it was Crystal.

�I was about to leave.�

�Call me back when you get in your car,� Crystal said and hung up.

David finished packing and went downstairs to his car.

Before he could even open his car door, his phone rang again, this time with a number he didn�t recognize.

�Hello?�

�David? This is Janis Turner. Sadie told me what you did for her, and I can�t thank you enough. You�ve really been a godsend for both of my girls.�

�I really didn�t do much. You have two terrific daughters, and I�m just glad I can help a little,� David said.

�Well, it�s more than a little, and I really do appreciate it,� Janis said.

�You�re welcome. Janis, I�m sorry, but I�m running late, and I need to go. Thank you for the call.�

�Thank you, David,� she said and hung up.

◊◊◊

He called Crystal as he was leaving the parking lot.

�How was Venice Beach?� David asked.

�It�s changed. I went once with a friend when I was in grade school. It was full of weird�in a good way�people and shops. Now it�s twenty bucks for parking, the local shoe store sells $400 boots, and a coffee was nine bucks,�

Crystal complained.

�Welcome to the gentrification of a neighborhood.�

�What do you mean?�

�Think about the waterfront communities in LA. You have almost perfect weather and some of the coolest areas to hang out in, and before you know it, the neighbors want to protect it from development. I get it because I�ve been to Miami, where high-rises pop up and kill the view for everyone else.

�But it also means that prices start to go up, and all the rentals get converted to homeowners who then gut the places and make them even better. Soon, only the wealthy can afford to live there, which drives out all the �weird�

people and businesses,� David said.

�It was far from perfect. There are various homeless encampments and stretches of people living out of their cars, and you know what that means. There are sections of the boardwalk where walking barefoot wouldn�t be recommended,� Crystal said.

David could see how that would put a damper on a fun day.

�Well, Emily looked to have a good day if her social media is any indication.�

�Don�t get me wrong. Everyone had a good time,�

Crystal said and then changed the conversation to David. �I thought you were going to the Sigma Upsilon party with me tonight.�

�You�re not going to believe this. My youngest, Coby, served his fellow daycare inmates alcohol.�

�How the heck did he do that?� Crystal asked; it was precisely what he�d asked his mom when she told him.

�Peggy and Scarlet still live in the pool house. Ashley bought herself a condo. To celebrate Ashley�s purchase, I guess the girls bought those cans of premade drinks,�

David said.

�Those are awful. I tried the pi�a colada and margarita ones, and they were a total waste of money.�

�I guess the girls thought so too, so they�ve been in the pool house fridge for a few months. What happened was it was one of the kids� buddies� birthday on Thursday, and her mom brought in cupcakes. Coby had remembered another mom had gotten them all sodas, which my little ones are not allowed to have.�

�I hate to ask, but why not?� Crystal asked.

�Remember me laughing about feeding Sadie�s class ice cream bars and then leaving? Give my kids Cokes, and it�s mayhem. You make that mistake once, and you never let them have that again.

�That reminds me of the time I fed them all sweet potatoes for the first time. I didn�t realize there�s an insoluble fiber that makes babies go like right now. Which wouldn�t be so bad if I wasn�t alone with all five of them when they exploded,� David overshared.

�Gross.�

�Yep. Back to Coby. He went into the pool house with his backpack and cleaned out the leftover alcohol.�

�But I thought most stuff like that has child-proof openers,� Crystal said.

�Have you met my son? He had to work at it, but he could get them all open. What cracked me up was they sent over a video of how it all went down. Coby made sure everyone in the older-kid section shared the drinks.

�Remember that psychic I told you about?� David asked.

�The one that warned you about Lexi?�

�The very one. He told me that Coby would go one of two ways. He would either protect people or become a little gangster. Handing out alcohol to a group of two- to five-year-olds might be his first step down a dark path.�

�I can�t believe the people in charge didn�t catch it,�

Crystal said.

�That was what kept my son from being banned. Well, then there was the fact that they all went down for naps without any fuss,� David shared.

�I bet they weren�t happy.�

�There was talk of Coby and all my kids being trouble.

Then they told my mom that she should be held responsible. That was the wrong thing to say. She demanded to see the video. The girls working there had even picked up the cans and tossed them. Mom made some noise about negligence, and suddenly it was all swept under the rug,� David explained.

�Why are you going home tonight if it�s all taken care of?� Crystal reasonably asked.

David had asked the very same question.

�Because my mom played the �your punishment will be dealt with when your dad comes home� card. When I was a kid, that was the worst. I would beg my mom to use the belt because I didn�t want to disappoint my dad. I guess Coby got that one this afternoon and has been shitting bricks. I can�t let it drag on until tomorrow.�

Crystal laughed.

�I�m just glad it�s you and not me having to raise kids.

After hearing about yours, I might pass on having any.�

�You say that until they�re yours.�

�Sorry. No kids,� Crystal declared.

He couldn�t blame her. One kid at his age was too much, let alone five.

Crystal finally had to go.

When he got home, his mom was with the kids in the playroom.

When Coby saw him, he burst into tears. Carol joined him, which set off the other three. His mom rolled her eyes and left him to deal with it.

◊◊◊

His days as the baby whisperer were over. He�d had a good run, but the idea of their dad coming home to deal with Coby was too much. He couldn�t imagine what they thought he would do to Coby, but it must have been awful.

Finally, he�d barked, �Enough!�

Which got them calmed down enough so he could talk to them. They learned to �ask first� before taking anything from the pool house refrigerator and that some things were just for adults.

They also learned that dad�s punishment was to give them all baths and put them to bed. He wasn�t sure if that was for him or his kids. When they were all in bed, David was pretty sure Duke was the happiest. Crying babies was stressful for his kindhearted Lab.

◊◊◊

�That was fun,� David said as he found his parents drinking a glass of wine on the roof.

He took the couch across from them, and Duke crawled up and laid his head in David�s lap to get some loving.

�Better you than me,� his dad said and chuckled. �When your mom would tell you or Greg that, I dreaded coming home. But it seems that having to think about what was going to happen was always way worse than the punishment.�

David thought back, and his dad was right.

�Before I forget,� Rob said. �I talked to Ron about your stock. He�s just solidifying his position on the board. He called Grace to let her know, which made me feel better. I told him that you were ready to sell your shares to him.�

�You�re going to have to find ways to offset your gains,�

Carol said.

�It could be worse. At least these are considered long-term gains,� Rob added.

If you held an investment for over a year, the tax rate was much more favorable. In reality, the extra Ron was paying over the current market was enough to make up the tax difference. It was a good deal.

His parents told him they were flying out for his game at Arizona, and then his dad would join him when he went to Phil�s game the following week. The best part was Lincoln would be playing their hated rival, Eastside.

His dad clued him in that Coach Hope and the boosters planned to retire his jersey at halftime. And the president of the state�s High School Athletic Association would be there to induct him into their Hall of Fame for both football and baseball.

�That sounds nice,� David said.

What could he say? If they�d planned something, he owed it to them to be gracious and accept it.

To change the subject, he told his parents how no one had complained about Duke staying with him for the week.

�He needs a break every now and then. I guess being a celebrity has its benefits. I won�t feel guilty about having him come visit next time,� Rob said.

�Oh, I almost forgot. I�ve started seeing the kids in the oncology ward, and Duke fell into that like a champ.�

�Now I feel guilty. I haven�t taken him in several months,� Carol said. �That program that Alyssa put together for finding real estate buyers and sellers has been a gold mine. I�ve been busy hiring agents to handle all the work.�

�I get that. When you have time, you�ll be back,� David said.

He hadn�t intended to make his mom feel bad. But sometimes, life had other plans.

◊◊◊

David checked on the kids and found that Coby was still awake, so he took his son to his apartment so he could sleep with Dad. The little guy fell asleep almost instantly.

David put in his earbuds and grabbed his tablet to listen to some music while reading a textbook.

He got a notification about Crystal. He jumped onto social media and saw the pictures she�d been tagged in, and it looked like everyone was having fun.

He noted that someone at Sigma Upsilon was streaming a party video feed, so he clicked on it.

It looked like a darkened room as a group of guys were arguing.

�Do you think it�s taken effect yet? I don�t want any of them to remember their good time.�

There was laughter.

�I�m torn because that Emily acts like she�s a virgin ��

That clued David in to what was going on.

He called Crystal.

�I�m sending you a link. I think you have some pledges in trouble.�

◊◊◊

Crystal was beside herself. Four of the pledges had almost been sexually assaulted on her watch. If it hadn�t been for David, it could�ve been much worse. After talking to her, he�d contacted Lars and some of his football teammates. They�d shown up and helped her get her girls out of trouble.

The police also showed up because of a �tip� on the live stream. Eight Sigma Upsilons were arrested, but she got word they were all out on the street this morning. Someone had some pull to get them released on a Sunday.

The girls were all okay after sleeping off the effects of the drugs. The police confiscated the punch, which looked like where it�d been put.

Something she knew for a fact was that she would work to get Sigma Upsilon removed from campus come Monday morning.

◊◊◊

Coby was sound asleep when David got up. He got ready for the day and finally had to wake his son up.

�Get up. Let�s go get breakfast.�

�Sleep,� Coby moaned.

�I hear you, but Duke gets your breakfast if you don�t get up.�

Coby looked at David to ask if his dad really would feed his breakfast to the dog, and David gave him a raised eyebrow look that got his butt out of bed.

They walked into the main house and found Peggy, Ashley, and Scarlet eating breakfast.

�Look at this. The accomplices.�

�Guilty as charged,� Scarlet said. �We�re just thankful you got to deal with this one.�

Coby giggled when she tickled David�s underage boozehound.

�I don�t think I had my first beer until I was fifteen,�

Ashley said, stirring the pot.

�They say kids these days are starting younger at everything,� Peggy said to join in.

It looked like the moms were treating the daycare booze fest as a nonevent, so he went downstairs to get the rest of the munchkins up. Little Carol was a morning person, but the boys weren�t. She was happy that her dad was there so she had someone to talk to. He learned all about a lost puppy. It was from a book that the daycare was reading to the kids at story time.

His parents took advantage of everyone being at home and went out to eat. David knew Rob hadn�t thought this through because he had no doubt his mom would take him to church.

Peggy and Ashley took the kids down to the playroom while he and Scarlet cleaned up. It gave them a chance to catch up.

�Kent and I are officially going out.�

Kent Crain was the senior manager of Dawson Management. It was now part of Holistic Wealth Management, but he still thought of it by the old name.

�Is that allowed?� David asked.

Kent was technically her boss.

�We had to disclose it to HR, and they approved it.�

In some ways, they were moving backward. In David�s management class, his professor brought in an employee handbook from the 1950s. Men were required to wear suits, ties, and hats to work, and women had to ask their boss�s permission to get pregnant or married. Now you had to go to HR to get the okay to date.

�I hope he�s treating you well,� David said.

Scarlet smiled.

�I can count on you to look out for me. Sometimes I forget you�re still a kid in college.�

Somehow that was supposed to be a compliment, so he just took her words in the spirit they were intended.

�Mom told me it looks like everyone�s going to go to your parent�s place for Christmas,� David said.

�It�ll be the first time I�ve seen them since they came up that Thanksgiving before your state championship football game. My dad wants to show off his hunting and fishing camp.�

�What about that guy you were going to marry?

Whatever happened to him?�

�Clay? Last I heard, he was still living with his parents,�

Scarlet said. �I shudder when I think about moving into a trailer with my mother-in-law watching my every move.�

�Sort of like your baby daddy�s momma living in the big house,� David teased.

�Carol is nothing like Clay�s mother, trust me.�

David�s mom treated the three girls better than she did him. She�d, in effect, adopted them as the daughters she�d never had. He always said that Tami earned that distinction, but grandbabies trumped even Tami.

�I�m looking forward to spending time with your family.

I�ve actually never been to a hunting camp,� David said.

�Dad tells me they�ve got a whole new flock of turkey, quail, and pheasant ready for this fall. He�s also stocked the lakes with catfish, trout, and bass. I used to love to go camping with my dad, and we�d go crappie fishing with cane poles and bobbers. Mom says he loves running the camp.

�They plan to block out a couple of weeks just for family,� Scarlet said. �Are Greg and his crew coming?�

�I don�t know, but I�ll ask. It would be nice to have everybody there. I�m assuming that Ashley and her family will also come.�

�They may not be the type that enjoys the outdoors. But I�m sure they�ll be there for Christmas Day at least, if for no other reason than to see their grandkids,� Scarlet said.

They�d finished cleaning up, so the two of them headed downstairs and found the kids doing an art project. With Scarlet and Peggy having them in hand, Ashley asked him to go outside with her for a minute.

When they were alone, she said, �I�m thinking about playing poker full-time. If I do, it�ll mean I have to leave the boys here while I travel.�

�Have you talked to my mom about this?� David asked.

�Yes, I did. She said it was fine as long as you agreed. I would need to give her and Rob power of attorney to handle anything that might come up. It would be like the agreement you have with them for Coby.�

�How long would it last?� David asked.

�Until I come back or you finish college. Then you would take over their care full-time.�

�When would you start this?�

�In two weeks, I�m booked for a tournament in London.�

�Will you be back for Christmas at Scarlet�s parents�

place?�

�I�m planning on it. My parents will be there because they want to see Dawson and Allen,� Ashley said.

�If you ever need anything ��

�I�ll call,� Ashley promised.

◊◊◊

David was directed to his favorite coffee place. Doreen was busy handing out free drinks to everyone when he walked in.

�Welcome, Sugar. Your tea will be ready in a minute.�

David smiled and nodded as he went to find the director.

Abigail and Moira were huddled at a back table, going over the storyboard.

�Any changes I need to be aware of?� David asked.

Moira handed him a couple sheets of paper.

�We had a rewrite,� Abigail said. �The back room has been turned into a dressing and makeup area. Go get ready, and we�ll film the scene.�

As David walked back to the counter, he noted some students he recognized from his film classes mixed in with the older paid crew. Doreen had left his tea on the counter as she was busy serving others. He picked it up and went to the back, where he found Professor Blum talking to several students.

�I understand that you have �ideas,� but today is about doing what you�re told and watching. After they�re done filming, the director has agreed to spend some time with us as part of their agreement with the university.�

�Sorry to interrupt, but I have to change,� David said.

�Don�t mind us,� Colleen said.

�Yeah, no,� David responded and then herded them out.

They�d given him military desert camouflage fatigues to wear and a matching duffle. David suspected that wasn�t the gear people in the army wore when returning home, but it wasn�t his show. His character, Mick, was supposed to be returning from a war zone and surprising his ex, Nikki, played by Callie Mays-Leary.

The hair and makeup people came in and gave him a short haircut. When he was done, Moira took him out the back door.

�We haven�t told Callie who won the role of Mick. When you walk in, we want to catch her by surprise. Abigail hopes it will mimic what would happen if this were real.�

�So should we ad-lib and get naked?� David teased.

�That�s later,� Moira said, playing along.

They�d set it up so his partner in the scene was facing away from the door when David walked in. He looked at the menu and then glanced over. David did a double-take, and his whole face lit up because his costar was smoking hot.

Sitting not five feet from him, she wore a long gray shirt that scarcely touched her thighs. She looked like something out of a magazine. Her long blond hair, slightly tousled, fell softly over her ample breasts, which were just visible through the fabric. He couldn�t help but let his gaze drop to her thin legs�they looked so soft, David longed to just reach out and stroke them.

�Nikki?� David�s deep baritone voice asked.

She turned in her seat, and a shock showed across her face.

�But�How�Do�Why?� she babbled.

�I just got my release. I�ve been traveling all night to get home and wanted a coffee before I came to call on you,�

Mick, David�s character, said.

�Ever the gentleman.�

�It�s getting harder by the minute.�

A surprisingly honest grin greeted his awkward words.

�I didn�t mean it like that,� Mick said, acting embarrassed.

�It�s so good to see you, too,� Nikki said as she stood and gave him a hug.

David found his hands wanted to run up her thighs, and

� he shook himself.

�I should leave.�

�Why? You just got here,� Nikki complained.

�If I don�t, I�ll want to take you home with me,� David said as he grabbed his duffle and left Nikki longing after him.

�Cut!� Abigail called out.

David came back inside.

�Playback. I want to make sure we got it.�

Abigail confirmed the scene, and David was done for the day.

◊◊◊

David went and got his Monday morning MRI. He�d sent Tami a message asking who he should contact about a second opinion, and she�d suggested Dr. Ohara. David arranged to have his files and recent scans emailed so that he could take a quick look.

Monday afternoon, he called David.

�First off, let me do my disclaimer. I have not personally examined you ��

�No, I get it. I just want to know if it looks like I�m okay or if they�re rushing me back prematurely,� David said to interrupt.

�If I was worried, I would insist that I see you,� Dr.

Ohara said.

�That makes me feel better. I do have another question.

In high school, I bought a cutting-edge football helmet.

Since then, they�ve beta-tested it, and their website says they�ve improved the design. Can I send over a link for this new one?�

�I have ten minutes,� Dr. Ohara said, so David messaged him the two links.

He called David back after a half hour.

�If what they claim on their website is true, I have no doubt that it is the better option. I would be so bold as to say that if you�d been wearing your helmet from high school, you might not have received your concussion,� Dr.

Ohara said.

�Thank you, sir. I�ll order a new one today.�

After he got off the phone, David was disappointed in himself. He wore the Range gear to protect his body, and he�d spent good money on the first helmet because of how it would shield his brain.

He talked to the company rep. The old model had a soft shell, like a car bumper, with a hard layer and energy-absorbing padding. David had dented his old helmet a few times, but the soft bumper layer would pop back into shape.

The new version was engineered to surround the head with a combination of flex panels that worked in tandem with internal liners instead of one solid cone. They had David download an app he used to scan his head. They would build a custom-fit helmet just for him and his position. Quarterbacks needed more vision, and the company promised no helmet lag if he turned his head quickly.

Part of the reason behind his helmet not moving, besides the custom fit, was an anti-rotational kinematic technology.

The under-padding was made from an ultra-dissipative material made from liquid-crystal elastomers.

They promised the helmet would be there tomorrow.

◊◊◊

None of Emily�s fellow pledges wanted to get involved with the police, but Crystal insisted they all report what happened to USC�s Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Services (RSVP). They could do it confidentially, which is what the girls did.

◊◊◊

David was walking into the John McKay Center when Tracy came out of nowhere to startle him.

�Gaw! Where were you lurking?�

�I need you to do something for me.�

David gave her a penetrating look because, somehow, he suspected he wasn�t going to like it.

�Okay,� he drawled.

�I want you to start doing your Trojan Inquirer podcast again.�

�I don�t have time,� David said as his shoulders slumped.

�That�s okay. I would do most of it since I would be your cohost, and the Pac-12 Network would also broadcast it.�

�That explains it,� David thought. Tracy wanted more TV

time.

�If all I have to do is show up, and it won�t take more than an hour a week, I�ll do it,� David offered.

�You also have to get the guests,� Tracy countered.

�I�ll get half the guests,� David shot back.

�Deal!� Tracy squealed and bounced around like little Carol did when she heard she was getting a cupcake.

Then Tracy added, �You�ll be the first guest. We�ll film it tomorrow so it will air Saturday morning.�

He had a bad feeling that Tracy knew about this before she ambushed him and finally got the nerve to ask. He would have bailed if she weren�t one of his best friends.

�Put it on my calendar,� David said.

He had a personal calendar that he�d set up in high school. He�d been dating four girls, so he gave them access to it to plan dates. David used it for school, football, and the like. Tracy still had access, and she could see when he had a free hour and slot the show in.

She got out her phone and his notified him that he had a new appointment. Tracy ran off before he could object.

David walked into the building, and a team manager told him to go talk to Coach Stackhouse.

Amy gave him a warm smile when he walked in.

�Have you had a chance to calm down?� she asked to goad him for telling her boss that he expected him to be gone soon.

�Yeah, sure. Can I ask you something?� David asked as he flopped down in the chair across from her. �When Coach Merritt gets replaced, will you go to work for your dad?�

She laughed.

�Sorry,� David said. �He asked why I thought it was a good idea for Colt to hold off on his commitment, and I told Coach Merritt my reason without thinking. It wasn�t done to be malicious, and I felt bad as soon as I said it.�

�It�s all good. Coach Merritt knows he�s in the hot seat, but until he�s gone, he�s our head coach.�

�No, I get it. I won�t let my personal feelings get in the way of me doing my job,� David said to make clear he still wasn�t on board with redshirting.

�What did Dr. Liao say? Are you ready for practice?�

Amy asked.

�He did. I got a second opinion, and Dr. Ohara agrees. I asked Dr. Ohara about a helmet like the one I had in high school. It uses a new technology and protects much better than the one I�ve been using. He agreed that I should get a new helmet, so I ordered one, and it�ll be here tomorrow.�

�I�m not sure you can do that. We have a contract to wear Nike gear,� Amy said to push back.

�Look at the safety stats of the new helmet. Dr. Ohara said I might not have even been hurt if I wore this new one,� David pressed.

�I�ll look at this, but I have a feeling the final answer will come way above my pay grade. Maybe Nike has something similar,� Amy said to try to compromise.

�I�m not saying what we use is a bad helmet. It�s just that technology is evolving, and I have to look out for my safety.�

�There are no guarantees, regardless of the gear you wear.�

David gave her a disbelieving look.

�I�m just saying,� Amy said.

�No, I agree, but I will do whatever I have to make sure I stay healthy. I would be very disappointed if the university put corporate sponsorship over player safety.�

Amy sighed.

�I�ll work on it,� she promised.

◊◊◊

David felt good on the practice field today. However, Coach Merritt was in rare form, and it started when Alex came out without his knee pads in his football pants.

�How can we let a guy come out here like that? Go back into the locker room and get your knees covered!�

The latest was Coach chewing on Todd Davis as he dropped back into pass coverage.

�Your hands are back here,� he said, holding hands behind his back. �You might as well stick them up your ass.�

Even Todd chuckled at that outburst.

�Run it again!�

So, they ran it again. Amari Weeks, a wide receiver, let the ball slip between his hands, and it bounced off his helmet for an interception.

�I can�t stand it. Run it again!� Coach Merritt yelled.

Before David could receive the snap, Coach Merritt stopped him.

�I don�t think you guys understand. You think that we won the game with this play. So, why do we have to do this over? And correct it? It�s because it wasn�t right. Once we get it right, we�ll run it again until we can�t get it wrong.

Am I clear on that?�

�Yes, sir,� the team answered.

�Now, run it again!�

◊◊◊

After practice, David went to watch each of his plays via the VR technology Dare and Corvus had created. He�d just started running through the play that Coach Merritt had been hounding the team about when he was interrupted.

He was surprised when he saw it was Matt.

�Can I show you what you were missing?� Matt asked.

�Yeah, sure,� David said as he failed to not show Matt his look of surprise.

�I know, I�ve been a dick, but my dad straightened me out. I�m trying to be a good teammate,� Matt said.

David handed Matt the VR goggles so he could point David to where he wanted him to look.

�Watch Bill. I know this play is supposed to go to Amari on the other side of the field, but he drops it if you don�t throw it into his chest or put too much on it. Bill catches anything you throw his way, plus he�s beating his guy off the line,� Matt shared.

David thought he was the only one who suspected Amari had problems catching the ball. David put the goggles on and ran the play. Bill�s job was to run a hitch route. He ran a fly straight up the field and, at the fifteen-yard mark, would turn his hips to make the defender think he was running an out. That would cause the defender to close to defend the out.

Instead, Bill used his opponent�s hesitation to run past him straight up the field. When David was throwing the ball to Amari, Bill was wide open.

�Damn,� was all David had to say.

�I wish I�d seen that sooner, too, and I didn�t pick up on it until we ran that play eight times in a row. Even though the defensive back knew Bill�s route, he still got open,�

Matt shared.

�Okay, what am I missing on this RPO play?� David asked.

The two of them began to compare notes. The biggest issue they found was that John Johnson, at left tackle, was making mistakes on about every third play. Coach Thomas stuck his head in and looked even more surprised than David had been to see them working together.

�Hey, Coach. Come take a look at something,� David said as he cued up a play John messed up on.

�We�re thinking it might be time to start Bear,� Matt said to set the stage.

Matt saying that about his buddy almost convinced David that Matt had turned a corner and he might really have the team�s best interest in mind. Still, David had to remember where Matt was in his circles of trust; he was there for a reason.

Coach Thomas watched the plays the two of them had found. He just nodded when he was done and left them to keep working.

◊◊◊

Crystal had come over to study.

�You�re not going to believe it, but Matt helped me review practice film. He said his dad told him he had to be more of a team player.�

�I always liked his dad, and I�d hoped Matt would eventually grow up and be more like him,� Crystal said.

They shared their day.

�I took the girls who were drugged to RSVP today. None of them wanted to formally do anything, but I made them at least make an anonymous complaint. Combined with the live stream the police have, I think that will get Sigma Upsilon punished,� Crystal said.

�Do you think the police will do anything?� David asked.

�That�s a good question because they were out of jail on Sunday.�

�What did their president tell you?� David asked.

�At the time, he denied anything was going on. If it weren�t for Willy and Lars, I wouldn�t have gotten the girls out of there before something happened.�

�How are the girls doing?�

�The drugs are out of their system, but they�re shaken. I plan to have a long talk with everyone about something my mother taught me. �Get your own drinks, pay your own way, and always have a way home,�� Crystal listed off.

�When they spike the punch �� David trailed off.

�I know. That�s why we go to Greek parties. Nothing has ever happened before because they know it can affect the frat if they do. Sigma Upsilon will never have another exchange because none of the sororities will dare party with them,� Crystal shared.

Exchanges were when a fraternity and sorority would party together. Crystal had shared with him that was one way she�d made a lot of guy friends. David read between the lines: she meant it was a way for girls to find guys to date.

�Tell me about your soap opera. I asked the girls in the house, and they DVR it. They all want to know when you plan to get naked,� Crystal said.

�I told them upfront that I never would, and then I met my leading lady,� David said as he got onto the Internet and found pictures of Callie Mays-Leary, who played Nikki.

Several were from the show and showed her naked.

Crystal gave him a dirty look.

�That reminds me. Maybe you could help me with my scene tomorrow. Read some lines, and we act it out.�

He waggled his eyebrows to let her know precisely what he wanted her to do.

�If I do, I wanted it noted that I am officially the best girlfriend you�ll ever have.�

�We could stop studying and read lines,� Davis suggested.

Crystal was evil. She had a test tomorrow and made him wait a whole thirty minutes. If his real scene went half as well as the �practice,� he would kill it tomorrow.

◊◊◊

Tracy had been a smart girl and scheduled his interview for early in the morning. He�d had to call Janis, Sadie�s mom, and tell her he had a conflict today.

Before he went, he stopped to see Doreen and get a complimentary tea and a slice of coffee cake.

�There�s my favorite person in the whole wide world!�

�It sounds like you�ve had some good news.�

�I sent out a social media blast that you filmed your soap opera here. You would not believe all the girls that are now showing up.�

�That means the men will soon figure it out, too. I�m glad you�re getting the boost for your business.�

�I need to hire some people. If you know anyone ��

�I�ll send them your way,� David said as he took his order to go.

When he got to the studio, Tracy took half his coffee cake and a sip of his tea without asking. She called him a bad word when she found it was tea, not coffee.

She told him they would do a half-hour segment, hoping the Pac-12 Network would use ten minutes of it for the Saturday-morning pregame football show.

Professor Blum interrupted their conversation.

�I wanted to thank you, David. The USC ads, your soap opera, and the Trojan Inquirer have given a lot of people in the film program opportunities to be involved in meaningful projects. It�s an experience they�ll be able to proudly add to their r�sum�s upon graduation.�

�If I don�t get a chance to thank them all, let them know I appreciate their help,� David said.

Professor Blum nodded and left them to finish planning the vodcast.

�That was nice of him,� Tracy said. �I don�t think even you realize how it gives people a leg up when you generate

stuff like this. I learned yesterday it was you who suggested me for the Pac-12 job. Thank you.�

�Keep that in mind when you interview me,� David teased.

�It�s my job to make you squirm.�

�C�mon, be good.�

�I will if you give me honest answers. But if you start with all your old clich�s, the gloves are coming off,� Tracy mock-warned.

◊◊◊

�Welcome to Trojan Inquirer. We took a little break, but we�re back. The time off has given us a chance to shake things up slightly. I�d like to introduce you to my new cohost, Tracy Dole.�

�Thank you, David. We didn�t have a chance to find a guest this week, so I thought we would interview you.�

�It comes at a good time,� David said. �With Matt Long injured, and me recovered from a concussion, I�ll be starting against Arizona this weekend.�

Tracy and David did a good ten minutes of him going on about how good Arizona was and making sure he didn�t give them any poster material to rile them up.

Then Tracy turned the spotlight on David as she talked about all his accomplishments in football and baseball.

�What do you think sets you apart from everyone else?�

Tracy asked.

David almost went into his usual spiel, but he�d promised her an honest answer.

�The simple answer is that I love football. When I�m on the field, it�s our offense against their defense, with a stadium full of fans rooting for their team. We�ve called a play designed to defeat our adversaries on each snap of the ball. In practice, we�ve run it over and over again with the goal that it will be perfect.

�What makes it beautiful is we�re trying to achieve something that�s unattainable,� David said.

�Then why try to achieve it?� Tracy asked.

�If you don�t aim for perfection, you cannot obtain anything great, even though perfection is impossible. So, you have to reconcile yourself to failure. It�s not perfect, and you have to make your peace with that.�

�So, what do you do?�

�You go to practice the next day and strive for perfection,� David said with a silly grin.

�That sounds crazy,� Tracy said.

�Wonderful crazy, maybe,� David admitted. �What our coaches teach us is �to do our job.� My job is to try to be the best quarterback I can be. To do that, I have to practice, I have to train, I have to watch a ton of game film. I pride myself on how much work I put in.

�My advice to other quarterbacks, and other football players in general, is to train as much as you can and as often as you can. For example, the day in the life of a typical football player starts at ten in the morning, lifting from ten to twelve. They then have to pause their workout to let their body recover.

�Next is practice, from four to six, and maybe watch some film. From there, they go home, eat dinner, study for their classes, go to bed, and do it all over the next day. That is two, maybe three training sessions for that day.

�Now imagine, if you will, I get up earlier and start working out. I�m up at dawn, and I go run for my cardio, and then I recover. Next, I�m in the weight room for an hour or two. I recover while I�m in class, and then I find someone to throw the ball to so I�m ready for practice. Next is practice, and then it�s time for film review sessions with the coaches. I then go watch more film on my own. That�s five, maybe seven, sessions of football-related activities a day.

�You ask what sets me apart. Look at how much more training I�ve done by simply starting at dawn. Now, I do that as the years go by, and the separation I have from my competitors and peers just grows larger and larger. Now I�m in my fifth year of working harder than anyone else. It doesn�t matter what kind of work they�re doing now, they�re never going to catch up.

�So, if you�re thinking about becoming good at anything, including football, you need to get up early and put the work in each and every day. Consistent commitment to your goal of perfection will get you there,� David said.

�Listening to you makes me realize what a slacker I am,�

Tracy said with a self-deprecating laugh.

◊◊◊

On his way to class, David�s phone rang.

�Come get me,� Cassidy ordered.

�I�ll be there next week.�

�No. Come get me now. I�m about to go crazy just sitting around all day. My dad won�t even let me do sixty minutes of hell with his stupid wimpy football team. He�s worried I might hurt myself.�

�Have the doctors cleared you for something that strenuous?� David asked.

David had to mute his phone because he busted out laughing when Cassidy went into full meltdown mode.

Everyone could jump off a cliff if they thought she was some kind of invalid.

�So, come get me,� Cassidy tried again.

�Next week,� David said and then softened his tone.

�Buttercup. Everyone is trying their best to take care of you. Your dad is only worried you�ll get hurt. You have to remember that when I called him, we didn�t know if you were going to make it or not. Maybe give him some slack.�

�I hate you.�

�How about when I come to get you, I bring you a chocolate cupcake from Mwokaji Cakery?�

They made the best cupcakes in LA.

�You better.�

�The nerve!� She hung up on him.

◊◊◊

Emily met Crystal for lunch. They went through the line and found a table in the back.

�How are you doing?� Crystal asked.

�What do you mean?�

Crystal opened her laptop, and the top LA paper had a front-page article about what happened Saturday. USC�s president had put out a letter. Emily skimmed through the lengthy story.

USC Fraternity Suspended After Reports of Possible Drug-Facilitated Attempted Sexual Assaults

The incidents were reported confidentially to the university through its Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Services (RSVP). The school said that the fraternity has been placed on interim suspension and is barred from hosting parties, social gatherings, or any other activities at its house.

Police arrested eight fraternity members when they live-streamed the attempted assaults on social media. All eight were released from custody Sunday morning. The police had no comment, as this is an ongoing investigation.

The national Sigma Upsilon Fraternity said it is �concerned by these serious allegations� and intends to work with USC to investigate them.

�I plan to make sure they�re closed down. They don�t belong as Greeks with behavior like that. I still can�t believe that the four of you got yourselves into such a dangerous situation,� Crystal ranted.

�Thanks, Crystal. Way to blame the victim.�

Crystal�s eyes got big when she realized how that sounded. If Emily felt that she really meant it, she should be upset.

�I�m sorry, Em, I shouldn�t have said that. Of course it�s not your fault. I�m just upset that all this happened in the first place. We, as a sorority, let you down.�

�You hear tales of danger concerning getting drugged at a party. I just never thought it would happen to me. I�m not sure I want to go to any more parties for a while.�

�It should be fine. Everyone will be on their guard at the next party,� Crystal promised.

�It�s not just that. One of those guys is in my math class, and he tried to talk to me today.�

�We can�t have that. I�ll ��

�It�s okay,� Emily jumped in. �Chuy is in my class, too, and he offered to meet the guy in the parking lot. He promised to never come near me again.�

�I�ll have to personally thank Chuy for that.�

�Lars enlisted his fraternity, and they and the football team are walking the four of us to classes this week. Bear said David asked the team and Lars to be on the lookout for us. You�re lucky to have him as a boyfriend,� Emily said.

�I wish I�d thought to ask them to do that. Sorry, I hadn�t thought how you might be nervous with the Sigma Upsilon guys roaming the campus. I�ll be sure to thank all your escorts,� Crystal promised.

�I know that you and David study together. Would it be okay if I joined you? I just need somewhere that I feel safe.�

�I�m sure David won�t mind.�

Emily had gone to the sorority house the day before. She didn�t realize how Saturday night�s experience had affected her until it came time to walk home. Her imagination got the better of her, and she felt like every shadow concealed some kind of danger.

All she wanted was to put this behind her so she could get on with her life.

◊◊◊

Abigail was nervous because she would test David�s resolve on �no nudity� today. Today�s scene had Nikki showing up at Mick�s new place with a housewarming gift.

One thing leads to another �

�What are you stewing about?� Moira asked to interrupt her train of thought.

�How to break it to David that I want him to bare his butt for today�s scene.�

Moira shrugged.

�I messengered the new script to him last night. Neither he nor his agent has called you yet, so that must mean he�s on board with it.�

�Or he hasn�t read it yet,� Abigail said.

Moira didn�t seem concerned. They would just have to wait and see.

◊◊◊

Abigail was relieved and amused when David showed up with his own cock sock. It was the one-eyed minion from the children�s movie Despicable Me.

�I�m not going to even ask where you got that,� Abigail said.

�It�s a long story that doesn�t really matter. What does matter is this script is crap. Why don�t you let Callie and me ad-lib it and see where it goes?� David asked.

�I�ll give you one take, and then I want the script,�

Abigail conceded.

He gave her a boyish grin that made her quiver inside as he trotted off to talk to his costar in the scene. The two of them disappeared for thirty minutes before coming out.

David wore a pair of old ripped jeans and a fitted t-shirt that showed his arms and shoulders.

Callie was sexy in a short skirt and braless in a white spaghetti-strap tank top. You could make out her areolas and nipples through the sheer material.

Abigail couldn�t wait to see what they came up with.

The scene started with Nikki knocking at Mick�s apartment door. He opened it, and a predatory grin came across his face.

�I might have to provide an armed escort for you when you go home.�

�Are you saying that because I�m a beautiful woman, every man I come across is going to want to get between my legs? Is that what you�re saying?� Nikki asked.

She pushed her way into his apartment and then turned on him with her arms crossed over her chest, clearly upset.

�I think we know what men are like. If you remember, it�s not my fault I�m always right, or so people tell me.�

Nikki sighed and looked at him like he was some kind of bug that needed to be squashed.

�One day, I would really like to know who these �people�

are. For imaginary friends, they seem to have a lot of influence,� Nikki said. �So, am I to conclude that you want to get between my legs, too?�

�Sugar, I�ve been in the field for six months. Of course, I want you in every way possible,� Mick said.

Nikki�s eyes about popped out of her head when Mick reached up, grasped the neck of his t-shirt with both hands, and tore it off his body, exposing his ripped chest and rock-hard abs. From her shocked reaction, it was obvious that David hadn�t discussed this part with Callie.

�Oh, shit!� Nikki squealed when Mick caught her and lifted her up to deposit her on the kitchen table.

Mick reached between her legs and ripped her thong off before ducking his head under her skirt.

�God, I�ve missed you!� Nikki said as she grabbed his hair and pulled him free of her sex.

Mick looked up into her eyes.

�What do you want, Sugar?�

�You. In me. Now.�

Mick undid his jeans and let them fall to mid-thigh. He wasn�t wearing any underwear, so his muscular bottom was exposed to the camera. Mick moved forward between her legs, and it looked like he shoved his manhood into her core in one mighty thrust. Nikki grunted in what looked like a mixture of pleasure and discomfort.

Mick began to make love to her as he pushed her back onto the table and leaned over her. His big hand pushed her top up to expose her ample breasts as he kissed her.

�Cut!�

The production crew spontaneously clapped their approval. Moira looked at Abigail with her eyebrows raised.

Abigail had to agree with her assistant. If a scene caused that reaction, they didn�t need a second take.

David pulled his jeans up, and there was now a noticeable bulge. Callie hopped down off the table and put her hand on it.

�If you need some help, let me know,� she said.

Everyone laughed as she sauntered off, then acted like she stumbled because her legs were unsteady. David gave her a little bow and blew her a kiss.

�I want him inside, on top, and all over me. I want to lose myself in him,� Abigail thought.

She knew if she felt that way � the viewers were going to lose their minds.

Abigail couldn�t wait to see what the studio would say about this. She was sure they would want David in more scenes, even though he only gave them a couple of hours a week. Damn, that was hot.

◊◊◊

Matt watched from the sidelines as David took all his notes and applied them in today�s practice. It was as if something had clicked, and his competitor could do no

wrong. Coach Merritt also noticed and was full of praise for his offense.

It also helped that John Johnson was no longer the starting left tackle. Bear had stepped into the spot. While he didn�t get all the plays right, at least he blocked someone and didn�t commit any dumb penalties. That alone was a significant improvement.

�Coach Farrow, I don�t know what to say about your defense today, but if they play like this come Saturday, you�ll embarrass yourself,� Coach Merritt challenged his defensive coordinator.

�Then let me turn my players loose,� Coach Farrow replied.

�Do what you think you need to, but remember that we�ll definitely lose the next two games if you hurt my quarterback.�

Coach Farrow sent pressure up front, which David proved was no longer practical in today�s game. He simply RPOed and bubble-screened them to death. It didn�t matter how hard Coach Farrow threw pressure at the offense if David delivered the ball faster.

Matt got a queasy feeling in his stomach as he watched David be David. This was what he�d feared from the beginning. His dad had been right when he said that David hadn�t touched a football in nearly a year when he came to campus. Matt had watched him steadily improve during spring practice, and this summer, it looked like he might be back.

Today, he looked like the number one recruit he was when Matt had practiced against him in high school. Before his senior year, Matt had gone to Elite 11 camp. Instead of defending his MVP title, David had represented the USA in baseball. The whole time, the coaches commented that Matt and the other quarterbacks were lucky David hadn�t shown up. So, when they found out that David would be at

a football camp at his high school, the top three had gone to see who was best.

Matt remembered how David had been rusty, not having played football in months. David even admitted he wasn�t really in playing shape.

It didn�t seem to matter.

David smoked them.

This felt eerily similar.

Matt still felt he was the better quarterback, but things crystalized for him today. They both would play in the NFL

someday. There simply wasn�t room for both of them at USC. One of them would have to transfer, and Matt�s job was to make sure it wasn�t him.

◊◊◊

Emily wasn�t sure if studying with David and Crystal was right because she felt like she was intruding. When she knocked on his dorm suite door, Alex answered.

�The headboard isn�t knocking, so it�s probably safe to go on back.�

�Alex! Be nice to Emily!� Crystal called from David�s bedroom.

Emily walked in to find David on his PC while Crystal had papers spread all over his bed.

�You can take David�s reading chair,� Crystal said.

Emily settled in and got her economics book out.

◊◊◊

David was reading his management text. They were covering conflict resolution using the CARP method. There were four steps:

-Control the situation

-Acknowledge the problem

-Refocus the conversation

-Problem-solve so the customer is happy

He heard Emily tell Crystal, �I�ve never had anyone give me an orgasm.�

His books said to get a clear understanding of what the problem was.

�You�ve never dated?� David asked.

�Not really. I was raised Catholic and went to strict Catholic schools. We were warned of what boys would try from an early age.�

�Like what?� David asked to fully understand the problem.

�When we were in middle school, we were told about the evils of masturbation,� Emily said.

�That didn�t stop you from � uhm � exploring, did it?�

Crystal asked.

�It wasn�t what you think. Masturbation wasn�t the sin.

It was what you thought when you did it that was wrong,�

Emily said to enlighten them.

David could see where they were probably right. His thoughts did tend to veer off into sinful ways when he masturbated.

�But that wasn�t all,� Emily continued. �When I was a freshman in high school, there was a dance coming up.

Everyone was excited, and I told my dad I wanted to go.

That I might even go on a date.�

�What happened?� David asked.

�My father invited Shawna, a neighbor girl, over to explain the facts of life to me. I mean, I�d had some sex education, so I knew the basics of how babies were made.

Shawna was a couple of years older but had gotten pregnant when she was only fifteen.

�Shawna went into vivid detail about all the circumstances surrounding her getting with child. She�d met a senior at a school dance, and he�d invited her to a party. Thinking she had to put out to keep him, Shawna let him sleep with her until she told him she was pregnant.

Then he ghosted her.

�During the birth, her small body wasn�t ready to have an eight-pound baby to shoot out of her hoo-ha. Shawna said the head caused a rip in her skin all the way to her butthole. She said her little kitty was never the same. The next guy she had sex with said it felt like he was sticking his dick into the Grand Canyon,� Emily said.

�Have you ever had an orgasm?� David asked.

�I�m not sure,� Emily said.

�If you�re not sure, you haven�t,� Crystal said.

�Let me summarize,� David said, using his newly acquired skills. �A priest told you that when you masturbate, you have impure thoughts. Then your father traumatizes you with tales of what will happen if a boy comes too close. Does that about cover it?�

�I guess.�

�I feel for you. I grew up with religion, and I know the kind of pressure they can bring to protect you from yourself,� David said to acknowledge Emily�s feelings.

He was so getting an �A� on this assignment.

�Now you�re in college, and it feels like all the rules have changed. Everyone around you is hooking up, and from what you�re hearing, it isn�t as horrible as you were told,�

David said to refocus the conversation.

�Until I was drugged,� Emily said.

�Crap, CARP doesn�t have a step for another roadblock to a happy resolution,� David thought. �Time to refocus again.�

�We know that was an unusual circumstance, and all the fraternities are seeing what a dumpster fire doing something like that will turn your house into. I hear they can�t even have chapter meetings at the house now,�

Crystal said.

�Do you want to have an orgasm?� David asked.

Emily wouldn�t meet his eyes but gave a tiny nod �yes� as an answer.

�We just have to work together to make that happen,�

David said as he jumped to the problem-solving, resolution portion of the CARP process.

◊◊◊

Emily�s head was still spinning because Crystal had said that David should give her an orgasm. David quietly took Crystal out to the living room to talk about it. Alex burst out laughing, making Emily think David had rejected her or said something mean. She was ready to pack up and go home when he walked in.

David walked over to the bedside and opened a drawer.

�What the �?� Emily exclaimed when David pulled out a monster dildo.

�Sorry, I didn�t mean to startle you.�

He shuffled around what looked like a drawer full of sex toys. He pulled out a box and handed it to her.

�This is everybunny�s favorite vibrator,� David said with a straight face.

It took her a second to figure out what he was talking about. The vibrator was called a rabbit.

�Funny.�

�Lady parts have been unashamedly hopping along waves of sheer delight with this little toy,� David said, apparently not done with his jokes.

Crystal came in and saw what David had given her.

�Give us a minute while I explain how this works,�

Crystal told David. Once he left, she took the box out of her hand and opened it. �My aunt bought me my first rabbit when I was in high school.�

�I was afraid David was, you know �� Emily admitted.

�Would that have been so bad?�

�Probably not, when I�m ready.�

�You�re right; it�s too soon after what happened. David would be a good choice for someone to teach you. But I

suggest you find a nice guy who cares for you and who there might be a future with,� Crystal said.

�I�m sorry. I know that you two are dating. I didn�t mean

��

�Slow down. David does that to a girl. Me included.�

�So, what do I do with this?� Emily asked to change the subject.

Crystal explained how the rabbit was a dual stimulation of both the clitoris and G-spot and the basics of how to use it. Emily hoped her roommate was out so she could go try it.

◊◊◊

After visiting with Lisa and taking Sadie to school, David went to work out. He stopped at Coach Stackhouse�s office first.

�I got my helmet,� he said as he handed her the box.

�I talked to the equipment manager, and he told me that Nike only handles uniforms and shoes. USC uses two manufacturers for helmets: Riddell and Schutt. I sent him to the website you gave me for your next-gen helmet. He contacted them and approved it. I�ll take it to him so his people can paint your new helmet, put on the decals so it looks right, and then get it certified for the game. It�ll be in your locker when you dress for the game.�

�I�m glad to hear it. I honestly didn�t want to run afoul of Nike. Someday, I might want them to sell Dawson cleats.

Maybe you can help me figure out a trademark pose they can put on them,� David said.

�Like lying flat on your back after you get sacked?�

�Wow. Someone is suddenly comfortable around me now.

When did you get so snarky?� David asked, approving of Amy giving him a hard time.

�I figured why not since I�ll be out of a job in a couple of months.�

�If you want, I�ll put in a good word for you when our next coach takes over.�

There was a knock on the door, and it opened. They both felt like they�d been caught when they saw it was Coach Merritt.

�I heard you were here,� he said to David. �We were watching game film and found something we can use this Saturday. I want to show it to you.�

�Duty calls,� David said to Amy. �And thanks for getting my helmet approved.�

◊◊◊

Crystal and Chloe met for lunch to discuss Chloe�s budding Internet influencer career.

�My dad hired someone to help his clients with social media. She liked your content but had three suggestions I wanted to share with you.�

�Am I going to like this?� Chloe asked.

�I think so,� Crystal assured her. �The first thing she pointed out is that you should continue to use David to help build your brand but not overdo it. You want to be seen as an expert, not riding on his coattails. She also pointed out that if David should take a hit in the media, you could get some backlash.�

�But my number of followers has almost doubled because of the videos he�s in.�

�She said to use him to get your channels off the ground, but be mindful of pushing your own content.�

�I can do that. What else?�

�Your videos are too long. The sweet spot is one to three minutes because people have short attention spans,�

Crystal said.

�But the video of us rubbing cream on David�s chest was over ten minutes long and has three times more hits than anything else I�ve put out.�

�Like all rules, there are exceptions, and rubbing anything on his chest and stomach probably fits that.�

They both chuckled.

�It�s too bad you didn�t keep filming,� Chloe said with a knowing smile.

�What�s the old saying? Keep them wanting more?�

�I guess.�

�The last topic is SEO or search engine optimization.

She explained that most people won�t scan for what they are looking for beyond the first page of their results. So, you need to understand how search engines work.

�For example, one of the search engines likes to show paid advertised results first, then the top website, followed

by selected videos. They usually group three videos together.

�Search engines use key phrases or keywords that closely match the end-user�s search request. You can use tools to show you how many times a keyword is searched for. They also give you some other suggestions that might work.

�What I was told is that just because a keyword might get a lot of hits, it doesn�t necessarily mean you want to use it. She explained that with the larger number of hits comes fierce competition. To start, you should find your niche and try to dominate that,� Crystal said.

�Once I find my keywords, what do I do with them?�

�Work them into your channel name, title, and written description of the video or pictures you post. Maybe we can get together this weekend and develop a plan,� Crystal offered.

Chloe looked relieved.

�Thanks. That keyword stuff was making my head spin.

I�m sure once I understand it, it�ll get easier.�

�Making a living at it should be motivation enough,�

Crystal said.

◊◊◊

They were back at Doreen�s coffee shop to film again.

Today, Callie�s character, Nikki, would introduce David�s character, Mick, to the rest of the main cast.

The recurring characters were a group of Gen Z�ers who recently arrived in LA and became friends when they moved into the same apartment complex. Mick�s love interest, Nikki, played by Callie Mays-Leary, was the lone local. She was a blond bombshell, tall, stacked, with enough Southern California sass to hang a man out to dry.

Before Mick had arrived, she�d spent time with a snarky pretty boy, Vic, played by Noah Sherwin. He was a Jersey

boy who worked out constantly to impress the ladies.

Two other girls were Nikki�s BFFs, Janelle and Monica.

Janelle, played by actress Nia Osborne, was a rail-thin Black girl from Atlanta. Monica was played by Miri Rosa, who was shorter than the others. Her bone-straight hair fell halfway down her back and was the color of obsidian that suited her skin tone. Monica was Hispanic and from Phoenix.

The other two guys were Forest, played by Cole Sankey, and Dexter, played by Louis Aung. Forest was a fit man of color from Chicago, while Dexter was a hipster Asian from Seattle. When they�d planned to cast David as bi, Forest had been planned to be Mick�s love interest.

�Hey, guys,� Nikki said as she walked in.

�Hey, Nikki,� they all said back as she found her seat.

They all ignored her as they talked among themselves.

�I can�t believe I�ve been here ten seconds, and you haven�t asked me about me meeting my old flame Mick,�

Nikki complained.

�Oh, yeah, right. How was it?� Monica asked.

�It was unbelievable. I�d forgotten �� Nikki faltered when she saw Vic�s unhappy face. �It was � uhm � good to see him again.�

�Was there any chemistry?� Janelle asked.

�He�ll actually be here in a minute. He�s parking the car.�

That was his cue to walk in. David gave her a smile and went to the counter to order.

�There was chemistry,� Janelle announced.

�Maybe,� Nikki said as she glanced over at a glaring Vic.

�You boned him,� Forest guessed correctly.

Nikki looked away.

�You did!� Monica exclaimed and whispered when people looked over, �Details, now!�

Mick walked up and handed Nikki a coffee.

�I take it you�re all talking about me,� Mick said.

�No. We were trying to figure out what to do tonight,�

Vic said, hopefully changing the subject.

�I�m sorry, I can�t tonight. I�m picking up my wife at the airport,� Mick said.

Everyone had a shocked look except Vic, who was grinning.

�Cut!�

�That just put the cat into the pigeon coop. Let the drama begin,� David thought.

Soaps were fun. He couldn�t wait for his evil, previously unknown twin to show up or get amnesia.

◊◊◊

Friday afternoon, the team all got out of class early to fly to Tucson for the game on Saturday. They would go to the stadium and get accustomed to the field once they landed.

One of the team managers told David that Arizona Stadium had an artificial surface, so he would need to wear different cleats.

Because of the high temperatures, they�d gone with an unusual top dressing and not the traditional rubber pellets.

They used cork which was supposed to keep the field cooler.

David had arranged for Crystal and Chloe to catch a flight with Gabe and his wife. Crystal had called the president of the Alpha Mu sorority at Arizona. It was the school�s annual Family Weekend, where parents and siblings could come to campus and see the students in their environment.

The Friday night before the game, the sorority was having a White Dress Gala fundraising event for Arizona�s Rural Women�s Health Network at the hotel next door to where they were staying. Crystal and Chloe wanted David and Alex to take them, and Coach Merritt had given his

permission with the qualifier that they were back for curfew.

Saturday was billed as a chance to create special memories at Arizona Stadium and a Wildcat Football game.

Everyone was encouraged to wear a white t-shirt to the game for the fan �whiteout.� Pregame, they had a Family Fun Zone Tailgate that would include food, entertainment, Wildcat spirit, and a good time for the parents and families while visiting with their students.

Some lucky parents would get to join the ten-thousand-strong ZonaZoo, advertised as the nation�s largest, loudest student section. David had no doubt they would be rowdy come game time.

◊◊◊

When they arrived at the hotel for the gala, the lobby was packed with parents and students. David regretted not having his security with him when someone recognized him. Thankfully, Alex stepped forward to stop the rush.

�I promise you that David will visit each table, and you can have some one-on-one time. Please let him go in and get settled first.�

That appeased them as the Arizona sorority president rushed over to lead them to their seats.

�It�s such an honor �� she began to babble.

�You should be thanking Crystal. I wouldn�t be here without her asking,� David said to cut her off.

�Why don�t you and I talk, and I�ll fill my boyfriend in on what you want him to do,� Crystal said to save him.

The two of them went off to have a quick conversation.

�Let�s just write them a check and go out to dinner,�

Alex suggested.

�No! I want to capture the event. Plus, you�re dancing with me,� Chloe said.

David was with Alex on this one, but he knew better than to voice his preference because Chloe would be in Crystal�s ear the moment he did.

�I need a drink,� Alex decided and left the two of them.

�Do you think he�s bringing us back drinks too?� David asked.

�Shut it, smart ass,� Chloe said with a smirk. �Alex just needs to put on his big-boy pants and suck it up. So do you.�

�I didn�t say a word,� David said to defend himself.

�Then you won�t mind walking me around the room and meeting people, will you?�

�Yes, ma�am.�

◊◊◊

David going to each table got everyone into the ballroom. Crystal and the Arizona Alpha Mu president, Mikayla Cole, joined in the introductions. Chloe and one of the pledges took pictures while another pledge collected information on who was in each one and their contact information so they would get copies of the images later.

That didn�t stop a group of cute girls from following them around and videoing and taking pictures of their own.

He was amused because Crystal became territorial and mentioned that she was his girlfriend numerous times.

When David was done with his networking, they returned to their table. Crystal had to admit that for a sorority function, the White Dress Gala was done in grand style and indulged in a sophisticated luxury that was seldom seen. She was busy gathering ideas for USC�s Spring Formal.

�This is all wrong for a fundraiser,� David said to bring her out of her thoughts.

�I don�t understand why you say that. It�s a nice event, and I think everyone is having fun.�

�Did you see they have an open bar?�

�Your point?� Crystal asked.

�I�ve been to a few of these, and the successful ones are focused on the cause, not the party. Granted, there are exceptions, but those are mostly high-end affairs for the �ber-rich. Arizona isn�t necessarily that. It�s a state university where everyone can get a good education. For many of these parents, this is pushing their budget,� David explained.

�Which means they don�t have extra money to donate to the women�s charity,� Crystal said as she got his point.

�It�s okay if they want to have a swanky reason to get dressed up for fun. Just don�t turn it into a charity event, too.�

�It sounds like this has touched a nerve,� Crystal said as a tiny grin appeared.

�My mom�s a realtor,� David said, launching into his grievance. �And they raise funds statewide to be used to both elect and lobby for a real-estate-positive government.

It�s done by the local associations. My mom was actively involved until she got sick, and another woman took over.

�For their big fundraiser, they did an event similar to this at my dad�s country club. The woman rubbed it in my mom�s face that they�d raised more money than she had in previous events. She failed to mention that she�d actually lost money because of all of her expenses.

�I get irritated when the supposed funds are used for a party and not the charity,� David said.

�Then why don�t we all stroke a check directly to the charity when we get home?� Crystal asked.

�I�d feel better.�

�Better enough that you can relax and enjoy the evening? I don�t want you moping around when I want to dance after eating.�

�You�ll need to protect me when it�s time to dance.�

�You scared of some sorority girls?� Crystal teased.

�I�m more worried about the moms.�

She had no doubt he was right. Even she�d felt slightly uncomfortable with how some of them had looked at her boyfriend.

◊◊◊

David woke up early and was full of nervous energy, so he went for a run. Once he hit a leisurely pace, he could block out the world and think. Today was an important day for his future at USC. He was a freshman quarterback starting his first conference road game. While neither USC

nor Arizona would challenge for the league championship this year, it was something to build on.

Coach Merritt had already told him he planned to go run-heavy to protect David. Coach also didn�t want him to throw deep; he would focus on quick releases in a short- to medium-distance passing game.

Something that had David on edge was that Coach Merritt wanted to get his backup, Jaden Ponder, game experience. His reasoning was that if both David and Matt went down, he wanted someone who could at least run the plays. David had been warned that if they got up by multiple scores, he should not be surprised if he was pulled.

Something else that Coach Merritt was pounding into them was to limit dumb penalties and turnovers. His point wasn�t that it killed scoring opportunities but what it did to USC�s defense. Sudden possession changes meant that they had to go back onto the field without the proper recovery time. And dumb penalties by the defense extended their opponent�s drive and kept them on the field longer.

Where this mattered the most was the defensive line, which might be the most physically grueling position in football. On each snap of the ball, they had to fight their way through the blocks of massive offensive linemen. If the

play went away from them, they had to disengage and sprint to the ball carrier. It was why you saw them substitute them out on long drives to get fresh bodies on the field.

On a turnover or three-and-out drive, the linemen didn�t get a chance to rehydrate and give their bodies a rest.

Coach Merritt showed them the stats, and it was much more likely USC�s opponents would score in these situations.

His overall plan was to control the ball and, more importantly, the time of possession.

David saw the hotel, so he slowed down and stopped so he could stretch out before going in for breakfast. He was ready for today�s game.

◊◊◊

Arizona Stadium had a capacity of just over 50,000, and David was told their fans could get loud when their team was playing well. The Wildcats� home was 2,430 feet above sea level in the beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains. The three-tiered stadium had a long-standing reputation for bizarre late-season upsets and crazy endings. When USC

came onto the field, they were faced with a sea of white with a small section of red where their supporters were.

The marching band and cheerleaders had set up a corridor for the home team to run through that stretched half the field. A smile broke out on David�s face when the familiar opening refrain of AC/DC�s iconic Thunderstruck began. The fans all stood and began to sing along.

�Ahahahahaha!�

�Ahahahahaha!�

�Ahahahahaha!�

�THUNDER!�

�Ahahahahaha!�

�THUNDER!�

A cheerleader with a giant flag with the letter �A� raised began to run between the lines formed by the band. The band started playing their school song as a line of cheerleaders rose with flags spelling out WILDCATS. As the lead cheerleader reached the end of the band, fireworks shot up with a deafening boom. The Arizona football team poured out of the tunnel to the cheers of their fans. As far as entrances went, David liked this one.

The only drawback was that after they made it to the sideline, the entire stadium was filled with smoke from the rockets exploding.

Arizona and USC traded punts as both teams settled into the game. With half of the first quarter gone, USC got the ball back on their own ten-yard line. David huddled his team up while there was a TV time-out.

�We�ve been letting them hang around, so they�ve gained confidence. But in their hearts, they know that we�ve won the last four meetings. Let�s drive the ball ninety yards to let them know that today will not be any different.�

The referee indicated that the TV audience was back, so David lined his team up and called out his reads before having Willy snap the ball. On consecutive plays, he handed the ball off to Marcus Eshete, and they lost three yards.

It was now third and thirteen, and the Arizona defense had blood in their eyes. A freshman quarterback would have to drop back and pass out of his own end zone. They would be pinning their ears back and coming after him on the snap.

David dropped back into the shotgun to read the defense. One of the outside linebackers was creeping up as if he were going to blitz, and David pointed him out to his line.

�Hike!� David called out as he also clapped his hands.

He dropped back two yards into the end zone. Marcus ran out of the backfield and split two linebackers. They bracketed him as he turned toward the sideline, pulling

them with him. Bill Callaway had run a slant behind Marcus, and David released the ball before Bill had cleared Marcus and his two linebackers. If it had been any of his other receivers, they would never have caught the ball because they wouldn�t have seen it coming. Since high school, he and Bill had been playing together, so Bill was ready.

Bill snatched the pass out of the air and ran for the first down to give USC some breathing room.

Five plays later, they�d moved the ball to their forty-three-yard line. Arizona�s defensive linemen had their hands on their hips, showing they were gassed. David received the signal from the sideline and quickly lined his team up to prevent the defense from subbing for their tired players.

USC had been feeding them a steady diet of Marcus running the ball. It was reasonable that they would do more of the same, with it being second and four. Coach Thomas had other ideas and called a play-action pass.

David faked the handoff to Marcus and dropped back.

His first read was to Amari Weeks at wide receiver, but he was covered, so he went to his second read. Before he did, he saw his tight end, Nolan Hammer, was running free. The linebacker covering him had fallen down.

David hit him in stride, and Nolan gathered it in and raced up the sideline. He was brought down at the Arizona twenty.

With the first down, Arizona was able to bring in fresh defensive linemen.

The following two plays resulted in no gain, making it third and ten. The crowd got to their feet. They were next to the ZonaZoo, and David found out that what he�d been told was true. They were going crazy, making it almost impossible for his team to hear him.

He got his team lined up as he did his checks. Bill beat his man on the snap as he raced on a slant to the end zone.

David hit him in stride at the five, where Bill was met by the safety, who made a hell of a play to stop Bill at the one.

Both teams made goal-line substitutions.

David handed the ball off to Marcus, who didn�t like where the play had been called. He was supposed to run between the guard and center, but Arizona had a wall of defenders waiting for him. Marcus juked toward the end but saw an opening inside the tackle. He cut upfield and walked into the end zone for the first score.

At the start of the second quarter, Arizona was driving.

They thought they would give USC some of their own medicine by calling a play-action pass. The only difference was USC had Percy Wilkes at defensive end. Percy mauled their offensive tackle and was suddenly in their quarterback�s face. David would have either dumped the ball off or taken the sack, but the Arizona quarterback went into hero mode as he scrambled out of the pocket.

As he was scrambling, he was surprised when he discovered that Percy was much faster than the ordinary defensive lineman. Their quarterback had to focus on a giant defensive end trying to kill him while he was trying to read the defense. He panicked and threw the pass up for grabs. Mario Robinson, USC�s All-Conference safety, fought the ball away from Arizona�s receiver.

David�s enthusiasm was dampened when a yellow flag went flying. He held his breath because there was a lot of contact going for the ball. Three referees huddled together before the penalty was announced. One of the offensive linemen had been caught too far downfield. USC declined the penalty so they could keep the ball.

This was a sudden change play, so Coach Thomas went for it on first down. David dropped back and found Tyrell Mulford, their slot receiver, had a step on his man. David threw his first deep ball of the game. As Tyrell reached for it, Arizona�s cornerback caught up and distracted Tyrell enough that he dropped it.

Once everyone got back, David told them, �We�re in their heads.�

Arizona now had to account for the deep ball because, by all rights, Tyrell should have caught that one.

The drive petered out, and Alex had to come in and kick a forty-two-yard field goal to make it 10�0.

Arizona had another three-and-out, giving USC the ball on their own forty. On the first play, David found Bill open, and he made his man miss and was able to reach the Arizona thirty-five.

On the next play, Marcus took the handoff and ran off tackle. He found a seam, and Nolan made a beautiful block to spring him for the score, putting them up 17�0 with five minutes left in the half.

Arizona threw three straight incomplete passes and had to punt.

�Let�s get one more score before the half,� David urged his teammates.

He dropped back and threw a nice ball to Amari, who was tackled inside the Arizona forty.

There were less than three minutes left when David handed the ball off to Tyrell, who�d come in motion from his slot receiver position. Marcus and Nolan made nice blocks to spring him for a twenty-yard run.

With two-and-a-half minutes left, David was in the shotgun. Tyrell was lined up on the wrong side of the field, so David called out to get his attention. Willy snapped the ball, thinking David was signaling for the snap. David never saw it until the ball hit him in the knee and went flying back toward the line. One of the Arizona defenders pounced on it.

USC�s offense had to go to the sideline and watch as Arizona finally came alive with a nice pass down the middle of the field to pick up fifteen yards. Then they threw a couple of short passes, which just ate up the clock. With only three seconds left, Arizona threw a screen pass.

With USC in a prevent defense, the play picked up good yardage, but time ran out to end the half. Or so David thought. There were flags all over the field.

After a lengthy discussion, the referee made his announcement.

�There are two penalties, both on the defense. Roughing the passer, which is declined. Personal foul, face mask at the end of the run. That penalty will be enforced, and there will be an untimed play.�

With the penalty tacked on, Arizona was in a position to kick a forty-five-yard field goal. Coach Stackhouse sent in both Willy and Bear to bracket Percy. They gave him enough room to break through and block the kick to end any momentum Arizona thought they�d gained.

◊◊◊

As the second half began, David orchestrated another nice drive, capped off with Marcus breaking a long run to put them up 24�0.

At that point, Coach Merritt told David he was done for the day. He�d had a good day, completing 16 of 24 passes for 197 yards.

With Jaden at quarterback, USC looked like a different team. Arizona mounted a comeback with the help of a mountain of penalties and two turnovers. They scored their third touchdown of the half with a minute left to make it 24�20. They went for two and failed.

On the ensuing onside kick, USC recovered it. Arizona had to watch with no time-outs left as USC took a knee to run out the clock.

Looking at the stats, USC had gained 281 yards in the first half compared to 116 by Arizona. The second half had USC at 169 total yards and Arizona with 214. Marcus had an exceptional day, gaining 173 yards with two touchdowns.

Next up was their bye week, followed by Colorado.

◊◊◊

�I love my critical-thinking class,� David told his dad. �It challenges me to reassess my beliefs.�

After flying back from Tucson, David had come straight to his house in Malibu, and he and his dad were up early, drinking tea on the roof.

�I�m almost afraid to ask.�

�My critical-thinking professor challenged us to examine one of our beliefs and use facts to prove or disprove it. We were to ignore all the rhetoric around the issue and look at the hard data.

�He pointed out that government is probably the leading purveyor of misinformation, that politicians spout out either twisted truth or, in some cases, actual lies to fit their agenda. And the press isn�t much better.

�His point was that we have to learn to think for ourselves.

�You know how I got on my high horse and gave Governor Blackfarmer a hard time about not spending enough money on the homeless?� David asked.

Looking back, that might not have been one of his most shining moments.

His dad nodded that he�d heard about it. To make his point, David had turned his birthday into a fundraising event and given the money to various charities.

�Did you know that Los Angeles County has spent a conservative estimate of some $6.5 billion in the past ten years addressing the homelessness issue? During that time, the number of homeless people in the county increased from about 39,000 to more than 83,000. What does that tell you?� David asked.

�That funds aren�t the problem,� Rob said.

�The issues here are different from back home, where initiatives like rapid rehousing could help the newly

homeless as a bridge until they could get their feet under them. What LA is facing is the worst kind, the chronic homeless. By worst, I mean the hardest to solve.�

The chronic homeless included the drug-addicted and the mentally ill, neither of whom seemed to feel a need to get off the streets. The technical definition was an individual who�d been homeless for at least twelve months or had been on the street on at least four separate occasions in the last three years, totaling at least twelve months.

�So, what�s the answer?� Rob asked.

�I don�t know,� David admitted. �What I do know is what�s being done now isn�t working. I think asking the government to solve it is probably a bad idea. When was the last time the government solved anything?�

Rob chuckled.

�My dad used to joke that your biggest fear was when the government came to you and said, �We�re here to help you.��

�I know I�m being flippant about it. The government will have to participate in the solution,� David confessed.

David�s mom joined them.

�What are you two talking about?�

�David is trying to solve the world�s problems.�

�How about he gets the kids up and gets their day started?� Carol suggested.

�I was enjoying the peace and quiet,� Rob said.

�Maybe you can wait another half hour,� Carol agreed.

David was sent to fetch his dad another tea and his mom a coffee. He also found the coffee cake Rosy had hidden in the pantry.

◊◊◊

In today�s scene, the cast was at the coffee house talking to Mick before Nikki showed up.

�You guys don�t understand that kissing is as important as any part of it,� Monica said.

Dexter snorted at that absurd statement.

�Monica�s right. A kiss will tell you everything you need to know about a guy,� Janelle said.

�I think for us, kissing is like the price of admission before you get to go on the E-ticket ride at Disneyland,�

Forest said.

�It�s not like we don�t mind paying for the ticket � it�s just not why we bought it,� Dexter said.

�Are you guys talking about sex?� Mick asked.

�And cut! Good work, everyone. Let�s get set up for the next scene,� Abigail called out.

The next scene had Mick explaining being married to Nikki.

�You�re married?�

�I am. To a wonderful woman named Nadia.�

Nikki looked like her head might explode.

�So, tell me, how will your wife feel about what you and I did at your apartment?� Nikki asked.

�Don�t worry about it. I imagine she�ll be okay with you because she�s okay with Kirsten.�

�Kirsten? There�s a Kirsten?�

�Kirsten is my girlfriend.�

Nikki tilted her head to the side to try to see if Mick was lying to her or not.

�Okay,� she drawled. �What kind of relationship do you see us having if you already have a wife and a girlfriend on the side? And how did you get a girlfriend when you just moved here?�

�A sexual one, and I met Kirsten in Germany,� Mick answered.

�In Germany? Huh,� Nikki said as she tried to wrap her head around what he�d said.

�Do you want to go back to my place or yours?� Mick asked.

�Mine. I don�t want to do the walk of shame knowing you have someone lined up for later,� Nikki said.

�Great! That�s probably for the best because Nadia might be home. Let�s go.�

Nikki didn�t look happy, but she got up and followed Mick to the door.

�And cut!�

◊◊◊

�How did your soap go today?� Alex asked when David got home.

�They got me to show my butt again. My character is a total man-whore.�

�So, like real life?�

David flipped his roommate off.

�When will your man-whorishness be on display? I�m asking for a friend.�

�Monday, I bare all,� David said.

�You mean the full Monty?� Alex asked.

David shook his head �no.�

�They aren�t paying me, so only my backside.�

Cassidy had told Tracy and Pam about Monday so they could DVR it. Somehow, all his girl friends had sent him snarky messages over the weekend. Cassidy might not get her fancy cupcake after all�and if she kept it up, she might be staying in Illinois.

�Speaking of which, Wren asked about you, and she wondered if you were ever free to � uhm � study.�

David gave him an annoyed look.

�Don�t be like that. Once she gets started � let�s just say she�s frisky,� Alex said to plead his case.

�Then why don�t you �study� with her?�

�She shot me down. Wren said that she would rather study with Big Cat,� Alex said. �Come on, man, say you�ll do it.�

�No,� David said without even having to think about it.

�Fine,� Alex said and then brightened. �I heard a rumor.�

�I probably don�t want to know.�

�This, you do. It has to do with your pet, Emily.�

�Just tell me.�

�She�s about to wear out that vibrator you gave her.�

David smiled, knowing he�d done a good deed.

�Now Chloe wants to go into your room and look at your sex-toy drawer,� Alex added.

David thought it would be worth it to give Chloe the strap-on. Alex would regret being a smartass. Well, his ass would probably smart, anyway.

�Only if she lets me pick something out for her.�

�Deal!� Alex said.

David rubbed his hands together and did his evil mad scientist laugh.

�Oh, crud,� Alex said.

�Lube is your friend,� David said.

It was Alex�s turn to flip David off.

◊◊◊

After he dropped Sadie off at school, the light bulb came on. He knew what he could use Lexi for.

�David?� Lexi asked with worry in her voice.

�How are you settling in?�

�Fine. The view from my balcony is spectacular, and everyone is so friendly,� she said, more assured.

�Good. I have a job � no, two � for you. Cassidy is returning to LA on Sunday, and I still have a lease with that fancy car dealership where I got the Porsche. I want you to have them send over the safest vehicle they have that she can handle with one hand,� David said.

�I remember them. I�ll call and get that taken care of.�

�The second will take a little more work.�

David explained Sadie�s situation and her mother�s money worries.

�I�ll talk to her mom and get everything set up. I�m sure a GoFundMe page would do the trick if I could use your social media to make the ask,� Lexi said.

�While you�re at it, talk to Cassidy. She said her dad was spending money on her care. I also have a list of other charities I�ll send over,� David said and then had another thought. �If using my name isn�t enough, I�m sure some of my friends could be persuaded to help. I�m thinking Halle, Ben, Isabel � oh, and Crazy Pants.�

�You�re still mad at me, aren�t you?� Lexi asked.

David didn�t think that needed a response.

�Focus on Sadie and Cassidy first. Tell Megan when it�s all set up because I need some write-offs. I might as well donate to people who really need it.�

Okay, he wasn�t a hundred percent sure that Cassidy needed it, but that didn�t mean that she wouldn�t both appreciate and accept the money.

�I bet that Megan might have some other causes she thinks are worthy. If I remember right, she acts as your gatekeeper for all the hat-in-hand requests,� Lexi said.

�This might turn into a new option for you. You could work with charities to find new sources of funds. I bet that if you approached Holistic Wealth Management, they have clients who need to donate to offset their tax bills. Instead of giving it all to the local opera house, they might give some to worthy causes that actually do what they say,�

David said.

�Would you support it if I did?� Lexi asked.

He knew what she was asking. Lexi was in Monaco without a net, so to speak.

�If you do a good job with Sadie and Cassidy, I�ll have Megan hire you so you have health insurance and the like.

You can also stay in the condo,� David promised.

�I�ll get right on it,� Lexi said and hung up.

Tami was right that he should cut his ties to Lexi. But, if directed, she could be a force for good. He didn�t need a Lexi who hated him and had too much time on her hands, and who knew way too much and who could cause him real problems. Tami would just have to understand.

◊◊◊

This week�s guest on Trojan Inquirer was Amy Stackhouse. Tracy had begged David to get her because she was the only female football coach in the Pac-12. David introduced Coach Stackhouse to his friend.

After the opening introductions, David let Tracy do the interview.

Tracy: �How did you get into football?�

Amy: �My father is the owner of the Arizona Cardinals.

Growing up, I was a tomboy and went to work with my dad.

When I became a teen, I told him I wanted to get involved in the business. He told me that I had to find my own way and that football wasn�t in the cards.�

Tracy: �But you are now coaching. Something had to change.�

Amy: �I became a psychologist and opened a practice focused on helping athletes. My dad�s team had some players who weren�t performing as they felt they could, so I asked if I could help �fix� them.

�That�s where I met Coach Merritt. He�d been a player for my dad, and when his career ended, he was hired to coach defensive backs. He remembered what I did when he got the USC job, so he hired me.�

Tracy: �Your job is special teams and helping troubled players? I bet David�s a handful.�

Amy looked at David with a big grin.

Amy: �I�m starting to think he�s unfixable.�

Then she got serious.

Amy: �Quarterback is the most complicated position in football. If it were just a matter of throwing a ball, well, there are a lot of players who can do that. The really good ones are hard to find, so most teams have to develop them.

It takes a mixture of raw athletic talent, a focused determination with attention to detail, and leadership. A quarterback has to be a vocal leader who makes everyone around him better.�

Tracy: �And David?�

Amy: �He�s a work in progress who shows promise. I will have to say that I�m quite impressed with his work ethic. I predict our fans will be pleased before he�s done here at USC.�

The two of them talked for another twenty minutes, but it was the first part that would end up on the Pac-12

Network on Saturday.

◊◊◊

Crystal was printing her paper due in her afternoon class when there were screams from downstairs. It sounded like an intruder was killing her sorority sisters.

Without thinking, she sprinted from her room and bounded down the stairs.

As she reached the first floor, more blood-curdling screams erupted.

She burst into the living room to see Taylor with the pledge class, all giddy about something on TV.

Taylor saw her and bounced off the couch.

�Replay it! Crystal has to see this.�

Crystal watched the TV and saw her boyfriend on the screen. She deduced that this must be that soap he was in.

She frowned when a gorgeous woman was at his door.

Somehow, David had forgotten to clue her in about that part.

The woman was distracted sizing up the actor he was with when David ripped his shirt off.

�Oh! My! God! He is fine,� Wren called out.

�I vote we make him the pledge-class boy toy,� another spoke.

Crystal gasped and asked, �Was that her thong?�

�Wait for it!� Taylor announced.

Then all the girls squealed again when it looked like David was having sex with the bimbo.

Suddenly Crystal was mad because David hadn�t told her he�d had sex on camera.

Wren stood up.

�If you ever need any help with him, you�ll call me, right?

�Of course,� she lied.

�If he were the president of a fraternity, it would be called Phi Jama Jama,� Emily chimed in.

�On that note, I have to get to class,� Crystal said as she left.

David banging hot female actors was going to be a problem.

◊◊◊

David was in his management class learning about supply chains when his phone began to blow up.

�Sorry,� he said as it vibrated on his desk for the third time in under a minute. �I need to check this.�

David hurried out to the hall, thinking Coby must have either finally killed himself or been arrested.

The first one was from Cassidy, so he checked the message. It was simply a link, so he clicked it, and a video appeared. He cringed when he saw it was his soap, and the scene looked all too real. David remembered that he�d intended to talk to Cassidy about the soap, but he�d

forgotten. Ah, well. He turned his phone off and went back into class.

When he sat down, suddenly everyone in the class received a message. A girl in the front row looked at her phone, and her eyes went wide. She then whipped her head around and stared at him.

�Fuck me,� David thought. Someone had obviously air-bombed his class, and they were all now whispering to each other as they glanced his way.

When class ended, the place erupted. David rushed to the door to make his escape. As he hurried to his next class, some people were actually brazen enough to point at him.

�Nice butt!� a girl yelled, which got people laughing and agreeing with her.

He could hardly wait for football practice to see what those buttholes had in store for him.

◊◊◊

After watching David�s soap, Emily went back to her dorm to � pleasure herself.

�Where had everything gone wrong?� she wondered about her stunted sexual growth.

Hell, she hadn�t even kissed a guy yet. It probably all began when her dad flaked out, and she received her

�Daughter of a Religious Zealot� Girl Scout badge. She was equal parts mortified and worried that she�d waited this long to discover the joys of an orgasm, knowing that she was surely going to hell for giving herself one.

Emily had heard stories about girls in a situation similar to hers and how they went wild. She�d watched a documentary about Amish kids who go out into the world for a time, deciding whether they wanted to return to their Amish ways.

Emily was thankful her mom had encouraged her to join a sorority. She hated to think about what would happen if she didn�t have a support system around her to keep her from doing too much damage. Granted, damage would be done, and Emily was looking forward to it. The question was, with whom would she learn about sex?

In her mind�s eye, she had three candidates she wanted to consider. Lars was the best-looking fraternity boy she knew; tall, with striking Scandinavian looks. She could imagine if he�d been born several hundred years ago, Lars would be raiding villages and defiling all the women.

Chuy was a big, muscular Hispanic boy who had all the women swooning. Wren had given him high marks for his bedroom skills, and he�d had a lot of practice with many one-night stands, from all accounts.

For her, Lars and Chuy playing the field was a plus.

Neither of them was someone she wanted to have a long-term relationship with. She simply wanted to learn how to

� well, everything.

Then there was David. Every girl on campus who was into guys�and, she was sure, some who liked girls�

wanted to bed him. He checked every fantasy requirement she could think of. The only problem was that he was dating her big sister, Crystal.

Emily thought back to that night in Austin when she woke up with David spooning her. His giant hand held her breast while she felt his arousal against her butt. Add to her imagination the look on Nikki�s face as he buried his dick in her. With all that in her mind, the room filled with the sound of buzzing.

�Ah! Yessss!� she hissed as she plunged her rabbit into her already wet sex.

David was the prize. She would wait and see if she could pry him away from Crystal long enough to lose her virginity. If not, she was sure one of her other two candidates would gladly help her out.

◊◊◊

David received a message from Lexi. She was organizing the coming weekend on top of the other tasks he�d given her.

The guest list had grown, so she chartered a big business jet. The plane David had flown to Colombia wouldn�t hold all of his traveling circus, so he wouldn�t be piloting this time. Though he did plan to get some time in the cockpit. His entire household, including the baby mamas and their significant others, was going with him.

Greg and his family, Tracy and Pam, Jim and Bill, his grandmother and Ron, and Crystal were going, too. Even Halle James was going along.

Friday night, he would have his jersey retired, and the HSAA was inducting him into the state�s football and baseball Halls of Fame. And word had slipped out that the football field would be named after him. The last part was due to his dad directing Megan to donate more money to the Booster Club.

Lexi also said that she�d leased Cassidy a car. Lexi had sent a picture of a Mercedes S-Class in graphite gray with a black interior. It had all kinds of safety features, including driver-assist technology�one of his requirements due to Cassidy�s arm. It was also big enough that she would be safe if there was another collision.

They�d sent it to Fritz, who would add his security stuff, like cameras, a medical kit, a gun safe, etc. They would drop it at the airport for pickup on Sunday.

David was finishing reading her message when he walked into the locker room.

�You�re dead to me,� Willy called out to get the ball rolling.

David gave his center a crooked smile.

�The girl I was with this afternoon saw you rip your shirt off and asked me to do it. I about broke my wrist when

mine didn�t want to tear.�

David laughed.

�Dude, they gave me a stunt shirt for that scene. I told them I wanted to mimic a TV wrestler to give the ladies a show. I can ask them where they get them if you guys want,� David offered.

�Hell, yes! Order me a dozen,� Willy said.

�Before you all get excited, let me see where they got mine,� David pushed back.

His hope was that he wouldn�t have to be the middleman. His luck, he�d be stuck with a case of shirts.

Unlike the general student body, who all wanted to point and stare at him, the football team congratulated him and asked that he introduce them to Callie.

◊◊◊

David had just finished his film session with the other quarterbacks for the upcoming Colorado game when his phone rang. It was a blocked number, which made him think it was spam, but he answered it anyway.

�This is David.�

�Oliver,� came the one-word answer, and then there was dead air.

�What do you want?� David finally asked.

�I talked to Cassidy, and she said she would ask you to track me down when she got better. I was hoping you would go easier on me if I told you where I was and how to contact me.�

David had talked to his lawyers to see what he could and couldn�t do. They said it probably wouldn�t be worth the hassle to bring Knackers back for prosecution. The biggest obstacle was the powers that be might not want to spend the money to extradite him back to the US. Then there was no guarantee he would be charged.

�How about I send you a plane ticket, and you turn yourself in?� David offered.

�I don�t think so.�

�And here I thought you wanted this to go easy.�

�I don�t plan on spending time in jail, and I don�t really have any money,� Oliver explained.

�Then what are you telling me?� David asked.

�I hoped that maybe you and Cassidy could come to me, and I could apologize in person. It was a bloody cock up, and I feel horrible about it, and I want her to know how sorry I am.�

�Let me guess, Cassidy won�t take your calls.�

�I think she blocked me,� Oliver admitted.

David sighed.

�Right now, she�s watching her whole life plan go out the window. On top of that, she�s in pain, her arm�s in a cast, and she doesn�t know how well it will ever work again.

Cassidy is in no mood to forgive you right now.

�How about, when she�s ready to have me track you down, I call you, and we talk then?� David suggested.

�If you think that�s best.�

�And Oliver, if I have to find you, I�ll kick your ass. I know you made a mistake and feel bad about it, but the fact remains that you hurt my best friend.�

�You have no idea how much this weighs on me, mate.

I�ll follow your lead and stay away until you ring,� Oliver said and gave David his number.

David was half tempted to get Paddy O�Malley to drag him back, but he�d made his mom a promise to never call the fixer again. Paddy was a scary man you only used when you had no other choice. Knackers had at least communicated with David, so he would hold off on bringing out the big guns.

◊◊◊

David cringed when he saw his agent was calling.

�This is David.�

�I wanted to check in and see how filming is going. Is there anything you need?�

�Besides limiting the gratuitous nudity they seem to want in every other scene? No, I�m good.�

�Which you�ve embraced like a trouper. They are very pleased with your performance. So much so that they�ve asked me to find them special guests for sweeps week, and I�m to help them cast your wife and girlfriend,� Kendrick shared.

�Good for you. But why are you telling me?� David asked.

�Because you�ve been so accommodating, they said you get to approve the talent.�

David couldn�t help but chuckle. Back in the day, before he got into acting, that would�ve been code for using the

�casting couch� to fill the role.

�The problem is, most of the women I know in the business wouldn�t do it. A smutty soap isn�t how they want to be seen,� David predicted.

Kendrick actually snorted.

�Have you seen the numbers? Your smutty little soap came out of nowhere to take its time slot after you showed the world your backside this week. There�s talk of moving the show to just after prime time when the kiddies go to bed. For that reason alone, you can pick anyone you want.

Trust me,� Kendrick said.

�Trust me� was one of David�s pet peeves. Whenever someone had to tell you to �trust� them, you were being conned. So, he decided to go for it.

�I want Kate Upton as my wife and Adrienne as my girlfriend � and I expect nudity.�

�I was thinking of actors, not supermodels.�

�Trust me. They won�t have to do much acting,� David said as he bit the inside of his mouth not to laugh.

�I don�t know how to get hold of them,� Kendrick tried.

�I�ve got their numbers, and I�ll message them to you after I hang up,� David said.

�Oh,� Kendrick said, not sounding excited.

He knew his agent was just giving him lip service. David was sure Kendrick already had some �up and coming�

actresses under contract who needed �exposure.� Hiring someone like Kate would eat into his profits since she had her own representation.

�Better yet, I�ll call them and convince them to do it,�

David said, acting overexcited.

�No!� Kendrick barked and then toned it down. �No, I�ll do it.�

After he got off the phone with his agent, David called Adrienne and filled her in on the prank he was pulling on Kendrick.

�I�ll get Kate to play along. Can we ask for special treatment?� Adrienne asked to get with the program.

�Demand a trailer and personal chef. And only chartreuse M&Ms. Oh, and a masseuse. Acting can be so stressful,� David said dramatically.

�What if they agree to our terms?�

�Then, welcome to LA!�

�I�ll record the call so you get the full effect,� Adrienne promised.

�You�re the best. Now I have to get to class,� David said.

As soon as he was off the phone, he sent Kendrick their contact information.

◊◊◊

When David got to the airport, he found some late additions to his group. Tami had arrived, claiming a free

trip home was always welcome; Alex and Chloe had decided to go; and Coach Thomas had some recruits to visit in the Midwest.

The flight was packed, and his children were already fussing. David did his preflight check, went to the cockpit, and closed the door. He was surprised to see Stirling, the copilot from his trip to Colombia, along with another pilot he didn�t know.

�I thought you never wanted to fly with me again,� he said to Stirling.

�I was a touch stressed out at the time. I still can�t believe you got us off the ground.�

�If you�re worried about stress, be aware that we have eight children under five in the back, and I predict they�ll be howling when their ears adjust.�

�Is it too late for me to bail?� Stirling asked.

�I�m afraid so.�

The pilot, who�d introduced himself as Ernie, talked to the tower and got in line for takeoff. When it was their turn, he lined the plane up with the runway and released the brakes. They began to pick up speed. At liftoff, David heard Dave yelp, which was quickly followed by all of them starting to cry.

When they reached altitude and set their course, someone was pounding on the door.

�I think we�re being hijacked,� David said with a serious face.

�Should I call it in?�

�If everything goes south, please do,� David said as he got out of his seat to deal with his children.

He opened the cockpit door, and his mom handed him Dave.

�Ears,� he complained as he rubbed them.

�Look at me,� David said, and when he had his attention, he opened his mouth and moved his jaw back and forth.

�Like you�re yawning.�

He did it like his dad and smiled.

One down, four to go �

◊◊◊

When they landed, David went back to help with the kids. Once he had the last one free and with their mom, he finally made his way to the exit. Tami and Crystal were waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs.

�I wanted to let you know I reserved the banquet room at Monical�s,� Tami said.

�Great idea! I planned on going there at least once. I haven�t been since high school.�

�What�s Monical�s?� Crystal asked.

�It was what we thought was the best pizza in the world when we were growing up. It�s where we used to go after games,� David said.

Tami�s phone made a noise. She checked and smiled.

�My mom is here. I�ll see you there,� she said and took off.

�We need to hurry if we�re going to make it by nine,�

Crystal said, looking at her phone.

David had to skip his last two classes to make it to the airport because of the time change and long flight.

Otherwise, they would have been landing close to midnight.

�Let�s grab our rental car and go straight there. We can check in after,� David decided.

◊◊◊

It was late for eating pizza on a school night, so David figured the place would be empty. When they pulled up, the parking lot was full.

�It looks like the gang is all back,� David said as he saw everyone walk in.

�These are all your friends?� Crystal asked.

�Yeah, most of them. It�s hard to believe that I haven�t seen most of these people since graduation,� David said.

A moment later, someone spotted him. His brother Phil walked up and hugged him. It looked like Phil had brought the current football team. David also spotted many of his old teammates who�d graduated. The one person there he didn�t expect to see was Alan Douglas.

David acknowledged him with a nod and held up one finger to communicate that he had to say hello to everyone first. Alan nodded back and went and sat in a booth.

For his life, David couldn�t figure out why his ex-friend was there. The last he�d seen him was at Jeff�s grave when Alan told him that the best of them had left. Tami had brought them together in the hopes that they could reconnect.

Tami, Jeff, Alan, and David had been the Four Musketeers growing up. David had been the social butterfly, Jeff was the glue that held everyone together, Tami told them what to do, and Alan would fly off the handle with crazy ideas. When their glue-guy had passed helping save a classmate, Alan no longer had a filter on his crazy. It had eventually culminated at the graveyard with Alan showing no remorse for all the things he�d done to people � well, mostly David.

Tami had tried to assume Jeff�s role as peacemaker, but she had to admit that David should cut ties with Alan.

David had done so, making him wonder why Alan was here tonight.

It had taken almost an hour to say hello to everyone, and David was famished. He grabbed a plate, filled it up with pizza, and went to find Alan.

�I bet you�re surprised to see me here.�

�I would have never guessed,� David admitted. �Why are you here?�

�Sit down and eat while I catch you up,� Alan said.

David wasn�t surprised when Tami pushed in after him to witness whatever this was.

�You have my full attention,� David said.

�I�m sure it will come as no surprise that I got kicked out of Michigan. I won�t go into details, but my parents wanted to have me committed when all was said and done. They decided I was mentally ill.�

�I probably wouldn�t go that far,� Tami interjected. �But time with a good psychologist or psychiatrist would do you a world of good.�

David kept his mouth shut because Alan never reacted well if he thought they were ganging up on him.

�They saw I wouldn�t go voluntarily, so we reached a compromise. I enrolled in Emotions Anonymous, aka EA, a twelve-step program for people with issues,� Alan said.

�Is that like AA, Alcoholics Anonymous?� David asked.

�It is. EA asked AA if they could use the twelve steps and twelve traditions as the cornerstone of their recovery program. It�s not intended to replace a doctor�s help, but they were the ones that helped me see that I should seek that. With the combination and some good drugs, I�m not as anxious or making snap decisions near as much.

�I got my act together enough to enroll at the University of Western Michigan this last semester,� Alan said.

�Are you here because of the twelve steps?� Tami asked.

�Yes. I just finished step eight. That�s the one where you list all the people you�ve harmed and become willing to make amends. I�m now on step nine, where I talk to each person, apologize, and try to atone for what I�ve done. But I have another purpose, too. I want to be upfront about it so that when I ask for a favor later, you don�t think the only reason I�m apologizing is to get something from you,� Alan said.

David played that scenario out in his head and agreed that it would be precisely what he thought.

�I know that now is not the time or place for what I need to do, but you both blocked me, so I had to find a way to see you in person,� Alan said.

David looked at Tami.

�You blocked him?�

She shrugged.

�That right there shows me how much damage I did.

When Tami is done with you �� Alan trailed off.

�You�re right. I�ve made her so mad that she screamed that she never wanted to see me again. But Tami gave me a second chance,� David said. �Because of all that, I�m not sure I want to hear your BS, if I�m being honest.�

Alan chuckled.

�I get it. Lisa Felton actually nailed me with her phone when I approached her. At least neither of you has punched me.�

�Tami would flick you in the forehead,� David said.

Alan reached for the spot and rubbed it out of habit.

�She did get me there a lot.�

�Let me sleep on it,� David decided.

�I�ll wait and see if you work it out with David before I decide,� Tami said.

�I deserve that. Let me prove I�m sincere.�

�I need more pizza and want to say goodbye to a few people. I�ll call you,� David said.

He and Tami slid out of the booth. When they were out of earshot, he turned to Tami.

�What do you think?� David asked.

�You called it. He�s full of it, but he wants something from you. It would be better to let him think you forgive him because he�s the last person you want mad at you.�

�I thought that was Lexi,� David quipped.

�Let�s call it a tie.�

�Or my mom,� David added.

�That�s a given. Your mom might actually take you out of this world,� Tami said with a smile.

That she might.

◊◊◊

Crystal and David had had a talk about his romantic past. After a number of introductions, she figured out that almost every girlfriend he�d ever had was there at Monical�s. Even those he�d only dated for a minute, including Sun Ling, Sarah Spence, Kara Tasman, and Eve Holiday. Then there were the girls from longer relationships. That group included Brook Davis, Halle James, Zoe Bauer, Pam Bell, Tracy Dole, Suzanne Ball, and Cindy Lewis. It wasn�t that Crystal didn�t know about them, but seeing all of them there together � it was a bit overwhelming.

�I can�t believe that they all still consider you a friend. I bet that if you asked, any or all of them would take you to bed tonight,� Crystal said, letting her jealousy creep out.

�Good to know,� David said, obviously trying to make light of it.

He saw his quip had missed the mark. To his credit, David took her hand.

�Hey. Look at me,� he said and waited until she did as he asked. �I�m with you.�

�But ��

�No, I get it. They can be an intimidating group when they want to be. Even Brook was insecure for a time.�

�I would never guess that. She seemed so � I don�t know � competent when she helped you with Cassidy,�

Crystal said.

�Talk to her. She�ll put your mind at ease. I�m with you now,� David said and then continued, �Ask her what that means to me.�

Crystal nodded. Talking to Brook and some of the others might be exactly what she needed. It was just that they all knew him so well and were solid eights or nines. In fact,

Halle James and Kara Tasman might be the mythical tens guys sought out.

What had Crystal on edge was his soap opera. The girls on it were smoking hot, and it looked like a lot more was going on in some of those scenes than David had admitted to. It made her realize that she wasn�t the catch in the relationship this time around; he was. People might start saying she had �a great personality��code for he could do better.

◊◊◊

First thing in the morning, David had gone to Granny�s West�his restaurant�for cinnamon rolls. He loved Monical�s pizza, but Granny made the best cinnamon rolls in the world.

Chloe and Alex had joined him and Crystal.

�If you want to make a name for yourself, you should promote this,� David said as he took his first bite.

Nirvana! They were even better than he remembered.

His tablemates all tasted theirs.

�If I lived here, I would eat here every day and weigh 800 pounds,� Crystal said.

�My mom says that half the calories fall out if you cut them in half,� David said.

David�s niece came running up and jumped into his lap.

�What�s up, Mac?�

�We get to go horseback riding!�

They were going to the farm this morning, and he was sure that Zoe would be around and let them ride horses.

His niece had been wild about them since she was a toddler. He saw Greg and the rest of his family come into the restaurant. His nephews, Kyle and Nate, ran over to see Uncle David.

�No running!� Greg called out to no avail.

�He�s taking me horseback riding,� Mac told her brothers.

�We have to ask Miss Zoe. If she says it�s okay, then we can go riding,� Greg said.

�Uncle David will make it happen,� Joey, Greg�s girlfriend, said.

David gave her a sideways look, but Joey dared him to say it wasn�t so to his niece.

�Maybe you should move back so Mac could go riding every day,� David fired back.

�Can we?� Mac asked her dad.

�Your uncle is about to get a time out for telling fibs,�

Greg said.

�Shouldn�t be naughty,� Mac said to her uncle.

�Go eat your breakfast so we can go to the farm,� David said.

Mac led the way to their table as Mary, his business partner and the restaurant�s manager, appeared.

�Care to meet all our guests?� she asked.

�Of course,� David said and then introduced her to his friends.

�David suggested I do a video on your cinnamon rolls for my social media channel. They might be the best thing I�ve ever eaten,� Chloe said.

�We�re making a new batch. Want to come into the back and see how they�re made?� Mary offered.

Crystal and Chloe went to make the video while David greeted everyone and thanked them for coming. He timed it so that their food arrived by the time he was done.

�Is there anyone you don�t know?� Alex asked as he sat back down.

�There are some, but that means there�s someone new to potentially become a friend.�

Alex mimed gagging.

◊◊◊

David felt himself relax as he drove them on the winding park road on the way to the Mennonite farming community.

�When I retire, I plan to move to this farm. I have the perfect spot for a house picked out.�

David pulled in on the walnut-shell-and-gravel drive. The shells were full of a chemical that inhibited the growth of many plants, making it sort of a weed barrier. For the walking trails, they used the straight stuff. But where cars, trucks, and tractors were driven, the gravel was needed to handle the weight.

David got out of the car and took everything in. The farmhouse had been renovated, and all the barns and new stables looked to be in good shape. He could hear the goats and horses that were making it smell like a farm or compost pile. His grandmother had always said that it smelled like money.

Yelena came out the front door and smiled.

He�d originally met her through his friend Yuri. Yelena was Yuri�s grandmother, who grew up in Russia. She was a no-nonsense, tough old bird. When David�s grandmother ran the farm, Yelena had moved in with her to help run it.

Now she was helping Zoe and Johan while they went to college.

�Good. You�re here. I need someone to tell me if my apple strudel is okay.�

�Are the apples in season?� David asked.

His orchards were mainly Braeburn apples. He did a mental calculation and realized they should be ready soon.

�Some,� Yelena said. �Come. I feed you.�

�We just ate,� Crystal said quietly.

�If Yelena�s cooking, there is always room for more,�

David announced as he led everyone inside.

They gathered around the kitchen table as Yelena caught him up on Yuri and Jan Duke. Yelena had all but adopted Jan when she discovered the girl�s home situation. At the time, Jan and Yuri had been dating. Jan had gone to

Southern Illinois for college, and Yuri was at State, which ended their budding romance.

While they were finishing eating, Zoe and Johan came home from school. They were both at State. Zoe wanted to become a large-animal vet, and Johan was getting an Ag degree. The plan was that eventually, they would take over the farm for David. He�d also become a partner with Zoe to breed horses.

�You young people go. Show off what you�ve done,�

Yelena said.

�I need to run over to my dad�s place. He needs help with a tractor,� Johan said. �I�ll leave you in my wife�s capable hands.�

�Lead the way,� David said to Zoe.

◊◊◊

As they were wrapping up the farm tour, Greg and his family arrived. Zoe had been able to repurchase Bolt, the horse Mac had thought was hers. Zoe�s dad had made her sell him because he didn�t have time to care for horses while she was off to college. When she and Johan got married, and she and David started her business, Bolt was one of her first acquisitions.

It was worth it when Mac realized who the horse was.

For David, seeing his niece�s tears of joy was enough for him.

Zoe made Greg help her saddle horses while David took his friends on a walk to the river. He could see that they�d harvested some of the walnut trees for their wood. New ones had been planted, and within five years, they would start producing nuts, with full production in ten years.

David took them to the bluff overlooking the river.

�I plan to build a house here someday.�

�It�s so peaceful,� Chloe said.

You could hear the wind in the trees, a squirrel chattering a warning, and a woodpecker tapping away off in the distance.

�It�s too quiet for me,� Alex said. �But I see the appeal.�

�I used to come out here and just sit under that tree,�

David said, pointing. �If I needed to unwind, it was one of my favorite spots.�

�Why wait? It�s not like you have to save money to build it,� Crystal said.

David gave her a curious look. He did have a house fund, and if he needed it, he could dip into his jet fund.

�Why am I waiting?� David wondered.

�What would you build? A little getaway place? Or something big enough for your whole family?� Alex asked.

�I don�t know. I�m not sure I want to come back to Illinois to live full-time, but I would like it to be big enough for entertaining. Devin Range has a log home I liked,�

David said and then described it.

�I would probably go with something more modern with big windows and a deck so you could enjoy the outdoors,�

Chloe said.

�Maybe I�ll see if Cindy wants to get Ohio State involved in giving me some design ideas. I want to get it right if I�m going to build it,� David said.

David would get Jack Mass involved since building homes in Chicago was what he did. Jack would make sure it was done right. He�d been a lifesaver on the Malibu house�s renovation.

Crystal, Alex, and Chloe had had enough of nature, so they headed back.

◊◊◊

David dropped them off at the hotel and then drove to Coach Hope�s house. He wanted to check on Cassidy.

When he got to the front door, it flew open, and Cassidy looked pissed.

�David Allen Dawson!� she fumed. �A wife and a girlfriend?!�

David could hear Brook cracking up in the living room.

Even he could figure out they were watching his soap.

�Hate the game, not the player,� David drawled. �Ow!�

Maybe Cassidy could kick his butt with just one hand.

�What was that for?� David asked.

�For being a smartass. Now get in here because I need to see what happens next,� Cassidy ordered.

David saw that Brook had paused the show.

�Your character is married, you have a girlfriend, and you�re sleeping with Nikki?� Brook asked.

David ignored his ex.

�Slut,� Cassidy said under her breath.

�Did you call me a name?� David asked as he opened a bag he�d been hiding until then. �Hmm. Look at that. Two chocolate cupcakes.�

He pulled one out and stared at Cassidy.

�Thank you, David,� Brook said as she held out her hand.

David handed it to her, then pulled out the last one.

�I will literally cry if you don�t give that to me,� Cassidy warned.

David gave it to her.

�Sucker,� Cassidy crowed.

�We need to talk. If you fall for that one, your parenting skills need some serious work,� Brook added.

It was worth it to see Cassidy�s satisfied, happy grin.

Brook winked at him to let him know he�d done good today.

◊◊◊

David went to the game early. Everyone would meet up with him before it started. He went straight to the booster�s building under the end-zone stands. Over time, the area had evolved from open seating to a tent and now a building. It showed what kind of money a winning football team could generate.

He spotted Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan talking to one of the volunteers.

�What do you have to do to get some food at this place?�

David asked.

�David!� Mrs. Sullivan said as she wrapped him in a hug.

�David,� Mr. Sullivan said as they shook hands.

�I hear you guys are busy,� David said.

�We are upgrading the pool equipment to reduce the amount of chlorine needed,� Mr. Sullivan said.

�What did you go with? I went with a magnesium system for mine,� David said.

�We did, too, because it was rated more kid-friendly and noncorrosive,� Mr. Sullivan said.

�By the way, did you get that trampoline gadget for the football team?� David asked.

He�d recommended the Booster Club purchase one after he�d used it in practice.

�Sure did,� Mr. Sullivan said. �It�s called a football lineman chute. Coach Hope said it helped them a lot.�

�That�s great. So, what�s on the menu for tonight?�

David asked to change the subject.

�Catfish or hot dogs,� Mrs. Sullivan said.

He hadn�t had good catfish since he left, so that was what he picked. While they went to fry his fish, Jeff Delahey, his favorite reporter, came into the tent with a woman lugging a video camera. Jeff just sat down at his

table while the woman set up her camera and went back to the truck to get lights.

�Assume much?� David asked when Jeff�s helper had left.

�Please. You knew this was coming,�

�Fine, but if you ask me how I feel about something, I might break your camera,� David joked.

It was a running joke with the two of them because David considered asking how he felt was �lazy reporter speak� when they didn�t have any real questions. He would then revert to clich� answers to retaliate. Jeff hated hearing how God was responsible for David�s good play.

�I saw your game against UNLV on TV. You were a one-man wrecking crew. How goes USC?� Jeff asked.

�It could be better. I was �informed� that I would redshirt this year.�

�Look at it as a blessing. I bet if you could have done it over again, you might not have played varsity your freshman year of high school,� Jeff said.

David thought about it for a second before shaking his head �no.�

�There are things I would have changed, but that isn�t one of them. I needed that trial by fire to make me better.�

Mrs. Sullivan brought out two plates of catfish and fries and another with steamed broccoli and a salad for David.

When Jeff�s camerawoman returned, they ate while David and Jeff caught up.

�I miss this,� David said when they cleared their table so they could do the interview.

Jeff had filming begin.

�You miss high school?� Jeff asked.

�Not high school, but the community and all this. Living in LA makes me realize what I�m missing. This just feels comfortable and safe.�

�Have you been following the Bulldogs this season?�

�Absolutely. My little brother is tearing it up and has Lincoln High undefeated. Tonight will be a big test, though.

Eastside is always a good game to measure yourself, and we�ll find out how good this team will be this year after tonight,� David said.

They talked about the honors David was receiving tonight. He said that none of his success would have been possible without his teammates and coaching staff. He also spoke about Lincoln High having the best fans in the state.

When he was done, Jeff was shaking his head.

�I�ll vote for you,� Jeff quipped.

�I didn�t say anything that wasn�t true. I just think people forget that I didn�t have all that success on my own,� David said.

�But if you hadn�t been here to lead them?�

David just smiled.

◊◊◊

Before the game, David grabbed Jim and Bill. The three of them went to the locker room because David had been asked to give the team a talk.

The three of them came into the locker room as Coach Hope finished giving his final instructions. He introduced David, Jim, and Bill, then let David have the floor.

�We�re past the big speech time. I never really found that they helped me that much,� David said as he looked at all the young faces.

He hadn�t been gone that long, but man, they looked like kids. He remembered most of them as he went from face to face. They were almost grown men now. The Lincoln High training staff had hit their stride in developing their bodies.

�I know you�ve worked your butts off to have the kind of success you�ve had this year, and I want to thank you for all that hard work. Something we prided ourselves on was that no one outworked us, and by the fourth quarter, we owned our opponent.

�Something I�ve learned is the importance of playing with passion and controlled violence in each and every play.

Do your job!� David said and paused to make sure they were listening.

�I expect Eastside will try to finesse you with their short passing game. Keep it in front of you, and when you see the ball in the air, you�d better be closing and make them pay when they catch it. Make them have their heads on a swivel, worried about getting hit, and they will start dropping balls.

�On offense, I want you linemen to dominate your man.

Knock him on his butt. This is a simple game when you�re more physical than they are,� David said.

He looked at Jim and Bill.

�Do you have anything you want to add?�

�I hate Eastside. Knock their dicks in the dirt,� Jim said.

Bill chuckled.

�I think that says it all. Go out and do your job,� Bill added.

�What do you think, boys? Are we going to knock their dicks into the dirt?� Coach Hope asked.

The team roared their approval and got up to go out.

David was happy to see that they lined up five abreast and slowly walked to the field, chanting, �Our House!�

The fans heard them coming and took up the chant.

Having the whole stadium join made David want to suit up and play tonight. When they reached the goal line, they sprinted to the middle of the field as everyone cheered.

David had forgotten about the damned cowbells.

When it was just the three former Bulldogs, Jim said,

�We left a legacy.�

�We did. Now let�s go enjoy it,� Bill said.

David felt his chest tighten with pride. They had left their mark, after all.

◊◊◊

David, Jim, and Bill joined their group in the stands.

David noted that the Big Ten was well represented today; he saw coaches from Iowa, Purdue, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Maryland. There were even a couple of SEC schools in Missouri and Kentucky. Plus, he saw Bo Harrington from Western Michigan in the stands, chatting with Coach Thomas from USC; they�d met at the Houston Elite Camp when David was there. While both Roc and Phil had verbaled to State, where they would join their friend Yuri, that didn�t mean the other schools were giving up.

Telling by their absence was State. They must assume they had Roc and Phil locked down. But then again, their coach was a former NFL coach who didn�t seem to want to get his hands dirty with recruiting. It was why with him coaching, State would be at the bottom of the Big Ten again this year. He really had to try to find his brother a better landing place.

At the coin toss, David observed that Santayana was right, those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it. He watched as an Eastside player said something to his brother, and his teammates had to hold Phil back.

When would Eastside ever learn not to piss his family off?

�We�re winning big tonight,� David predicted.

Eastside won the toss and deferred to the second half.

When they went out on offense, David, and everyone in the stands, expected the Bulldogs to go deep to Roc. It would put Eastside on notice that they planned to run up the score tonight.

Eastside knew this too, and sent all three of their linebackers on a blitz.

�Dump the Ball!� David yelled at his brother from the stands.

Phil made a rookie mistake. He thought he could play Captain Chaos and began to scramble. Just as he was about to be sacked, he threw a shovel pass�an underhand toss�

to his running back, who was almost at the line of

scrimmage. David broke out into laughter because it was the perfect play.

The Eastside interior defenders all but broke their ankles, turning around to chase the Bulldog running back.

Two of the Lincoln linemen had let their men go to block downfield. David could tell that Coach Hope had done his job when their running back followed his blocks and, when he found a crease, darted downfield. It was a footrace, which the good guy won to score.

By halftime, the score was 28�3, and David�s brother had accounted for three of the four touchdowns with his arm.

He�d picked a good night to have a good game because David could see the recruiters all grabbing their phones to report in.

◊◊◊

When it was time for him to go out and accept his awards, David heard the opening refrain of his theme song in high school, AC/DC�s Thunderstruck. His junior year, during baseball season, they�d had to ban the playing of the song because it pissed off the opposing pitchers, who retaliated by drilling him.

�Fuck Eastside,� David thought.

He began to dance out onto the field as he motioned for his old teammates and cheerleaders to join him. They all began to bob their heads and wiggle what God gave them, to the delight of the Lincoln High faithful.

Waiting in the middle of the field was Governor Higgins, looking confused.

�Loosen up and join us,� David called out.

The governor shook his head and then began to bob his head to the beat. David reached out and took the microphone from him.

�What do you think?! Has Eastside been thunderstruck in the first half?!�

The crowd voiced their agreement. He handed the microphone back to the governor.

Governor Higgins waited until the crowd had somewhat settled down before running through all the accolades they were piling onto David tonight. There were the requisite plaques, jerseys, and the like, with the associated photos taken with each. Then the president of the High School Athletic Association joined the governor on stage. He announced that David was being inducted into their Hall of Fame for both baseball and football.

It was time for David to share his feeling about what everyone had done for him.

�First of all, thank you. Growing up here and going to school at Lincoln High means so much to me. And, of course, these awards are for everyone because no one can do all this on their own.�

David had said that a hundred times, so he knew his former teammates and fans already knew how he felt about them.

�Coming back has brought back so many fond memories.

I scored my first touchdown on this field when everyone thought I was a running back. We then went on to win three straight state championships and one in baseball. We set the bar high for the teams to come,� he said and paused.

�You want to know a secret?�

Of course, they did. David saw the teams waiting for him to finish, so he had to wrap this up.

�We are going to win another one this year!�

The crowd roared.

�Beat Eastside! Go Bulldogs!�

David had thought that the ZonaZoo was loud. They had nothing on Lincoln High when the place got rocking.

David gave up his microphone and led his ex-teammates off the field so they could watch the second half.

◊◊◊

David was happy when Coach Hope didn�t take his foot off the gas until late in the fourth quarter, when he made wholesale substitutions. The final score was 56�10.

Lincoln had defeated their two main rivals, Eastside and Washington, so they were in the driver�s seat to win the conference title and the coveted bid to the state playoffs.

After the game, everyone went to Our House to eat and enjoy some good music. Tonight, Eve �Country Girl� Holiday was playing. She was prepping for a new tour to launch her second album.

David was a few minutes late because he had to put down his five little ones. They�d loved all the dancing and crowd yelling. But they were in agreement that cowbells made their ears hurt.

He spotted his brother, Phil, talking to USC�s Coach Thomas when he walked in.

�Who�s your main receiver?� Coach Thomas asked.

�Rockefeller Pearson, but we call him Roc. He�s given his verbal to State. As have I,� Phil said.

�I�d like to sit down with the two of you before I leave tomorrow. Maybe you would consider playing for USC,�

Coach Thomas floated.

�It never hurts to listen,� David said to interrupt. �But tonight, we celebrate.�

�You boys have fun. Maybe I can come over after breakfast to talk,� Coach Thomas pressed.

�Sure. And I�ll get Roc and his family there,� Phil said.

�I�ll talk to him and work out the logistics, and we�ll let you know.�

When Coach Thomas took his leave, Phil turned to his big brother.

�Did you have something to do with that?�

�I�ll just say � cellar-dweller,� David said as he put his left hand out. �Or national champs.� He raised his right

hand much higher. �What sounds like more fun?�

�But ��

�I�ll add one more thing � no, two,� David said. �You have a record to beat with the jock bunnies � and � stay with me � I�d love to have you on my team again.�

�What about Roc and Yuri?�

�I�m betting Roc plans to live at home and help his father with the farm,� David guessed.

�I think he is.�

�Getting away would do him some good, keep his parents from marrying him off like they did Zoe,� David joked.

�I�ll be sure to tell him that.�

�And Yuri? I don�t know if he�s good enough,� David said, being brutally honest.

His Russian hitman had been good enough to receive a Division I offer, but he didn�t have the measurables to be a USC linebacker. He�d had the same issue with Tim when looking for schools. The problem was that Phil didn�t have enough pull to have a better program take a flyer on Yuri.

�You�re a jerk, sometimes.�

�I totally get wanting to keep the band together, so to speak. But the sooner you realize that you need to do what�s best for you, the sooner making the decision will become easy. I love Tim and Wolf, but I am doing fine not seeing them every day. That doesn�t mean that we aren�t still best friends. Does that make sense?�

�I understand; I need someone to tell me stuff straight.

But you could deliver the message differently,� Phil complained.

�Noted,� David said and then cocked his head. �Let me ask you, though. Would my message have gotten through if I�d played nice guy?�

It was Phil�s turn to consider.

�You know I won�t say �no� because that�ll just give you permission to be a dick to me all the time,� Phil said.

�I like you too much to be a dick all the time. I mean, even I can admit that you played your butt off today. I�m proud of you,� David said as he pulled his little brother into a bro hug.

�You mean that?� Phil finally asked.

�Look around. Why would half the Big Ten send someone tonight if you weren�t good? You�re good and deserve to go to a good school, or so I�ve been trying to tell you,� David said.

�Thanks.�

He could see what he said meant a lot to Phil.

Then Phil added, �When I asked my mom to move here so I could get to know you, I didn�t know what to expect. I�d hoped to get to know you, but this is more. It�s ��

Phil looked at his feet and was at a loss for words.

�Like we�re brothers?� David asked.

Phil looked up and smiled.

�Exactly,� Phil said. �Now, let�s go enjoy our victory over Eastside. I have a young lady who�s waiting for me.�

�Now, look who is the wise one. I completely agree. Let�s go party.�

◊◊◊

Before he could reach the crowd, David ran into Bo Harrington.

�David! Congratulations! Those accolades are well deserved,� Bo said.

�Thanks, Coach. You know that you were a major part of that. No way would I have gotten any of those were it not for your help.�

�Well, you�re welcome, though I think you�re selling yourself short. Anyway, it looks like you�ve more than paid me back with the guys you�ve sent my way, especially Travis Barry. He�s doing well. Oh, and that VR equipment is a big help. Thanks for that.�

The two of them chatted a bit about the other players who�d transferred from USC to Western Michigan, then Bo took his leave.

◊◊◊

David made his way through the crowd. There was a list of former teammates he wanted to have a few words of greeting with. That list included the Bauer brothers, Ty Wilson, Ed Pine, the Callahan brothers, Yuri Antakov, and Kevin Goode, to name some of the main ones.

Kevin had graduated and was working as a grad assistant on the State staff. He�d been a senior when David first arrived at Lincoln High. David had been lucky that Kevin took him under his wing because Kevin hated players who played offense. David�s ferocious hits when he ran the ball had won Kevin over.

David was catching up with him when the music started.

�Dance with me,� Pam said to him as she appeared at his side.

Kevin said it was good catching up as David was pulled onto the dance floor.

Pam stuck her tongue out at someone. David turned his head and saw Brook, Cassidy, Tracy, and Zoe all giving her dirty looks. David chuckled. Knowing that group, they�d discussed in what order they would dance with him. Pam had obviously taken matters into her own hands. Some things never changed.

�They just don�t understand that you love me best,� Pam quipped.

David stopped, reached his right hand to the middle of her back, and pulled Pam to him. Her eyes got big as he leaned forward and gave her a serious kiss. Pam fell into it, and he felt her hand on the back of his head as they made out in the middle of the dance floor.

�She has a boyfriend,� Cassidy said as she was suddenly beside them.

David broke the kiss to look at his little ninja. Pam blinked several times.

�I don�t care,� she announced.

David looked at the two of them and remembered he had a girlfriend.

�But our stupid boy does,� Cassidy said.

Pam knew she was right.

In the meantime, Mr. Happy had woken up and tried his best to escape David�s pesky pants. Pam glanced down.

�Oh my. I still have it,� she said, pleased with herself.

�Kiss me,� Cassidy said.

�What? Why?� David asked.

�Don�t look now, but Crystal�s watching,� Cassidy said.

�And I should kiss you, too?�

�Yep. Now do it,� Cassidy ordered.

David leaned down and kissed Cassidy.

�David�s kissing everybody!� Cassidy announced.

He found Tracy in his arms a moment later, followed by Zoe. After he kissed her, he came to his senses.

�What about Johan?�

�He knows it�s just a kiss,� Zoe said.

Before Brook got her turn, Crystal was in his arms.

�Enough kissing other girls. You�re mine tonight.�

David shrugged at Brook, who just smiled back. Another song started, so David danced with Crystal.

◊◊◊

During a break, Eve found him and Crystal. David made the introductions.

�Eve was a tomboy when we were growing up. She played baseball with me and even made our high school baseball team,� David said.

�David stood up for Tami and me so we could play Little League. He knew I was a better player than most boys, so he talked me into playing on the JV team in high school,�

Eve said.

�You two dated,� Crystal said, remembering her conversation with David about his romantic history.

�We did, for a minute. Then I got my break in music and moved to Nashville,� Eve said.

�Eve had me act in her music videos,� David said.

�David was a good sport. I owe him,� Eve said and asked, �How did you two meet?�

�David didn�t like me at first, but I wore him down,�

Crystal said.

�Back when I dated him, he was just starting to make a name for himself. I would imagine it must be crazy now that he�s famous. How do you handle all the girls chasing him?�

�You mean like tonight?� Crystal asked.

�Don�t worry about them. They�re David�s good friends, and they were just giving our stupid boy a hard time,� Eve explained.

�Why does everyone call him �stupid boy�?� Crystal asked.

�Because I was completely clueless about the opposite sex,� David said.

�In some things. But I remember you knew more than the average boy did about certain others,� Eve teased.

�Yeah � well � ah �� David stammered.

�Let�s just say that David�s �friends� all had a hand in training him. You might want to thank them,� Eve overshared.

Crystal shook her head in response.

�Thanks,� David grumped.

�Oh, look at that. It�s time for me to do another set,� Eve said.

She got up and then leaned down and kissed David. She winked at Crystal.

�When David is giving out kisses, you get in line.�

�Is that so?� Crystal asked.

�Oh, boy,� David worried.

Eve laughed as she left.

◊◊◊

Back at the hotel, Crystal went to the bathroom to take off her makeup and brush her teeth. Closing the bathroom door, she listened to the hum of David channel-surfing.

When she came out, he�d stripped down to his boxers and was leaning against the headboard.

�He has abs to freaking die for,� Crystal thought.

She was at the fun end of a bottle of wine and feeling frisky but confused about where she and David stood.

He gave her a funny look.

�You okay?�

Was she? Crystal didn�t know.

When she didn�t answer, David asked, �Would you tell me if you weren�t okay?�

�Yes.�

No. She probably wouldn�t. A part of her was cursed.

Like poison running through her veins, she could never get a relationship right. After meeting all the great girls David had dated, how was she supposed to stack up?

�What�s wrong?� he asked.

�I ��

�You know I like you, right?�

That brought Crystal up short. David wasn�t the kind to lie about something like that.

�I just am feeling a bit insecure,� she admitted.

He got out of bed and came to her. He reached down and lifted her chin, and she found him smiling at her.

�I like you.�

She leaned into him, and he wrapped his arms around her. Her head ended up on his shoulder. She leaned back so she could see his eyes.

�Take me to bed and show me how much you like me.�

Crystal�s frisky feelings switched to red-hot passion. She planned to thank each girl who�d been there tonight because they�d turned their stupid boy into a better man.

By the time he was done, she had no doubt about their relationship.

◊◊◊

The morning sun streamed in through the hotel room window, waking Greg early and reminding him that he needed to close the curtains before bed. He blinked several times, trying to clear the sleep from his eyes.

Last night, Uncle John invited him and his brothers to play a round of golf first thing this morning. David had accepted the news with the enthusiasm of a disobedient child being sent to the corner for a time-out, while Phil took it in stride.

Greg got out of bed and found a note from Joey saying she�d gone for a run. He took a quick shower and then went down to the lobby, where he found Uncle John and David eating breakfast.

�Crystal seems nice,� Uncle John was saying.

�She�s so out of my league; hell, she doesn�t even play the same sport,� David said to shock them both.

�I call bullshit,� Greg said.

�Tell me the truth. Before I did all the stuff that made me famous, could you ever see me with someone like her?�

David asked.

�That sounds like something we should discuss,� Uncle John said.

David high-fived Greg and said, �Pay up, sucker.�

�What are you talking about?� Uncle John asked.

�Five minutes, thirty-nine seconds,� David said, checking his phone. �Not quite a record, but impressive.�

�We bet on how long it would take before you went into psychologist mode. I said it wouldn�t be until we got onto the golf course.�

�And David said it would be sooner,� Uncle John said, giving them a disappointed look. �You know I only do that to help you boys, right?�

�More like he can�t help himself,� David mock-whispered.

�I call a foul because you baited him. We both know you aren�t feeling insecure about dating Crystal,� Greg said to David and then turned to his uncle. �And you fell for it.�

�Don�t be a sore loser. It means you get to go first and get it over with,� David said.

�What�s he talking about?� Uncle John asked.

�I have � I mean, I get to ride in your golf cart first,�

Greg said, partially saving himself.

�Just for that, you both have to talk to me about your life goals.�

Both Greg and David moaned. If Greg wasn�t sure that David was the mailman�s kid � well, they certainly acted and sounded like brothers.

◊◊◊

Greg stood at the first tee, taking in the morning. He felt like he was completely surrounded, yet totally alone. He pushed that feeling down as he heard the gurgle of a mourning dove. A dog barked in the distance.

He got a tiny grin on his face as he addressed the ball.

He�d goaded his brothers into putting some money on today�s round. He swung his club and heard the satisfying crack as his ball traveled down the center of the fairway.

�We�re screwed,� Phil said.

�You�ve been playing with Dad,� David guessed correctly.

�We play a couple of times a week,� Greg admitted.

It was David�s turn.

�Oh, shi-shoot!� he said as his ball hooked into a sand trap.

�Easy money,� Greg goaded his brother.

David glared at him.

�Now you�ve done it. He�s going to kick your butt,� Phil said as he laughed at Greg.

Greg instantly recognized that he�d made a mistake.

When David got pissed, he would focus and, more times than not, win at whatever they were playing.

◊◊◊

Greg was sitting with Uncle John in their golf cart as David hit out of the sand. Greg suppressed a laugh when his brother�s mighty swing caught all sand to spray all over him, and the ball went straight up and landed back in the trap. They were going to be there for a while.

�Remind me of your life goals,� Uncle John said.

�My children come first, be a good example, find what makes me happy, don�t let others define me, and take a deep breath before making a decision,� Greg replied.

�You made those before you divorced Angie,� Uncle John noted. �Since then, you�ve had some significant changes.

You began dating Joey, graduated, followed her to Venice Beach for her job at USC, and gave up your business here in Illinois. That�s a lot to take on.

�Why don�t we start with what�s going on with Angie?�

Uncle John asked.

�I honestly don�t know. She just dropped off the face of the earth when she figured out that David wasn�t going to pay her to go away.�

�Do you resent her leaving you to raise Kyle, Mac, and Nate?�

�I would never say that,� Greg said.

�Okay, resent might be the wrong word, but you get what I�m asking.�

�Abandoned,� Greg decided was the right word. �There are times I feel overwhelmed and stuck, and I really can�t ask Joey for help because we are just dating. I also don�t

want to go to my parents because they have their hands full with David�s five.�

�How does that make you feel?�

�Like I failed. But the divorce happened. No amount of begging, pleading, bargaining, or praying kept her with me.

I feel like my rock, my safe place, my best friend, is now gone,� Greg said as he shook his head, attempting to clear it.

�Do you still love her?� Uncle John asked.

�Even after the hell she put me through, I still do. I mean, I absolutely hate her, too, but she gave me Kyle and Nate, plus we adopted Mac. For that alone, I�ll always be grateful.�

�But do you love her?�

�There are times in a man�s life when he must choose between what he should do and what he wants to do. For me, I had to divorce her � to set her free, even though I didn�t want to. I look back and try to figure out where it all went wrong and if it was my fault,� Greg said.

�You end up at the destination you fix your eyes on. Look to the future, and you�ll get there; keep looking at the past, and you�ll find yourself back where you started,� Uncle John said.

�I understand what you�re saying, but I�ve had a hard time keeping it together,� Greg admitted. �You know the feeling�like all the powers in the universe get together and gang up on you, just for a good laugh.�

�But now you�ve moved on and are with Joey.�

�That�s a whole other deal. We moved to Venice Beach, which was right for her career. It�s been a bit jarring. I guess I�m a small-town kind of guy because all the people can feel overwhelming at times. I also can�t believe the prices of stuff. If it weren�t for Joey�s salary, I couldn�t live there,� Greg said.

�But you�re closer to your family.�

�That is what has kept me from picking up and moving back. I mean, David bought us a house and renovated it for my kids and me.�

�You�ve said a couple of things about Joey that make me think something is off,� Uncle John said.

�I�ve asked her to marry me, even though I promised myself I never would after the hell Angie put me through.

There are just a lot of questions that we haven�t really talked about. Does she want another kid or two on top of the three we already have? Could we handle a family that large? Can I continue to support her career while trying to carve out one for myself?�

�Did she say �yes� to your proposal?�

�She said yes, but not right now.�

�When does she think the right time will be?�

�I don�t know, and I�ve been too chicken to ask,� Greg said.

�You know what I�m going to say.�

�Talk to her.�

�But before you do that, you need to figure out what you want to do with your life. Have you thought about what�s next?�

Greg sighed.

�The massage business did okay, but I honestly don�t know if I want to make a career out of it. David talked to me about doing something with Cassidy, but that feels like I would just be getting in deeper.�

�What would you really like to do?� Uncle John asked.

�I�d like to work for one of David�s companies.�

�You know he would find a place for you if you asked.�

�He�s done enough already by loaning me money�which I never paid back�providing our housing, getting Joey her job, and the list goes on. I don�t want to be that relative who always comes to him with hat in hand,� Greg said.

�I could see you eventually helping him run his businesses like your dad and I have done for him. Think

about what he did for the two of us. He bailed your family out when your mom got sick. When your dad had heart problems, he made it possible for him to leave his job at the country club.

�For me, he became a partner in my farm, giving it a much-needed cash infusion. And he has helped more than just family. You should sit him down and have a frank discussion. It wouldn�t surprise me if he stepped up and helped you to get your MBA, with a plan that you work for him for a time to �pay him back.� Something David values is the people in his circle of trust. If I know him, he would be upset with you if you didn�t come to him,� Uncle John said.

They�d finished the front nine, and Greg had a lot to think about. More like he had to decide what he wanted, then man up and go for it.

On the golf front, Greg�s short game had deserted him.

While David was all over the rest of the golf course, he was deadly when he got to the green. Greg watched in horror as his brother sank a fifty-foot putt on the fifth hole�one he five-putted. But Greg was still up by two strokes.

The surprise was Phil. He was steady and led all of them by three strokes.

Once they�d stopped to grab a coffee and a bear claw, it was Phil�s turn to ride with their uncle.

◊◊◊

�Why do Greg and David get weirded out when you talk to them?� Phil asked.

�I think it�s like kids. The first one you�re overprotective of, the second�s too far the other way, and by the third, you finally find the right balance. Plus, David got himself into a spot of trouble before he entered high school. I had to help him grow up over the summer, or he would have turned out a lot differently.�

�So, what do you want to talk about?�

�Just tell me how everything�s going for you,� Uncle John said.

�Football is good. I�ve started to get more interest from different schools, but I already verbaled to State. So, I�m torn as to what I should do.�

�I get that you�re trying to be a man of your word and want to play ball with Yuri and Roc. David tried to do that but changed his mind twice, for good reasons, before he ended up at USC.�

�Roc and I are talking to USC this afternoon.�

�What do you think about that?� Uncle John asked.

�I�m torn. When I went to the campus to visit David, I loved it. My first concern is for my mom and stepdad. I asked them to move here so I could get to know my brothers. Moving to LA would help with that because I do miss them with them both gone. But at State, I would be close enough for my parents to come to all my games.�

�When Rob and I researched colleges, USC has one of the best track records of developing quarterback talent that makes it to the NFL. While there are no guarantees, who was the last State quarterback who made it?� Uncle John asked.

�I get that. A big part of my wanting to go to Lincoln High School was learning from David and eventually becoming an NFL quarterback. But I have some obstacles.

First, I�m not tall enough. Then there�s the competition at USC. I would be behind David and Matt Long to start with, and then Colt will slide into the picture.

�I might end up being a career backup if I go there, while there is a clear path to playing time at State,� Phil said.

�Do you honestly think David would set you up to fail?�

Phil�s first thought was �Hell, yes, he would,� and then he stopped. David would never pull something like that for anything that mattered. He might make a practical joke, but he�d been there when the chips were down. All Phil had

to do was think back to when David beat the crap out of Mike Herndon for him while saving Jill, his girlfriend at the time.

�I guess not, but that doesn�t mean there isn�t a downside to living in his shadow,� Phil finally responded.

�Is there really a downside?�

�Maybe that�s my unspoken answer to my unspoken question,� Phil thought. David did tend to suck up a lot of the attention in the room, but was that necessarily bad?

Phil benefited from being his brother but had none of the same expectations. It allowed him to run under the radar, so to speak. And the benefits could be substantial, especially with the ladies.

When Jill left to pursue her modeling career, Phil suddenly became very popular. Both his brothers had pulled in the ladies when in high school. Greg was a serial dater who would hook up with a girl for four to six weeks and then move on. David had collected what was essentially a harem for a time before becoming somewhat monogamous, first with Brook, then Lexi, and now with Crystal. Phil, on the other hand, didn�t really �date� anyone; he just bounced from bed to bed.

After his afternoon at the Baseball House, he doubted it would be the same if he went to USC. He�d heard all about jock bunnies, and his ultimate goal was to become the team superstar and resident man-whore. Life was too short not to take advantage of being David�s little brother, and that would be much easier if he were to go to USC.

Then again � he felt sort of creepy, even if he was seventeen and full of cum. He would have to grow up at some point, but it might not be today.

�USC is an excellent place to go to school for a business degree. And the weather�s great. I would just have to trust that I would eventually get playing time,� Phil said.

�Meet with Coach Thomas, and Roc will do the same.

Talk to your parents and friends. After you talk honestly

with everyone, I predict it�ll become clear where you should go to school.�

�I hear you. The key is talking it out,� Phil said.

�Sounds like my work is done.�

�Not quite. You still have to deal with David.�

◊◊◊

David hit a booming drive down the sixteenth fairway.

He was consistently slicing, so he began correcting to the left on the back nine. He�d caught Greg and was now nipping at Phil�s heels. Who knew golf could be so much fun?

�Your turn,� Uncle John announced.

He joked about how he hated these talks, but his uncle did know what he was doing and had helped him immensely. He grabbed his golf bag and put it in the back of Uncle John�s cart.

�What were your life goals?� his uncle asked.

David reached for his wallet, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to him.

Bright sunlight streamed through the hotel window.

Chloe squinted and raised her hand to block the worst of it, then rolled to her side and buried her face in her pillow.

Her whole body had an incredible ache. She was sore between her legs in a way that wasn�t necessarily bad, just tender. She glanced down and saw she was naked and not alone.

It took her a moment to remember where she was and who she was with�Alex. The curve of his muscular back was peacefully rising and falling with each breath.

�He was a beast last night.�

She ran the palm of her hand down her face and blinked to clear her sleep-addled brain.

Then she heard her phone vibrate. She reached for it and saw several calls from her mom and dad. Finally, a message with a link.

Her parents had been formally charged with money laundering and bribery for their role in helping her sister and herself get into USC. The FBI was making the case that they�d paid someone in USC admissions $50,000 directly�

the bribe�and an additional $200,000 to a charity set up by Gaylord �Gary� Clinger�the money laundering.

If convicted, they could be looking at 40 years in prison and facing a million-dollar fine.

�Fuuuck,� whispered from her lips.

Her mom had been right about the media eventually picking on someone to be the face of the scandal. Chloe remembered her words: �If it lands on me, I may never work again.� It had landed on her mom because she and her dad had decided to fight the charges.

The irony was that another actress had just pleaded guilty and received an eleven-day sentence. Because her

parents wanted their day in court, the DA was out for blood.

She forwarded the message to David. He sent one back, saying he was done playing golf and would be there in a few minutes.

Chloe felt out of control and needed to get up and do something. She gently moved to the edge of the bed and swung her legs to the floor, careful not to wake Alex.

�Hey, babe,� Alex quietly muttered, his voice full of sleep.

Chloe�s body betrayed her as it crawled back into bed.

She felt a mixture of disbelief and shame that a boy could make her so weak. Alex reached out, draped his arm across her hip, and pulled her close to him, causing all her negative thoughts to flee her mind. Her skin came alive at his gentle caress.

She squeezed her thighs together, remembering Alex above her as they made love. She tried not to squirm as she recalled him making her body sing.

There was a knock at the door. Chloe jumped out of bed, grabbed her robe, and ran to the door, where she found David standing, looking concerned.

�Are you okay?� he asked as he pulled her into his arms.

�What�s going on?� Alex asked.

�Chloe�s parents have been formally charged in the Varsity Blues scandal.�

Alex held out his arms, and she joined him in bed again.

�Everything will be okay,� Alex promised as he wrapped her up in an embrace.

�Ahem,� David coughed, making her rise up a bit to see over Alex. David was smiling at the two of them. She realized how they must have looked and collapsed back onto the mattress, trying to bury her head into the pillow to hide. The mattress sank softly as David climbed into bed, putting her in the middle. He wrapped his arms around her, too.

�You two were noisy last night. It�s lucky for you that Crystal and I didn�t get in until nearly two, or I might have come in to see if Alex needed any help.�

She rolled over to face David and tried to wrap her head around his words. Their noses were only inches apart as she looked into his eyes. He gave her one of his teasing, naughty, unbelievably sexy looks that made her knees go weak. She found her hand slowly rubbing his chest.

Alex pressed into her back with his head lying on her ear.

�You must have been doing something right because Chloe was begging you,� David said.

�I didn�t beg,� she mumbled.

Alex flopped on his back.

�Please, Alex. Fuck me, Alex,� he mimicked teasingly. �I think David is right. You did do some begging.�

Her cheeks went hot, and her head whipped around to glare at Alex. Her whole body remembered that moment as her groin throbbed at the thought of his hard cock pushing into her.

�You wanted it as bad as I did,� Chloe said.

�That I did,� Alex said as he smiled at the ceiling, lost in his own memories.

She knew she was in trouble with both of them in bed with her. Chloe knew she should leave but couldn�t seem to get her body to move. What it did was make her forget about her parents� problems.

�Is there anything we can do for you?� Alex asked as he rolled toward her with a solemn look.

He asked it softly with a lot of care in his tone. It made her stomach clench with desire. She wanted them both right then to help her forget what was happening back home.

�You�re safe,� David added. �You can tell Alex what you really want.�

�You can�t tell anyone,� she said.

David and Alex both cocked their heads like a dog would if he thought he heard the mailman.

�If that�s what you want,� Alex said.

�It�s just between us,� David promised.

�Then I�m good,� Chloe said.

Alex raised an eyebrow at her.

�You sure?�

She nodded.

Alex kicked the top sheet off his long body, which allowed Chloe to see all of him in the light of day. He wasn�t as tall as David, but he was gorgeous after playing soccer for years. David chuckled, which made Chloe realize that she was staring.

Alex winked at her as her eyes traveled south across his broad shoulders, defined chest, well-muscled arms, and down the trail of hair around his belly button. His washboard stomach was just about�oh, my goodness. His cock was smooth and erect, and it looked ready for action.

David reached out and pinched the nipple closest to him, switching her attention to him.

�Get undressed,� Chloe brazenly said.

David got out of bed and stripped down to his boxers.

She�d seen his body before, and there was no doubt he was a model and an athlete. When he joined them in bed, she was bracketed by two young men that any girl would kill to be with.

She looked back at Alex as a plan began to form. She gave him a knowing smile, and Alex, in turn, gave her a confused look.

�What are you up to?�

�Play with my other tit,� Chloe whispered, not believing what just came out of her mouth. She turned to David. �You too, please.�

Large hands from each boy closed over her firm globes, tweaking her nipples and mauling them. Chloe let her head fall back, closing her eyes when she felt David turn her

head to him. Her eyes barely opened as his lips touched hers. Alex leaned down and sucked on the breast in his hand.

�Suck on them,� she moaned as David backed off.

Alex pushed David�s hand off the other breast so he could caress and tease one while he used his mouth on the other, then switched. David�s kisses became more profound and demanding as he slid his hand down her stomach.

Chloe shuddered when his thick fingers began to toy with her needy pussy.

Alex sucked hard and pulled his head back. When her nipple popped out of his mouth, he kissed her neck.

�You�re fucking stunning.�

She pushed David away, turned to Alex, and kissed him with all the feeling she could muster. His tongue sank into her mouth. David�s hand gently pulled her thighs open, his fingers massaging closer and closer to her heated core.

�You used a condom?� David asked.

Alex mumbled something, which David must have taken as a �yes� because she cried out into Alex�s kiss when David�s tongue suddenly slid over her sex.

David knew what he was doing, and it didn�t take long before her lips pulled away from Alex, and she put her palm on David�s forehead.

�Stop,� she moaned as she tried to wiggle away. �You�re driving me crazy.�

�That�s our evil plan,� Alex said with an amused look.

�You�re both okay being with me at the same time?�

Chloe asked.

The two of them grinned like idiots and bumped fists.

What the actual hell? A fist bump?

�What�s your evil plan?� Chloe asked.

�I plan to fuck you again and make you cum,� Alex said.

�I ache down there,� she admitted.

�I�ll make it all better,� David promised as he leaned back down and began eating her again.

�Let David help you,� Alex encouraged.

�Okay.�

David began to pull out all his oral skills as she found her legs spread wide. She started to get dizzy as he got her close to her release. His tongue was impossibly long and hot, and it left a path of destruction as it wormed its way into her sore little pussy. Alex had abused it yesterday in the best possible way.

Alex was watching David perform oral sex on her. Chloe grabbed two handfuls of David�s hair and arched her back when she was on the cusp. As David got her closer, her legs parted and pulled back further. When her squeals became screams of passion, Alex began to sensuously arouse her breasts and neck.

�She�s right there,� Alex announced.

David doubled down on his effort.

Alex seemed to be enjoying this, and she realized in amazement that she liked him watching as David pleasured her. Her pussy spasmed as her release exploded. Her whole body shook as pleasurable tingles shot through her. David gently sucked on her pussy through her orgasm as she finally came down and whimpered into Alex�s chest.

Alex reached down and stroked himself. She watched as he pumped his length while his other hand brushed her hair out of her face. He nuzzled her neck again and brushed his lips against hers.

�We just want to make you happy,� Alex said as he began to kiss her.

Chloe pushed him away.

�What do you need, baby?� David asked.

She did need something, but could she ask for it? Why not?

�Lose the boxers. I want to suck Mr. Happy,� she admitted.

�And what do you want me to do?� Alex asked.

�I want � I want ��

�Say it,� David urged.

�I want you inside me. I want you to fuck me.�

�We can do that,� Alex said as he hunted down another condom.

She was surprised when David straddled her chest. His cock in her face looked monstrous. His body blocked her view of Alex; she felt the bed shift as he got into position.

She wrapped her fingers around Mr. Happy and then looked up at David.

�You�ve got this,� he encouraged.

She nodded, then sucked the tip between her lips.

Alex distracted her when she felt his finger enter her to test her wetness. She moaned when he pulled out of her.

He positioned her where he wanted and pressed the head of his cock against her wet pussy, rubbing against her tenderness. Then he sank into her, and her pussy spasmed as Alex growled to show his arousal.

She pulled David forward as she tried to swallow him whole.

�Dear God! Yes � that�s good,� David cried out.

His cock filled her mouth as she tasted his familiar maleness. David began to thrust gently as she paused because Alex kept pulling her attention away from her task.

Having both of them at once was liberating, confirming that Chloe was sexy enough to attract two men of this caliber.

�Oh, fuck, that feels amazing,� David said as she swirled her tongue around the head of his dick.

Alex began to use long, deep strokes as he drove into her abused pussy. He�d done a number on her yesterday, but she wouldn�t trade today for anything, no matter how sore she was. She moaned loudly around David�s cock, unconsciously sucking in rhythm with Alex�s thrusts.

David must have been close because he began to fuck her mouth more firmly. Then he moaned, and she sucked harder, urging him to fill her mouth with his orgasm.

David�s cock kept jerking as jet after jet filled her mouth.

Finally, he eased Mr. Happy out of her mouth as he rolled to the side and flopped back, looking like a contented cat that�d eaten the canary.

�Alex,� she urged. �I�m so fucking close. Harder.�

He leaned over her and kissed her neck as he did as she asked.

�Cum for me,� Alex said. �Cream all over my cock.�

�I will,� Chloe promised.

She could feel her muscles tighten in her core, indicating the gathering storm was about to break. Alex�s cock felt huge in her tiny pussy. It ignited every nerve ending in her channel.

�You want to cum on my cock?�

�Yes.�

She absolutely lost her mind when she exploded on Alex�s magnificent cock. Her tunnel clamped down and held him deep. It was too much for Alex, and he cried out in his release.

The last thing she remembered was snuggling in a heap, sandwiched between two hard bodies, as she fell back asleep.

◊◊◊

David woke with a start. He could hear his phone, so he got out of bed and found it in his pants. It was a message from Cassidy demanding that he come to pick her up �Right Now!�

He looked at the time and saw that it was later than he�d thought. He�d not planned a threesome with Alex and Chloe in his schedule for today. He quickly got dressed and went next door to find Crystal on her phone.

�He just walked in. We�ll pick you up shortly,� she said and hung up.

�Chloe got some bad news,� David said before she could say anything.

He then told her about Chloe�s parents.

�That�s terrible. I understand why you needed time to talk to her.�

David cringed, and Crystal caught it.

�What did you do?�

�I went down on her and then let her suck my dick to help her forget.�

She laughed at him. Of all the responses he thought he might get, laughter wasn�t even on the list.

�You better pray that Chloe doesn�t share that, or all a girl has to do is tell you they received bad news, and you�ll go down on them � oh � and let them suck your dick.�

�She wasn�t sad when I left,� David said to defend himself.

His phone buzzed again.

�I may have to go down on Cassidy if we don�t pick her up,� David said, reading the message.

◊◊◊

Cassidy saw David pull up, so she prepared to give him a piece of her mind.

�Before you get into the car, Miss Bossy Pants is through,� David said as he got out.

Cassidy looked him in the eye, shrugged, and got into the car. Brook was with her and looked shocked.

�You�re going to just play nice?� Brook asked before David could get back into the car.

�Carol and Coby are both way more stubborn than I am, and David stands up to them without a problem,� Cassidy said. �But now he�ll have to be extra nice to me.�

When he got back in, all three girls stared at him.

Cassidy gave him points for not rolling his eyes or making a smartass comment. He really was growing up.

Their first stop was the grocery store. David was in charge of bringing food while Brook was supposed to get drinks. Cassidy saw him grab a stray cart in the parking lot.

She knew his worst nightmare was one of them crashing into his Demon. So, he made sure all the carts were secure near where he parked out of habit.

�I should probably ride in a cart,� Cassidy announced innocently.

David sighed, and she saw him mentally count to ten before he nodded and surprised her by picking her up and placing her in the cart. She was sometimes amazed by how strong he really was. They�d occasionally teased him in high school about secretly being The Hulk.

He began to push her to the door.

�Faster,� Cassidy ordered.

David raced toward the front door as if shot out of a gun.

Cassidy screamed and then giggled as he swerved around the end of the row of cars and ran down the next aisle. He then turned them around and flew toward the automatic doors.

The store manager was hustling from her office when they came inside, and David picked an empty aisle to run back to the deli.

�Stop! No running! Carts are for kids!�

�Order for Dawson,� David said loud enough that the store manager heard him.

Cassidy snorted when the woman suddenly was super friendly.

�Mr. Dawson, I didn�t know it was you. It�s just a safety issue � anyway � no harm, no foul. Jim,� she called back to the Deli Manager. �Bring out the Dawson order.�

�We need drinks, too,� David said.

�Carl! Carl! Come help.�

Brook went with Carl as Crystal showed up with another cart.

�I now know why you love living here. Being David Dawson, you get premium service,� Crystal quipped.

�He gets that everywhere,� Cassidy said. �Though I sometimes have to remind them of who he is in LA.�

Cassidy saw him frown. Then she realized his problem.

David had only ordered sub trays and potato salad, and he�d forgotten that girls might want something else, so Brook had added to his order. On top of the stack of food were a raw veggie platter and another with cut-up fruit.

Again, he took it in stride.

Cassidy knew that if he really had a problem with it, David wasn�t a wimp; he�d say something. He just knew which battles were worth fighting.

She had to get out of the cart when they needed the room as they loaded up.

◊◊◊

There was a knock at the front door, and Phil hurried to answer it.

�Coach Thomas, welcome.�

�Thanks for having me.�

�Everyone�s in the dining room. Mom made monkey bread. Would you like coffee or something else?� Phil asked in a rush of nervousness.

�Coffee is fine,� Coach Thomas said.

Phil took him to the dining room and introduced him to his mom and stepdad. His dad and Uncle John were also there for moral support. Coach Thomas knew Rob and the two of them chatted while Phil got the coffee.

When everyone was seated and had some food, Coach Thomas began.

�I�ve just come from meeting with your teammate Roc.

Mrs. Pearson might be one of the funniest people I�ve ever met.�

Phil had to agree. He�d eaten dinner at the Pearson farm several times, and she always had a story to tell. He actually thought that Mr. Pearson was funnier because he was clueless about � well � everything.

The last time he�d been over at their house, he�d pulled Phil aside.

�I need your help.�

�Okay,� Phil said warily because this could mean anything from helping him lift something to driving a tractor for a week.

�I was down at the grain store yesterday, and Jimmy announced that he is now a woman and expects everyone to call him ma�am or miss or whatever.�

�That�s sort of a thing now, and it�s considered rude not to,� Phil explained.

�No, I get that. It�s the whole calling yourself a woman that I don�t get. Women can do stuff that men can�t.

Shouldn�t Jimmy have to be able to do some of those things before he can claim he�s changed sex?� Mr. Pearson asked.

�You mean like a test?�

�Exactly.�

�How would you test them?� Phil asked, suddenly interested in what he had to say.

�I don�t know,� Mr. Pearson pondered and then brightened. �I know. My wife can turn a compliment into an argument. Last night, I told my wife she had finally perfected making fried chicken. It was hot and had a nice crunch and just the right amount of spice. Her response was, �You mean you didn�t like my chicken before?��

Phil knew that Roc�s mom took her cooking seriously.

But Mr. Pearson had a point. No man could turn an innocent comment into fighting words. Maybe they should have to take a test.

�Did Roc commit?� his dad asked to bring Phil back to the current conversation.

�His mom has her heart set on him going to Goshen College, but he�d talked her into State so he can play football,� Coach Thomas said.

Goshen College was a religious school in Indiana.

�His dad wants him to be close to help work on the farm,� Phil explained.

�I told them that Roc is good enough to play at USC.

They hadn�t considered that their son might be that talented. They need some time to take that in, but Roc said he wanted to give us a chance.�

�Honestly, Roc is the best athlete in my class. He was playing varsity ball before the rest of us,� Phil said.

�I appreciate your input, but we�re not here to talk about Roc. I want to share why I think you should consider USC,�

Coach Thomas said.

He then went into his sales pitch. He even pulled out a tablet and showed plays Phil had run over the last few games and then compared them to what they did at USC. It was an excellent way to illustrate how he would fit into what USC wanted in their quarterbacks.

�Phil would be walking into a crowded quarterback room,� Rob said. �You�ve got Matt Long, David, and you are heavily recruiting Colt Macklin. If Phil goes to State, he�s all but guaranteed to start by his junior year, if not sooner.�

Phil nodded his agreement with what his dad had just said. Both David and Colt were considered the number one recruits in their class, while Matt had ended up in the top ten. In comparison, Phil was currently rated in the top 500.

It was a crazy amount of talent for any one college to have, and only a handful could come close.

�Let�s talk reality,� Coach Thomas said. �If � and this is a big if � the quarterback room plays out with the talent in front of Phil, he�ll never start.�

Coach Thomas paused to let that sink in.

�But let�s be honest. In one weekend, all three of them could be injured. We saw David go down with a concussion,

and Matt is currently out with an injury. It�s rare to see a quarterback not miss at least one game during a season.

�I also don�t see David and Matt coexisting over the long haul. They are both too talented not to be the starter. I predict that one of them will transfer because they need to be able to showcase their talent if they want to play in the NFL. I�m not saying I want either of them to leave; I�m just being realistic about the situation.

�With all that being said, yes, we are looking at you as a backup. We would redshirt you the first year. If Colt does come to USC, he will be higher on the depth chart than you. Of course, you will get a chance to compete, but your best shot at playing time will be when Colt leaves early for the NFL. When that happens, you will still have eligibility, and it would be your turn to take the reins,� Coach Thomas said.

�If not sooner because of injuries,� Uncle John added.

Phil both liked and hated that they were all being honest with him. The part he hated was that they basically said that his talent wasn�t as good as the other three. He might not be as tall, but Phil had finally gotten serious about football. Over the summer, Bud Mason had turned him into a quarterback.

USC was a huge opportunity, and they had a tradition of getting quarterbacks to the pros. Even if he only started one year, it was a much clearer path to playing pro ball than he would get at State.

Finally, something he had in common with his brother David was that if he put his mind to it, Phil would work until he achieved his goal, which was to play in the NFL.

�There�s one last thing you should know,� Coach Thomas said. �If you commit, you�ll be the only quarterback we take in this class.�

�We�ll let you know soon,� Rob said.

�I hope to hear good news,� Coach Thomas said. �I�m checking out a receiver David suggested. Do you know

Damion Roth? He would have been in your brother�s class and now plays at Iowa Western Community College.�

Phil had to think for a moment.

�Was that the receiver who played at Wesleyan?�

�That�s the one.�

�Let me just say that we played them in the championship game when we won state that year. Coach Hope was so worried about Damion that he put David in at cornerback to slow him down. From what I understand, he is a true talent on the field. The off-the-field stuff has kept him from playing at a higher level.

�If he got his grades straightened out, I would take him in an instant. He is far too good not to be playing on Sunday someday,� Phil said.

�That was what your brother said,� Coach Thomas said as he took his leave.

�What do you think?� his mom asked.

�If Roc is willing to go to USC, I�ll say �yes,� too.�

◊◊◊

The lake brought back a lot of memories for Tami.

Mainly because this was where one of her best friends lost his life trying to save a classmate. Well, that wasn�t exactly true. Jeff had gone into a coma, and the fear was that he would have brain damage because of the lack of oxygen. In the end, the lake water in his lungs finally did him in by causing an infection.

The worst part was that because she planned to eventually become a doctor, Tami had known what was likely to happen. She�d tried to prepare David and Alan as much as possible, but when Jeff finally succumbed, it had devastated both of them.

Teenagers were not built to handle death; most had never faced their mortality and felt like they would live forever. Seeing two people struck down in their prime was hard�yes, the girl Jeff tried to save had died as well.

Wind time forward to the present. Tami had come home to talk to her mom about her premed program at Stanford.

It turned out to be much more challenging than she expected. Freshman chemistry had all but done her in, and she wasn�t the only one whose butt got kicked. Several people, who she thought were even brighter than she was, had dropped out because they�d taken a nasty hit to their grade point average after that class.

Tami had somehow managed to get an �A,� but it was only through force of will and a tremendous amount of time she had to dedicate to achieve that grade. Her current chemistry class was even worse, so much so that her joy at the thought of becoming a doctor had left her. She was thinking of changing majors.

Her mom had listened and basically said the decision was Tami�s but reminded her why she�d once loved the idea of being a doctor.

She was in a bit of a funk when David found her sitting on a picnic table, staring out across the lake. It really was a pretty spot.

He sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder to give her a hug. Tami�s emotions got the better of her, and she laid her head on his chest and hugged him back.

They sat there quietly as she tuned out the world and felt David�s arms around her. It felt like everything would be okay, that he would protect her.

Finally, she sighed and pulled away from his embrace.

David wasn�t the one who had to solve her problem.

�Tell me a secret,� David said quietly.

This was a game from their childhood David had come up with when she learned that her dad didn�t want her. Her dad had started another family, and David had used the game to get her to talk to him about how her dad�s rejection hurt.

�I�m questioning whether I�m cut out for Stanford premed.�

She looked at him because the rule was that he had to now tell her one.

�I secretly think these jeans make my butt look hot.�

She slugged him in the chest, and he acted like a big baby. But he�d done what he intended to do, make her smile.

�Now tell me a real one,� Tami ordered.

�I miss Jeff.�

�That�s a given.�

�I�ve been thinking of ways I could end Alan�s life and get away with it.�

�That�s easy. We stuff him in a 55-gallon drum of acid.

It�ll get rid of all the trace evidence,� Tami said.

�I was leaning toward feeding him to hogs.�

They�d both watched too many movies. At least he hadn�t picked the wood chipper because that was just gross. It

was probably for the best that none of David�s farms had hogs, or he might follow through on his fantasy.

Then David turned the conversation back to her.

�What�s going on? Is it that chemistry class?�

He was getting much better at listening to her. He would never have made that connection in middle school.

�I struggled freshman year in chem and barely got an

�A.� This year, it�s brutal. I�ve got to seriously up my game, and what it�s done is make me question if I want to become a doctor or not,� Tami said.

�Look at it this way. They make us take calculus for a business degree. I�ve used it in my stats class, and I genuinely believe I can figure out anything with math. But the reality is that running a business day-to-day has nothing to do with calculus; it�s about people. Some of them will need to know calculus, but that�s why I would hire them.

�Being a doctor, you need to understand chemistry, but when you are doing rounds or other doctor stuff? Isn�t that what the lab is for?� David asked.

�I have to be able to read the lab reports,� Tami said, pushing back, but she got what David was talking about.

�I know you�ll find a way to survive chemistry. Down the road, if you don�t like the doctor stuff, that�s when you decide whether you want to do it as a career. Calculus is my chemistry. It�s the foundation to get to my end goal.�

Cassidy walked up, looking sad.

�What�s up, Buttercup?� David asked.

�I was thinking about Jeff,� Cassidy said. �What are you talking about?�

�Tami�s whining about not being smart enough, and she was conceding that I�m the smart friend,� David teased.

�Tami�s way smarter than you,� Cassidy announced as she sat down, and David hugged her.

�I know, but don�t tell her that,� David said.

�I won�t,� Cassidy promised. �He was a great guy.�

Tami sometimes forgot that Jeff had gained a wider range of friends after she�d left to go to school at Wesleyan.

David had talked him into going out for football, and he�d dated Cassidy. Jeff had had some hiccups along the way, but he had started to become a good man. Alan was right. Jeff might have been the best of them.

�This isn�t supposed to be a downer. The lake was always a place we came to for fun. Let�s remember Jeff and those times, too,� Tami said.

�I agree. Let�s have some fun,� David said.

◊◊◊

David was having a great time catching up. Many of the people there he hadn�t seen since he graduated. During a lull, he found Pam.

�Coby was conceived here,� Pam reminded him.

�He was. He was also the one that made me realize that condoms are a wonderful invention.�

�Too bad you didn�t learn that sooner,� Pam said with a smile.

�If only there were do-overs,� David thought.

He took a moment before saying, �I know it happened way too soon, but I wouldn�t change anything after the initial shock. And the best part is my mom is off my ass about grandkids.�

�Speaking of whom, they all are over at my mom�s condo, using the swimming pool.�

Ashley and Scarlet had once lived in that same building.

David remembered when Coby was a newborn, Pam had dunked him. He couldn�t believe babies knew to hold their breath when they went under. Coby had loved the pool ever since. Actually, Pam had made it her mission to make all the munchkins love swimming.

�Why aren�t you there?� David asked.

�Because I wanted to hang out with you.�

�Good answer. I always enjoy spending time with you, too.�

�Tracy told me yesterday that she�s now your favorite.�

That made him chuckle.

�She might be my backup plan if Crystal gets smart and dumps me.�

�If that happened, Cassidy would be the next woman up,� Pam said.

�She only thinks of me as a friend.�

�You really are still a �stupid boy� if you believe that. I predict that she�ll be the one you actually marry.�

�You�re bailing on me?� David asked, acting hurt.

�I think what we have right now works. At some point, I�ll find a guy, and you�ll be happy for me.�

David�s Alpha Male reared his head at that comment, but David tamped him down.

�As long as you�re happy, I will be, too.�

They both knew that was a big step for him. Pam patted his hand and then leaned in close.

�Do me a favor and tell Tracy I�m still your favorite.�

�Always.�

◊◊◊

Alan wanted to meet at Monical�s. Tami offered to give David a ride so Crystal could have his rental car.

They found Alan in a booth toward the back.

�I wasn�t sure if you�d come, but I figured if it was here

��

The lure of Monical�s was great but not enough to get him to come to meet Alan.

�We�re not staying to eat,� Tami said.

�So, what is it you want from me?� David asked to end the small talk.

�All the way back in Little League, you guys always made me be on your team. When we got to high school, you and

Jeff got me involved in coaching so we could all hang out,�

Alan said.

�When you focused on that, you weren�t half bad,� David said. �It was the other crap, like giving my gear away, that I could have lived without.�

�I miss coaching, and someday, I would like to do that for a living,� Alan said.

David could see that. Alan had a mind for figuring out how to win. When they played video games, he always kicked their butts. That carried over to football. His biggest problem was that Alan had a mouth on him that didn�t have a filter. Alan also didn�t like jocks.

�If I remember correctly, you had to go to Wesleyan because I announced I was no longer going to protect you.

The whole team wanted a piece of you,� David said.

�That�s something I�m working on.�

Tami gave Alan a sad look and shook her head to say,

�When I see it, I�ll believe it.�

�What do you want from me?� David asked.

�To put in a good word to Bo Harrington. Ask him to give me a chance.�

David almost told Alan to �kiss my ass� but stopped. In the grand scheme of things, Alan no longer mattered to David. He looked over at Tami and could tell she was on board with telling Alan, �no.�

�If I do, I want something in return,� David said.

�Anything.�

�That�s it. This is the last of the goodwill you�ve earned by us being friends since kindergarten. I�ll be cordial if we see each other in the future, but we�re done being friends,�

David said.

�I�m good with that.�

Tami slid out of the booth, and David followed.

�Tami, if you could stay, I need to make amends,� Alan said.

�You really don�t. Unlike David, I don�t have it in me to forgive you.�

Alan didn�t have anything to say to that, so they left.

When they got into the car, Tami wanted to talk. They rehashed everything Alan had pulled, and as their discussion continued, it honestly made David regret agreeing to help him. Even with his mental health defense, he�d been a vile shit of a human being.

�I can�t believe you�re going to call Coach Harrington,�

Tami said.

�Yes, you can.�

�No, I can�t.�

�Stop and think about me for a moment,� David challenged.

�Screw being a man of your word for Alan. He wouldn�t piss on you if you were on fire, and you know it.�

�That may be true, but I said I would do it. I didn�t say I would talk him up, though,� David said.

�But you will.�

She was right. He would tell Bo what he thought of Alan as a potential help for his program. But he would also recommend Bo keep an eye on Alan and why.

Tami dropped him off at the hotel. David sent his parents and Cindy a message to meet him because he had another project he wanted to take on.

◊◊◊

Cindy took in the land David wanted to build a house on.

They�d parked at his farm and followed a path through the woods leading to a bridge crossing a lazy, winding river.

David had taken them through the woods, where a clearing opened on a bluff that overlooked the river.

�How did you find this?� Rob asked.

�Zoe took me horseback riding. We took a break under that walnut tree,� David said.

�Were you thinking about building your permanent home here?� Carol asked.

�Eventually, it might be that, but it would be a getaway for now. I could see us doing Christmas here. We also dug out the river, and the bottom is now gravel. There�s a sand beach on the other side of the bridge,� David said.

�What are you looking for?� Cindy asked.

�I don�t know. It could be anything from a cabin to something high-end. I thought you could talk to the people at Ohio State and have them come up with candidate designs.�

�I liked Devin Range�s log home,� Carol said. �But I also liked the great vaulted room in the guest house with a fireplace surrounded by two-story floor-to-ceiling windows.

They would need to do something like that to capture the view.�

�An outdoor area with a fire pit would be nice,� Rob added.

�What about Tim?� Carol asked.

�Who?� Cindy asked.

�Tim Foresee. He�s studying to be an architect at Oklahoma,� David said.

�Maybe have them do something similar to Ohio State.

Offer a prize for the winning design,� Rob said.

�That sounds good, but I�m not guaranteeing I will build the winning home. I might see some ideas from others I�d want to incorporate,� Carol said.

Both his dad and he looked at his mom. �When did this become her home?� David wondered.

His mom ignored the men as she and Cindy began to talk about possible ideas.

�I think you know who to delegate this to,� Rob said.

�But � never mind. Like she said, I�m not promising to build what they come up with.�

His dad just laughed at him.

◊◊◊

Crystal had decided on a day-spa outing with Chloe and Brook. They�d gotten Brook to open up about when she and David had dated.

�Looking back, I always knew that David would be okay if we split up. His friends used to joke that David was a victim of the Tiger Woods effect. He gets no credit for all the girls he turns down in a day, but one slipup � and he receives a golf club upside his head at four in the morning.

I can�t imagine what it�s like for you now that the James Bond movie is out,� Brook said.

�I don�t think he even realizes women are interested in him,� Chloe said.

�He does, but I don�t worry because he backs his words up with actions.�

�What about this morning?� Chloe asked.

�Yeah, what about this morning?� Crystal thought.

�We talked about him possibly being with you beforehand. I swear, he�s the only guy I know who would warn you he might cheat before doing it,� Crystal admitted.

�Is it really cheating?� Brook asked.

�I guess not,� Crystal conceded. �It�s just that � I don�t know.�

�Like you said, he backs up his words with actions. I�m sure he cares about you very much,� Brook said.

It helped to hear that a former girlfriend had the same insecurities that Crystal had periodically. Crystal had no doubt that David loved her and that Chloe was no threat.

Crystal felt like their relationship was fine for now.

Then she remembered something her mom had told her.

The moments when life seemed perfect usually signified that stuff was about to go awry. Maybe even very awry.

Like an opalescent bubble, the illusion could burst in an instant.

Crystal�s phone rang. She looked and saw it was her dad. He never called unless it was important, so she answered it.

�Hey, Dad.�

�I need you to do something for me. I want you to talk to David and get him to see reason regarding his casting choices.�

�You lost me, Dad. What are you talking about?� Crystal asked.

�Oh � erm � I just assumed he would talk to you about this.�

�About what, Dad?�

�About his soap. They asked me to find the actors to play David�s wife and girlfriend. They said that he got to make the final decision. I�ve got two up-and-coming girls who could use the exposure ��

�Pun intended,� Crystal interjected.

�Whatever � it�s a big opportunity. The girls would appear during sweeps week in The Young and The Wild�s new time slot. But David picked his own women, who aren�t really in the business, and they�re being unreasonable,�

Kendrick complained.

�You said they aren�t really in the business. Who did he pick?�

�Adrienne and Kate Upton.�

�Why would he pick Adrienne and Kate Upton?� Crystal asked.

�Uh oh, I might know,� Brook said, obviously eavesdropping.

�What�s going on?� Chloe asked.

�Dad, I�m going to put you on speaker. One of the girls with me knows why David picked two supermodels.�

�Hi, Mr. Knaggy. I�m Brook Davis. I dated David in high school.�

�Call me Kendrick.�

Even Crystal cringed when her dad said that. He sounded like the pompous ass he could be when he did stuff like that.

�David collects mentors when he�s doing something new.

When he got into modeling, he was at an event put on by Ford Models. Adrienne was one of their featured people, and she agreed to have some pictures taken with David.

There�s actually a video of the whole encounter on social media,� Brook shared.

�Found it,� Kendrick said.

He invited them to join him on video chat and changed the view from him to his monitor. He played the video.

�Wait for it,� Brook said, holding up a finger.

�Oh, wow. That�s hot,� Chloe said.

�I guess they have chemistry,� Kendrick conceded.

�Adrienne liked David from that moment forward and became his mentor. They�ve done a lot of modeling together. The funny thing is, Adrienne has a girlfriend, and she�s not into guys,� Brook said.

�She fooled me,� Kendrick said.

�Dad!� Crystal warned.

�Just saying. That looked real,� Kendrick said to defend himself.

�Now, Kate is David�s not-so-secret crush. He started a campaign early on to convince her to go to his prom with him. I guess she and Adrienne are close friends ��

�Wait?! What?!� Kendrick asked.

�Adrienne and Kate Upton know each other very well,�

Brook said.

�That might explain some of what�s going on.�

�Dad, we�ll get back to that. I want to hear about stalker David,� Crystal said.

�He finally convinced her to go to prom with him.

Unfortunately, something came up, and Kate had to bail, but guess who took her place � Adrienne,� Brook said.

�Wasn�t Kate in one of his movies?� Chloe asked.

�The Secret Circle,� Brook said.

�That�s right. She played the hot teacher,� Kendrick said.

�Dad!�

He didn�t even look embarrassed.

�So, you said there was a problem,� Brook said.

�They both instantly said �yes,� so I called the studio and told them I�d gotten them. My next call was going to be to David when Kate called me. She said there was a problem with the contract. She needed a trailer on set and a nanny to watch her daughter.�

�She has the cutest baby girl,� Chloe said.

�Then Adrienne called. She also wanted a trailer and said this kind of stuff made her nervous, so she would need a personal masseuse. She said that when she was in LA, there was a gal there she loved. She was only ten grand an hour,� Kendrick said.

Brook began to laugh.

�What?� Crystal asked.

�David is having fun with you. I bet their demands kept getting bigger with each call,� Brook said.

�How did you know?� Kendrick asked. �Kate said that she could only ride in a Rolls Royce because it has some kind of special leather in it.�

�I bet if you asked, they would both simply agree to do it or tell you �no,�� Brook said. �David is having fun with you.�

�Does he know who he is �� Kendrick began, but Brook cut him off.

�Take it as a compliment. David would never mess with you if he didn�t like you.�

�Oh.�

�Is David still into Kate? She isn�t on his list,� Crystal said.

�That�s because she�s married to �some baseball guy,� as David calls him. You have nothing to worry about unless her husband gives David the okay. Even then, he would

want to talk about it. I would bet he would ask your permission, too,� Brook said.

�Oh,� it was Crystal�s turn to say.

He did like to overtalk some stuff.

�Something I do know is that David would never have suggested those two if he didn�t think they could do the actual work. If I were you, I might call their bullshit, and you�ll look like a rock star for delivering them. They would probably draw a ton of male viewers who don�t usually watch,� Brook said.

�The studio was excited when I gave them the names,�

Kendrick admitted.

�Plus, I bet you can get them to pull pranks on David,�

Brook added.

�I could send David an estimated bill for all the extras they want and tell him if he wants them, he has to pay it,�

Kendrick said.

�I bet he would pay if you got them,� Brook guessed.

�He has it bad for both of them, but he�ll never admit it.�

�I think you just became my new best friend,� Crystal decided.

�You can call me if you need advice,� Brook said.

�Crystal, get her number for me,� Kendrick said and hung up.

�What just happened?� Brook asked.

�Knowing my dad, he�ll want to call you to get ideas on how to �handle� David,� Crystal said with air quotes.

�Maybe don�t give him my number,� Brook said.

Crystal had to agree.

◊◊◊

Emily closed her laptop and shook her head. How pathetic could she be? It was a Saturday afternoon in Southern California, all sunshine and gorgeous. Here she was, sitting alone in her dorm room, contemplating doing her Lit paper on Victorian women or watching streaming video while the Phi Sigs were having a cookout and party.

Lars and Chuy had both offered to come over and walk her to the frat house.

But after the �incident,� as she was now calling it, frat parties had lost some of their luster.

From the hall, she heard muffled, excited voices. Then there was a knock at the door. She opened it and found Lars giving his devil-may-care smile that had caused the stir from her dorm-mates. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him into her room before one of them decided to join them.

Lars strode in and sat in her roommate�s desk chair, then twirled it around so he could face her. She couldn�t help but think he looked like that guy who played Thor in the movies. The only difference was that he was thinner and better looking.

�As your big brother, it�s my job to make sure you�re not sitting around in your sweat pants and grungy t-shirt all weekend,� Lars said.

He�d just described her attire. But she wasn�t falling for it because she caught a whiff of beer on his breath. They must have gotten started early, but he didn�t seem drunk�

just relaxed.

�I have homework to do.�

Even she heard the lie in her voice. She tried to convince herself that she had a life, but �doing homework� didn�t sound like much of one.

�Everyone needs a break. Come on over and let me grill you a burger.�

�No.�

�No?�

He raised his eyebrows. Her heart was pounding as they locked eyes. After a minute or so, she finally broke the silence.

�Why are you inviting me over when you�ll have to babysit me the whole time?�

She found herself looking at her shoes.

�I�ve seen how you watch me,� Lars said, which caused her to look at him.

Blood rushed to her face.

�I don�t mean to. You�re my big brother,� she whispered.

�Your big sister is off with David. I won�t tell her if you promise not to, and we can have some fun. Now put on some sexy jeans.�

Emily blinked because he was probably used to ordering people around. She could imagine him telling girls what to do and them falling all over themselves to comply. The easy way he had made her worry. It wouldn�t take much for him to talk her into going.

�I � I can�t.�

She shook her head.

�What do you mean?�

He crossed his arms and stood up. He came close to her, invading her space. Why did he have to do that? He had an unfair advantage with his broad shoulders and male scent with an undertone of cologne.

�Come have fun.�

�You don�t understand.�

�I think I do. Crystal put me in charge of making sure you�re safe. Chuy has also volunteered to look after you,�

Lars said.

Oh. My. God. He gently rubbed her shoulders as she felt her desire come to life.

�I was raised to not trust guys � and ��

�And?� Lars asked.

�I�ve never even kissed anyone, and then that happened,� came out in a rush.

Lars leaned forward and turned his head. His lips met hers in a gentle kiss.

�Now you have,� Lars said quietly.

�Not really. You�re my big brother, plus that was just a peck,� Emily found herself saying.

Lars slid his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her against his body. He was kissing her, and it wasn�t a little peck. His lips were soft, and it was much more arousing than she expected.

�Oh, God!�

His tongue pushed between her lips!

As quickly as it started, Lars stepped back and smiled at her.

�Come over,� he repeated. �Send me a message, and I�ll have someone give you a ride.�

�And you�ll take care of me?� Emily asked.

�We will.�

�We?� she wondered.

He must mean him and Chuy.

�I�ll send you a message.�

Lars took his leave.

As soon as the door closed and automatically locked, she rubbed one out on her bed. She found her rabbit in her nightstand and pushed it inside her. When it was in place, she turned the vibrator on.

�Lars!� Emily cried out. �Fuck me hard.�

◊◊◊

She waited until after ten before she called. From what she heard in the background, the party was in full swing.

Lars said someone would be there in thirty minutes to pick her up.

She decided she needed a little pre-party action. Emily cranked her music and pulled her roommate�s bottle of lemon-flavored vodka out of their mini-fridge. Time was against her, so she just wrapped her lips around the mouth of the bottle and took a big swig.

Emily discovered that was a mistake as she gagged and almost coughed it up. It burned all the way down. When it didn�t kill her, she took another big gulp.

There was pounding on her door. Emily worried it was her RA, coming to complain about her music. She turned it down and opened the door. Taking up most of the doorframe was Chuy.

�Est� bueno,� Emily said.

Chuy�s whole face broke out into a smile.

�You think so?�

Her face felt like it might combust. She�d believed she just thought that he was hot. Reflecting back, she�d actually said it out loud.

Chuy walked her down to Lars� car, and they got in.

During the drive, a tingling warmth spread out from her stomach to the rest of her body, and she started to feel relaxed. They pulled into the Phi Sig parking lot, and Chuy jumped out and ran around to open her door.

�My lady,� he said as he offered her his hand.

She sucked in her breath as Chuy bent down to kiss her cheek when she stood. Her hands came up and touched his chest, which was rippled with muscles under his shirt. They walked through the back door into the kitchen.

�You came.�

Lars had a big smile. Some sorority girl looked pissed when he left her to come over and give Emily a hug.

Emily�s heartbeat accelerated when Lars sniffed the air, then his eyes locked on hers. Oh, God! Could he smell her arousal? She should have taken a shower after masturbating. He was suddenly standing much closer than he needed to.

�I would have come to get you myself, but drama happened, and we had to kick out some guys. Beer?�

�Do you have any leftover burgers? I forgot to eat,�

Emily said.

�I could fire up the grill again. I�m sure some of the guys would be up for eating again,� Lars said as he grabbed a plate of raw patties out of the refrigerator.

�I�ll get her a beer,� Chuy volunteered.

Emily spotted a bag of chips and an open jar of salsa, so she helped herself. Chuy was back with her beer. He put his large hand on the small of her back and guided her to the backyard, where Lars had just put some burgers on. Her breath caught as Chuy�s thumb stroked the small of her back, right above the waistband of her jeans. At least that stupid shot of vodka was helping. Her legs weren�t shaking now, even though her crotch was already damp again.

It didn�t take long before the burgers were ready. The three of them found a table out of the way. It felt good to be out with two guys she felt safe with. As they talked, someone announced that the after-party would be at Sig Ep. The crowd began to clear out.

She stood up and set the empty beer bottle on the patio table. Chuy had to answer nature�s call, and Lars said he had to walk through the house to make sure nothing out of the ordinary was going down. She found a garbage can and began to pick up empty cups in the backyard.

Music came back on, and her favorite song came on.

Emily began to sway her hips to the beat. Out of nowhere, someone came up behind her and wrapped their arm around her so their hand was on her stomach. She jerked away, but they held her tight.

�Lars �?� she asked.

�Chuy,� he said over his shoulder.

Emily groaned.

�What are you doing?� Emily asked as she glanced down at his hand on her stomach.

�Dancing with you.�

�You�re too close,� Emily complained.

Chuy pulled her closer, and she felt his hot breath on her neck.

�I don�t think so. Just let yourself enjoy the music.�

His other hand found her hip and gave it a tiny push to get her hips swaying again. With his body rubbing against hers, she felt something poking into her lower back. She knew she should put some distance between them. Her whole body was hot now.

His hands held her against him like he had every right to touch her. She felt his broad chest, rock-hard abs, and what felt like a crowbar rub against her back. Oh, God, what was happening? Chuy spun her around so she was facing him.

Then he kissed her.

She was too shocked to resist. One of her three crushes was seriously kissing her, and he even growled, which was so hot. Like Lars had shown her, she opened her mouth, and Chuy�s tongue was added as he roughly kissed her.

Why was he doing this? Why was she doing this? And why was burning desire arrowing through her body along with fury? Confused, panting, and painfully aroused, she raked her nails down his back and bit his lower lip, hard.

�Damn, girl,� Chuy said. �I suspected a tiger was lurking under your cool facade.�

Chuy maneuvered her backward from the center of the patio until they were in the shadows. She could see his look of desire and feel his muscles as he pressed her back into a tree. He moved them so they were partially hidden from prying eyes, then his lips found hers again. She pulled her head back.

�Wait. You can�t really want someone like me. You go for the easy girls.�

Chuy grabbed her hand and pressed it over the tire iron in his pants.

�Guys can�t fake that. I wouldn�t be so hard if I didn�t want you.�

Emily was so shocked that her hand remained on his cock after he released her. She could just make out his cocky grin right before he kissed her again. She moaned when his hand slid under her shirt and cupped her breast.

�You�ve got a banging hot body. If you dressed a bit sluttier, you�d give Wren a run for her money.�

He sucked in his breath when she squeezed his cock, but he turned his head. She followed his gaze and saw Lars standing beside them, smiling.

�So, she�s up for this?� Lars asked.

She sucked in her breath when Lars reached down for the hem of his shirt and peeled it off his hot body.

�Lars is right. We have on too many clothes,� Chuy said as he followed suit.

While Chuy took his shirt off, Lars had undone his jeans and was now standing there in only his boxers. She could see the thick outline of his engorged cock in the dim light.

�What�s going on?� Emily asked. �Why are you taking your clothes off?

Chuy lifted her shirt over her head to expose her braless breasts. He pinched her stiff nipple and rolled it between his fingers. Lars chuckled softly when she closed her eyes and moaned. She felt Lars take her hand and put it on his bare cock. He�d lost his boxers.

�We�ll make it a night to remember,� Lars said in almost a whisper.

While Lars distracted her, Chuy had undressed. She knew because she felt his naked dick brush against her stomach.

�You need to learn to trust men again, and the best way to do that is with knowledge. We�ll show you what you�ve been missing.�

�We?� she sputtered.

�Me and Lars.�

�Together? At the same time? Are you serious? I�m not that kind of girl!�

�You want us both,� Lars said.

�I don�t!�

�Just relax. We�ll take our time and make it feel good.�

She shuddered when she felt Chuy caress her tummy, then push his hand inside her jeans until he cupped her sex. Her eyes got big when she felt a man touch her there for the first time.

�She�s literally dripping,� Chuy said.

Lars reached over and undid her jeans. He then pulled them down and helped her step out of them, then removed her tennis shoes and socks. Emily was now with two naked men, one of whom had his hand in her panties, fingering her.

�What do you want?� Lars asked.

Emily turned to Chuy and looked into his intense eyes.

�What do you want?� she asked.

He wrapped his other hand into her hair and pulled it back to expose her neck.

�I want to fuck you,� Chuy hissed right before his lips found her neck.

Saying it so bluntly caused her legs to wobble.

�And I want to ravish you. I want to take your virginity and then fuck you again and again,� Lars said.

�It will be deep, fast, and hard. You�ll be begging us before we�re done,� Chuy promised.

She thought she might pass out.

�Easy, Dude. We have to break her in first,� Lars said.

Two guys at once sounded so naughty, so wrong. Her dad would disown her. But she�d read stories online about a girl with two guys, and she�d cum, cum hard.

Then her thoughts turned to her ultimate fantasy, David.

He was a pipe dream, if there ever was one. Should she give up a chance to be with Lars and Chuy, even if it was both at once? It was sort of the reverse of the saying her

dad always said. It was now, �did you give up two cocks in hand for one in the bush?� She chuckled at how she�d butchered it and the double meanings.

Her hands moved of their own accord as she found both of their cocks.

�I�ll take that as a �yes,�� Lars said.

◊◊◊

They�d made their way through the fraternity house naked until they reached Lars� room. Once there, she felt hands everywhere as two large male bodies were on either side of her. She could feel their hot muscles when they flexed to move. While one of them kissed her, the other ran his tongue and lips over her breasts. It felt like her skin was on fire.

Emily decided not to be passive; she reached out and ran her hands over their male forms. The three of them became a tangled mess of wanton desire. One of them had found her sex and began to pleasure her. Her thighs were slick with her juices.

�Let�s find out if you�re ready,� Lars crooned.

Emily cried out as his fingers slid inside her. He pushed in deeper, opening up her pussy while his thumb rubbed her clit. She completely lost it as she came hard.

�She�s had sex before,� Lars announced.

�Never with a guy,� Emily said.

�This is hot. Did you lose your cherry to a girl? Let me guess, it was Wren,� Chuy said.

�No! David gave me a bunny.�

�A what?� Chuy asked.

�He must have given her a rabbit vibrator,� Lars said.

�First, total props to David, but mainly, that is so hot,�

Chuy said.

Her hands reached out to both sides, running over hard male bodies and smooth, warm skin until her palms closed

over two engorged, hot, pulsing cocks. The sudden moans and groans made her unbelievably turned on, and her pussy tingled and begged to be filled with something other than a finger.

Lars showed her how to jack off a guy. Her hands began to rhythmically stroke them. Lars scooted up.

�Suck me,� he all but begged.

His cock was soft and hard as he pressed the tip against her lips. Her lips parted, and she found his cock to be smooth. He pushed it into her mouth. When she had an inch or two on her tongue, he stopped to let her get used to it.

�Use your tongue to pleasure him,� Chuy coached her.

Lars caressed her cheek.

�Swirl your tongue over the head,� Lars said. When she did, his head fell back, and he said, �You�re a natural.�

While she sucked Lars, Chuy was teasing her pussy, preparing it for what was to come. He removed her hand from his member. He got between her legs, and she felt the tip of his cock slide up and down her inner folds.

She pulled off Lars� cock.

�What are you doing?�

Chuy chuckled.

�Exactly what you think. I�m going to make you a woman,� he said.

She opened her mouth to tell him to wait. Maybe she�d rather have David. The tip lodged in her entrance, and she felt her pussy try to suck him inside.

She heard herself say, �Fuck me.�

Her stomach felt like someone had made her swallow barbed wire and twisted it. Had she really just said that?

She trembled as Chuy gripped the base of his member and pushed.

�Chuy!� Emily cried out.

Even though she�d put her rabbit inside her, his cock was much thicker and stretched her tight channel.

Thankfully, she was slick with her own juices to ease his way. He sank a third of the way in and then eased back.

When he only had the tip in, Lars said, �Tell him to bury it balls deep.�

�Do it,� Emily said as her voice quivered.

She screamed when he surged forward.

�Oh, God,� Emily moaned, shocked. �You�re too big.�

She remembered the enormous dildo David had in his nightstand and wondered if that was what a real dick was like. Her rabbit hadn�t prepared her for an invasion on this scale.

�Spread and lift your legs up. It will make it easier to take all of him,� Lars said.

Sucking Lars� cock was forgotten as soon as Chuy began to move his hips. His tool sliced through her pussy in the best possible combination of pain and pleasure. Her hands clutched Chuy�s muscular back as her tunnel quivered around his thick pole.

Chuy�s raw need was etched on his face; she would never forget that expression. His cock was now arrowing straight down to her creamy chute. He grunted each time his balls slapped against her ass. When he would finish a down stroke, her sex would clasp around his member to try to hold it in place.

�She�s got a fucking snapper of a pussy. You won�t believe it,� Chuy said.

�Wrap your legs around his hips. It�ll give him a better angle,� Lars said.

When she did, it felt much better. He was still stretching the shit out of her poor, abused sex, but it was going in and out much easier.

�I can�t believe I waited for this,� Emily said.

Both guys burst out laughing.

�Sex is pretty great,� Chuy said to agree.

She began to giggle, too, at the absurdity of it all. She would have figured out her dad had lied to her if she�d had

half a brain. Sex was worth losing your soul over, and if every kid that had it before marriage went to hell, then heaven was going to be empty.

Now that Chuy was concentrating on fucking her, Lars�

hands slid over her breasts. She whimpered as he expertly rolled her nipples, or maybe it was the combination of that and Chuy working his cock in and out of her clinging pussy.

Her pussy was on fire with pleasure, causing her legs to tremble.

Lars� lips met hers, crushing her mouth in a kiss as Chuy lengthened his strokes. His movements felt better and better as she relaxed around his cock, hugging it with warmth. Between the two of them, she was distracted enough that it delayed the inevitable orgasm building inside her.

Chuy groaned and jerked out of her, spraying cum all over her stomach.

Lars reached over the side of the bed, grabbed his boxers, and used them to clean her off. Before she could say anything, Lars took Chuy�s place and impaled her on his cock. He wasn�t as long as Chuy, but he was thicker.

His technique was also different. Every time he thrust into her, he ground against her pussy, rubbing her clit, stoking the fire building between her legs.

Chuy slid up and stuck his half-hard cock into her mouth. It was all slimy from being in her sopping wet pussy.

Meanwhile, Lars was playing with her tits. Emily did something new: she fucked him back. She was now meeting him with each thrust to try to get just a bit more of his cock inside her. The sensations of his thick member and them crashing together had her close.

Chuy�s cock got hard again, and he grabbed her head and began to fuck her face.

�Oh, God, Chuy � I love fucking this pussy,� Lars said.

�She�s a natural cocksucker, too,� Chuy said

The crude words fit her fantasy of being used by two studs.

Lars pumped her faster as she was forced to breathe around Chuy�s cock.

Chuy grunted and flooded her mouth with cum, and she had no choice but to swallow it. When he finally pulled out of her mouth, she gasped for breath.

�Yes,� she whispered, dizzy from what had just occurred.

�Here it comes!� Lars wailed as he thrust into her pussy.

Lars rubbed her breasts firmly, making her cry out as he was about to cum. He grabbed her throat and held her firmly to the mattress as he plunged into her pussy repeatedly.

They began to lose their coordination as they each got closer. Emily panted roughly and finally just held her breath as she began to crest. She felt Lars shudder and slam his hips tight against her. His cock began to throb as he filled her pussy with baby-makers. Emily screamed as she exploded.

They were clinging to each other. She was still stretched impossibly wide around his cock, which twitched one more time before Lars rolled off her, pulling himself out of her.

�So, that just happened,� Chuy said.

�Shit! Crystal is going to kill me,� Lars worried.

�Don�t you mean us? I was told to leave you alone, too,�

Emily said.

�Blame it on me. What can she really do?� Chuy said.

�For starters, she could say that no football players are invited to any Greek parties. If I know her, she�ll ensure all your teammates know you were responsible,� Lars said.

The look on Chuy�s face was priceless when he noodled through what that would mean to him.

�We tell no one,� Chuy decided.

�It would probably be best coming from me,� Lars said.

�Did you not hear me? We tell no one!� Chuy repeated.

�People saw us together,� Emily pointed out. �Plus, I can�t lie to Crystal.�

�My only option is to go to David and beg him to save us,� Chuy decided.

�And who do you think he�ll side with?� Lars asked.

�Bros before hos, Dude,� Chuy said.

�Did he just call me what I think he called me?� Emily asked.

�I didn�t mean that. It�s just a saying,� Chuy said.

�Then do you plan to date me?� Emily asked.

Chuy looked aghast. For the first time in her life, she understood what that word really meant.

�I mean, if we�re both available, we could � you know.

But I�m not looking for more than some � ah � stress relief,� Chuy said.

She looked at Lars, who held up his hands.

Emily teared up when she realized they just wanted a quick fuck and nothing more.

She got out of bed and got dressed.

�Hang on. Let�s talk,� Lars said.

�Let me at least walk you home,� Chuy added.

�Fuck you both. Crystal will have your ball sacs mounted on our chapter wall by this time tomorrow,� Emily said as she stormed out.

One of the pledges was downstairs cleaning up. He offered to walk her home, which she quickly accepted.

When she got into bed, she�d decided that Chuy was right. It was better to say nothing to her big sister.

◊◊◊

Cassidy wanted to see Precious before they flew back.

She tried to get Pam and Tracy to take her, but they had zero interest in seeing their former roommate. She finally talked David into it.

�Brit says Precious is settling in just fine. Why are we doing this?� David asked as they pulled up in front of Brit�s apartment complex.

�I want to make sure.�

�I better not be bleeding when we leave.�

He was such a baby.

They went to the door and rang the bell. Brit�s roommate answered.

�Are you Cassidy?�

�Uh, yeah.�

�Hang on. I�ll be right back,� she said and shut the door in their faces.

�That doesn�t sound good,� David said.

She opened the door and thrust a pet carrier into David�s hands. Precious was in rare form and tried to bite her way out of her container.

�What�s going on?� Cassidy asked.

�Last night, this fucking � cat � attacked my boyfriend.

He says he won�t be back until this is out of the house.

Either you take her, or I�ll have her put down.�

�Where�s Brit?� Cassidy asked.

�She�s not strong enough to do what must be done, so she let me be in charge of this.�

�Where can we take her to have her put down � What the fuck?!� David complained when Cassidy hit him.

�Let�s go,� she said and began to walk to the car.

David held the carrier away from his body like it was radioactive. She could see the crate rocking as Precious tried to get herself free. He put the pet carrier in the back

seat and then got in. Before he started the car to leave, he turned to her.

�Tracy and Pam will not let that beast back into their house.�

Cassidy had to admit that even she was nervous about eventually opening the carrier. It sounded like they�d caught some mythological monster out to ravage the world, and no one would be safe if the pet door was unlatched anytime soon.

�Don�t ask me to put her down,� Cassidy said, tearing up.

�Uncle John and Aunt Bonnie are meeting everyone at Granny�s West for breakfast, and he took Satan�s Spawn.

Convince him to take Precious, or I�ll drop her off at the pound. There�s a no-kill one near the airport, and I�ll make a big donation so they take her,� David offered.

Satan�s Spawn was Precious�s kitten, who no one else would take because he was too much like his mom. Hence the name. Uncle John had initially said he was going to rename the cat, but he and Aunt Bonnie decided that it fit the beast too well to change.

Cassidy burst into tears. David just started the car and drove to the restaurant. He must have become desensitized to crying girls because the old David would have crumbled at the sight of her tears.

�You�ll help me talk to John?� Cassidy finally asked between sniffles.

�I�ll help.�

She hadn�t told him that the reason for the visit to see Precious was that Brit had called her. At first, Precious had been doing fine, but then something happened. Brit said she suspected her roommate�s boyfriend had done something. Suddenly, Precious�s only purpose in life was to end his, and any man�s, when he entered the apartment.

David had told her he suspected that Brit�s brothers had abused her when she was a kitten. It had taken Precious a

long time to warm up to even him.

She�d agreed to pick the cat up when Brit admitted it might be time to put her down for safety reasons. Maybe Precious would calm down enough to live on David�s uncle�s farm.

◊◊◊

David felt like he�d gotten off easy when his uncle had finally agreed to take Precious. He�d only had to give up his condo near the Whistler Blackcomb resort for two weeks.

His mom hadn�t wanted to do it because it was during prime skiing season, and they would have to bump a couple of people to make it happen.

She�d been on board when Option B was to have Precious come live in Malibu.

When the plane reached cruising altitude, he left the cockpit to check on his children. He found they were all doing much better now that they�d learned how to fix the air pressure in their ears.

As he headed back to the cockpit, Coach Thomas stopped him.

�Do you have a minute?�

�Yeah. I�m just sitting up front to collect the hours I need to qualify to fly bigger jets.�

Ron Pennington was sitting across the aisle and joined the conversation.

�Coach Thomas and I were talking about Coach Harrington and Coach Styles and had a few questions because you know them both. We�ve asked Coach Thomas to make some behind-the-scenes inquiries in our preliminary search for the next head coach. We used your trip as an excuse for him to be able to talk to Coach Harrington,� Ron said.

David had noticed they�d sat together in the stands to watch Phil and Roc.

�What do you think of the two of them?� Coach Thomas asked, referring to the two coaches.

�Coach Styles took over a Kentucky team that was 2�10.

By year four, he�d built them into a bowl team. And they�re in the toughest league in the land, the SEC. Granted, they are in the weaker division, but he has to get past Georgia and Florida to win it. Coach Styles is a good recruiter and knows how to build a program.

�Coach Harrington started out as a quarterback fixer.

My booster club hired him to help me become a quarterback. I later hired him to develop my game over the summers as I went to various camps. So, I have firsthand knowledge of what he can do. He made me a much better player,� David said.

�I agree with the development part,� Coach Thomas said. �I recently saw video highlights of Travis Barry, who transferred from USC to Western Michigan. He�s now starting for them, and he looks completely different. I�m embarrassed to say that if he�d shown that kind of ability when he was here, both you and Matt would be riding the bench.�.

�Not to speak ill of our former head coach, but that�s on him,� David said. �Coach Harrington told me that Travis was doing well for them.�

�Okay, okay,� Ron said. �It�s been well documented that talent development has been a major issue. If Coach Clayton hadn�t been fired this summer, he would�ve been this fall. We need a proven winner who can make players better to reach their full potential, and we need a coach to take us to the next level.�

�I think either of them can be that guy. I would lean toward Coach Harrington slightly because he�s a product of the Alabama coaching tree, and he�s younger. That said, when Alabama finally needs a new coach, Coach Styles�

name will be on the short list,� David predicted.

�Coach Harrington is the one who got me to offer your brother. He said he�s a hidden gem and pointed out how much better Phil is this year than last. He said Phil finally took football seriously and has had to catch up. Coach Harrington also told me your brother is friends with Colt,�

Coach Thomas said.

�Phil worked with Bud Mason over the summer. As you know, I had Colt and Phil as my campers at Elite Camp in Houston. There were times when Phil outshined Colt, so I get what Coach Harrington said,� David said.

�Are you just saying that because Phil�s your brother?�

Ron asked.

�That plays a part in it. I would love to have my brother at USC. But I would never recommend him if I thought it was to the team�s detriment. If I didn�t think Phil could cut it, I wouldn�t be recommending him.�

�That�s good enough for me,� Coach Thomas said.

�Thanks, David,� Ron said.

�By the way, David, I talked to your reporter friend, Jeff, after the game,� Coach Thomas said. �He asked a lot of questions about how you�re doing. Don�t worry, I didn�t say anything bad. He told me about the documentary he made about what you did at Lincoln and sent me a link. Though I don�t know if or when I�ll get to it; we�re kind of busy now.

�Oh, and I visited with a couple other recruits while I was in the area. You may know them,� the coach said.

They spent some time discussing the pros and cons of the ones David knew, and then he went back to the cockpit.

◊◊◊

David and Cassidy rode back to his house in Malibu to pick up Cassidy�s new car; Manaia had retrieved it from the airport earlier that day. Lucky them, they got to ride back in what David called the short bus. It was what his family used to transport his children to daycare and the like.

Somehow, he was voted the adult who had to go with them, so he made Cassidy join him.

�Master Cassidy?� Allen asked.

David gave her a sideways look.

�Yes, Ninja Allen.�

Obviously, he needed to pay more attention to what Cassidy was teaching his children.

�When you get better?�

�It will be a while yet. I�ll start coming to teach you all to be my little ninjas once I am.�

�Coby beat up Tevin,� Carol tattled.

�He deserved it,� Dave said to come to his brother�s defense.

When David figured out his son hadn�t done any damage to Tevin, he tuned them out and let Cassidy entertain his little monsters.

When they got off the bus, David asked, �Who wants to sit in Cassidy�s new car?�

While David got them all organized, Cassidy walked around her new metallic-silver Mercedes S-Class sedan.

�Sync your phone to it so you can drive hands-free,�

David said.

He got all five of them in the back seat while Cassidy figured out how everything worked. David got into the passenger seat and got his phone out.

�Welcome. I am S. How shall I address you?� came over the speakers.

Cassidy and all the munchkins perked up. David had shown them movies where the cars could talk. It took Cassidy a second to figure out he�d sent her phone a message, and the car�s infotainment system had read it for her.

�Cassidy is fine.�

�Thank you, Cassidy. I see you have guests. Who might they be?� S asked.

�Dave, Allen, Dawson, Coby, and Carol.�

�Did they wash their hands before they got in? I don�t want sticky fingers messing up my interior,� S said.

That made them giggle.

�Carol? Are those new shoes?� S asked. �They make you look like a princess.�

Twenty minutes later, S was a massive hit as all his kids wanted to ask her questions. His mom rapped on the window, so David rolled it down.

�What are you guys doing?�

�Everybody, straighten up. Nana is speaking to your dad,� S said.

His mom saw them all sitting perfectly still and smiled.

It wouldn�t be long before all the cars kept his munchkins in line.

�Rosy has snacks,� David�s mom said.

Coby was by the door and opened it to set them all free.

That was why all their cars had child safety locks on the back doors, or his son would open them whenever he decided he was done riding.

David followed his kids inside as Cassidy took his mom for a ride around the subdivision.

◊◊◊

On the way home, David mentioned that he had to film a few scenes for his soap.

�I�ll drive you,� Cassidy said.

She gave him a glance and then added, �I want to meet the cast.�

�I doubt there�ll be any nudity. We�re filming at the coffee shop.�

�Oh,� Cassidy said, sounding disappointed.

�I can drive myself. I�ll be sure to call when I know the cast�s getting naked so you can drive me then.�

�You�re the best,� Cassidy said.

�Did you talk to Greg and Joey about your rehab?� David asked to change the topic.

�I don�t know why you think I need a babysitter.�

�Slow your roll, Speed Racer.�

�Who?� Cassidy asked.

�It�s an old cartoon I found on an anime site � You know what? Never mind,� David said when she gave him a look like he�d lost his mind. �I was trying to say that you are in charge, and they only want to help you.�

�Oh.�

�Besides, you know Joey can get your arm back into shape. And Greg will give you massages and help you with stuff.�

�I suppose.�

David had talked to her dad, and Tony said she was sensitive about �needing help.� But with her arm in a cast, there were just some things that were difficult for her to do, like buttoning her jeans or tying her shoes. Greg had agreed to swing by the townhouse after dropping his kids off to help Cassidy get her day started.

David also knew that if he even hinted that he would help, she would have him as her slave. He doubted she�d ever get better if that happened. With that in mind, he�d never made the offer.

Luckily for him, they�d arrived at his dorm.

◊◊◊

David was surprised because his first scene wasn�t at his dorm; it was at his apartment set. He and Nikki were on the couch, kissing. He broke the kiss.

�Wow.�

�Talk to me,� Nikki said.

�Okay � erm � I went job-hunting today,� Mick said.

�No, no, no, no, no �� Nikki interrupted. �Talk dirty to me.�

David gave her his combination of confused three-year-old and wet puppy look.

�Wha � what now?� he stammered.

She leaned in, and he leaned back as she got into his personal space.

�Say something hot.�

Mick began to mumble and look confused as she crawled onto his lap.

�What?� Nikki asked.

�Labia minora,� Mick blurted.

�And cut!�

◊◊◊

The next scene had Mick in Dexter�s apartment.

�Labia minora,� Dexter said disgustedly.

�I panicked. She surprised me, but it wasn�t a total loss.

We ended up with me getting to drive her home.�

�Oh, wow, did you walk her to her door?� Dexter asked as if he were in awe.

�Bite me. I don�t think I�m the dirty-talking kind of guy.�

�What�s the big deal? You just say what you want to do to her. Or better yet, what you want her to do to you,�

Dexter said. �I�ll help you. Talk dirty to me.�

David almost laughed because Dexter acted like he really wanted David to talk dirty to him.

�Not happening,� Mick/David said, going off-script.

�Okay. I�ll start,� Dexter said, ad-libbing.

�Please don�t.�

�Oh, Mick. You get me so hot. I want your lips on me now,� Dexter said in a breathy voice.

Again, David almost laughed. Instead, he gave Dexter a disbelieving look.

�Good, right?� Dexter said with a big smile.

David/Mick gave him a look he would give a pedophile who tried to seduce him.

�Now you say something,� Dexter encouraged.

�I really don�t think so,� Mick said.

�Come on. You really like Nikki, right?�

�Well, yeah.�

�You want to see her again, right?� Dexter asked.

�Sure.�

�If you can�t talk dirty to the Dexter, how will you talk dirty to Nikki?�

��The Dexter� � really?�

�Just go with it, dude, and answer the question,� Dexter said. �Tell me you want to grab my butt.�

�Okay, I give up. Turn around because I can�t do this with you looking at me.�

�Fine.�

�I � uhm � I � uhm � want to kiss the back of your neck,� Mick said.

�Good, now say more.�

�I � uhm � want to take my tongue and lick your skin

��

�And I thought I was the bi one,� Forest said behind them.

Dexter and Mick both nearly jumped out of their skins.

The director had Forest sneak in when the two of them went off-script.

�And cut!� Abigail called out. �That was good, guys.�

◊◊◊

Emily found Crystal in David�s room. They were headed to the roof.

�Can I come with you?�

�David might even give you access,� Crystal said.

�What�s the big deal about the roof?� Emily asked.

�Wait and see,� Crystal said as David led them upstairs.

She walked out and looked around.

�How come I didn�t know about this?�

�When we started to come up here, it was some lawn chairs and a cooler. Alex decided to make some upgrades,�

David said.

There was a raised wooden deck with a gas fire pit and an outdoor refrigerator. David got out three beers and handed them out as they sat in deck chairs.

�Can I really bring people up here?� Emily asked.

�As long as you don�t abuse it. And replace any beer you take,� David said. �I�ll get security to add you to the access list. Then you can just use your keycard and PIN.�

Emily�s stomach was churning because she wasn�t sure if she should tell Crystal about her being with Lars and Chuy. Finally, she just blurted it out.

�Tell me what happened,� Crystal ordered.

She told them the basics and how stupid she felt when she figured out they were just out for sex.

�Did they promise anything more?� David asked.

Emily had to think back.

�They promised I would be safe.�

David followed up with, �Did they force you?�

�No. I wanted it,� Emily admitted.

�What do you want me to do about it?� Crystal asked.

�I know you said that Lars should be treated like a brother. I wanted to tell you before anyone else did because I didn�t want you mad at me,� Emily said.

�Lars and I will have a talk, but I admitted that I�d slept with him and that he was good in bed. As long as you were treated right and enjoyed yourself, I�m not your mom. All I�ll say is that you might want to figure out what it means before you jump into the sack with one or more guys in the future. Is it just fun, or is it more?� Crystal asked.

�I feel stupid because I knew they�re both players, but I felt hurt when they admitted that afterward.�

�Sex changes things,� David said. �I would be disappointed if you didn�t have some kind of feelings for both of them after giving them your virtue. I also have to

give them props for being honest with you. It�s better to know than assume there�s more there than there is.�

She looked at David and teared up.

�No, you can�t have my boyfriend,� Crystal said with a sad smile.

�I just wish he�d been my first,� Emily admitted.

�Me, too,� Crystal said.

�I remember my first,� David said. �I was a freshman in high school. Afterward, I walked her home, but she wouldn�t let me walk her to her door. She�d neglected to tell me that her parents thought she was too young to date and couldn�t see me again until she was old enough.�

�Did you wait?� Crystal asked.

�What do you think? I was a freshman who�d gotten laid and learned the joys of sex. But when she was old enough, we did go out. Unfortunately, she wasn�t the one, so it didn�t go beyond that.�

Then David remembered something.

�She did share that I have a big dick. The only problem was that when she announced it, my mom was there. That turned into a whole thing,� David said.

�Like what?� Emily asked.

�Having my mom tell me at least I didn�t have a pencil dick and then making me go with her to buy condoms. The parents of a girl from my school owned the drugstore. She offered to measure me to see what size condoms I should buy,� David related.

�I would have been traumatized,� Emily said.

�At least those two will keep their mouths shut about it,�

Crystal said.

�We�ll see,� Emily said.

�I�ll make sure of it,� Crystal said.

�Do I need to be there to ensure you don�t kill them?�

David joked.

�Would you really stop me?� Crystal asked.

�I guess not because I know they had to deserve it if you did,� David admitted.

�What time is it?� Emily suddenly asked.

David told her.

�I promised I would call my mom, and my phone is in my room,� Emily said and then left.

◊◊◊

When it was just the two of them, David asked Crystal,

�What do you plan to do?�

�I�m not happy that they tag-teamed her. I understand she was willing, but they both knew she was a virgin.

Somehow, that doesn�t seem right.�

�I�ve been meaning to talk to Chuy because he�s been going a little wild, but it�s college,� David said.

�Did you go a little wild in high school?� Crystal asked.

David thought back and had to admit that he had. He probably would still be if it weren�t for Coby. That was a serious wake-up call, compounded when David learned of his other kids. He�d felt like a clich� until he held Coby in his arms.

Not wearing a condom had consequences you never thought would happen to you when you were a teen. He should have looked at Greg as a cautionary tale, but he honestly never thought it would happen to him.

�Is Emily on birth control?� David asked.

Crystal�s face ended up in her palm.

�I don�t think so.�

�Get her in to get the Plan B pill before it�s too late.

Believe me, she�s too young. If I didn�t have my family ��

�They don�t tell you what you might have to deal with as president of the sorority. Why am I expected to be their mom?� Crystal asked.

�Because you took it on, and I know you can handle it.

That�s one of the things I like best about you.�

�I better go deal with that. Well, now I know what our next chapter meeting will be about.�

Crystal left him to his thoughts. He enjoyed the solitude for a few minutes before going down to study.

◊◊◊

Greg came over after putting his kids into daycare to help Cassidy start her day.

�What am I supposed to do with myself?� Cassidy asked.

Greg shook his head and said, �Nothing until you heal.�

They sat silently.

�This sucks,� Cassidy finally said.

Greg didn�t say anything.

�Before the accident, I had my life planned out. I would focus on rowing. School was so I could learn to run my own business, help David train, and when I graduated, I would join the Marines. Now, none of that�s happening. I just sit around, and at one, I watch David�s soap in the hope he�ll get naked. That�s it. That�s all I have to look forward to.�

�Maybe God has other plans for you,� Greg said.

Cassidy snorted.

�You sound like your brother when he doesn�t have an answer.�

�Recently, I�ve been going through something similar.

Now that I�ve graduated, I�m supposed to know what I�ll be when I grow up. The problem is, I don�t know what that is.�

�You�re screwed. You have three kids to raise, so there�s no room for error,� Cassidy said.

�Don�t remind me. That makes it all the more obvious I�m a loser.�

�What does God say?� Cassidy asked.

�He�s not sharing right now. My uncle told me to talk to David.�

Cassidy�s mouth curled into an unconscious smile.

�Let me tell you a secret. David is as clueless about what he wants to be when he grows up as we are. Except his problem is he has too many choices. I just wish I had one.�

The oven timer went off. Cassidy had figured out that breaded chicken patties and frozen biscuits cooked at the

same temperature and for the same amount of time, making breakfast easy. She pulled the cookie sheet out of the oven and tossed enough for two sandwiches on Greg�s and her plates.

�Grab the honey. It makes it better,� Cassidy said.

Greg found it and then helped her split her biscuits.

Having only one arm � well � sucked. �Sucked� seemed to be the word of the day.

�This is good,� Greg said with his mouth full.

�So, what did John say David could do for you?� Cassidy asked.

�I told him I want to work with David like my dad and uncle do. The problem I have is he�s already done so much for me,� Greg worried.

�Something I know with absolute certainty is that if David doesn�t want to do something, he�ll say �no.� He once told me he liked that I didn�t make it weird when he did stuff for me. David knows he�s been blessed and wants to help. You just need to get over yourself and tell him how he can help you.�

�Won�t it look like I�m asking for another handout?�

Greg asked as a shadow of annoyance touched his face.

�If you do it with that in mind, don�t bother. David has gotten pretty good at detecting bullshit. If it�s something you really want, he�ll recognize that, too. Just remember that if I learn you�ve taken advantage of him, I�ll end you,�

Cassidy said.

�Now, you sound like my mom.�

�Except your mom is soft, and she would never do it. I, on the other hand, like your brother too much and would put a stop to you taking advantage of him,� Cassidy said with an edge of hardness in her voice.

�I wouldn�t do that,� Greg said.

�I know.�

They�d finished eating, so Greg cleared the table and put the plates in the dishwasher.

�You ready for Joey?� Greg asked.

�I don�t know how much I can do with my arm still in a cast,� Cassidy said. �But if I know her, I won�t like it.�

�You won�t,� Greg predicted. He had no idea what Joey had in mind for her, but experience said it wouldn�t be pleasant.

Cassidy took a deep breath. It was time for rehab.

◊◊◊

Over lunch, David had been summoned to the football offices. He found Rachel sitting out front, playing a game on her phone.

�I see you�re being productive,� David said, scaring the heck out of her.

�David!�

Her phone fell to the floor, and she clambered after it and recovered it from under her desk.

�Coach wanted me to come in,� David said.

�He was asked to join Drew Langford and Brent Allison for lunch. He must have forgotten to tell you about his change of plans.�

�Why would he be having lunch with the athletic director and head of the Pac-12?�

�Who knows?� she said as she looked at her phone. �My replacement is late.�

A guy David hadn�t met before rushed in.

�Sorry,� he said, out of breath.

Rachel got up and grabbed David�s arm.

�You made us late for our lunch date,� Rachel said with a scowl.

She pulled David out into the hall before letting his arm go.

�He�s been hitting on me,� Rachel explained.

�Well, then I should take you to lunch. You can take some pics and post them on your social media.�

Rachel�s eyes narrowed.

�Besides, it�ll give you an excuse to finally go out with me,� David said straight-faced.

�If I weren�t hungry and broke, I would tell you what to do with that,� Rachel said.

He smiled because he was finally wearing her down.

What that really meant, he wasn�t sure. There was just something about Rachel that caused him to go into flirt mode whenever he was around her. It probably had a lot to do with her showing zero interest in him.

◊◊◊

When David brought Rachel back from lunch, her replacement looked disappointed when he saw David.

�Coach Merritt said to send Dawson in when you returned.�

David winked at Rachel as he let her deal with the boy crushing on her and went into Coach Merritt�s office.

�David! Have a seat. We have to talk.�

�Oh, boy!� David thought.

�I need to talk to you about two things,� Coach Merritt continued. �I had lunch with Brent and Drew, and your name came up. I guess they had some heartburn about the nudity in your show.�

�Had?� David asked because �had� implied they were no longer upset with him.

�USC and the Pac-12 weren�t sure that was the image they wanted to portray. Then their marketing arms did some research,� Coach Merritt said.

�NIL can�t get here soon enough, can it?� David quipped.

Coach Merritt didn�t miss a beat as he ignored David�s comment about him someday making money.

�Bottom line, the conference would like you to film a commercial. When they polled, they found you�re the most

recognizable student-athlete in the Pac-12. The public must not know you very well because you come across as likable.�

�Score one for Coach Merritt.�

�I already said I would help them, but it has to fit into my schedule,� David reiterated.

�I�ll get it arranged. Now for the second item. I�ve thought more about it and have decided I�m still going to redshirt you. My thought is that it would be a waste for you to use up a year�s eligibility when there�ll be a new coach and system next year. I�m sure you�ll be given a chance to be the starter then.�

�Why are you telling me now? I thought I could play four games and still redshirt, and Colorado will only be three.�

�Because I want you in reserve in case Matt goes down again. He can�t redshirt unless it�s a medical one since he redshirted last year. So, if anyone is using up their eligibility, it�ll be him this year,� Coach Merritt said.

David closed his eyes and waited for his anger to calm before answering.

�All right.�

�All right?�

�Yes, with one condition. Notre Dame is our last game, and it�ll be nationally televised. If I�m the best option to start that game, you let me play,� David said.

It was Coach Merritt�s turn to contemplate his answer.

�Notre Dame might be the hardest game we have left.

The Fighting Irish are positioned to make a run to gain a spot in the national championship conversation. Are you sure you want to risk injury?� Coach Merritt asked.

He had a point, but David didn�t have to think about it.

�They may be good, but I plan on beating them,� David said confidently.

Something his friend Ridge Townsend had done for David when he came to campus was to go over the Notre Dame game film. The two of them had spent hours figuring

out how to beat the Fighting Irish. If the only athletic accomplishment David made the rest of this year was winning that game, he would be happy.

It would also make their fan base happy. Notre Dame and UCLA were the two teams they hated the most.

Beating Notre Dame would sway public opinion to support his bid to be next year�s starter.

�Then you have a deal.�

◊◊◊

When practice began, Coach Thomas had the offense on the field against the scout team. The scout team mimicked the Colorado defense to prepare them for this week�s opponent.

�Get them lined up!� Coach Thomas barked.

Then something new happened. Over the speakers came a guitar riff, followed by the beat of a drum. The team managers must have been livening up practice.

�In six days, a group of young men will arrive with the intent of destroying you,� Coach Thomas said.

A bass guitar was added, and began to pound out a beat.

�Is that not clear?� Coach Thomas asked. �Fade 39.�

David�s head began to bob to the music. It sounded familiar, but he couldn�t place it.

�Set! Hut!�

David dropped back and saw the corner all over Bill, but his favorite receiver had his defender on his hip. David threw the ball up. Bill gave him a hip check and then slowed down. David had thrown the ball to his outside shoulder, so Bill did what Bill does and caught the ball.

�Nice job, Bill!� Coach Thomas called out. �These young men will not be so nice and let you just catch that ball.

They�ll be in your face and trying to hurt you.�

The song came to him: it was Metallica�s Enter Sandman. Someone had put the intro on repeat. While they

sometimes practiced with crowd noise to simulate game conditions, David couldn�t remember ever listening to rock music. It seemed to give everyone a little extra bounce in their step.

On the next play, John Johnson jumped offsides.

�I�m tired of seeing that on this field! Get out of my sight! Bear! Get your butt in there with the starters,�

Coach Thomas screamed. John trudged off the field, only to be greeted by Coach Bolton giving him a piece of his mind.

David did a mental fist pump because Bear had been starting since John had been benched for making too many mistakes. Coach Merritt had decided John should get another shot. It looked like Coach Thomas felt differently if John had been sent to the bench after only two plays. If nothing else, the IQ at left tackle just went up 50 points.

David could feel it. Colorado was going to wish they hadn�t played them. The energy in practice went up another notch. This wasn�t the typical kind of practice where they ran through plays. Coach Thomas was out for blood this week, and if you didn�t know your job, you would be sitting on the bench with John.

◊◊◊

After practice, Coach Merritt told the team they could go, but David stood up.

�Hang on. Cassidy Hope returned to campus today �.�

There were moans and comments of �no!� and �send her back.�

David knew they all liked her, but they were smart enough to see what was coming.

�I was thinking we do some personal training and have a session of �sixty minutes of hell� in her honor.�

The coaching staff was all smiling. Tank stepped up.

�You heard the man! David, lead us!� Tank�s voice boomed.

�Line up!� David called out.

David did a credible job of working them out. He let up some when a few of his teammates wanted to take a knee.

His goal was for them to have a good workout as a team, not kill them, something he felt Cassidy missed.

◊◊◊

After his film session, David was too late for the cafeteria, so he stopped at Rock and Reilly�s at the USC

Village and picked up their ultimate grilled cheese and tomato soup with a side of wings.

Instead of going to his room, he went to the roof so he didn�t have Alex pestering him about where his food was.

He found the fire going and Emily and Wren there. He�d arranged for Emily to have access to the roof. Each of the girls was drinking a beer.

�You want one?� Wren asked.

�Grab me a Mountain Dew,� David said as he got settled.

Before taking a bite, he dunked the corner of his grilled cheese into the soup. Emily�s nose turned up at the sight.

�Come here and try it before you make that face,� David ordered.

He dunked the other corner and offered her a bite. She nibbled off a small piece, and her eyes lit up.

�Not bad, right?�

�It�s better than I expected,� Emily admitted.

�Are those wings I smell?� Wren asked.

David opened the container and offered one to each of them.

�Crystal talked to Lars and Chuy,� Emily said.

David glanced at Wren and recognized that Emily had told her what had happened.

�And?� David asked.

�Lars got barred from being a big brother for any sorority.�

�That sounds extreme,� David said.

�He made the mistake of telling Crystal that if he got another chance, he would tag-team me again,� Emily said and blushed.

�He was just being a jerk. Crystal will ease up on him once he apologizes,� Wren predicted.

�What did she do to Chuy?� David asked.

�Talked to him and confirmed he hadn�t used a condom.

She�s now calling him Daddy Chuy,� Wren said.

David wanted to smile, but his concern for Emily won out.

�Shit! Are you on birth control?� David asked.

�I am now. I also took the Plan B pill to make sure. My STI test results come back tomorrow,� Emily said.

David let her have another wing because she looked sad.

Wren gave him her begging face that little Carol pulled on him, so she got another one, too. His boys had figured out he was a pushover for his daughter, so she was now the designated �asker of Dad.� He was going to have to man up at some point soon before it got out of control.

�So, what�s next? Partner swapping or an orgy?� David teased.

Wren chuckled.

�No!� Emily said. �I�m so embarrassed it even happened.�

�I was just kidding. I know how things can escalate in the heat of the moment,� David admitted.

�She said she�d be up for two girls on a guy action if you were the guy,� Wren said.

Emily smacked her arm.

�Wren! I said nothing of the sort.�

�I might have added the extra girl part,� Wren said with a gleam in her eye.

�Wren! I�m going to kill you later,� Emily said.

�Before this goes too far, I�m dating Crystal. Then there�s the issue of you dating Big Cat,� David said to

Wren.

�It�s just casual between us. I need someone to � uhm

� satisfy my needs, and I don�t want to become that girl who�ll sleep with anyone. Big Cat knows we aren�t exclusive,� Wren said.

�What if Crystal said it was okay?� Emily blurted out and turned five shades of red.

�I�m not green-lighting you to harass Crystal about that.�

David felt guilty because what had he done at lunch today? It wasn�t that he wouldn�t enjoy sleeping with Emily, Wren, or Rachel. David could very well do it. The problem was, what kind of guy did he want to be? That seemed to always be the question.

Truth be told, he saw how men in Hollywood became man whores. It would be easy to find someone to spend time with if he was open to it. That was why he ignored 99% of the come-ons he received. Looking back to the summer, he should have been at 100%, but that would have meant he wouldn�t be with Crystal now.

Back then, he didn�t much like Crystal, and it had taken time for him to see the good in her. The question he had to ask himself was if he was using Crystal as an excuse or not.

Did he like her, or was she the reason he gave to keep himself out of trouble?

The alternative was being single; he knew what that would lead to. Looking at Emily and Wren had Mr. Happy voting for single, but the big brain kicked in. He did like Crystal.

The girls began to talk about sorority stuff and the next big party while David finished his dinner. When he was done, he left to go study.

◊◊◊

When he got downstairs, he found Crystal had taken over his room.

�Sorry, I have a project due and needed room to spread out,� she said to explain the mess.

She had his bed covered in papers and was using his computer to write her project.

�It�s fine if you leave us a place to sleep tonight.�

�That sounds so good, but I�ll go back to my place tonight. I have to get dressed bright and early for my presentation.�

Mr. Happy reminded him that two girls had just offered him sex, and it looked like he wasn�t getting any.

�I�ll go to the living room to let you focus,� David said.

�You�re the best.�

Crystal went back to furiously typing. He didn�t really get the concept of waiting until the last minute, but much of that had to do with how busy he was. He had to be organized and ahead, or he would quickly get overwhelmed.

As he was closing the door, his phone rang. David smiled because it was Darius.

�What�s up, nerdling?� David asked.

�I have good news, jocktard.�

�I could use some good news. What�s up?�

�We�re out of beta testing and have sent the final code to VRS,� Dare said. VR Synthesis, Inc., aka VRS, was the startup company they�d selected to work with on Dare and Corvus�s VR technology project. They were now calling the project �RTVR� for �Real-Time Virtual Reality.�

�I have, like, fifty buyers who want it. When will it be ready?� David asked.

Word had leaked out during the Houston Elite camp.

Matt Styles even called David, saying he�d heard about it and teasing, �I thought I was your friend.� Bo Harrington had told him coaches had been calling him to get his opinion on RTVR, and Coach Thomas had said the same.

David had also received a call from Mark Trent, asking what he knew about the system and whether it might be available for Elite 11. David pushed back on everyone, saying it wasn�t ready.

Then there were other applications they hadn�t even started to explore yet. The most promising ones were in gaming and movies. Gabe Francis wanted to see it once it was ready because their current VR technology wasn�t as advanced as Dare and Corvus�s.

Fritz, who came out of the blue, intrigued Dare. He asked if the VR cameras could be mounted on drones as they did security sweeps. With the swarm technology, Dare thought he could get it to work.

�That�s the problem. It can be sooner, but VRS

underestimated what it would take to put everything together. They need capital.�

�Can�t they show this to a bank and get a loan?� David asked.

�They said that because they�re a startup with no proven track record, they�ve been turned down.�

Red flags were going up for David. Maybe they�d picked the wrong company to manufacture, market, and distribute Dare and Corvus�s stuff.

�Let me call Grace. Hang on while I three-way us in.�

David was shocked when Grace answered her phone.

�I have Dare on the phone. We might have a problem with VRS. Hang on while I get him back,� David said.

Once he had them both on the line, Dare told Grace what was happening. She quickly figured out that Dare and Corvus had changed the hardware, which messed up VRS�s numbers.

�Is there a work-around?� David asked.

�No. To render the VR, we need the added horsepower,�

Dare said.

�It�s decision time, David. Either you need to pull the plug or find an investor. They will want an ownership

interest in VRS,� Grace said.

David got what she was saying.

�How much should I ask for?� David asked.

�I would hit them with fifty-one percent and settle for thirty-five.�

His jet fund would take a severe hit if he did this. He liked that Grace had suggested he ask for a controlling interest in the company. It would be a nonstarter, but he�d be making a statement about what his money was worth. If he was out of college, he might press it, but he didn�t want to be involved in the management.

�I think you should do it,� Dare said.

David and Grace both laughed because Dare wasn�t putting his money up for this.

�What do you suggest?� David asked Grace.

�I would pull the trigger or hire a firm to evaluate it for you. The question is, what�s the market for this? It�s not like this is a small-ticket item.�

He was well aware of that because of what he�d spent to get the two MIT boys everything they wanted to build it.

�What would be the advantage of having a third party look at this?� David asked.

�They could give you a better idea of valuation and tell you whether you should do the deal. They can also help you with structuring your offer.�

�Couldn�t you help David with that?� Dare asked.

�If he asked nicely.�

�Uhm, David? Try not to be a jerk,� Dare said helpfully.

He was convinced Dare thought he was mentally challenged.

�Thanks so much for the advice, buddy. The question is, what would I owe Grace if I let her help me?�

�Uhm, Grace �?�

The poor kid was so eager he couldn�t tell when they were playing with him.

�David and I will work it out,� Grace said.

�What should I tell VRS? Dare asked.

�Tell them Mr. Dawson will be in touch,� Grace suggested.

�And that he�ll fund everything?� Dare asked hopefully.

�Don�t worry about that part. Let me talk to them about it. You focus on your end,� David said.

�Does this mean we�re doing this?� Dare asked.

�We�re doing this,� David answered.

◊◊◊

Crystal sat at David�s desk in his dorm room, where she�d been sitting for hours. She scrubbed her eyes, the dry, itchy feeling getting to her. The words on the screen were getting smaller and blurrier, and she blinked a few times. The next thing she knew, she�d blinked again, and it was morning. The alarm on her phone was going off, and a pen and sticky notes were stuck to her face.

�Dang it, I fell asleep.�

David had to be pissed with her because his bed was still covered with all her stuff. He must have slept on his couch.

She came out to the main room and found Alex.

�David said there�s coffee and a travel mug on the counter for you. Plus, a bagel and cream cheese are in the fridge, so you have something to eat before your presentation.�

Crystal had to stop for a second to let that sink in. No one she�d ever dated before would have taken care of her like that.

�I know,� Alex continued. �I feel like a bad boyfriend for not thinking of that myself. He let me hook up Chloe before she left this morning.�

�I guess he�s a keeper.�

Alex mimicked, zipping his lips closed.

�Your secret is safe with me,� he said and returned to his room.

She made her bagel, filled her travel mug, and hurried off to class.

◊◊◊

Her heart did its usual happy-to-see-you-David dance as he walked into the studio to do his Trojan Inquirer vodcast, but Tracy was upset.

�What�s up?�

�I had Coach Deneau set to do a talk about USC

baseball, but he had something come up. It�s just you and me today,� Tracy said.

David thought for a moment.

�Let�s do a mailbag segment. I bet Colleen has a bunch of questions people have sent in or asked at past events.

Have her pull out the goofiest ones, and we answer them.�

Tracy looked at him like he was crazy.

�But you know what would be a problem?�

�Is it me?� David asked. �It�s me, isn�t it?

�That you would want to look at the questions first and reject all the good ones. I say we have Colleen pick and read them,� Tracy said.

�I�ll go along with that if she promises none of those

�How do you feel� type questions. Tell her they have to be fun or something our fans want to know.�

�They also don�t have to be just about sports,� Tracy added.

�Fine,� David agreed.

A half-hour later, they were called to the set. Colleen took the guest chair.

�Welcome to Trojan Inquirer. To support our show, give us a follow because it really helps us out. Today, we�re going to do something different,� David said.

�Our special guest had a conflict, so we decided to ask our production assistant, Colleen, to dig into the mailbag so David and I can answer some of your questions.�

Colleen picked up the first card.

�On your soap opera, is that your real butt?�

David�s eyes snapped over to Tracy to see if she was punking him. She gave him a bit of a head shake to let him know she wasn�t in on this.

�I think the questions need to be for the both of us,�

David said to push back.

�Then you don�t want to tell us when we�ll see full-frontal?� Colleen asked.

Tracy knew that Colleen had dated David for a time.

Frankly, she hadn�t gotten it because Colleen was far from David�s usual type. Seeing her give him shit on camera gave a glimpse into why he�d liked her.

�I give. They have a butt model come in for those scenes.

I�ve told them that I won�t do full-frontal until they find the right porn star to be my stand-in,� David said with a straight face.

�What, Teeny Weeny isn�t available?� Colleen asked.

�Next question,� Tracy prompted before the two of them got any worse.

�Why is an Academy Award-winning actor with seven films and two J-dramas under his belt doing a cable soap opera?�

�First and foremost, I�m an actor. No matter the medium, I�m willing to consider a role if I think it�s a fit and will help me grow as an actor. One way to broaden my acting talent is to take on new and different roles, such as the Japanese miniseries I did a few years ago. I gained a lot of knowledge from that experience and learned more from doing my movies. I don�t consider this current series beneath me; I�m still learning a lot and hopefully improving my craft,� David said.

�I�ve known David for years, and he loves to be the center of attention, and I say that in a good way. Otherwise, he never would�ve become a model and film star. That�s why I would watch him even if he were just dead guy number three on some cop show,� Tracy said.

�We�ve seen the official announcements of Coach Clayton�s departure, but it feels like there�s something else going on there. Can you give us the inside story on what really happened?� Colleen asked.

Tracy saw David stiffen, so she jumped in.

�The timing and speculation point toward something to do with the FBI investigation. But that would be a wild

guess on my part. I�m sure the truth will come out eventually,� Tracy said.

�I really don�t know any more than what you read in the papers. I fully expected Coach Clayton would be leading us this fall, and I was as shocked as anyone when he suddenly departed,� David said.

If Tracy didn�t know David, she would have assumed he was comfortable talking about this. He obviously knew more than he was sharing. She would have to ask him about that later.

�That last question leads to an obvious one: do you think USC will make Coach Merritt their permanent head coach?� Colleen asked.

�As the saying goes, that decision is way above my pay grade. I�m going to support the coach and the team any way I can, but I can�t predict what�s going to happen there,� David said.

�Again, I have no insider knowledge, but it�s obvious there�ll be a new coach come the end of the year. If and when that happens, we�ll do a show on all the available candidates and talk about which ones would fit best,� Tracy said.

�You have some tough games coming up, particularly the ones with Utah and Notre Dame. What do you think your chances are?� Colleen asked.

�We have a good team. We�re still learning to work together, and the coaching drama hasn�t helped. You�re right, Utah and Notre Dame have terrific teams, and those will be brutal battles for us. I�m sure our coaches will do everything they can to prepare us for those, and we�ll give it all we�ve got.

�But there are several potential trap games on our schedule. For example, after our game at Utah, we come home to play Arizona State. Some might say that should be a piece of cake for us, but it�s way too easy to come away from a hard battle and let your foot off the gas. And, of

course, there�s always UCLA, where you can simply throw away the win-loss records because anything can happen in that one,� David said.

Tracy shook her head at David.

�It will all come down to quarterback play. If David is that quarterback, we�ll win. Simple as that,� Tracy said.

�If you had to eat one takeout dish for the next thirty days, what would it be and from where?� Colleen asked.

�That�s a good question,� David said.

�It�s a hard one,� Tracy agreed.

�Mine would be something for breakfast. Back home, a restaurant called Granny�s serves the best cinnamon rolls in the world, and I could eat those thirty days straight without a problem,� David said.

�You would also be big as a house,� Tracy said.

�It has to be something local,� Colleen said.

�While he thinks about that, I�m a big chicken tenders fan for takeout. My problem is which place would I pick,�

Tracy said.

�I like Chick-Fil-A and Popeyes because they are spicier.

Chick-Fil-A has a peppery flavor, while Popeyes has that Cajun seasoning,� David said.

�I agree with those, but I�m going to go with Culvers for thirty days. They make theirs to order, so it takes longer to get your food, but it�s worth the wait,� Tracy decided.

�I�m going to go with a local place. My friend Doreen�s coffee shop serves a nice coffee cake, and she does one with pecans and sour cream that would work for me,�

David said.

The end-of-the-show music began.

�With that, our time is up. Be sure to tune in next week, and don�t forget to subscribe,� David said to sign off.

�You�re so dead,� David said to Colleen after they were away from their mics and the cameras.

�I think it was one of our better segments. We should do it more often,� Tracy said.

David gave them both the evil eye and walked off.

�Give him time to cool off. He�ll be fine with it once it airs,� Tracy promised Colleen.

◊◊◊

Since David was in the Cinematic Arts building, he popped in on Adriana Haynes, the executive director, and pitched RTVR. She suggested he talk to their Media Arts department head, Henry Scott. His department handled film, television, and game development.

They talked for five minutes, and Dr. Scott said to call him when David would be doing his demonstration of the RTVR system.

◊◊◊

Crystal invited David over for dinner at the sorority house to thank him for letting her take over his room the previous night. She�d ordered a pizza with half sausage and mushroom for David and spinach, caramelized onions, and black olives for her.

Wren had her arm locked in his when he knocked on the door.

�I didn�t realize that one of the pledge responsibilities was to escort guests,� David said.

�It must be something new,� Crystal muttered.

�If you need anything else, ask for me personally,� Wren said as she stuck her tongue out at Crystal and then ran off.

Crystal was formulating evil plans for Wren when David distracted her by giving her a kiss. His mere presence gave her joy.

�How did your presentation go?� David asked.

�Better than it should have. I can�t believe I fell asleep.�

She�d been saved because she could speak in front of her class. All the other people who�d presented that day had been so nervous that it detracted from what they�d

done. Her professor had said hers was the best of the day.

Being a sorority and Panhellenic president, she was used to public speaking.

�What�s up?� David asked. �You never ask me here.�

�I think I now remember why, with all the girls trying to poach you.�

�It takes two to tango, or so I�m told.�

�I know. I just don�t want you to feel like you have to walk the gauntlet to get to my room,� Crystal said.

Amusement flickered in the eyes that met hers.

�How is that different from a walk across campus?�

�It�s that my sorority sisters are getting to know you and are comfortable enough to hit on you,� Crystal said.

�And they know that I only have eyes for you.�

He had a point, but still!

�Anyway,� Crystal said to change the topic. �I got some good news. I received a call from the president of the university. Sigma Upsilon is losing its charter.�

�What exactly does that mean?�

�That they are no longer a fraternity.�

�What happens to their frat house?� David asked as he went into business mode.

�I don�t know. I assume they would have to sell it.�

David got a serious look on his face.

�It would be almost impossible to sell. The way it�s laid out, you would either have to gut it or � I don�t know. Are there any sororities or fraternities that might want to buy it?�

�They all have their own houses, so I doubt any of them would want Sigma Upsilon�s house.�

�Who owns it?� David asked.

�If it�s like ours, it�s held by a business entity or trust created to hold the property. Why do you ask?�

�Find out who�ll be selling it and give me their information, please. I�ll give it to my mom, and she can help them sell it. They need someone who can see beyond what

it is and has some idea of what it would cost to renovate the property. Otherwise, it could be sitting empty for a long time,� David said.

�That�s a little mercenary on your part, isn�t it?� Crystal asked.

�I guess, but if someone needed an agent and your dad was the best solution, wouldn�t you put them in touch with each other?�

She, in fact, had, so she called the former president of Sigma Upsilon and gave him Carol�s number.

Then there was another knock at the door. This time it was Emily, holding their pizza.

�Did you pay for that?� Crystal asked.

�And I gave the driver a tip,� Emily said.

�Thanks,� David said as he took the pizza and closed the door in Emily�s face.

�David!� Crystal hissed.

�What? She bought us pizza. What�s the big deal?�

Then they both broke out in laughter. David opened the door and found Emily looking stunned.

�Join us,� David said as he handed her more than enough to cover it.

She came in when she realized David had pulled a prank on her.

When everyone had a slice, Crystal asked Emily, �What have the pledges been up to?�

�Tonight was study night.�

�What were you really doing?� Crystal asked and saw Emily blush.

�After my adventure�or misadventure�losing my virginity, we were all telling stories about our first time.

The best one was Wren,� Emily said and then blushed. �I probably shouldn�t have shared that.�

�We need ice,� Crystal said as she got out her phone and sent a message.

A short time later, there was another knock on the door.

It was Wren. She saw Emily and gave her a dirty look.

�Don�t blame me for being smarter than you. I even made money on the deal,� Emily said, not looking sorry for barging in on Crystal�s date with David.

Crystal was going to talk to Taylor about her pledges flirting with David. Boundaries needed to be set regarding David. Otherwise, she would be kicking some pledge butt in the formal living room.

�Come in and have a slice,� David said to encourage their bad behavior.

�Tell them about the first time you had sex,� Emily said.

Wren looked shocked but saw David give her a look of encouragement.

�I guess I could share that. It was in school, actually, and there was this guy I was fooling around with. He asked if I wanted to sneak off and hang out for a bit somewhere a little private on campus. We went behind the gym because there was this private grassy area.

�We were sitting down, and he was touching me and kissing me a bit. Then he started rubbing on me and fingering me,� Wren said.

�Wait? He did it just like that?� Crystal asked.

�Just like that,� Wren blurted out and looked to see if she was being judged. �It was great because it was super naughty and dirty with his finger deep in my pussy.�

Crystal noticed that David�s pants had started to get tight.

�All of a sudden, we heard a golf cart coming. I swear he didn�t care as whoever it was drove by. I know they saw us, but he keeps going. Not long after, one of my friends rushes around the corner and is all like, �Hey, what are you guys doing?�� Wren said.

�That had to be horrifying. How old were you?� Crystal asked.

�I was a sophomore, and he was a senior.�

�That had to suck with your BFF interrupting you,�

David said.

�I was like, �Hey! Hi! We�re just hanging out,� with his finger still inside me. He brought me off, and she left to do her own thing, and we went back to class.�

�What about your first time?� Crystal asked.

�It was the same sort of situation. He came up to me at school and told me he was horny and wanted to do something. I was like, we can�t fuck on campus because we�ll get caught or something. So, we ditched. He said he knew a place close by we could go. Across the street was a huge apartment complex that had a pool. The pool had a privacy fence all around it and a little shed that held the pool equipment. He took me behind it where no one could see us,� Wren said.

�This was still outside, and you could�ve gotten caught?�

David asked.

�Yeah. I could hear people talking, going about their day.�

�That�s so hot,� David said.

�He started to make out with me and all that stuff. He pulls it out, and I start blowing him � but he�s � huge!

Like scary huge. I mean, why would you let that go down there as your first? But then again, it was exciting, so why would I say �no�?� Wren asked.

�You wouldn�t,� Emily said.

�So, I was trying to put my nonexistent blowjob skills to work and blew my first eight- or nine-inch dick. And then he pulls his pants all the way down, sits on the ground, and tells me to hop on it. I straddled him and sank down. There was only a quick, tiny pinch of pain, but � Oh! My! God! As soon as he started fucking me, it was amazing.

�His huge cock pounding my tiny virgin pussy was incredible. It�s like I have no words. Once we were done, he took off his condom and threw it in the bushes. His stuff was pouring out onto the ground. We head back to school,

and I can�t even walk. My legs felt like I�d just run a marathon,� Wren said.

�You were so responsible, using a condom,� Crystal said with a tilted brow as she looked at Wren uncertainly.

Crystal had heard that Wren loved to go bareback but was hopeful.

�We did for a while, and then he asked if it would be okay to cum inside me, and I was like, �okay.� And when we did it, and he came, I felt this warm feeling as he filled my pussy. It was amazing. Then watching it drip out was so dirty, which made me love it so much. I loved the feeling of it shooting up inside me and then dripping and pouring out,� Wren said.

�I do like a dirty, naughty girl,� David said smoothly, with no expression on his face.

�On that note, one of you can take the empty pizza box and stuff and throw it away for me, so I can be alone with my man,� Crystal said.

�If you need anything �� Wren said with an easy grin that played at the corners of her mouth.

�I�ve got this. Now get out of my sight before you irritate me,� Crystal said nervously as she moistened her dry lips.

When the girls were gone, Crystal turned to David and asked, �What did you think of that?�

�I love a good sexy story, but it explains a lot.�

Crystal frowned into her glass.

�What do you mean?�

David shrugged.

�Why she likes risky behavior. If your first couple of times are in public, and you�re rewarded with incredible orgasms, what does that teach you? Just having sex with your boyfriend in the basement doesn�t seem near as exciting.

�She also REALLY likes sex, and I might suggest that she get checked regularly if for nothing other than health reasons,� David said with a serious expression.

With sudden clarity, Crystal felt like she understood him.

David cared for people deeply, but what they had was different. She could trust him when he said he loved her.

What made her realize it was true were the little signs from today, like him sending her off with food and coffee. Yes, he�d been aroused by Wren�s story, but his takeaway was that he was concerned for her well-being.

She caught him unawares as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. The prolonged anticipation for this moment had been building since this morning. She felt eager affection coming from him.

�I don�t think I�ve ever been so hard before,� David said, his desire clearly displayed in the look he gave her.

�I know. I feel the same way. Wren talking about losing her virginity made me realize something. I wish you�d been the big-cocked senior taking my tiny sophomore virgin pussy. Since I can�t give you that virginity, I want you to take my last one.�

Intense astonishment showed on his face.

�I always assumed that was a no-go zone,� David said earnestly.

She loved and felt frustrated with him at the same time.

Unlike any other guy she�d been with, he was putting the brakes on her offer. All the rest would have been ripping their clothes off by now.

�Let me take a shower to prepare myself,� Crystal said.

He just sat there mutely. She thought he finally understood she meant what she said and didn�t want to overtalk it for once.

Crystal showered quickly and scrubbed every inch of her skin as fast as possible before giving herself an enema. She wrapped a towel around her body; getting dressed again seemed pointless. Barely ten minutes passed before she opened her door to find David sitting on the edge of her bed, fully clothed.

�I thought you would be as naked as I am by now,�

Crystal said in a sexy tone as she let her towel drop.

David sucked in his breath.

�Let me just look at you for a moment. I just might be the luckiest man alive.�

Normally, a corny line like that would have sent her into a giggling fit. But he�d somehow pulled it off because she could see that he believed every word.

She took a step closer, bringing her directly to David.

His hands moved like magnets to her hips, drawing her nearer.

�Just follow my lead,� he said. �I�ve done this before, and I want your experience to be as good as possible. My goal is to make it so you enjoy it enough that we can do it again and again.�

�Then let�s do this.�

He pulled her down to kiss him, his lips eager. Crystal made a soft noise as his hands moved up and down her body, caressing her hips and then cupping her bottom. She got louder when his lips left hers to find her breasts. He flicked his tongue against her nipple before sucking on it, sending waves of tingling desire through her body.

He stopped what he was doing for a moment and grabbed her bottle of lube. He put some on his finger before returning her breast to his mouth. His lubricated finger trailed down her back and then pushed between her butt cheeks. Crystal stiffened when it found her rosebud, but he didn�t linger. He went lower and pushed his finger inside her. He collected the dripping wetness from her pussy.

He returned to her rosebud with the combination of lubricant and her own juices. Gently, with a delicate touch, David worked the tip of his finger into her ass. Crystal sighed as he penetrated her, appreciating the feel of his finger as it pushed its way inside. She moaned her

disappointment when he withdrew after only inserting the tip.

David put on more lube and collected additional juices before repeating the process.

�Relax,� David said in a soothing tone. �I need to loosen you up first.�

It took him several minutes before he could get two fingers all the way inside.

�Trust me,� he said.

He kissed her, then had Crystal lie on her stomach.

David stripped and then put on a condom before straddling her hips. She knew that the condom was lubricated, but he added more.

�Does it really need that?� she asked.

�Normally, no, but I�m not taking any chances. If this hurts, tell me, and I�ll stop,� David said.

She wasn�t sure if his saying that was good or bad because the �hurts� had her worried.

He leaned down and kissed the side of her neck before she felt him nudge the tip of Mr. Happy into her butt crack.

When he found her rosebud, he couldn�t hold himself still any longer, though he managed to take it slow. It was almost a lean forward, a gentle pressure increasing as he pushed inside her, despite his hands simultaneously pulling her back onto him. It took some time, but he moved inch by inch until his balls pressed up against her sex. She was filled completely, and she could feel every bit of him.

It was hard to explain. Crystal had never felt like that with a cock in her pussy. She obviously loved sex with David, but this was different. She felt every ridge, bump, and vein of his large cock. He felt enormous. The feeling of being stuffed, the tightness, the way her body resisted him at first before almost pulling him back in � It was intense.

That was the only way to describe it.

When he felt she was ready, David began to slowly saw in and out. That was until Crystal pushed back at him.

�Holy crap! Did you just �?� David asked.

�Yes. Now quit messing around and fuck me,� Crystal ordered.

�Hell, yes!� David cried out as his big hand slapped her ass.

Crystal had watched videos where men did that and knew that if any man did that to her, she would have his balls. But somehow, it made it better.

When they were finally done, her butt cheeks were ruby red and tingled. David had a satisfied smile, which was infectious.

�What do you think?� David asked.

�We can take one more item off my bucket list.�

He gave her a wicked grin.

�And?�

�We can do it again.�

You�d thought he just won the Super Bowl by the way he danced around the room. Now she knew what to get him for Christmas.

◊◊◊

The Buffaloes were the most overlooked undefeated team in the nation, only being ranked nineteenth in the latest polls. They�d played five games, and only two were close. They�d faced a Big Ten opponent in Nebraska in the second week of the season and won 33�28. Then last week, they took on Arizona State in a conference game. The final score ended up being 28�21 to make them 2�0 in conference play.

Coming to USC was their first conference road test.

While Utah and USC were still considered the favorites to win the South Division, if Colorado won today, they would have to be strongly considered as a contender.

USC was 3�2, and they were 2�1 in the conference, while Utah was also 3�2 but only 1�2 in the Pac-12. Last week, they defeated Stanford, a team USC had lost to. It was still early in the season, so the Utes were still considered to be in it even though they were two games back in the standings. The team with the best conference record in the Pac-12 South (Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah, UCLA, and USC) would play in the conference championship game.

The Trojans had had a good two weeks of practice to prepare for Colorado. While the offense had improved, their defense took a significant step forward with the help of the bye week. They�d started to look like last year�s defense, and if that were the case, USC could win their division.

This game would go a long way toward that goal.

Today�s kickoff was at 10:30 in the morning and televised on FS1. David�s parents had decided that they would bypass tailgating this week because of the early-morning kickoff. They were also leaving all the munchkins at home. David had given the extra tickets for his parents�

box to Sadie and her mom. Lisa was too sick to leave the hospital, so Sadie brought some of her friends from school.

David had been told that Lisa wouldn�t be with them much longer, so he hoped the game might get her little sister�s mind off of what was to come. So, when the team made their walk from the buses to the stadium, he was happy to see Sadie with her friends. He noted that they were all wearing USC jerseys with his number on them, which was no doubt his mom�s doing.

The warmth of his smile echoed in his voice. �You made it!�

�We did. My mom even got the day off from work,� Sadie replied, smiling to herself as she spoke.

Lexi had said that Lisa�s GoFundMe page was now up and running, and he might have made a donation to prime the pump. With the financial stress somewhat relieved, David was glad to see that her mom could cut back on her work hours, so she had time to spend with family.

�I have to get going. Be sure to cheer for me,� David said as he gave his little friend a hug.

As he walked by his parents, his mom gave him an approving look.

◊◊◊

Coach Merritt was in rare form for his pregame speech.

�You�ve stacked days to get better and more consistent.

We�ve put in the effort, and I can promise you we�ve gotten back our toughness. We will be unrelenting on defense. The offense will win us games, but the defense wins championships. We�re not here to stuff the stat sheet. We all came to USC to win National Championships. We need to get back to basics, grind it out, and do our jobs. If each of you does your job, we will win.

�If our team is one-fifth as hungry as our fanbase today, we�ll put Colorado down like Travis did Old Yeller.

�Now go out there and do your job!� Coach Merritt�s voice rang with command.

David wasn�t sure if he should fall down laughing at the Old Yeller comment or run through a wall for Coach Merritt. Who knew his coach could read? More likely, he watched the movie.

Willie got them organized and took them down to the tunnel. Once the TV crew was ready, they released them to run out onto the field. There were greeted by a sea of cardinal and gold�75,000-plus fans�cheering them on.

They all knew how important this game was. If USC won, then they held their destiny in their hands. They would have the head-to-head against Colorado if they both managed to win out. The tie-breaker would make USC

champions of the Pac-12 South.

While the pregame fanfare went on, David grabbed Bill so he could throw him some balls to stay loose.

�You�re not barfing today,� Bill quipped.

When the nerves got the better of David, his stomach rebelled. Today, he felt relaxed.

�I thought I would save that for the one that counts at the end of the year, Notre Dame,� David said with a steely edge.

Of all the games left on the schedule, that was the one he wanted to win. He grew up in the shadow of Notre Dame, which was considered college football royalty. Heck, they had their own TV network to broadcast their games, NBC�which everyone back home called Notre Dame Broadcasting Company.

�Good. I want to beat those bastards this year. My cousins are huge Golden Domers fans and remind me at Christmas when we lose to them,� Bill said with pinched lips.

The USC versus Notre Dame rivalry had been going on since 1926, and the Irish had dominated the Trojans for the last few years.

�We�ll worry about that when the time comes. Let�s focus on the Buffaloes.�

The first quarter went as Coach Merritt had planned it.

You would think you were watching an old-school Big Ten game as both teams tried to establish the run. Colorado�s first four possessions were three plays, and they had to punt. USC didn�t do much better with their first four turns on offense by racking up three punts and an interception.

Colorado had the ball on their own forty to start their fifth drive. They handed the ball off to their primary running back, who gained nine yards. On second down, he reran it, but USC�s defense shut him down for no gain.

On third down, Colorado went off-book. Before the snap, they sent their quarterback in motion to take a wide receiver position. It left one running back deep and another closer to the line, with the tight end also in the backfield in what was called a Wildcat formation. That was where the running back took a direct snap from the center.

The USC defense looked confused as the ball was put into play. The tight end and lead running back were lined up on the right side of the center. The lead running back dove into the guard-tackle hole on the snap. Their running back with the ball made a hard jab step as if to follow his lead blocker. The tight end and right guard pulled left, and the guard helped double-team Percy at the defensive end spot.

He�d been in their backfield more than they wanted, so they made sure to take him out of the play. The tight end scraped off the back of their blocks and led the ball carrier downfield. He engaged Todd, at outside linebacker, just long enough for his runner to get to the open field. In the blink of an eye, he was fifteen yards downfield.

David groaned when he saw no one was going to catch him. Colorado had struck first for a 7�0 lead.

Then, on USC�s fifth possession, Coach Merritt allowed Coach Thomas to open up his playbook.

The Trojans had good field position after an excellent kickoff return. David led his team out and got them lined up. He was under center as he looked over the defensive alignment he was facing. Colorado�s front seven had been flying to the ball all game. Their body language told him they expected him to hand the ball off once again.

David called the count, and Willie snapped the ball.

David turned right and held the ball out for Marcus, only to pull it back and make a seven-step drop. As he set up, his first read was to Amari at wide receiver. The Colorado defender was scrambling to catch up because he�d assumed run.

David took a bit off the ball because Amari tended to drop passes if they had too much on them. The lanky receiver gathered it in and stumbled his way to a twenty-nine-yard gain. The ball was now on the Buffaloes� thirty.

David hustled his men to the ball and called a quick snap count. He dropped back and saw Amari racing down the sideline with three steps on his defender. David lofted the ball toward the end zone to take his shot, and Amari caught it to tie up the game.

Colorado continued to go three-and-out in the second quarter, but USC wasn�t doing much better.

With four minutes left in the half, USC went back on offense. On the first play, Marcus was stuffed in the backfield for a four-yard loss. David could see the frustration building with his teammates, so he huddled them up. He checked the sideline and saw the play signaled.

�Take a deep breath and relax. Bill and I have this,�

David said and then called the play.

Bill had played the decoy all game because Colorado knew he was David�s favorite target. They�d been playing games where two and sometimes three defenders would box Bill in. On this play, Bill was going vertical.

As David dropped back, he laughed aloud when Bill showed his man his hip like he was doing a down-and-out.

Then he did a stutter step and exploded past the defender.

David used to joke in high school that his teammate Ty Wilson would make amazing moves to mystify defenders. It was like when you smashed all the buttons on your Xbox controller. Bill had just done his own version of that.

What surprised them both was that his defender wasn�t fooled; he was running step-for-step with Bill. It had confused the defender�s help, though, leaving Bill one-on-one for the first time all game. David knew that if he lofted it up and threw a fifty-fifty ball, Bill would likely come down with it. But this time, he underthrew the ball because he saw the defender was intent on watching Bill and hadn�t looked back. Bill suddenly put on the brakes, causing the other guy to fly by him. He caught the ball and avoided his defender to score on a sixty-nine-yard pass, giving USC

their first lead at 14�7.

With two minutes to go in the half, USC had the ball again. As they trotted out onto the field, David turned to Bill.

�Be ready. I�m coming to you again.�

Bill grinned like an idiot, relishing the challenge of besting their rivals.

Bill did a down-and-out on the first play to gain fifteen yards and get the Trojans to midfield. On the next play, he found a hole in their zone that David rifled a pass into, despite what was essentially double coverage. They were now on the ten-yard line.

David walked down the field and looked to the sideline, where he got the next play.

�Line up! Line up!� he barked.

�Z 98! Z 98! Hike!� David called out.

Bill ran a slant and had his defender hanging on him, but David threw it anyway. Bill caught it and fell into the end zone.

The crowd erupted. It was the loudest David had ever heard it in Memorial Coliseum. He ran downfield, and he and Bill leaped at each other to do a chest bump.

�You�re the man!� David yelled as they headed to the sideline.

◊◊◊

Coach Thomas handed David the stats for the first half.

The Buffaloes� offense had just 30 total yards before their touchdown play went 49 yards untouched for the game�s first points early in the second quarter. USC had zero net yards rushing.

It looked like Colorado�s Achilles� heel was their secondary. Otherwise, both defenses had played well.

�What do you think the issue is with the running game?�

David asked.

�Well, there are a couple of problems. The running backs aren�t running as �smart� as they did last year. It also seems that Marcus is going down much easier. That could be due to his early-season injury. When he gets beyond the line of scrimmage, he stumbles after minimal contact; if Marcus kept his feet, he�d be scoring a touchdown.

�For the offensive line, it�s fundamentals like footwork.

The receivers are also not blocking downfield as they should. Both of these we can fix with coaching. And then there�s the issue of me not allowing you to run�and the defense knows that,� Coach Thomas said, surprisingly forthcoming.

�What do you want me to do in the second half?� David asked.

�We�re up 21�7. I don�t need any heroics. All we need you to do is be a game manager and close this thing out,�

Coach Thomas said.

The only response David gave was his eyebrows rose a fraction. From Coach Thomas�s point of view, he could see

that they just needed to eat up the clock and let their defense keep Colorado in check for the win. It might not be the kind of ball David preferred to play, but if he wanted to get in for the Notre Dame game, he would do as asked.

When the second half started, Colorado got the ball first, and six plays later had to punt. USC did a bit better, but they also punted. For once, Knackers� replacement kicked one out of bounds at the ten-yard line.

USC�s defense pushed them back two yards on the first play. Colorado tried a short pass to the tight end crossing over the middle on third and twelve. The ball was tipped, and Todd was able to pick it off and run it back for the score.

With the game all but out of reach at 28�7, Colorado lost some of their spirit until the fourth quarter started. David watched as the Buffaloes put together a twenty-play drive that lasted nearly eight minutes. The sad part was USC had two defensive linemen go down with injuries.

With a bit over six minutes left in the game, Colorado made the score 28�14.

Colorado tried an onside kick, which the Trojans recovered on the forty-eight-yard line. Seven plays later, Alex kicked a thirty-eight-yard field goal.

With new life, Colorado scored one last time with under two minutes to go to make the final 31�20 as they failed on their two-point conversion attempt.

USC recovered the onside kick and forced Colorado to use their last time-out. When the Trojans got the first down, it was over. David kneeled down three times to run out the clock.

David had passed the ball 35 times and completed 18 for 283 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception. USC

as a team had rushed the ball for only 35 yards. Bill had 6

catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

The Trojans improved to 13�0 all-time versus Colorado and collected their nineteenth straight home win, the

second-longest streak in FBS.

They were now in control of the division. If they took care of business in Utah, the most challenging part of their conference schedule would be behind them.

When they got into the locker room, Coach Merritt�s parting comment was, �A win makes all our problems go away for 24 hours. Next week, we collect some road kill.

Now go out and enjoy tonight, but be smart about it.�

◊◊◊

As he was getting dressed, Bill and Amari sat down to talk to him.

�Good game,� Amari said as his smile broadened with approval.

�You did good, Brother,� Bill added.

David wondered what they were up to with half anticipation and half dread.

�What do you want?�

�Told you that wouldn�t work,� Bill said.

�It was worth a try,� Amari agreed. �We need your help.�

�Okay,� David drawled.

�We�re hosting two recruits, and Bryant said we should talk to you about what to do with them tonight. Our plan was to go to the football apartments, where there will surely be a party,� Armani said hopefully.

David�s nose scrunched up with concern.

�What�s wrong with that? That�s what I did on my recruiting weekend,� Bill said, acting annoyed.

�And what happened?� David asked.

�I got drunk and almost missed my meetings on Sunday,�

Bill admitted.

�I puked in my hotel room, and my mom threatened to take me home and miss the rest of the weekend. Luckily, my dad talked her out of it,� Amari said.

David nodded and asked, �Remember what we did for my recruiting weekend?�

Bill thought about it for a moment before looking up with a smile.

�You invited us all to a party at Zak Verwood�s,� he said and then turned to Armani. �He�s an actor David knows. It was at his mansion, and it was epic.�

�So, you�re saying David might have a better idea?�

Armani asked.

�I have a question of my own,� David said. �Starters don�t normally act as recruiting hosts. Who are these guys that Bryant asked you to do it?�

�I wondered when you would figure that out. It�s the two receiving prospects on USC�s want list, Ezekiel Rodriguez and Damion Roth,� Bill revealed.

The shock of discovery hit David full force. He was well aware of Damion�s talents. He�d almost single-handedly taken Wesleyan to state during high school, where they played David and Lincoln High. David had always thought Damion was a lock for the NFL someday if he could get his shit together. His grades were what had landed him in a JC.

In his first two years of high school, he was what you would call an uninterested student.

David had made him a promise that if Damion could turn it around, he would put a good word in for Damion wherever he was playing. David had always wondered what it would have been like if the two of them were on the same team. That was why he�d sent Bryant to Iowa Western Community College to talk to Damion.

Ezekiel �EZ� Rodriguez was a man among boys at six-seven and 215 pounds. He was also from one of the roughest places in the country, Westmont. It was an unincorporated area just south of LA; Vermont Avenue, which formed its eastern border, was called Death Alley because of all the unsolved murders in that area.

Everyone was recruiting EZ because he was a freak athlete who showed a ton of potential. The thought was that he might be a high first-rounder in the NFL with the proper coaching and weight program.

�I�ve got a place you can take them that won�t get out of hand, and they�ll have a good time,� David promised. �Let me call and set it up.�

�Can the other recruits and their hosts come?� Bill asked.

David snorted out a laugh as he discovered what Bryant was really up to. Partying with David Dawson was the secret sauce that had prospective recruits begging for an offer from USC. If it got these two to say �yes,� then David was all for it.

◊◊◊

David had talked to Crystal and Lars and invited himself and his �friends� to the Phi Sig party that night. Lars was easy because he claimed that word of David showing up increased the quality of women who attended.

David met everyone at the John McKay Center, where Bryant had just finished giving the recruits and their families a tour.

�I want to introduce everyone to David A. Dawson, our starting quarterback,� Bryant said proudly.

David took the time to meet everyone and let them take pictures before announcing, �I am stealing your sons for the evening. Go out and enjoy LA while I corrupt them and show them what college life is all about. I�m sure many of you know what I�m talking about.�

That caused an uneasy chuckle from the parents, but once again, he was amazed when they all allowed their sons to go with him without a lot of questions. He knew if his mom had been there, she would have been a pain in the rear.

As they walked to the Phi Sig house, David noticed they had a girl with them. He did a double-take because he knew her. Destiny Crown had been his girlfriend Brook�s greatest rival in high school. He knew she�d latched onto Damion once she learned he was going places. David hadn�t known they were still together.

When they got to the Phi Sig house, the party was just starting to kick off, so it wasn�t crowded yet. Lars was at the door, handing out red cups to ensure the recruits weren�t overserved. He also gave out condoms for � well

� what they were for, with Lars telling them their penises would thank them later.

The Phi Sigs were huge USC football fans and loved that the recruits were there. Once he was sure they all felt at home, David found Damion and Destiny.

�Well, hello, stranger. The last we talked was at your graduation party,� David said to Destiny.

�If I remember right, you got drunk on vodka and passed out,� Destiny said.

�Dawson drinks? I thought he was a Boy Scout,� Damion teased.

David tried to disguise his annoyance. It reminded him why Brook had never liked her. He tamped down his desire to get into a verbal battle with Destiny. After all, tonight wasn�t about her, it was about getting Damion to enroll at USC.

�I wanted to thank you for keeping your word. I know you didn�t have to,� Damion said earnestly.

�You kept up your end of the bargain. I�ve always wanted you on my team,� David said.

�I�m going to be able to graduate after this semester, so I can enroll in the spring. I heard your brother also received an offer. Did you have anything to do with that?�

Damion asked.

�All I did was ask Bryant and the coaches to take a look at the both of you. They thought you two would be a good

fit, and I think you�ll love it here. It�ll give you a national stage to showcase your talent and get you into the NFL.�

�I told him you were a standup guy,� Destiny said.

He also remembered that Brook�s issues with Destiny weren�t necessarily his. While they would never be friends, he knew she wasn�t evil incarnate. She might be okay under the right circumstances.

�Introduce me to your new friends,� Crystal said as she slid in beside him.

David introduced everyone. He was grateful when Crystal took Destiny to meet her sorority sisters.

�I hadn�t realized that the two of you were still together.

What happens when you come to USC?� David asked.

�We�re getting married at Christmas. I�ve asked Bryant to see about helping her enroll. If it doesn�t work out, he said he can see about helping with other colleges close by.�

�You�re marrying her?� David asked, unable to keep the surprise off his face.

�I know. It blindsided me, too, but I�m the happiest man alive. Speaking of which � damn, man! Your girl is smokin�

hot.�

�Hands off,� David said with a mock scowl.

Well, not all that mock. Damion didn�t have the highest morals regarding other men�s women if history was any indicator.

Damion held his hands up to surrender.

�I�m not about to shoot the golden goose, but if you ever wanted to swap �.�

David shoved Damion.

�No, no, I get it. You�re not into sharing,� Damion conceded.

EZ walked up and introduced himself.

�So, that�s your girlfriend?� EZ asked.

Damion laughed. �Boy Scout isn�t into sharing. I already asked.�

�Damn. I don�t blame you, but that�s okay; the rest of the talent at this party is top-notch. If my crew back home ever found out, they�d be camped out waiting for the next party,�

EZ said.

David looked around, and EZ was right. Anywhere the Alpha Mus went, they alone would fill a party with good-looking women. But Lars had worked to invite the most stunning girls from all the other sororities. If David was single, Mr. Happy would have been confused about who they should go after.

�Don�t be shy. Go introduce yourself,� David encouraged.

�I think I will,� EZ said as he left them.

◊◊◊

�I said, drink!� David heard.

He turned to find Lars glaring at what must be a pledge.

�I don�t want to get fucked up. I have a math test on Monday that I still need to study for.�

�Pledge, if a brother tells you to drink, you drink. Now I think you should do two more shots,� Lars said.

The pledge looked like he was about to cry.

�Lars, stop. If he says �no,� then listen to him,� David said.

�Fuck you, Dawson. This is my house and my rules. If I tell a pledge to do something, I expect it to be done,� he said and then turned to the pledge. �Now! Drink!�

David took the shot out of the pledge�s hands and drank it for him.

�Lars. I�m trying to tell you that you don�t want to force someone to drink with all the hazing stuff in the news.

Have him clean up or get more ice.�

�Stay out of it!� Crystal said to David. �Don�t undermine Lars in front of his pledges.�

�That�s not what I was trying to say,� David said.

�I think you should leave. This is Greek stuff that doesn�t concern you,� Crystal said.

David looked at her, barely able to keep his emotions in check. He�d only been trying to prevent Lars from making a mistake that could hurt his fraternity. Crystal had escalated it to the point that now everyone was watching her tear into him.

�Fair enough. I�ll just head over to the football apartments. I hear they�re having a party,� David announced loud enough for everyone to hear.

He turned and started for the front door. He noted that all the football players were rounding up their recruits to leave. Once outside, he waited until everyone was there before walking to the next party. He wasn�t surprised when many of the Alpha Mu girls and other sorority girls joined them.

When they got to the football apartments, he could see it was totally out of control. Welp, he�d tried.

He grabbed a beer and found EZ and Damion had joined him.

�So, are you single now?� Damion asked.

�You wouldn�t mind if I called Crystal, would you?� EZ

asked.

David glared at both of them.

�Too soon?� Damion asked as the two recruits both broke out into laughter.

David took a beat to realize they were right. Crystal had broken up with him when she publicly sided with Lars.

�Let�s get drunk,� David said with a reserved chuckle.

◊◊◊

A terrified yelp escaped David�s clenched teeth as his arms and legs flailed in the hope of grabbing onto something � anything � that could stop his fall off the side of the cliff. He awoke just a moment before colliding with the floor, landing hard on his left arm.

�Fuck!� he hissed because he�d hit his funny bone.

He rolled over on his back and looked at the ceiling to let his head clear before he tried to stand up. Thankfully, Jim had gathered him up and taken him home before the offensive linemen could talk him into a shots contest. The combination of him being a lightweight drinker and the sixty-to-hundred-pound weight difference between him and his drinking opponents wouldn�t have turned out well.

That being said, he wasn�t too steady on his feet for his walk home.

He finally sat up, and the earth tilted on its axis. If his stomach hadn�t announced that it was going to purge itself of any remaining poison he�d ingested last night, he would have simply lain back down. Instead, he half crawled and half ran to the bathroom. What he found disturbing was that all that was left was bile, and he began to dry heave when that was gone.

�I thought I swore off drinking the last time I did this,�

David complained when he finally stood up and could talk to himself in the mirror. �You need to get your butt in the shower because Cassidy will make your life a living hell if she thinks you�re hungover.�

He stepped into the shower and let the hot water do its magic as he contemplated how sad it was that he�d had to give himself a pep talk to get moving this morning.

When he finally got out, his phone made an irritating noise to let him know he had a message. David had to go full-on Sherlock to decrypt it. Suprz meant �Surprise.�

Gyadh took longer to decode, but he believed it meant �Get your ass down here.�

To be safe, he simply sent a smiley-face emoji back.

◊◊◊

The surprise was that Cassidy was driving her new car.

He knew she liked to drive, but it was usually his Demon she wanted to get behind the wheel of. David had to admit that the Mercedes was the superior car based on sheer comfort.

�We have to stop and get something to eat,� David said as he slid into the front seat.

�Doreen�s?�

�That works.�

Cassidy pulled up in front, and David was shocked to find so many people there on a Sunday morning. Cool air rushed over him as he pulled open the door, the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting out. They were three deep at the counter, so he went behind and helped out through the mini-rush.

�You know you�re to blame for this,� Doreen said as her smile broadened. �People want to see where The Young and The Wild is filmed.�

He noted that his wasn�t the only photo on the wall now.

Doreen had gotten her picture taken with each of the rest of the cast.

�And next time you mention my place on your show, give me a heads-up. I ran out of coffee cake in about thirty minutes on Thursday,� she said as her smile never wavered.

He lounged comfortably against the counter.

�I need two coffees and coffee cakes to go,� David said.

�No tea?�

�No. I need the real stuff today; the stronger, the better.

I drank too much last night,� David admitted. �In fact, I could really use some Cuban coffee; that stuff has a

powerful jolt. It�s like drinking jet fuel. I can see students lined up before an all-nighter. You might want to add that to your menu.�

Doreen said she�d consider it and hooked him up with non-Cuban coffee. David was irritated when Cassidy refused to drive and eat her food because she only had one working arm. He thought the car could all but drive itself for what it would have cost him if he�d paid for it. While they had their quick breakfast, Cassidy made him talk to her.

�Rough night? Have you been partying like a rock star?

You look like shit. If I didn�t know better, I would say you�re hungover.�

David touched his nose to let her know she�d guessed right.

�What happened?� Cassidy asked, suddenly concerned.

She knew him too well. He reminded himself that it wouldn�t be worth not telling her.

�I had a fight with Crystal, and we broke up. I think she�s really mad because she didn�t even try to text me when I left Phi Sigs.�

�Don�t worry about her,� Cassidy counseled. �She�s just a small-minded girl who puts out for the jocks to be popular, and she�ll never amount to much more.�

He was too startled by her words to offer an objection.

Finally, he said, �Tell me what you really think.�

She gave him an unreadable look as she glanced over at him.

�That was probably harsh, but you can do better. What is it with your trying to see the good in raving bitches?

Remember what you thought of her and Lexi when you first met them? Why do you always go for someone you know is wrong for you? Why not focus on girls who are a better fit?�

As she asked her questions, David brought one finger down for each. Cassidy glared back at him.

�Don�t do that. What are you doing?� Cassidy asked as she used her chin to indicate his closed fist with his thumb sticking out.

�Keeping track of your questions,� he answered quickly.

�Well?�

�That was harsh. I see the good in everyone. I don�t let first impressions guide me; I�m a guy; and I�m not looking to settle down just yet.�

The last two earned him an eye roll.

�I don�t feel like talking about it,� David said. �Let me take a nap, and we can talk more in Malibu.�

◊◊◊

David didn�t usually have the luxury of taking naps.

�It�s time to get up, sleepyhead,� Cassidy teased.

�Shhh, sleeping,� David shot back as he gave her his irresistible, devastating grin.

�Your sexy smile won�t work on me. Wake your butt up.

We�re here,� Cassidy said as the gate slid open to let them into the Dawson compound.

He noted a drone circled the car as they drove to the back side of the garage. One of the doors opened, which Cassidy used to pull in. Before David could open his door, the back door opened, and his kids piled in. He quickly got his phone out and sent Cassidy a text.

�Welcome, little ninjas. Please go with Master Cassidy to start your training while I rest. It was hard work making sure your dad was safe with Master Cassidy driving,� S

said.

�Ow,� David exclaimed as he received a jab under the arm.

�S is right. She�s tired from driving. Before we warm up, you can tell me about your week,� Cassidy said.

David gave her a grateful look as he went to the house.

He was sweating now, trying hard to fight the waves of nausea that had suddenly reappeared. He felt like he should eat something. When he got to the kitchen, there was a ton of food, but nothing looked appetizing. David stared into the fridge until he started to feel woozy from standing.

�Never again,� he promised himself.

He decided on toast. He was eating that and drinking another coffee when his mom found him.

�Your brother and his family will be here for lunch. He wants to talk to you, so make time for him.�

�What does he want?�

�You�ll have to let him tell you,� his mom said, then her eyes narrowed. �Are you hungover?�

�Crystal and I had a fight,� David said and then told her everything that happened. �Do me a favor and fill everyone in so I don�t have to talk about it.�

�You might learn something from their perspectives.�

�I really won�t,� David said emphatically.

He knew he would never win this one by the look she gave him, so he went to find Cassidy and her little ninjas.

�Hold up for a second,� his mom said. �This doesn�t feel like the kind of disagreement that leads to everything blowing up. In a relationship, there will be disagreements

� some of them very hurtful and public. What you have to decide is whether Crystal is worth forgiving. I think you�ll discover that if she can forgive you, she is.�

�But I didn�t do anything wrong,� David complained.

�Didn�t you? Turn it on its head and look at her point of view. Why was she mad at you?� Carol said. �Your Grandpa Davey used to say there are three sides to an argument.

Yours, theirs, and somewhere in the middle is the truth.

What you have to do is find the middle ground.�

He didn�t need this right now, so he fled to hang out with his children.

◊◊◊

Cassidy was amazed that someone was dumb enough to get David�s kids a trampoline. The only smart thing they�d done was ring the outside with foam for when they fell off it. She and David acted as human shields to prevent them from flying too far and missing the foam.

It didn�t take long to figure out why it was purchased when it quickly wore out the munchkins. They were scattered around the backyard resting when David challenged her.

�Give it a try, or are you chicken?�

She stepped onto the trampoline and began jumping.

�Not so bad, right?� Cassidy thought.

She jumped several times, flying higher with each bounce. She braced herself and then made a final jump off the rounded edge of the trampoline to wow David with her skills.

�Oh, shit,� slipped through her lips.

Somewhere between the final jump and takeoff, she miscalculated the angle. Instead of going for the foam in the perfect cannonball form she�d planned, she hurtled through the air face first. Her legs and arms flailed as her body shot toward the dirt beyond the foam.

David�s grin faded as he realized what was about to happen. Boy Wonder shot in front of her to prevent the inevitable. She felt helpless as she saw the munchkins scrambling to get out of the way as she overshot the foam.

David caught her, but her momentum caused him to fall backward, just missing Allen as they crashed to the ground.

She felt her cast smack him right between the legs, sending a jolt through her arm, which hurt like crazy.

They were both rolling around on the ground in pain when Rob came running out of the house. When he saw the children were okay, he said, �I read a parenting magazine

and figured it would be one of the boys that died. I had no idea you two would be the ones who got hurt.�

�You�ve read a parenting magazine?� David asked.

With that, Rob gathered the kids and left the two of them lying in the dirt.

◊◊◊

David went with Greg to let his niece and nephews try out the trampoline. Kyle and Mac were naturals, but Nate had a death wish. It wasn�t long before he was relegated to sitting on his uncle�s lap while he watched his older siblings.

�What did you want to talk about?� David asked.

�I�ve been thinking about what I want to do when I grow up, and I�ve decided I want to work with you.�

�How would you see that working?� David asked.

Before he suggested anything, he wanted to find out what Greg was thinking.

�I thought I would return to school and get my MBA while working for you part-time. Then, after I graduate, I would have to work a certain number of years to have my MBA fees forgiven.�

�So, I would pay for you to go to school?� David asked.

�Mom and Dad only agreed to help me get my bachelor�s. I would also work for you while I went to school,� Greg said, repeating himself.

David could see his older brother was super nervous, so he smiled at Greg to help calm him down.

�I�m fine with that. I just want to know what you really want. I�ll pay for your MBA even if you don�t work for me.�

�Eventually, I want to do what Dad and Uncle John do for you.�

David thought about it for a moment and then had an idea.

�Have you ever thought about real estate?�

Greg�s nose scrunched up before saying, �I�m not sure I�d be good at sales.�

�First, if you have to sell someone to buy a house, you�re doing it wrong. Your job is to match the right house with the right buyer. When there�s a match, all you do is help them navigate the transaction and all it entails.�

�I hadn�t thought of it that way,� Greg admitted.

�Mom is down an agent since Ashley is off in Europe playing poker. At first, Ashley worried that it seemed like selling, but once she got over that, she did well enough that she could buy a Presidential Suite Condo in Beverly Hills. It was all due to the program that a classmate of mine developed to identify buyers and sellers.

�What won her over was that she could work flexible hours and make much more than getting a traditional nine-to-five job. I�m sure Mom has plenty for you to do until you get your license. At least talk to her and see if you think it would work,� David suggested.

�And if I don�t like that?� Greg asked.

�Then we can talk about some alternatives. I promise we�ll find something where you can support yourself while you go to school.�

�I want to do this right. I want a contract for the school stuff so you�re protected,� Greg pressed.

�Then talk to Dad, and he�ll have the lawyers put something together. You and Dad can sign it, and Megan will handle the money end.�

�If you think I�m being a leech �� Greg trailed off.

David could see that this really bothered him.

�If I thought that, I would say �no.��

�Cassidy said you would tell me if you didn�t want to do it.�

�You should listen to her,� David said.

Greg looked like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

They spent the rest of the time catching up before David had to go film his soap.

◊◊◊

When he arrived on set, there was good and bad news.

The good was that Adrienne had agreed to play his wife.

The bad was that Kate was a �no.� Her baseball guy didn�t like the idea of her getting naked with David and it being televised. It was just one more reason not to like the guy.

David quickly ran through a list of actors and models who could replace Kate since he got to pick. Kara Tasman made the short list, but he figured Adrienne was probably enough on the model front. Having to work with two novices wouldn�t be fair to the crew and the show.

Halle James and Fiona Beckham also made the short list but were rejected because it didn�t feel right for them and where they were in their careers. When they were auditioning for major movie roles, doing a soap opera, even if it were with him, seemed beneath them.

He settled on two possible alternatives, Isabel Alexandra and Bec Carson.

Isabel would make it obvious he had a type. Both she and Adrienne were blessed with large breasts. She�d been in the most recent Baywatch movie and played Miss Moneypenny in his James Bond film. His only hesitation was the way she�d handled the Ben-and-Lexi drama.

Bec Carson was his friend Zak Verwood�s girlfriend, and Zak had been his costar in The Secret Circle. He�d met Bec through Zak and liked both her and her work. She had some serious acting chops. The benefit of picking Bec was that she and David had no personal history.

He called his agent and gave him the two names. David would throw Kendrick a bone and let him work out who got the role.

◊◊◊

Monday night, David was surprised when Crystal showed up with her book bag and acted like Saturday hadn�t happened.

�What are you doing here? I thought we broke up Saturday night.�

�What are you talking about?� Crystal asked as a muscle flicked angrily at her jaw.

David�s eyebrows drew together in an agonized expression. What was he missing here? He gleaned from her look that Crystal was spoiling for a fight, and he guessed he owed her that much.

�People are trying to study. Go to the roof if you two are going to fight,� Alex called from the living room.

�It sounds like we need to talk without prying ears,�

David said.

�I heard that,� Alex said.

◊◊◊

When they got to the roof, Crystal heard something crash in the alley beyond the parking area�s back wall. A dog began wild, snarling barks.

The butterflies in her stomach went crazy, and she sucked in a quick, loud breath as she clutched her waist.

She couldn�t believe that David had decided that they�d broken up Saturday night. Crystal knew he had to babysit football recruits while she had to keep an eye on her sorority sisters. It only made sense that they went their separate ways when he decided to leave.

�We need to talk about what you did,� David said.

She heard his disapproval, as loud as a bonfire crackling. In her mind, David had just gone from drool-worthy to ax-worthy.

�What did I do?� Crystal asked. �What about what you did? It was like you assumed that Lars is some kind of idiot,

and he was dealing with internal Phi Sig business that had nothing to do with you.�

�He was forcing that kid to drink. I was looking at it through the lens of how it could harm Phi Sigs. You�ve already lost one fraternity through stupidity, and Lars should have been more concerned with that than hazing one of their pledges. The guy said he had to study for a math test on Monday, for Christ�s sake,� David said as he became obviously agitated.

�What if I told you that the kid was lying about a test?

And that he�d been making other pledges do shots and has been bucking the fraternity�s hierarchy recently? He�s also one of the house�s biggest drinkers, so Lars knew he could handle one or even three shots,� Crystal fired back.

�Then why didn�t Lars say anything? Why did you jump all over my ass instead of talking to me about it? David asked.

This struck Crystal the wrong way. It felt like the Nail, In, Coffin moment. Did he not realize he�d put his big nose into a situation that he had no business being in?

�So, in retaliation, you announce to the party that you�re going to another party? That was a dick move,� Crystal said.

�I can see we aren�t getting anywhere. I need to get away from you for a while and cool off, or we�ll really be over. My mom was right about there being three sides to a situation. If we can�t find a way to forgive each other for our roles in what happened, then we should call it,� David said.

His words felt heavy in her ears as she watched him walk away.

◊◊◊

David was in his room trying to see Crystal�s side of their disagreement when there was a knock on the door. It

was Alex.

�I�m in no mood,� David warned.

�Are you an idiot?�

�Get to your point.�

�You�re being an asshole, even if you�re right. Think this through. If you continue and want some good lovin�, you might as well go fuck yourself because Crystal won�t.�

With that pearl of wisdom, Alex left him alone.

Twenty minutes later, Crystal showed up.

�You ready to talk?� she asked.

He simply nodded.

�I thought about what your mom said about the three sides, and I hadn�t considered how you saw it,� Crystal said as her lips thinned with displeasure. �I can now see why you did what you did.�

�I can see we both did some things we could have done differently,� David admitted.

�Did you really think we broke up?� Crystal asked.

�One of the recruits said it looked like we had. I didn�t think so until he said that, but when you didn�t message me on Sunday, I thought maybe we had.�

Crystal chuckled.

�Says the man who talks everything to death. I know you spend Sunday with family and then have to do your soap,�

Crystal said. Then she pointed out, �If you thought we needed to talk, you have my number.�

�What do you want to do?�

�I never thought we were broken up. The real question is, what do you want to do?� Crystal asked.

Alex and David�s mom had both made good points in their own way. If you cared for someone, there would be times when you didn�t see eye-to-eye. He�d seen his parents get into verbal battles much worse than what happened Saturday, and they were still together.

It made him realize that what he had with Crystal wasn�t simply a fleeting teen crush. There was more there than

he�d planned when they got together. Was she his happily ever after? He had no idea.

�I don�t want to break up,� David finally said.

�Good. I don�t either.�

◊◊◊

Professor Elder, his critical thinking teacher, had warned the class that they would see current situations in a new light when they studied personal bias. David concluded he should avoid the topic when he had turmoil in his life.

Their reading for the next class was on a concept called

�the just-world hypothesis.� It declares that your preference for justice makes you presume it exists.

The point was that no matter how we wanted it to be, in the real world, people don�t always get what they deserve, hard work doesn�t always pay off, and injustice happens.

This bias leads people to believe stuff like �what goes around comes around,� �tomorrow will be a better day,� or an expectation of �karmic balance.� In extreme cases, it could lead to blaming victims of crime and circumstance.

The conclusion was that a more just world requires understanding rather than blame. We should remember that everyone has their own life story, we�re all fallible, and bad things happen to good people.

◊◊◊

David saw that Crystal was done studying. When she looked over at him, he gave her a leer, got out of his chair, and rubbed his hands together.

�Now that I have found you, my precious, we shall never separate,� he said in a creepy voice.

Crystal squealed when he lunged for her.

�Oh, come on! It�s a school night,� Alex complained from the other room.

They both fell into bed in gales of giggles. Alex could go pound sand. Make-up sex was what made having a fight worthwhile.

◊◊◊

�Welcome to Trojan Inquirer. To support our show, give us a follow because it really helps us out. Today, we have my fellow USC quarterback, Matt Long, as our guest,�

David said.

He�d thought long and hard about how to show Matt that he was okay with their situation. Yes, Matt had been a jackass and tried to get him killed in the spring. And, yes, Matt felt like David had taken his girlfriend away from him.

But in the last few weeks, they�d begun to learn to coexist.

That was when Tracy had told him she�d lined up � well, no one. David decided he might want to take a more active role in their guest invites moving forward. That was when he scrambled this morning, saw Matt working out with Tank, and asked him to be on the show.

�Matt�s been cleared of his injuries, and Coach Merritt has named him the starter for this week�s opponent, Utah,�

Tracy said. �How are you doing physically?�

�Good,� was Matt�s one-word answer.

David inwardly cringed. Tracy would kill him if Matt didn�t open up and talk.

�This is a huge weekend for the Pac-12 South, with Utah considered the favorite, but USC controls their own destiny, being one game up on the Utes. How do you see it playing out Saturday?� Tracy asked.

�We�ll win.�

David was encouraged. Matt had actually said two words this time. Tracy looked at him to see if he wanted to jump in and question Matt. David leaned back and gave her a blank look. He would pay for that later, but he was starting to enjoy this.

�How do you plan to win?� Tracy tried.

�By scoring more points than they do.�

If David didn�t know better, he would think Matt was punking her. When Coach Merritt had heard about the interview, he�d told Matt he would bench him if he gave Utah any poster material to fire them up for their game.

Coach had also not allowed Matt to talk about his injury or anything else that might help their opponent. David should probably have mentioned that to Tracy. He also thought Matt was a wimp for going to Coach to ask permission to be on David�s show.

�USC�s ground game was tepid at best last week. What will you do to improve that against Utah?� Tracy asked.

�Execute better.�

Before Tracy killed them both, David jumped in.

�How do you like playing quarterback for USC?�

�This is my dream school ��

It didn�t take long for Tracy to figure out that Matt would shut down whenever she asked about Utah. Anything else, he became a dream guest. David even learned that Matt had a Lab named Darcy and drank Mountain Dew.

Those two things made him like Matt a bit more.

◊◊◊

When David arrived for practice, he had a note to go see Bryant, their recruiting coordinator.

He was disappointed to see that Rachel wasn�t working today. It was the new guy who gave David some side-eye.

David knew the new guy had a crush on his workmate, so he let the dirty look go for now.

David found Bryant intently tapping out a message on his phone. Clearly, the man wasn�t up to speed on the two-thumb or swipe-to-type methods because he was using just his index finger to jab at the screen.

�Give me a second. I need to send out four more of these before I forget.�

�What are you doing?� David asked.

�Commenting on social media posts some of our recruits have put out. I seem to spend half my time doing stuff like that.�

�Why don�t you have Rachel do it for you? Most of the time, when she�s out front, she�s bored out of her mind. I have someone do mine,� David suggested.

�But ��

�Plus, she�s probably a lot more relatable on social media than you are,� David said as his eyebrows rose in obvious amusement at his coach�s plight.

Bryant scowled, but David could tell that Rachel would soon have a new job.

�So, what do you need?� David asked.

�Oh, yeah. I wanted to tell you that both Damion and EZ

verbally committed.�

�You�re starting to put together a great class.�

�And we�re not done,� Bryant said. �Your brother is coming for the Arizona State game with Rockefeller �.�

�Roc. He hates his full name,� David interrupted.

�Roc,� Bryant said and then pressed his lips together. �I would think he�d get bullied with a name like Roc.�

�Trust me, it�s better than Rockefeller.�

�Anyway, I was hoping you and Bill could act as hosts since you both know them.�

David chuckled because Phil was his brother. He hoped he knew Phil well enough to be his USC guy for the visit.

Then again � maybe Phil would prefer someone else.

�Bill will be fine with Roc, but I don�t think they know each other; Bill graduated before Roc started at Lincoln.

And I suggest you ask Phil. Maybe he would rather Jaden or Matt be his host. He might feel less pressure to come here from them,� David reflected.

�He asked for you.�

�Then, I would love to,� David said, then pointed at the coach�s cell phone. �Seriously, have Rachel do that for you.�

◊◊◊

David was on his way to the locker room again when his phone rang, and it was Lexi.

�Hey,� David answered.

�I called to gloat and give you something to think about.�

He couldn�t think what she would be calling to gloat about unless it had something to do with her raising money for charities.

�Gloat away.�

�I received a link to the monthly magazine from UCLA.

According to one of the articles, they�ve been working on an interesting project that helps identify people before they become homeless,� Lexi said.

Lexi had made the foolish decision to enroll at UCLA for a semester. She never let an opportunity go by for her to point out something UCLA did that was better than USC.

�Tell me about it,� David said sincerely.

�I�ve been doing some research, and with the ranks of homeless people growing faster than housing is being built, one of the most popular strategies for reducing homelessness is to simply keep people in their homes. In theory, a small infusion of cash, counseling, or legal aid could be the difference that prevents someone from ending up on the street.�

David agreed, but the problem was that tens of thousands of people were on the brink of losing their homes every year in California. The reality was that only a tiny fraction did end up on the street.

Most prevention programs latched onto the idea they were saving people, so they erred on the side of helping as many people in need as possible. It was, in truth, a terrible waste of resources. So, if UCLA could predict more accurately, money could go where it was needed.

�UCLA has developed a statistical model that identifies the ones truly at risk,� Lexi continued. �They�ve moved it from a concept to the real world. They�ve partnered with the LA County departments of health, mental health, children and family services, and public social services to gather data. That data is used to create lists of people who need to be helped so they can be.

�Prevention, by its nature, is a onetime, relatively modest intervention,� Lexi said.

David was impressed with her research. He had learned that math could solve almost any problem, and here was an example.

�I learned from the homeless coalition back home that it was important to help people as soon as possible when they lose their housing. It�s called rapid rehousing. If you can give them a helping hand for a short period of time, it would allow them to find new housing and not end up on the streets,� David said.

�I think we should find a way to help them, especially women and children,� Lexi said.

�It sounds like a worthy cause. Find out what would be the most cost-effective way to accomplish that. I just made a lot of money selling my business interest. I would rather give it to charity than the state and federal governments.

So that puts a clock on it. You have to spend the funds before the end of the year,� David said.

�I�ll talk to your dad and Megan, now that you�ve given me the go-ahead,� Lexi said.

He had to go to practice, so he ended their conversation.

David would be interested in finding out what she came up with.

◊◊◊

This was David�s second trip to Utah. The last time had been for a baseball game, and they�d had a cold snap the

day before, and it had snowed. Today was a gorgeous day for football in Salt Lake City. When the team went out to warm up, they were greeted by the USC band, which had made the trip.

You could feel this was a big game as the fans began to file into the stadium, all decked out in red. By kickoff, the place would be packed. David was jealous of Matt because he loved this type of game.

Finally, the coaches called them in for final prep before kickoff.

Coach Merritt gathered them for some final words.

�There are a lot of people in the world who will take the challenge to climb the mountain. But when you get to the top of the mountain, you become the mountain. Because everybody is shooting at you. But the great ones can get to the top of the mountain and say, �I can be even better.�

�Today, Utah wants to knock us off our perch atop the South Division.

�Be ready to play, but don�t be disappointed if you don�t.

When you�re on the field, do your job. Hustle in and out of the huddle and stay focused. And defense, stay behind the damn ball! No one gets past you.

�Now, let�s go out there and win!� Coach Merritt shouted.

They were met by a chorus of boos as they came onto the field. Then the mood changed when it was time for the Utes to make their entrance. The team was led out by a motorcycle to the roar of their fans.

�It�s going to be loud today,� David said to Matt.

�We might have to go to the clap to hike the ball,� Matt said to agree.

They�d practiced doing that. If the wide receivers couldn�t hear Matt call at the snap count, they could see when his hands came together.

USC jumped out to a quick 14�0 lead.

The first touchdown was all Bill. Matt had dropped back and was forced to scramble. He had a Utah player at his feet, so he couldn�t step into his pass. Utah had two defenders trailing Bill, so when Matt underthrew the ball, they were in the perfect position to intercept it. Bill reached over both of them and pulled the ball back into his arms as he fell backward into the end zone. That was one of those plays that made ESPN�s top ten at the end of the day.

The next touchdown was created by the defense. Percy beat his lineman and flushed the Utah quarterback to have to step up into the pocket. Todd had blitzed, so he was in the perfect position to tackle him for a sack. As Todd wrapped Utah�s quarterback up, he brought his arm down on the ball, causing it to hit the turf. A freshman defensive lineman scooped it up and rumbled into the end zone.

That was when the tide turned. Utah scored two touchdowns and two field goals, with the last occurring from sixty-six yards with no time on the clock.

David could feel his team was deflated going into halftime. The Utes flashed more firepower in the first half than a Colombian cartel at a festival.

When they got to the locker room, there was more bad news: Marcus and Amari were both done for the day.

The third quarter found Utah in the end zone twice to put USC down 34�14.

Coach Merritt made the call to pull Matt because he�d gone 6 of 19 passing for a total of 89 yards. He�d thrown the one touchdown to Bill but thrown two interceptions.

Jaden was given a chance for the last quarter, as were David�s friends Big Cat and Chuy.

Though Chuy was classified as an H-back, they moved him to tailback. His job was to power his way between the tackles and pick up two to four yards per carry. During the fourth quarter, he had 10 carries and gained 44 yards and a touchdown. His rushing yardage total led the team.

Big Cat had one catch for three yards, but it also was for a touchdown. While Jaden had some rough spots in his performance, he did show improvement over last spring, and against a tough opponent.

Utah also scored one last time to make the final 41�28.

The final yardage was 205 for USC compared to 451 for the Utes. First downs and time of possession were also lopsided as the Utes collected 17 more first downs and held the ball 10 minutes longer than USC.

In all honesty, USC should have lost by a much wider margin.

Coach Merritt�s parting words were, �It�s amazing how people respond better when things go poorly than when they go well. It�s like the car salesman who sells twelve cars in a month. He isn�t motivated to set the record. He wants to go home, kick back, and drink a beer because he made his monthly quota. Survival is more in human nature than it is to be special good. The problem is, you have to have a lot of people who want to be special good to win a championship. It�s obvious we don�t have that.�

So much for the moral-victory talk.

◊◊◊

The plane ride back to LA was quiet, and being a nonstarting freshman meant David had to sit up front, close to the coaches.

David checked his ESPN app, and they had a clip from Coach Merritt.

�Players need to be listening to me and not you guys.

You know all that stuff you write about how good we are and all that stuff on TV and the Internet? It�s like poison.�

David agreed that there might be something to that. The LA press had been talking them up all week.

Then he heard Coach Merritt raise his voice just loud enough for his fellow coaches.

�Something I valued the most was that when I started as a coach, I was taught how to look at game film without all the technology. I had to physically cut it based on offense, defense, and special teams. Then I had to break it down. All cover ones went in one folder, cover twos in another. To do that, you had to know everything.

�What I see you all doing is rushing to get to the most important stuff, which means you might miss something that�s key.

�What I�m seeing is you�re all on your laptops, looking at film. The reason we lost wasn�t because of schemes. It was because we couldn�t tackle, and we couldn�t stop the run.

The rest of this is a bunch of garbage. It�s not about a computer.

�I don�t need you to be a technology wiz and not have a clue about how to coach a football player or a technique.

Gathering information doesn�t teach Matt how to take a snap.

�I want you all to get back to basics on Monday because I saw that we have to be better coaches. This one was on us. I want you all to consider what we can do to develop our guys into football players. Have your plans ready for me on Sunday,� Coach Merritt said.

David wished his coach had had that talk with the coaching staff from day one.

◊◊◊

Bec Carson pulled into the parking lot at the coffee house where The Young and The Wild was being filmed today. She�d landed a movie role that would send her to North Carolina for six months, so they�d asked her to come in this week and film her scenes for sweeps week.

She spotted David being waylaid by a group of tween girls who wanted an autograph and picture. She came up behind him and photo-bombed their group picture with a

funny face. When they were finishing up, Bec said in a little girl�s voice, �Please, Mr. Dawson. Me too.�

�Sure �� David said and turned and saw her. �Bec!�

She found herself engulfed in his arms as he hugged her.

She didn�t remember him being so big when she saw him last.

�Sorry about making you come in to film with me this morning. They told me you normally spend this time with your family,� she said.

�I�ll see everyone tonight,� David said, waving off her concerns. �I�m just glad you said you�d do this.�

�How could I turn it down when I was told you asked for me?� Bec teased.

David walked her into the coffee shop, where a large black woman greeted him with a drink.

�Doreen, this is Bec Carson, who will be filming with me today. Doreen owns this fine establishment,� David said to introduce them.

Doreen got Bec a coffee as David introduced her to everybody. She noted the production crew was a mixture of USC film students and professionals. She knew people who would have killed to gain this kind of experience in college.

◊◊◊

Her first scene began with David�s character, Mick, taking his girlfriend to meet his new friends.

When they entered the coffee house, Mick pointed out his friends as he got in line to get them something to drink.

Kirsten, Bec�s character, boldly walked over. Nikki got up and welcomed her, then made introductions. As they sat down, the questions began before Mick could stop them from digging for dirt.

�You�re Mick�s girlfriend?� Monica asked.

�I am.�

�And his wife knows about you?� Dexter asked.

�Nadia? Of course she does,� Kirsten answered with a glint of amusement in her eyes.

�You�ve met her?!� Nikki asked, clearly surprised.

�Absolutely, and she�s a doll. I�m sure Mick will introduce you to her soon. She�s in New York, modeling.�

�Before all your heads explode with questions, let�s get to the good stuff before Mick gets here,� Janelle said. �How did the two of you meet?�

�At a caf� in Germany. I noticed him as soon as he walked in,� Kirsten said dreamily as she remembered their first encounter.

A slight grin touched her lips as she described what had happened.

�His sweater pooled at the top of his jeans dyed a shade of indigo that drew your eye down,� she said with a blush.

�Oddly, he wore brown leather slip-on sandals as if this coffee run had been a last-minute decision. But it was his attitude that pulled the entire look together. He had an air of completely un-self-conscious cool, so I watched him for a moment.�

�He�s always been like that,� Nikki said before Kirsten continued her tale.

�He looked around without taking his sunglasses off. I recognized that look. After a moment, he shifted his computer bag to the hand that held some loose papers and removed his glasses, scanning the room again. There was no chance of him finding a seat because the place was packed.

�I remember thinking, �I�ll give him my table.�

�I surprised myself with that thought. But why shouldn�t I give it to him? I was feeling friendly, and I liked his style.

The nail salon I had an appointment at wouldn�t open until nine, and I was just killing time with my latte. Plus, I had a prime spot near a window and an outlet. There was little chance that any laptop-bearing coffee shop patron would say �no.�

�I made the offer as he walked by, scouting for a table, and he accepted. He dropped his bag heavily in the seat across from me before stepping away to order.

�I rested my elbows on the tiny tabletop and gazed out of the window, inhaling the aroma of my drink as it cooled in my cup. I ignored that my drink wasn�t that hot anymore.

Everything else about this moment just felt good. Sunlight poured over my face and shoulders. I slipped my eyes closed and enjoyed the warmth radiating through the window. I was feeling pretty satisfied with myself,� Kirsten said as she got lost in telling the story.

�That�s so romantic,� Monica said as she all but swooned.

�When he returned, I shifted, crossed my legs, and turned my back to the window so I wouldn�t face him directly. It was odd to share such a small table with a stranger, and I�d promised I would leave soon. It felt right to create a bit of space between us. I gave him a polite smile and went back to my coffee.

�The truth was that it was a few moments alone on a sunny morning, sipping the last of a coffee that someone else had prepared for me, that had made my day. This conversation was a gamble. And now I�d have to abandon my drink to hide my battered nails. It didn�t matter. He was very easy on the eyes. I turned to face him directly, tucked my hands under my thighs, leaned forward, and grinned.

�He pulled out a flask and poured something into his coffee, which was naughty.

�He said, �Sorry. It�s a bad habit I picked up from my sergeant,� but he didn�t seem sorry at all. I had to laugh.�

�What did he put into his drink?� Forest asked.

�Vodka,� Mick said as he joined them. �My sergeant is Russian and claimed it would put hair on my chest.�

�It didn�t work,� Nikki said and then realized what she�d revealed and blushed.

�She�s right,� Kirsten confirmed.

�And cut!� Abigail called out.

◊◊◊

The next scene had the girls all leave. That left Mick with Dexter, Forest, and Vic.

�How the hell do you pull so many hot women?� Vic asked.

Mick snorted at the rude question.

�Oh, I don�t know. Maybe it�s because I listen to women instead of pretending to, when in reality, you�re thinking about what they look like naked.�

�Yeah, he has a point,� Dexter grudgingly agreed.

Vic and Forest nodded.

�Plus, my wife is totally cool with me having girlfriends.

She�s sort of a nerd and thinks I�m way out of her class, so she�s happy with us having an open relationship,� Mick ad-libbed.

�I can�t imagine you with a nerd. What does she look like?� Vic asked.

Mick reached into his computer bag and pulled out his laptop. He turned it around a few keystrokes later so the guys could see. To this point, none of his fellow actors knew that Adrienne was going to play his wife.

Forest actually shot coffee out of his nose.

�For fuck�s sake, that woman is insane if she thinks you�re out of her league,� Vic said.

David gave them a little shrug, like he didn�t get it either.

�And cut!�

�Do me a favor and send that clip to Adrienne to prep her for next week,� David said to Moira, their production assistant.

�Are you sure?�

�Oh, yeah. And don�t tell Adrienne I had you send it,�

David prompted.

He would have Tyler secretly capture Adrienne�s reaction when she saw that he�d said she was a nerd and he was the hot one of the couple. It would rank right up there with his sending the fake pregnancy pics and claiming she was having an alien baby.

◊◊◊

Alex was glad when David walked in on him and Chloe having an argument. He felt like warmed-over shit.

Everything involving Chloe had been fucked up last night, and the pure scope of the fuckery made him certain she would never want to see him again.

�Tell me to walk away,� Chloe said.

Alex cleared his throat, closed his eyes, and gathered all his self-control.

�Stop,� he whispered, so faintly it sounded like a prayer.

�Walk away.�

Alex wasn�t sure what was worse�the thought that Chloe might ignore his words or the idea that she might actually heed them.

�What the hell is going on?� David asked.

�Last night, we went to a party when we got back. Wren was there, and I ended up sleeping with her, and Chloe found us, and �� Alex trailed off.

�So, I found Lars,� Chloe said.

�And?� David asked.

�That�s it,� Alex said.

�Bullshit! You�ve both been with other people before.

Why is this a big deal?� David asked.

�Because he has feelings for Wren,� Chloe said and clenched her mouth tighter.

�That would be a huge mistake. I mean humongous,�

David said and looked at Alex. �Is there anything bigger than humongous? Because if there is, it�s that.�

�What do you mean?� Alex asked.

David held up his finger and got out his phone. He put it on speaker when Wren said, �Hello.�

�Hey, it�s David. Crystal said � uhm � that she�s having woman troubles, and if I was in need �.�

�Oh, I get it. I�d be glad to help,� Wren said, clearly excited.

The look on Alex�s face said it all. Chloe got up and walked out.

�You know what? This is probably a bad idea,� David said and hung up.

He would have to call Crystal quickly or be in the same boat as Alex.

David stared at Alex.

�What?� Alex finally asked.

�Dumbass. What was it you said about me fucking myself? Go get her.�

�Oh. OH!� Alex said as he jumped up.

Right now, Alex and Chloe would fit right in with his soap opera drama. Alex needed to get his head out of his ass and go make nice.

◊◊◊

David received the call on his way to see his kids last night. Nurse Betty told him that Lisa, Sadie�s sister, had lost her battle with cancer. He had a quiet word with his mom, who insisted on going with him this morning.

Mondays were one of the days he usually picked up Sadie to visit Lisa, and then he would take her to school.

When he went out to his mom�s car, he saw Duke was riding shotgun, so he got into the back. His buddy gave up his coveted seat to join David in the back to say hello.

�Did you talk Mom into a car ride?� David asked as he rubbed Duke�s chest and ears.

�I thought Sadie might need a distraction,� Carol said as he pulled from the curb. �How are you doing?�

�Sad, but the hospital staff warned me this was likely.

Lisa fell asleep the last time I took Sadie to see her. She was worn out from the fight.�

�Losing one is the worst part of volunteering. But the best feeling in the world is when they get to go home,�

Carol said and then asked, �Do you plan to continue?�

David shook his head �no.�

�Not right now.�

They were quiet until they reached Sadie and her mom�s home. When they knocked on the door, Sadie answered.

When she saw it was David, she burst into tears and rushed into his arms. Poor Duke hated to see anyone sad, so he nudged her with his nose, but Sadie needed a good cry.

While his mom talked to Sadie�s mother, David sat on the couch so he could put his arm around his friend.

�They said my sister died in her sleep. I�ve been � I�ve been afraid to sleep �� Sadie whimpered.

Until that moment, he thought he had it all together.

Seeing Sadie in so much pain broke his heart, and he could see she was exhausted.

�It�s okay. I�m here now.�

Sadie laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes. A moment later, she fell asleep.

A few minutes later, both moms found them.

�She hasn�t slept because she was afraid to. She told me Lisa passed in her sleep,� David explained.

Carol put her arm around Janis, Sadie�s mom. �It�ll be okay. Kids sometimes think silly things at times like this.

She just needs some sleep, and she�ll be fine.�

Janis showed David where Sadie�s bedroom was. He carried her in and put her into bed. Duke slipped up on the bed next to her and lay down. When David was sure Sadie was really asleep, he returned to the living room, where he found his mom alone.

�Janis had to go to the hospital and needs to make arrangements, so I said I would stay and watch Sadie.�

�Duke is in with her. I don�t think he plans to leave her side anytime soon.�

�That�s why I brought him,� Carol said.

David had to leave. He decided to walk so he could have some time to himself.

◊◊◊

With the day�s events, David had forgotten he had a lunch appointment with Dr. Carter, his academic advisor.

His calendar app warned him an hour before they were to meet. He thought about begging off, but Dr. Carter had been working on his plan to get his MBA sooner rather than later, and that wasn�t something he wanted to defer.

He found her office door open, so he knocked on the doorframe to get her attention.

�David. Come in,� Dr. Carter greeted him.

It was apparent that she�d been intent on something on her computer, and he�d broken her concentration. It gave him a chance to look around. The room was clean and

precise, like you would expect a museum gallery to look.

On the walls were the expected diplomas meant to provide third-party validation that she knew what she was doing.

Everything felt staged to give her credibility.

David closed the door and took his seat.

�Tell me again what you want,� Dr. Carter said as if to gather her thoughts.

�I�d like to get my MBA as soon as possible.�

�Why is that?�

�It will give me options. I can either get my doctorate, take the LSATs and get my law degree, or move on to the NFL,� David said.

She opened a drawer and pulled his file out. Dr. Carter opened another drawer for her reading glasses so she could quickly review his information. The good doctor seemed to like everything in its place, giving him a glimpse into her personality.

David knew he didn�t fit her idea of an athlete and his academic aspirations. He worried she might be unable to think outside the box she tried to put everyone into.

�Normally, I would advise against such an aggressive approach because of the time you spend with baseball and football.�

�I plan to drop baseball this spring to focus on football, if that helps.�

Dr. Carter�s eyebrows came together, and she sighed. He knew she would become his ally or obstacle in the next moment.

�You might be the exception to the rule because I see you�re a straight �A� student who has proven you can handle the load and play ball. I took the liberty of putting together a schedule for you for the next few years.

�The courses with asterisks are electives that you can swap out and put another in, but I wanted to see how we could manage it,� Dr. Carter said as she handed David a sheet of paper.

It showed that he was academically a sophomore when he stepped onto campus because of all the AP classes he�d taken in high school. David hated to admit it, but his mom�s changing his schedule back then was now paying off.

Last spring and summer gave him enough credits that he was now a junior. This coming summer would start his senior year, and the following spring, he would begin his MBA. Dr. Carter had created a plan that would allow him to get his MBA in three semesters. She was definitely on Team David.

�If you plan to become a lawyer, you�ll need to take the LSAT at the start of your MBA or during that summer. I suggest spring because you�ll want plenty of time to apply to law school,� Dr. Carter advised.

If he went the NFL route, he could quit school and use the spring to prepare for the draft. This plan gave him a lot of options.

�Can I decide on the electives later?� David asked.

�Yes, that�s why they call them electives,� Dr. Carter said, surprising him with her sarcastic humor.

From her reaction, he amused her. He rolled his eyes because he realized he�d said something stupid.

�Sorry. I didn�t mean to offend you,� Dr. Carter said.

She didn�t mean it from her look, which made him like her more.

�No. That was on me, and I deserved it.�

�We can also pull back if it all becomes too much. Just come see me, and we can rework your schedule as needed.�

�I like the flexibility, and this gives me options until I figure out what I want to do when I grow up,� David said with a half-smirk.

�I�ll take that as a �yes� to the aggressive schedule,� Dr.

Carter said to get them back to business.

�And the electives are fine for now. So, just plan on registering me for these classes,� David said.

One of the benefits of using Dr. Carter and her staff was that they could use the clout of the athletic department to get him preferential placement in classes that fill up quickly. That became important when you needed to take prerequisite classes for one down the road. If the early class filled up, it could cause a domino effect, meaning you had to take an additional semester.

David didn�t feel at all guilty that he would get that help; it was the least USC could do to �compensate� him for making them millions of dollars in football revenue. When NIL became a reality, and he could earn an income playing college ball, he might feel differently.

◊◊◊

Because Bec was filming this week and the main storyline was the relationship David�s character had with his three women, he had to film daily. So, instead of his after-practice game film session, he had to run to one of the studio rooms to film with Bec and Callie.

Waiting for him was their production assistant, Moira.

When he got close, she shoved a stack of papers into his hands.

�There�s been a change to the script.�

�Okay,� David said hesitantly because this looked like a lot of changes.

�Did you know that Bec did musical theater?�

�Wut � what?� David asked as his mind caught up to what that meant.

Then it hit him. �No!�

That was when he saw the camerawoman filming his reaction. He looked right into it and said, �Adrienne, you are so dead.�

�I can�t wait until she gets here. She said you�d do it, or the payback will be worse,� Moira revealed.

He had no doubt it would be.

�I can do this,� David decided. �Lead the way.�

◊◊◊

�Okay. In this scene, Callie�s character, Nikki, is having a hard time wrapping her mind around Mick�s lifestyle. Mick and Kirsten are talking her off the ledge, so to speak, and do it with a song,� Abigail said to set the scene.

They were in one of the university�s music rooms, which had a baby grand piano. David had just learned that one of Bec�s hidden talents was that she could play it.

Word had gotten out about them singing, and everyone working on the soap was there to witness David�s humiliation. He�d been let in on the studio wanting to have someone film the scene on their phone, so the video could be leaked before the episode ran. It was a ploy to boost ratings.

�Places, everyone!� Abigail called out.

Each filming unit let her know they were ready.

�Action!�

�I know my having a wife and a girlfriend is a lot to take in, but we have history. Before I joined the military and had to leave, you were my girl. That means something to me.

You mean something to me. If I didn�t try to be with you and do everything I could to make that happen, I could never live with myself,� Mick said intently.

Nikki had been looking down until the end. When she looked up, there was hurt and longing in her eyes.

Kirsten began to play the piano.

They�d picked a song he would never have thought of. It was an old one called Girls Just Want to Have Fun. It had been an upbeat �girl� anthem back in his grandmother�s time. Bec had arranged it to be more somber for the occasion.

The song itself had great lyrics. It begins with a girl coming home late at night and is confronted by her mother,

who asks what she plans to do with her life. Mick softly sang with as much emotion as he could that girls just wanted to have fun.

On the second chorus, Kirsten�s sweet voice joined his as Mick sang to Nikki. Mick could see that the song must have struck something deep inside Nikki because her eyes teared up with genuine emotion. He guessed that because this song was a conversation between mother and daughter, it had to do with that.

The mother warns her daughter that she must grow up, while the girl just wants to have fun. The song�s second part has her mother warning her about boys and not letting them overshadow her daughter. Nikki looked like she wasn�t playing a part anymore. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there, so Mick reached out and caught her hand.

He looked deep into her eyes and smiled as he reminded her that girls just wanted to have fun. Kirsten joined him again as they finished the song.

In the end, Nikki had a line, but she looked too choked up.

�Come here, Baby,� Mick said as he took her into his arms. Nikki sobbed into his chest. �It�ll be okay. I promise.�

�And � Cut!�

David guided Callie off the set and took her to their temporary dressing room.

�You okay?� he asked when they were alone.

�It just felt so real for a moment.�

�Your reaction was perfect. When you can go there, magic happens. I could play off that. I think that was a special moment that�ll have people talking. Good job,�

David said.

His little speech was meant to help her get past whatever had caused the reaction and focus on the craft.

She nodded and then smiled.

�You make this easy. Thanks.�

�Go wash your face, and we�ll do the next scene,� David said.

She took a deep breath and left him.

David walked out and found everyone staring. When Callie rejoined them, the crew applauded. Bec was all smiles because she�d written the scene.

◊◊◊

The next scene found Callie�s character, Nikki, had left Mick and Kirsten to gather her thoughts.

�I see why you like her. Maybe she can join us later,�

Kirsten said.

David wanted to roll his eyes because this was typical The Young and The Wild banter. It all led to how many ways the writers could come up with to get the cast to expose some skin.

Kirsten came to Mick and kissed him. Mick glanced over her shoulder at the door nervously.

�Kirsten,� Mick mumbled against her eager lips. �We can�t.�

She licked his bottom lip, then bit it hard enough to summon a growl from his throat.

�Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!� David thought.

Hollywood typically does not cast unattractive women, and Bec Carson was no exception. His inner sexual beast had ignored her because she dated one of his favorite Hollywood friends, Zak Verwood. But that kiss had ventured into the �this is about to get real� category. He needed to derail this lust train before it hurtled to the point of no return. The last thing he wanted was for Mr. Happy to burst through his jeans and be exposed to the world.

�I love your chest,� Kirsten said in her role as a sex kitten.

Holy hell! Now she started to rub her breasts against his chest, and he could feel her aroused nipples poking him

through their shirts. She was braless.

David�s brain went blank as Mr. Happy whispered in his ear, �Rip her shirt off, suck those puckered nipples into your mouth, and chew on them.�

The big brain engaged and responded, �I can�t. I won�t.�

�No,� Mick said as he grabbed a handful of her hair at the back of her head. �We can�t do this. Not tonight. Nikki is just getting used to the idea of there being other women.�

�But I want to,� Kirsten whimpered. �I want you both so bad. I can tell you want both of us at the same time.�

She�d just uttered the words every guy fantasizes about hearing. It didn�t matter that she�d said it while playing a character because Mr. Happy wasn�t buying that this was just an act. Not when her hand found its way to caress Mr.

Happy as her tongue circled his earlobe. His hand had a mind of its own as it somehow ended up on her perfect ass, then squeezed and pulled her toward him.

�Oh Jesus. I want to be inside her!� Mr. Happy begged.

David�s problem was that the big brain was right there with his perverted dick. It took the thought of hurting Zak and superhuman inner resolve to push her from him. If he hadn�t, they would be doing porn. Kirsten whimpered in protest, but the door opened, and Nikki walked in. The camera caught a calculating look on Nikki�s face. Cue the dramatic music.

�And, cut!�

�I need to go take a cold shower before I do something bad,� David announced as he left the room.

◊◊◊

Callie and Bec knew they had David�s full attention and used it to tease him on- and off-camera.

David ran to the Alpha Mu house when they were finally done filming. Crystal was talking to several of her sisters in

the living room when he burst in. She squawked when he scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder.

�Put me down!� Crystal yelled as he pounded up the stairs.

David opened her bedroom door and deposited Crystal on her bed. He shed his pants and underwear to expose an angry-looking Mr. Happy. Crystal looked ready to yell at him until she saw his state.

�That looks like it hurts.�

�The girls on the soap opera did some inappropriate touching.�

�And you expect me to help you with that?� Crystal asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

�Either that, or I�ll walk downstairs like this and see if anyone wants to give me a hand.�

He didn�t give her a chance to draw out their conversation. He was done with girls teasing him. David knew he was okay with attacking Crystal because he�d seen the glint in her eye when she saw his dick. It didn�t take her long to begin to squawk again, but this time in pleasure.

He came three times before Mr. Happy finally was sated.

�What brought this on?� Crystal asked as she cuddled next to him.

�Bec Carson suggested a threesome as she grabbed my dick on camera.�

Crystal chuckled.

�I�ll have to thank her for that. You�ll have to tell me when that will air so I can be there when my sisters see it.

They�ll lose their minds.�

Then he remembered the start of his day.

�Lisa, Sadie�s sister, died yesterday.�

Crystal propped herself up on her elbow to look into his eyes.

�When�s the funeral?�

�Tomorrow.�

�I�ll go with you. I want to be there for Sadie because I hated that she was bullied for shaving her head in support of Lisa.�

�She�ll like that. She asked about you when I would take her to see Lisa,� David said.

�Just tell me when.�

�Also, I am taking the football recruits to Zak and Bec�s house for a party this weekend. I�ll rent a bus, so no one has to drive. I�d like it if you joined me so I don�t do anything stupid.�

�She got under your skin, didn�t she?�

�I�d be lying if I said she hadn�t,� David admitted.

�I�ve never been to a Hollywood party before. Will there be movie stars there?�

�Oh, yeah. Zak uses me as catnip to get the starlets to come out and play. Last time, we went skinny dipping in his pool. I expect you�ll see stuff that will give you some ideas,�

David said with a mischievous look.

�Can I bring my sorority sisters?� Crystal asked.

�Let me ask Bec because if I ask Zak, he�ll say the more, the merrier. Especially girls. Something you should know is that these Hollywood types will not be good little boys like the Phi Sigs are. So, anyone you bring needs to be warned.�

�Will they be safe?�

�Yes. No one will be forced, but those guys can be very persuasive. And don�t be surprised if, after the Hollywood types get what they want, they�re off to the next conquest,�

David warned.

�Sort of like football players.�

�I hate to admit that, but you�re right.�

�Then I think my girls will be fine,� Crystal decided.

�Will there be enough room on the bus?�

�How about the sorority gets its own party bus? That way, you can keep track of everyone. Besides, paying for a

bus will be about the same as paying for beer at Phi Sigs.

You won�t have to pay for drinks at Zak�s.�

�Find out how much the buses are, and I�ll get the house to pay for one.�

David said he would.

◊◊◊

Cassidy had been excited about her doctor�s appointment earlier that day. The plan was to take off the cast so her two surgeons could examine her and run tests.

The hope was she would leave today without the cast.

What she hadn�t expected was that her dad would be informed. He�d called Greg, whom she conveniently forgot to tell about her appointment. She didn�t need a babysitter.

Greg had told his girlfriend, so they showed up for the final consultation. The bonus was her dad joined them on video chat.

She was peeved when told that Brook had insisted they all be involved. When Cassidy learned that, she okayed Greg, Joey, and her dad to be allowed in.

The news had been mixed. The vascular surgeon said everything was healing nicely and didn�t think further surgery would be required on his part. The ortho doctor also felt that she was progressing. But he showed them the results of the tests, and while the bones were healing nicely, he felt the arm still needed to be stabilized.

The choice was to put it back into a cast or allow her to wear a brace.

Joey, Greg, and her dad all voted for the cast because they didn�t believe that she wouldn�t start to try to rehab her arm. The ortho doctor had made it clear that if she did that, she could suffer permanent damage to it.

Her dad finally agreed to the brace with one condition.

She had to go see David and promise him she�d be good.

Greg was amused when he saw her calculating look turn to

defeat. Luckily, the jackass kept his mouth shut. Her dad had uncovered her one weakness: for anything important, she couldn�t lie to David. And if she gave him her word, she would keep it, even if she really, really wanted to begin rehabbing her arm.

So, she found herself at David�s dorm door. She had access through the security system, so she let herself in, only to discover Alex getting head from their maid.

�Jesus, Alex!� Cassidy complained.

�Don�t stop,� he told the maid, lifted his chin, and gave Cassidy a straight, icy gaze. �Knock if you don�t want to walk in on stuff.�

In defiance, she stuck her tongue out at him and walked into David�s room. She heard loud music through his bathroom door, with a heavy bass beat that vibrated in Cassidy�s chest.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The music stopped, and David walked out of the bathroom a moment later. Outwardly, she kept her expression from showing her delight at seeing her friend in all his glory.

He saw her and paused for a moment before he saw her arm.

�You got your cast off,� David said as a smile bloomed on his face to show his pleasure.

�How come your dick is all red?� Cassidy asked.

�I hate shower sex. The drain hurts my dick,� David said without missing a beat.

�Slut,� Cassidy mumbled. �Put on something to cover that up.�

As he pulled on a pair of shorts, David asked, �What did the doctors say?�

She gave him the complete rundown. David asked about her other surgeries, and she told him everything was okay.

Cassidy had been given the green light from the head doctor, and her dad would let her go back to California.

She�d also had all her stitches removed from her abdominal surgery.

Finally, she wound down and mumbled her dad�s requirement.

�What did you say?� David asked.

Cassidy tossed her head back and gave him a defiant look.

�I have to promise you that I won�t try to rehab my arm until the doctors say I can.�

�Then promise me,� David said, suddenly serious.

She looked down at her hands and then back up at him.

�I promise.�

His eyes narrowed for a moment, and then he smiled.

�Have you eaten?�

�No.�

�Pick something out and order us delivery.�

Her dad had been right; she wouldn�t disappoint David.

She loved that he hadn�t lectured or tried to boss her around once she made the vow. He�d accepted her promise and moved on.

Unlike everyone else, David trusted her. It was the kind of trust that had been built over time. They�d also been in situations where their lives were on the line. Cassidy knew their bond was more than mere friendship, but it wasn�t love. Not that he didn�t love her, because David did. It was just that it wasn�t the kind of love she eventually wanted to have with him. Given time, that would happen.

◊◊◊

The first task David had given Greg was to work with his dad to negotiate a deal with VRS for Dare and Corvus�s product. Greg soon figured out he was in over his head.

None of his college business courses dealt with anything like this, not even close. What kept him from throwing his hands up in defeat was that his dad, and the people that worked for him, didn�t seem intimidated.

Today, everyone would meet in a downtown hotel to hammer out the agreement. The one complication Greg had was that Cassidy had overheard what he was doing and insisted on coming along. He decided not to fight her because he could tell she needed something to do, and David would say it was fine anyway. So, he�d agreed that she could drive him to the meeting and be his �security.�

While he�d gone to the front desk to see where the meeting was, Cassidy had valeted the car. She approached him as the woman at the desk checked their bookings.

�We have a problem,� Cassidy whispered.

�What?�

�We�re underdressed,� she said as she pointed to his dad and another man entering the lobby.

They were in suits and ties, while Greg and Cassidy had opted for business casual. He knew he�d messed up when David walked in, also wearing a suit.

�Nothing we can do about that now.�

He was told which conference room and went to greet everyone.

�This is my brother Greg and his associate, Cassidy Hope. This is James Burrows, our attorney,� David said to make the introductions.

Miss Dixon, David�s leading lawyer, had finally settled on someone to handle David�s legal affairs while he was in

California. Greg had heard that his brother had met Mr.

Burrows at a political fundraiser.

As they walked to the meeting, David asked Mr.

Burrows, �How�s Kat?�

Greg noticed that Cassidy perked up with interest. He would have to ask her who Kat was later.

�She�s doing well,� Mr. Burrows said cautiously.

�I�m glad to hear that. Please tell her I said �Hi� when you talk to her next,� David said as they walked into the room.

Greg was relieved when he saw that the two young guys from VRS were also dressed in business casual. He noted that they�d both been smiling as if they were telling each other a joke, but when they saw the suits suddenly acted entirely differently. It was a good lesson that you should dress for the occasion.

His dad told him he should kick the meeting off by throwing the ball into the VRS court to see where they were in all this.

�I understand you�re looking for money to launch the Real-Time Virtual Reality product,� Greg said.

�When we agreed to distribute and support RTVR, as we call it in-house, their team was still in beta testing,� Denzel Chu, the lead partner, said. �Through that process, it was found that rendering real-time VR means that the hardware has to be robust enough to handle it, which changes the specs of the hardware.

�Word has leaked that we will distribute the product, which requires an onsite installation and setup. The pre-orders tell us that we have to hire staff quickly for that and our customer support center.�

He then had Sunil Patel, the other partner, hand out folders with their projected needs. The two of them went into detail about what their plans were. They were offering a twenty percent ownership interest in exchange for a lot of money.

�I don�t think we can do this for twenty percent. Neither of you has the experience to handle the growth you�re about to see. We�ve been in contact with other industries besides just football, and there is a much larger market for this than you�re anticipating. Navigating growth like this is critical. Because of that, we would require a fifty-one percent interest so we would be assured it was handled correctly,� Greg said.

�But that would mean giving up control of our company,�

Sunil said.

�You would still run the day-to-day, but this would protect our investment,� Rob said.

�Absolutely not,� Denzel pushed back.

David shrugged and stood up. The rest of his team followed his lead and began to gather their stuff.

�Wait!� Sunil panicked. �There has to be a compromise that leaves us in control of our company.�

One of his mom�s most potent closing tools was the

�takeaway.� To make it work, the other side had to know that you were willing to walk away.

�There would have to be safeguards in place,� David said to join the negotiation.

�Whatever you want,� Denzel agreed.

At that moment, Greg got it. His dad had clued him in to David�s end game. He wanted someone to oversee the rapid growth because it wasn�t something a couple of tech guys would necessarily know how to manage. That was why his brother had insisted that Rob, Ron Pennington, and Grace Davenport be hired as consultants to help VRS launch Dare and Corvus�s product.

David left to go to class now that he knew negotiations would go their way. In the end, they agreed to forty percent ownership interest. Not all the parties were necessarily happy, but they all felt they could make it work.

◊◊◊

David had assumed that Lisa�s funeral would be sometime during the coming weekend. So, when he got the notice that it was today, he�d had to scramble to be able to attend. He hadn�t realized that Lisa�s family was Jewish.

It was held at a local funeral home. Because there wasn�t much notice, some people came as they were. But a majority had dressed nicer, with men in suits or slacks and jackets and the women in dresses. Dark colors prevailed, but not everyone was in black.

David was stopped in the foyer by a young man.

�I know you from somewhere.�

David thought for a moment and couldn�t remember ever meeting him before. Then a young woman stepped up.

�Michael, that�s David A. Dawson, the actor,� she said, then turned to David and asked, �Why are you here?�

�I visited patients in the children�s oncology ward, where I met Lisa and Sadie. I wanted to come and say goodbye to Lisa and see if there�s anything I can do for Sadie and her mom, Janis.�

It turned out that Michael was married to Paige, and the two of them decided to be his guides to help keep him from making any missteps in an unfamiliar situation.

David saw a basket of skull caps and went to take one since he saw everyone else wearing them.

Paige put her hand on his arm.

�If you�re not Jewish, you�re not expected to wear one.�

�Sorry, I just assumed,� David said, a bit embarrassed that he didn�t know.

�TV seems to get it wrong and usually portrays our non-Jewish guests wearing yarmulkes. When I was a kid, I used to complain because they feel a bit strange until you get used to them,� Michael shared.

�Thanks,� David said as they walked in.

The room was set up with a center aisle. In the front, on a rolling platform, was a plain pine coffin covered by a cloth embroidered in Hebrew. David went to the front and

said a prayer for Lisa. Sadie and her mom were sitting up front, so he stopped and said some meaningless words that you say in a situation like that.

It was obvious that they were barely holding it together, but they both grimly acknowledged his words. He went to the back and found a seat.

He didn�t know why, but he was surprised when the rabbi was a woman. She spent some time comforting Sadie and her mom and then got up front and started to tell anecdotes about Lisa and say what she could to comfort the family.

As the rabbi talked, David�s thoughts turned inward.

Time was the one thing no one could stop. What it doesn�t change, it destroys; time tears down everything. People do all they can to desperately hang onto the past, their memories, and themselves.

Like so many who went before Lisa, their memory would soon fade. Eventually, they would become a shadow of our memories. That was all there was left. Lisa was gone.

When his mother faced her own mortality, she�d promised to start living life to its fullest. David had�no, everyone had to ask themselves if they were genuinely squeezing every last drop out of the little time they were given.

For himself, was he doing everything he could to create what he wanted out of life? If not, when would he start working toward that? The problem was that he�d forgotten that he didn�t have unlimited time. That bitch never stopped. Did he plan on waking up when he was 30, or worse, 60, and realize he�d let time slip through his fingers?

Was this it? Was this the future he�d dreamed of?

What would it take for him to begin to act? Or better yet, what did he really want? Kicking the can down the road left his options open to all possibilities. But he knew that he was letting time slowly grind him down and start to take

those possibilities and slowly remove each one. It would do so until he was out of choices, ultimately out of time as his number was called. The sad part was that it could come too soon, as it had for Lisa.

David sat there, listening to the rabbi tell her stories of what a lovely girl Lisa had been and what a tragedy it was to lose someone so young. It made him reevaluate everything.

Coming to USC to play football had been nothing but frustration to this point. What was so clear to him in that moment was that he�d let it all happen, just as his uncle said. On day one, he should have focused on football and made it clear to the world that he should have been this year�s starter at quarterback.

It had been he who went along with the insane idea of playing defense. He�d somehow convinced himself that was okay. But instead of dwelling on what went wrong to get him to where he was right now, he�d finally matured enough to clearly see what was in front of him. He was redshirting, and if you put a gun to his head, David would admit that was the best decision.

After the loss at Utah, and the injuries beginning to pile up, he had seen a different team at Monday�s practice.

Combine that with an interim head coach, and this was a wasted year. His playing a handful of additional games now wouldn�t make a difference next year. More than likely, he just risked getting hurt again.

But there was a light at the end of the tunnel: the Notre Dame game. David vowed to change his focus to beating them. Doing that would set him up as next year�s starter.

Matt was having a rookie year where he looked good one moment and terrible the next. In the three games David had played, USC had won.

So, the bulletin board fans and media had already started comparing the two. If David could win the Notre Dame game, he would be set to take over in spring ball.

The only caveat was, it would depend on who the coach was.

If Coach Merritt lost his interim label, David would have to admit that USC was a mistake and transfer. He still got messages from the Oklahoma coaching staff telling him they were keeping track of his progress.

He would only stay if they hired a coach committed to winning a national championship. The truth was that he hated losing. He hadn�t come to USC to play on a .500

team, which was what it looked like this season was heading toward.

It felt good to have a plan he could now work on. Step one, win the Notre Dame game. Step two, wait to see who the next coach would be. If he was all about ego and the status quo, David would cut his losses and go somewhere where they were committed to winning. Between now and the end of the year, he would have a backup destination planned out.

His next thought was about his personal life. What the heck was he doing playing happy families with Crystal?

What made him think he had to be in a stable relationship?

He hadn�t been in college for a year and was dating someone exclusively. Yes, he�d warned Crystal that he might want to spend time with other girls, but the reality was David knew he wouldn�t do anything to hurt her.

That was the crux of it. As long as he was dating Crystal, he wouldn�t wander without her approval. For someone his age, that was just wrong. College was supposed to be about experimenting and finding yourself, and you didn�t get serious like this with someone in your first year.

He thought he needed to slow it down with Crystal because he compared her to Brook. With his ex, he had no doubt how he felt about her: he was all in. These thoughts would never have crossed his mind if she hadn�t left.

With Crystal, they were more friends with a common interest. It didn�t hurt that she was smoking hot, and they

clicked in bed.

Yes, he could just let this go and date Crystal for a few more months. But the real question was, was it fair to her if he knew he planned to end it? Because he also wasn�t the kind of guy who would knowingly use someone like that.

The one thing that made him hesitate was that if he did break it off with Crystal, what was the plan? He had zero time in his day to find female companionship. Would he turn into what Dare called him, a jocktard who got his relief from the string of jock bunnies who always seemed to be hanging out?

David stopped himself because he could see he was about to tie himself up in �what if� knots. Something he�d learned was that he could only control what he could and focus on that. If he decided to open himself to the possibility of finding someone new, or a handful of someones, he would just see how that worked out.

◊◊◊

When everyone had finished speaking, the rabbi stepped back to the podium and chanted a prayer in Hebrew. When she finished, the funeral director and his staff started rolling the coffin out to the hearse, and the family walked behind.

The rest of the crowd followed the family out the doors and watched as the casket was loaded, then the hearse set out at a walking pace, with everyone following on foot. The hearse proceeded to the end of the block, where it turned the corner and stopped, waiting for the procession of cars that would follow it to the cemetery to form up.

Michael and Paige, whom David had met walking into the funeral home, found him in the crowd milling outside the funeral home. They explained that the Hebrew word for funeral, best transliterated as �levaya� (with both �a�s making

an

�ah�

sound),

meant

�escorting�

or

�accompanying.� The walk behind the hearse to the corner is the essence of it, not the speeches. The family and friends �accompany� the deceased on the start of their last-ever journey.

They then asked him if he planned to come to Lisa�s house later and shared some interesting tidbits about how Jewish families mourned.

They told David that after the funeral, the family would go to their house for what was called the �meal of comfort.�

The meal traditionally was only hard-boiled eggs with rolls or bagels, and the round shape of the eggs and rolls symbolized the cyclical nature of life.

They explained that the first-level mourners�parents, children, and siblings�sit �shiva,� which means seven. They sit for seven days, usually in the house where the deceased lived, on seats no higher than about 10 inches off the ground. They wouldn�t go to work or school, watch any entertainment, or even prepare their own meals. Those would be made or catered by extended family and community members.

Family, friends, and people who knew the deceased would visit them for a few minutes to an hour or more, listening to them and talking to them, hoping to bring them comfort. Often, people the mourners had not seen in years would show up during the week to comfort them.

The shiva was to start in about four hours, giving the family time to return from the cemetery and have the meal of comfort. They invited David to join them and visit Sadie and her mom any time after that. David thanked them for taking the time to explain it to him and decided to go for a little while out of respect.

With an open window of at least four hours, he could attend practice.

◊◊◊

After practice, David asked to meet with Coach Thomas.

�Come in. What can I do for you?� David�s offensive coordinator asked eagerly.

�Coach Merritt and I have come to an agreement that I�m sure you�re aware of.�

�You�re talking about him wanting you to redshirt?�

�Yes,� David said and then continued. �I�ll have one game left I can play at the end of the season. Coach Merritt said I would get a chance to start against Notre Dame.�

�I�m aware of that,� Coach Thomas said with staid calmness.

David leaned forward in his chair.

�I want to start preparing for that game.�

�Okay,� his coach drawled.

�I would like access to all their game film and all your scouting reports.�

�You want all of it? Not just the defensive stuff?� Coach Thomas asked, his voice holding a challenge to David�s approach.

�I want to watch their games in their totality so I get a better feel about their defensive mindset when they take the field. What do they like to do when there�s a sudden possession change? How does that differ from when their offense went three-and-out? Do they like to gamble if they have a lead, or do they start to play conservatively?� David asked to make his point clear.

Coach Thomas nodded his agreement once he saw what David was getting at.

�I�ll agree to this if you do it on your own time. I still expect you to help Matt and the team prepare for the rest of the games.�

David knew a negotiation when he saw one, so he added,

�If you�ll allow me to pull players in for extra practice sessions geared for that final game.�

�They would have to volunteer,� Coach Thomas fired back.

David nodded his agreement.

�I want you to work with Coach Stackhouse and keep her in the loop,� Coach Thomas said, reaching for his phone.

A moment later, Amy came in and gave David a curious look.

�You have to do whatever I say for the rest of the season,� David quipped.

She didn�t buy it. Coach Thomas explained so there were no misunderstandings. David, in fact, wasn�t her boss, which made him smile. One of those life lessons he�d learned was that he didn�t have to be the boss to get his way. Plus, Amy would get out of playing team psychologist and do some actual football coaching.

Her first task was to get David the Notre Dame game film.

◊◊◊

When he arrived at the Turners� house, cars lined the street, so he had to park down the block. As he got close to the home, he noticed Michael and Paige talking to other young adults. He had no doubt they were hiding out from their parents and older relatives. It was good to see some things were the same everywhere.

David was introduced and suddenly had fanboys and fangirls to deal with. He did his obligatory autographs and selfies. Once he went inside, the mood was more �

respectful, for lack of a better word.

He found Sadie and Janis being comforted by family in the living room. He bypassed that and found a group of older people eating some food, so he joined them. He found excellent bagels, so he made a point of finding out where they had come from. They reminded him of the bagels you�d find in New York.

David fell into his normal networking mode, where he tried to meet everyone there and say a few words. It wasn�t networking in the business sense; it was just how he was taught. Some of the older folks welcomed a young man taking the time to meet them.

Finally, he saw a lull in the action around Sadie and Janis and made his way over to say hello.

�I had no idea you would come to the house,� Janis said, looking up with surprise.

Sadie stood up and hugged him.

�How�s it going?� he whispered in her ear.

�I have no idea who some of these people are,� Sadie admitted.

David gave her a wan smile because he thought back to when his grandfather passed. He�d been older than Sadie at the time, but he�d had the same thought.

�Many of them are here for your mother. If you don�t know what to say, just nod and either smile or say nothing,�

David suggested.

A moment later, more people came up, and he noted that Sadie simply nodded to them, taking his advice. David stepped back and listened to a few of the stories told. As he walked out, he heard something in Hebrew repeated to Sadie and her mom. He managed to find Michael, who told him they were saying, �May God comfort you along with all the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.� David thought that was a beautiful way to give condolences.

◊◊◊

The second item on his to-do list was to talk to Crystal. If he mishandled this, it could go horribly wrong. Mr. Happy felt he had a vote, and it was to hold off on this discussion until � maybe never. The big brain almost agreed with him when Crystal dropped by to study wearing a tank top without a bra and hip-hugger shorts.

They caught up on their day. Crystal couldn�t attend the funeral because she had to prepare for an exam. She shared that her house had approved them getting a bus for Zak�s party.

�How bad will it be?� Crystal asked.

�Let me put it to you this way. Zak sent me a message saying that 21 Naturals will be there. They�re going to have their wrap party on a full-length triple-X film called Kitty Party. Mix in the typical Hollywood types, college football players, and sorority girls. How bad do you think it will get?� David asked with a straight face.

Crystal�s forehead ended up in her palm.

�Zak also suggests that everyone gear up for fun in the pool.�

She looked up to see if he was putting her on.

�And you�re taking recruits to this?�

David shrugged.

�It�s not like Louisville, where they hired hookers. The guys still have to have enough skills to talk drunk porn stars out of their itty-bitty bikinis.�

Crystal�s eyes narrowed.

�Does that mean there will also be guys from 21

Naturals there?�

�Probably. Do you want me to hook you up with one of them?� David asked without even flinching.

That made Crystal suspicious.

�You wouldn�t mind if I did that?� she pressed.

David shrugged.

�I�m okay with it if you are.�

He could see she hadn�t expected that answer.

�What are you trying to tell me?�

�I think we should take a step back and see other people,� he said and then held his breath.

�Did you not mean it when you said you wanted to be in a committed relationship?� Crystal asked with hurt in her voice.

He slowly let the air out of his lungs before answering.

�Here�s the unvarnished truth. I like you and still want to see you. And who knows, we might end up being together for the rest of our lives. When we decided to faux-date, it was because we�d both come out of relationships, and it was a crutch to get over them. I personally didn�t think it would last this long. I realized that it�s crazy for us to be so serious right now.

�I�m in my first full year of college and supposed to be gathering experiences and learning about myself, not playing happy families and settling down,� David said.

�Firstly, you sound British when you say stuff like �happy families.� Second, I�m not ready to settle down either. But I don�t want us to break up over that,� Crystal said.

�Sorry, I�ve been watching streaming videos, including some British stuff. It just sounded like it fit our situation.�

�Are you saying you want to break up?� Crystal asked.

�Not exactly.�

�You just want to see other girls,� Crystal said quietly.

�And I think you should see other guys,� David added.

She gave him an unreadable look, which couldn�t be good.

�What exactly would we be doing, then?�

�I still want to go out with you. I think we make a good team when we work together. I just want it to be more casual,� David said as if the answer was obvious.

Crystal began to gather up her books.

�Are you leaving? David asked.

�I need time to process this � alone.�

�I respect that.�

He sat quietly as she packed up and left. Mr. Happy had a few choice comments, but the big brain felt this was the right course of action.

◊◊◊

The rest of the week was a blur. Lisa�s funeral; Bec Carson�s guest appearance, causing extra filming sessions; and David�s focus on the upcoming Notre Dame game had consumed his free time. At least, that was the story he was telling himself. The result was that three women in his life were not speaking to him: Cassidy, because she somehow thought he should be at her beck and call; Tracy, since he�d bailed on filming Trojan Inquirer; and Crystal, for more personal reasons.

Of the three, Tracy wasn�t shy about getting her revenge. This week�s guest was Chip Wagner, the Channel 10 sports reporter who covered USC. It had turned into a good interview as Tracy grilled him for a change.

It was the last segment that David probably deserved.

The two of them displayed David making unflattering faces.

The top five were the eye roll, I have a migraine, I must be constipated, my eyes might pop out of my head, and will this ever be over with? He would remember that the cameras ran anytime they were on set because he�d made most of those faces at Tracy when he thought the cameras weren�t on.

The two of them pieced together clips of Chip and Tracy interviewing him and inserting his different faces as answers. In truth, it was funny because Tracy knew him well enough that she nailed how he felt when asked the various questions. An example was when Chip asked David how he �felt� about something, which was followed by �the eye roll.�

What they hadn�t counted on was that it had turned David into a meme machine. Creative nerds�who he would track down and kill�created memes out of his different silly faces. One of them had ended up on a popular late-

night talk show when the host had asked the guest how they felt about something. They�d flashed his eye-roll look.

So, Saturday morning before their game with Arizona State, he�d decided to mend fences. When he called Tracy, she informed him she was okay because the Pac-12

Network was having her and Chip on live and showing the meme segment before his game.

Cassidy had been easy because she just wanted some of his time. All he had to do was invite her to Zak Verwood�s party that night.

For Crystal, he figured he should talk to her face-to-face, so he invited her to his dorm for breakfast. He knew that his cafeteria was one of the best places to eat on campus, and Crystal loved the pick-your-own omelet where they made it to order right in front of you. She was partial to hers having cream cheese and crab meat with English muffins and their house-made marmalade. He decided on chorizo with queso asadero and salsa.

When they sat down to eat, Crystal asked, �You�ll help me hook up with one of the porn stars tonight, won�t you?�

She wasn�t mad at him at all � right?

◊◊◊

As David was getting dressed before the game, he was worried. All week, practice had had a bad vibe. He�d put it down to all their injuries and that they were a heavy favorite against the Arizona State Sun Devils. But today�s locker room didn�t have the usual energy or swagger they�d shown to this point.

That changed when Big Cat stepped up and showed why USC had recruited him. The Sun Devils received the opening kickoff, but their drive died, forcing them to punt.

Big Cat caught it at the eighteen-yard line and had room to run. ASU�s first defender zeroed in on him to try to take him down for no gain.

Big Cat picked a great time to show what he could do.

ABC had picked up the telecast and made it one of their featured games of the week, so his friends and family back home in Baltimore got to see him perform.

He took a little side step, causing the ASU defender to fly by him. He then ran an �S� weave through the next line of defense. The crowd erupted as he broke out into the open. The USC blockers picked up three defenders to shield them from their return man.

To this point, Big Cat had shown patience as he followed his blocks, but when he slipped through their defense, he turned on the burners to run eighty-two yards for the first score.

After a couple of exchanged possessions, ASU got the ball back. They started to exploit the USC defense�s weaknesses. USC was down to only two safeties, and two key defensive linemen were out with injuries. ASU put together an eight-play, seventy-five-yard drive that ended in a forty-two-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7.

The whole time they had the ball, David could almost physically feel the sense of doom come over the USC

sideline. Then Matt went out and got sacked, knocking him out of the game.

It was the moment of truth. Did Coach Merritt want a chance to win this game and toss David�s redshirt label, or would he go with little-used junior Jaden Ponder? The whole team was in shock when Jaden�s number was called.

Along with him, Chuy was sent in to play tailback. ASU

was unsure what to do with the power running of the six-two two-hundred-pound freshman. Chuy began to run the ball between the tackles and pound out three to five yards every time he ran it.

But for some incomprehensible reason, John Johnson was back at left tackle. He jumped offsides and then held his defender on back-to-back plays to kill a promising drive.

ASU got the ball back, moved down the field on another drive, and scored to go up by 7.

USC was stymied when ASU began to bring more players into the box in the area where Chuy was running.

His production dropped to one to two yards per carry.

With USC�s run game stopped and Jaden overthrowing passes, ASU scored twice before the half to go up 24�7.

David called up to the booth to talk to Coach Thomas.

�Tell Jaden to throw it to Bill, and warn Bill that it�ll be overthrown. Run a jet or something like it, so Bill can run under the pass.�

�That might work,� Coach Thomas decided.

On the last drive of the half, Coach Thomas did just that.

Starting at their twenty, Jaden lined them up. On the snap, he dropped back. David groaned when a flag flew at John Johnson�s feet. Bill had two defenders bracketing him when Jaden released the ball. If it had been on target, it would�ve been intercepted. Knowing it would be deep, Bill put on a burst to pull it in for a thirty-yard gain.

The penalty was hands to the face on the defense, which USC declined, and the play stood.

It was now first and ten at the fifty. In the next play, Big Cat was put in at the slot. Before the snap, he went in motion. At the snap, he was behind Jaden, who turned and handed Big Cat the ball.

Jaden did an excellent job of freezing the defense by faking a handoff to Chuy, who plowed into the line.

Meanwhile, the fleet-footed Big Cat sprinted around the end. His defender had gotten caught up in the pileup Chuy caused, so Big Cat was ten yards down the field before ASU

realized Chuy didn�t have the ball.

USC went into the half down 24 �14.

◊◊◊

When David returned to the locker room, Matt was talking to Coach Merritt.

�You need me back in there. Jaden doesn�t have what it takes, and the doctor just said I could play.�

David winced when he saw the look come over Coach Merritt�s face. He�d pissed his coach off on more than one occasion, but not like this.

�Listen, son. There�s something you need to understand: this is a dictatorship, and I�m the dick in charge. I will decide who plays and who doesn�t, and right now, Jaden is starting the second half. I would suggest you get your head right and support your teammates because I would hate to see you riding the bench for the rest of the season,� Coach Merritt answered Matt. �Is that clear?�

�Yes � yes, sir,� Matt stammered.

�Now get out of my sight.�

After Matt left, David strolled by. Coach Merritt turned his glare on him, but David kept a straight face as he went into the central area of the locker room, where he found Matt looking confused and hurt.

�Get your head up and act like a leader,� David said as he walked by.

◊◊◊

True to Coach�s word, Jaden started the second half, but that only lasted one series.

Matt returned with a new determination. It helped that Bear also started the second half over John Johnson. With Bear in the lineup, USC was playing three true freshmen, and at a school like USC, that should never happen.

During the summer, David had told all the freshmen they would probably never see the field this year, that their first year was about stacking days. That meant hitting the weight room to develop their bodies so they could play big-boy football.

But if they did play, they should try not to overdo it. It wasn�t their job to rescue the team. All they had to do was do their job, take care of what they could control, and focus on doing that.

What he saw on the field was that they got that lesson.

The one who hadn�t was Matt. David understood that there were times when the quarterback had to carry the team. If there was ever a time, it would be now because of how poorly the Trojans had played in the first half. Down by two scores, while not impossible to overcome, was a long slog.

Matt needed to calm his team down and begin to build their confidence with a long drive.

On the first play, he dropped back. It was supposed to be a drag route over the middle to the tight end, who was wide open for a six-yard gain. Instead, Matt pumped once and threw to Bill, who was double-covered. It wasn�t even a fifty-fifty ball. It would have been intercepted nine times out of ten, but Bill worked his magic and ripped the ball out of the defender�s hands for a fifteen-yard gain.

Coach Thomas stopped Matt�s hero play by running the ball, with Big Cat and Chuy featured. The drive ended up being a nine-play, eighty-seven-yard series to make the score 24�21.

Then fortune shined on the Trojans. ASU turned the ball over on their own thirty-six-yard line.

This time, Coach Thomas went for the kill, which he should do when there was a rapid-change situation in USC�s favor. He sent Bill on a post route, and David was shaking his head when ASU somehow lost their top target.

Thankfully, Matt saw him streaking through their secondary and hit Bill with a perfect pass.

It started to look like USC was back in control of the game. That was until their next possession, when they went three-and-out. Their punter was supposed to kick the ball out of bounds somewhere inside the ASU twenty. The ball

had other ideas as it sailed down the middle of the field to the waiting arms of the ASU return man.

USC�s kick defense had set up their coverage to cover the out-of-bounds and was caught flat-footed. The ASU

return team set up a wall of defenders toward the other sideline. Ninety-two yards later, they were up 31�28.

That took the life out of the Trojans. The fourth quarter was a bunch of nothing until 1:23 was left when ASU

scored again.

Down 38�28, David was glad to see that Coach Merritt decided not to give up and just run out the clock. It was an opportunity for USC to practice their two-minute offense.

Matt took charge and began moving them down the field with accurate passes.

David envied him because this was one part of the game he especially loved. Now was the time for Matt to be selfish and just let it rip. It took a special breed of quarterback to be successful when the defense knows you have to throw the ball. More times than not, it ends badly with an interception.

Matt got them across midfield with under a minute to go. From there, he could reach the end zone with his arm, so Coach Thomas sent everyone deep. Bill ran underneath the ASU defenders a yard deep in the end zone. Matt threw it on a rope. The ball would have ripped through the receiver�s hands if it had been Amari. Bill snatched the ball out of the air and dove for the end zone.

There was a huge pile, but the back judge signaled a touchdown.

As far as moral victories go, this was about as good as it got. But David believed that losing sucked. The final was 38�35. This was a game they should have never lost, and this one hurt. Instead of being 5�3 and only having to win one of their last four games to go to a bowl, they were 4�4.

The remaining schedule was at Oregon State, Cal at home, and then it got dicey: away at UCLA and then home

against Notre Dame, who was crushing people. If they lost next week, they could very well lose the rest.

◊◊◊

After the game, Phil thanked his dad for allowing his and Roc�s parents to sit in their box seats. They met with Bryant Franzese, USC�s recruiting coordinator, and the rest of the recruits and their families. In front of the stadium, two buses pulled up.

Bryant regaled them with tales of USC lore until Phil saw his brother and several football players follow him to the buses.

�Hello, everyone,� David said with a big smile as he approached.

�This is David A. Dawson,� Bryant said, which everyone already knew, based on the chuckles when David rolled his eyes.

�Okay, fair warning. I plan to take your sons to a Hollywood party tonight, where they will meet TV and movie stars at Zak Verwood�s estate. It�s a pool party, so I hope everyone brought their swimsuits. If not, Zak will have something for you to wear,� David said.

�Will there be alcohol?� Mrs. Pearson asked.

�I was told Kool-Aid and cookies,� David joked and then got serious. �This will be a typical Hollywood party. If you follow me in the tabloids, you�ll know I went to one of these, and there was skinny-dipping. I personally don�t drink often, but I might have a cocktail tonight. If you don�t want me corrupting your sons, feel free to tell them they can�t come.�

Mr. Pearson broke out laughing because Roc and his mom had locked eyes.

�I trust David to bring our son back in one piece,� Mr.

Pearson announced to everyone. �We�ve known him since

Roc and David played Little League together. I trust Roc will survive seeing some naked people.�

There was some nervous laughter. Phil�s mom didn�t look happy.

�Hey, I survived spring break with him,� Phil reminded her.

�Okay. Everybody, load up on the first bus. If any parents want to talk to me, I�ll get on last,� David announced.

In the end, all the recruits got on the bus. Bill told Phil and Roc to sit up front with him and David. Once David got on, the bus pulled out into traffic.

The bus held a mix of recruits, their hosts, and all the freshman football players.

David stood up and got everyone�s attention.

�Tonight is a chance to let your hair down � responsibly.

So that means I will not have to babysit any of you, and you will only have a few drinks. Is that clear?�

�Yes, sir,� the USC football players all said.

�I need to hear that from all of you.�

�Yes, sir,� came from everyone.

�Now, we�ll pick up a sorority with the other bus, the Alpha Mus. I would say they are the hottest girls at USC,�

David said.

�He�s right about that,� Chuy called out.

�There will also be models, people you see on TV and in the movies, and porn stars ��

The bus erupted. Phil noted that even Bill looked surprised at the �porn star� announcement. While they calmed down enough for David to continue, he grabbed a duffle bag and opened it.

�I�m not sending any of you home with an STI,� David said as he started to pull out strips or condoms and hand them out.

�Is he serious?� Roc asked.

�As a heart attack,� Bill said with a big smile.

�Someone is going to lose their �V� card,� Phil teased his friend Roc.

�Fuck you, Dawson.�

�I normally say, �Thank you, Dawson,�� Bill quipped.

�This is going to be epic,� Phil decided.

◊◊◊

When the buses pulled up to Alpha Mu, David found Crystal.

�You might want to hand these out,� he suggested as he handed her his duffle.

She looked inside and barked out a laugh.

�Let me see,� Taylor asked.

Crystal showed her, and Taylor�s eyes got big.

�You didn�t tell them about the porn stars,� David guessed.

Taylor looked like a carp out of water. �Po � po � po ��

�Porn stars,� Crystal said to help her friend.

Taylor squealed like a six-year-old whose parents had given her a pony.

�I�ll let you deal with that,� David said as his chin motioned toward Taylor.

�Thanks,� Crystal grumped and then called out,

�Everyone on the bus.�

◊◊◊

It took them nearly two hours to get to the gated community where Zak lived. Phil noted that the security guard had to call someone to let the buses in. They pulled into a circle drive. As they stopped, the front door opened, and Phil recognized Zak with another movie star, Bec Carson.

He saw David get off first, put Zak into a bear hug, and then do the same with Bec. A couple of security guys held out bowls.

�All cell phones, cameras, and recording devices must be left here, or you don�t go in,� one of them announced.

David and the knockout blond, who seemed to be in charge of the sorority girls, gave up their phones and walked inside with Zak and Bec.

�Who�s that?� Phil asked Bill.

�Crystal Knaggy,� Bill said with a sour face.

�Why the look?� Roc asked.

�I�m not a fan because I�ve been around longer and seen her in action. You might call her a homie hopper. She goes after athletes who look like they�ll make bank after college,� Bill explained.

�Does David know this?� Phil asked.

�He�s well aware, I�m sure.�

�A-fucking-men, I get why he might go for her,� Roc said.

Phil snorted out a laugh because it was apparent why every guy would �go� for her. Crystal had long blond hair, blue eyes, and a killer body. He�d seen some smoking-hot girls at USC, but Crystal had to be one of the best-looking ones, if not the best.

Bill had been there before, so he led them inside. They walked into a large hallway with a twenty-foot vaulted ceiling and a fireplace at the end. Bill took them to the right and found a vast kitchen with food on all the countertops. That led to a dining area and then out back to a large patio where everyone seemed to be.

Bill hit the bar and then took them around to meet everybody. It turned out Zak had used David�s name to entice people to come to the party. From comments caught in passing, Phil got the impression Zak had a bad reputation as a skirt-chaser. He hadn�t expected to recognize so many people from both film and TV.

It quickly became apparent that David had gone in and said hello before them because Phil found the Hollywood types coming up to his group and introducing themselves.

He met the three actresses David had made The Secret

Circle with: Emma Stoned, Tanya Bishop, and Jessica Abbot. Phil now regretted not having his phone so he could prove he�d met them.

He also met an actress named Sasha, a cute blond from Australia who�d moved to the States when she was twelve.

She�d done modeling, cut a record, and was now on a hit TV show. It was one of those chick ones, so he�d never watched it.

With her was Nolan Gould, a young actor who was on Modern Families. Phil was shocked to find how short he was in person. Nolan had to be five-seven at the most.

They were hanging out with Taylor Lautner, who played a werewolf in the Twilight movies, and Selena Gomez, who was most famous for being Justin Bieber�s ex. Now she was breathtaking.

�Let�s check out the pool action and see if it�s worth changing for,� Bill suggested.

They followed a path to a pool and tennis court where another group had congregated. The three suddenly stopped as they took in what was going on. Bill gave them a

�here we go� look. This must be where the porn stars were hanging out. 21 Naturals all seemed to have big butts and huge breasts, or small butts and itty-bitty titties, which mainly were uncovered.

David saw the guys and motioned them over. He tilted his head to Bill and looked to the right. Bill smiled when he saw an Asian girl wearing only a thong. She had perfect small breasts, pointy nipples, and a killer ass on display.

�You boys are on your own,� Bill announced as he abandoned them.

�Roc, I would like you to meet Bethany Leary. I first met her at another 21 Naturals event where she was the photographer,� David said.

Bethany looked to be their age, and she and Roc nervously checked each other out.

�Phil, this is Bella.�

Phil about swallowed his tongue. Bella was a Latina who had Kim Kardashian�s butt and the biggest, softest breasts he�d ever seen. She wasn�t a heavy girl, but she had extra padding where women wanted it. She smiled at him when she looked down and saw the obvious bulge in Phil�s pants.

�We might have to do something about that,� Bella purred.

Bill was right. It should always be �Thank you, Dawson,�

when it came to his brother.

◊◊◊

David had shared that there was a guest bedroom on the first floor that Phil could use. This was the weirdest encounter he�d ever had. Less than ten minutes into a party, he was in a bedroom with a woman he would never have had the guts to talk to, let alone be with.

No more words were exchanged. They didn�t need to be.

Phil approached her, taking in everything about her. Her beauty, her scent, her � arousal. It was really sexy.

�Go down on me,� Bella said sexily.

Remembering what he�d learned, Phil took his time, not diving right in. He used his mouth and tongue to explore and lick around the sensitive areas. His hands gently caressed her ample bosoms. From the way Bella responded, by squirming and whimpering, he�d taken the right approach. Gentle, teasing licks became kisses. He started around the edges before he worked his way to her folds, slowly allowing her arousal to appear. As her lips swelled, he moved upward to find her clit. Each kiss was tender, yet he felt her whole body quiver each time he made contact with her nub. That did beautiful things to her breasts.

Her thighs were so lovely, toned yet soft. Bella was the sexiest woman he�d ever been with. Phil treasured seeing her big clit beautifully topping her sex. It did his ego

wonders each time she made tiny jumps whenever he made contact. And the moans she made as she ground her hips into his face as he licked her sex made him rock-hard.

Phil kept it simple, determined to let it take as long as it took for her to cum. He simply got comfortable and licked and sucked her sex. Bella made the most noise when Phil used a pointy-tongued approach. Before long, he�d figured it out as he licked her slit, relaxing his tongue and pointing it in between her lips until it found her clit. He could feel her quake whenever his tongue made contact with her nubbin.

Bella�s little moans and outbursts helped reinforce the notion of how much she was enjoying it.

�Oh yes, Phil. I never would have guessed you could eat pussy this well. Keep doing it, just like that. Oh, yes �

please don�t stop!� she called out.

That was the goal as he grabbed her ample hips to control her movements since she could no longer keep still.

He looked up, and she had a wild look that told him she would be an unbelievable fuck. He couldn�t wait to be balls deep.

Phil lost track of time, but his patience was paying off. It was evident when she got close to the edge; her moans got louder, she fisted the bedsheet, and her thighs clamped around his ears. He felt Bella lift her butt off the bed so she could grind against his chin. That drove his tongue deeper into her slit.

He remained steady and gentle, lapping and kissing until she begged for more.

�Finger-bang me,� Bella cried. �Please, stuff your fingers inside me. Just go slow.�

He did exactly as she asked, inserting two fingers and slowly beginning to pump them in and out of her as he gave her oral. The fingers put her over the top, and her orgasm ripped through her body. He could feel her pussy contract

around his fingers for a moment and then began to milk them like it was trying to pull his cum out of his cock.

Phil was proud of what he�d accomplished. Her look of joy made all his work worthwhile.

�That might be the best orgasm I�ve had in ages. You could make a living eating pussy,� Bella praised.

He gently pulled his fingers free, removed his mouth from her pussy, and wiped his face. Her sex was soaking wet and puffy, and he could practically see her lips throb.

�Get up here,� she commanded.

Phil crawled onto the bed. When he was within reach, she kissed him and then giggled.

�Damn, I taste good,� she said.

�I agree.�

Bella kissed him again.

�You better be ready for the blowjob of your life because you�ve earned it.�

She rolled him onto his back and had his jeans and underwear around his thighs with practiced ease. Then her warm wet lips touched him, and all thoughts left him. She used his playbook as she slowly, teasingly enveloped the crown of his cock. Phil did what came naturally and thrust his hips forward, wanting to go deeper. Bella had given enough head that she didn�t fall for that. She�d wrapped her hand around the base of his cock so he didn�t choke her. Otherwise, he would have plunged his rod into her throat.

She leisurely took more and more of his length, just a bit at a time, engulfing him gradually. The sensations overloaded his system; all he could do was flex his hips to try to help her. He watched as her lips stretched around his shaft as it plunged in and out of her mouth.

After what seemed like forever, Bella did what no girl had done before: she took his whole length in her mouth.

Her nose was buried in his pubic area as his balls rested on

her chin. Then she swished her tongue back and forth, with the tip washing the twins. Then, slowly, she pulled back.

�I�ve died and gone to heaven!� Phil proclaimed.

She pulled all the way off and examined his cock. It gleamed wetly in the open air.

�It�s the perfect size to suck. I hate it when cocks are too small. I want to feel it as it enters my throat.�

Bella descended, quickly and purposefully, to envelop his length again. She held all of it in her mouth for another endless moment, then bobbed her head up and down, taking his whole length into her with each downward motion. She did so eagerly, and Phil responded as actively with his hips fucking her face with abandon.

�I�m coming! I�m coming!�

He took her head in his hands and held her in place as he pushed himself deep, deep into her throat. Bella hummed to add just that extra vibration to help him reach his peak. She pulled off and descended one last time, but on her own terms as he held his hips in place. She took his entirety one last time and then swallowed. Cum erupted again and again�again, again, again, and yet again into her greedy throat.

Bella let him fall from her lips as he began to get soft.

Phil wondered what was in store if this had happened before the party seriously kicked off.

◊◊◊

After setting up Roc, his brother, and Bill, David began to work the party. Bryant had given him a list of the recruits at the top of USC�s wish list for this weekend. At the top was the third-rated running back in the country, Ashton Brown.

He was a local kid who went to Beverly Hills High School and had offers from all the big boys. It looked like it would come down to UCLA or USC since he wanted to stay close to home. What made Ashton a five-star athlete was that he had already shown he had a college-ready body at six feet and 200 pounds. He could run with both power and explosive speed. Last year, he�d run track and come in second at state in the hundred-meter dash.

His host was Chuy, who was hanging with the other freshman football players.

�Are you guys hungry? I�m hungry,� David announced as he walked up.

�I could eat,� Bear agreed.

David led them into the kitchen so they could load up their plates, and they went out onto the patio to eat. David introduced them to various celebrities. He had an irresistible, devastating grin when Isabel Alexandra, who�d been in his James Bond and Baywatch movies, appeared.

Seeing Isabel always made him happy, but seeing her with her best friend was a treat.

�Package check!� Groper�the name David had given her�called out as she cupped Ashton�s crotch.

Everyone froze, and David�s smile got bigger when she did a two-handed check on both Chuy and Big Cat.

�Looks like we have three keepers,� Groper said and then turned to David, �Miss me?�

He let her fondle his junk for a moment before she turned on the other guys.

�Holy shit!� she exclaimed when she discovered that Bear was seriously packing. �You stay far away from me with that monster.�

�I�m going to change into a swimsuit. I�ll see you later,�

Isabel said, and dragging Groper off with her.

�What just happened?� Ashton asked.

�You had your package checked. Welcome to a Hollywood party,� David said.

�David Dawson!� said a distinctive female voice he instantly recognized.

David turned around and found Jett, the lead singer for Birthrite, grinning at him. He gave her a hug and introduced her to the guys. Crystal and her sorority sisters recognized her, so they got introduced as well. David was glad to see Jim and Cassidy had joined them.

�How is dating different in college than in high school?�

Ashton asked the group.

For some reason, everyone turned to David for the answer. That question hung there like a deadly dare, so he took it.

�For a college athlete, it�s like becoming a sports fisherman. While all men like to fish, sport fishing differs from fishing for food. They catch it and take it around the party or bar to show their friends they can fish. They make sure to get a couple of selfies to share with their buddies who might not be there because their friends need to know they have game. Then, unlike in high school, where they�re just happy to have caught one, and they keep it, in college, they release it back into the wild,� David explained.

�Then how do college athletes get girlfriends?� Jim asked, playing the straight man.

Someone knew him too well and so chose to egg him on for more information. It reminded him of when they�d tell outlandish stories during lunch in high school.

�That�s a good question. Those are the fish that jump back into the boat. They�re flopping on the deck and look at

you and ask, �I was wondering if you planned to go fishing here again next week?� If you�re smart, you�ll say, �Yeah, for other fish; now get off my boat.�

�Then we fall for the �Is that how you treat all fish?� line.

We all know you can�t say what you want, which would be,

�What the fuck, honey? You�re the last fish I ever wanted to be with.� So, like the dumbasses we are, we�re now stuck.

Then six months later, your fish is like, �So, when are you going to sell your boat?�� David said.

�Note to self. Remember that Cassidy has one good arm, and stand on her other side,� David thought as pain exploded in his ribs.

One of those life lessons was that you had to know your crowd when you told certain jokes. That point was hammered home when Crystal turned on her heels and disappeared into the crowd.

�Something you should all remember is that the fishing thing is a two-way street,� Taylor said to save him.

David excused himself to go find Crystal.

◊◊◊

He found her in the living room, looking unhappy.

�Can we talk?� David asked.

She gave him an unreadable look.

�I�ve been told I�m not always as funny as I think. I hope you know I was playing around out there,� David said.

She frowned before saying, �I know that, but it hit a bit too close to home.�

�I never said I wanted to break up with you.�

�You didn�t say you wanted to be with me either,� she fired back.

�I did say I wanted us to be friends and that, down the road, we might end up together.�

�That�s like you saying your two-and-a-half-year-old is sober. But we both know that might not be true in your

case,� Crystal said.

Even though Coby had gotten his daycare class drunk, that didn�t give Crystal the right � and he stopped himself from getting wound up. He must be growing up if he could see what she was doing because not too long ago, he wouldn�t have. Crystal was lashing out because she was hurting.

But that didn�t mean he had to take her back to make her feel better. Everything he�d told her was the truth, and in the long run, she would be glad he didn�t make her false promises. He thought that, knowing Crystal checked most of the boxes for the kind of girl he was looking for. The problem was that while he liked her, there had never been a time when his chest ached with love like it had with Brook.

He might have let this drag out were it not for the funeral making him face his realities. Besides, what was it his mom always told him: you must be willing to walk away? That was something Crystal didn�t know about him.

It might take him forever to decide something, but once he did, it was over.

That didn�t mean he wasn�t still interested in hooking up with Crystal. It was the same with Tracy and Pam; he�d had relationships with both of them. Those had been much deeper than what he had with Crystal, if he was being completely honest. The ball was now in Crystal�s court. She had to decide what she wanted.

�I�m going to leave before this gets ugly.�

�No, we need to talk this out. What are you really thinking?� Crystal asked.

�I mean, seriously, how many of your sorority sisters are dating anyone? They go out each weekend, meet a new hot guy, and fool around. Then they study, go to class, and hang out with the girls during the week.�

�That might be the case, but I never thought you were casual about stuff like that,� Crystal fired back.

�You�re right. I never have been.�

�Then what changed?�

�Lisa�s funeral,� David said. �When you�re at something like that, it makes you think.�

�And you thought you wanted to break up with me?�

David could tell he wasn�t going to make any progress, and he was already halfway mad at the drunken toddler comment, so it was time to walk away.

�I�m not going to start repeating myself. I think we both need to take a deep breath and cool down. I�ll talk to you later.�

David left her to her own thoughts. He gave them being friends after this about a ten percent chance.

◊◊◊

David returned to the party and found his brother with a big smile. Someone got lucky.

Phil was flirting with Emily and Wren. His brother had good taste in women.

�Why, hello, ladies! And Phil,� David greeted them. �You holding my brother for ransom? I�ll go, hmm, five dollars, tops.�

�If you weren�t currently my favorite brother, I would tell you to F-off,� Phil quipped.

�I heard that you�re single,� Emily said as the lie flowed from her sweet, pouty lips with well-practiced ease.

�I�m not sure that�s true,� Wren said.

�You have got to be kidding me. You dumped Crystal?�

Phil asked, the shock written all over his face.

�There was no dumping. We�re talking about what we both want. So, you can stop the rumors,� David said to Emily.

He could see she wasn�t fazed. It gave him a hint as to what he�d be facing if that rumor got legs and spread. It

was bad enough when women knew he was in a relationship.

They all stared at him.

�Welp. I have places to go, people to see,� David said and walked away.

◊◊◊

David put on his swimsuit and went to the pool, where he found Zak and Bec. He shook his head because Zak was leaning back in a lounge chair, enjoying a little honey blowing him.

David sat down on Bec�s lounger and looked at Zak.

�She wants to set a record for the number of blowjobs given. I�m number 833. You should help her out because she�s quite good.�

David had to remind himself where he was. That statement would never be uttered back home. Before Mr.

Happy could put his two cents worth in, David turned to Bec.

�Well, missy, we aren�t on set anymore. I�ve come for some payback,� David teased.

�Dude, thanks for sending her home horny as shit. It made for an interesting week for me,� Zak said.

�I felt a bit bad about that, but you�re a big boy,� Bec said with at least a look of embarrassment.

�She means that literally. She teased me about how big you are � you know. I say you do her, so her infatuation with your man parts gets out of her system,� Zak said.

�I thought you liked her getting horny because of me,�

David teased.

�To a point, Dude. Help me out and go bone her.�

Bec gave Zak an unbelieving look, so he came clean.

�I was hoping we could swap,� Zak admitted.

�I might not have anything to swap,� David shared.

�Now you have to do him,� Zak said.

�So you can go hook up with some porn star? I�ll pass,�

Bec said. �Plus, David doesn�t want to have sex with an old lady.�

�You can quit right there,� David said. �You know what you did to me, and I don�t get that hard if I�m not interested.�

That made her day, but he could tell they weren�t hooking up, even with Zak�s encouragement. In all honesty, David probably wouldn�t have gone through with it. He�d hate to ruin her for other men, or that was the story he would tell if pressed. His backup argument was the bro code that said you didn�t bone your friend�s girl.

◊◊◊

As these parties tended to do, people began to drink and do other stuff, which turned into bad decisions by all parties. The pool area started to turn into a full-blown orgy.

Two porn stars had decided to give Bear a double blowjob to kick the festivities off.

This reminded him of his recruiting trip to Michigan.

He�d slipped off with a gymnast to a swinger�s party, where some people were having casual conversations while a couple boned three feet from them. This was a weird mix of actors, porn stars, football players, and sorority girls.

He did see Cassidy sitting in Jim�s lap. They had dated in high school, so he hoped they might get back together. Jim was a good guy, which he felt Cassidy needed right now.

David quickly scanned the crowd and saw that Phil and Roc were missing, as were Crystal and Taylor. He assumed they were off talking.

�Hey, David. Want to join in?� Isabel asked.

As much as he wanted to, because she was rocking her bikini, Isabel probably was the last person he should hook up with. He had a feeling Lexi wouldn�t react well when she

found out, and he was smart enough to know that she would find out.

�No, I probably shouldn�t.�

She nodded her understanding.

�I figured I would give you the first shot. Maybe we can talk again after some time passes,� Isabel suggested.

�Maybe.�

That was when he spotted Zak, who had Crystal�s friend Taylor pinned to the pool house wall as his hips pounded her from behind. That made him think he should go find Crystal.

He went into the house and found a threesome of his acting friends getting busy. It was Taylor Lautner, Sasha Inman, and Nolan Gould. While he�d guessed that Nolan secretly had a thing for Sasha, he would�ve bet big money she never realized it.

While she kissed Taylor, Nolan was giving Sasha head.

�Oh fuck, Taylor, I can�t wait. I�ve wanted this for so long,� she moaned. �Please, fuck me. Claim me.�

Nolan�s head snapped up with a desperate look in his eyes.

�Wait � I � uh,� he stuttered, then exclaimed, �Let me get you wet first!�

David blinked as Nolan went down on Taylor. He would never unsee that, so he went to look in the downstairs guest room for Crystal.

The door was partially open, so he assumed it was empty. When he opened it, he found Crystal lying on her stomach on the bed as a porn actor he recognized took her from behind. His stage name was Little Timmy because his body looked like he was a twelve-year-old boy with a man-sized cock attached to it. He mostly did MILF scenes with older women.

Crystal heard him come in and glanced back. She wore a determined look that dared him to say anything. David

mouthed the word �sorry� as he backed out of the room.

Crystal�s face fell when she saw her bluff hadn�t worked.

David closed the door and took a deep breath in the hall.

He quickly checked himself and found that he wasn�t really all that upset. Crystal had told him what she intended to do and followed through on it. It wasn�t like he couldn�t have stopped it if he�d wanted to. He was the one who said he wanted casual. How could he be mad if she was the first to find someone else to spend time with?

That was something else that changed with age. The old David�s Alpha Male would have been shouting �Mine!� with any girl he�d been with. While that instinct was still there, it was reserved for people like Brook. Whenever he heard she was dating someone, he thought of tracking the offending male down and ending him. But that thought wasn�t there for Crystal, which told him a lot.

He might have called an Uber and gone home if he wasn�t a big brother. Instead, he continued looking for Phil to ensure he was okay.

He finally found him in the main bedroom with Bethany, the 21 Naturals photographer, Roc, Emily, and Wren. He was surprised they were all clothed and looked like they were just chatting and getting to know each other.

Roc was sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard, with Bethany sitting between his legs. The other three were sitting crossed-legged.

�I figured you�d be in the middle of all that,� Phil said when David walked in.

�I�m not really in the mood,� David admitted.

�I take it that Crystal is,� Emily said.

�Actually, she is,� David said.

�I�m sorry. Are you okay?� Wren asked.

�Me, too,� Emily said. �That was sort of bitchy to say.�

He could hear in her voice that Emily meant what she�d just said. He�d felt more than once that she had a crush on

him. The same could be said about Wren, but she was dating Big Cat.

�Why aren�t you with your boyfriend?� David asked Wren.

�And get passed around like a party favor? No thanks,�

she said to David�s surprise.

�Oh, I thought you were fine with that,� David said since he�d heard of her sleeping with multiple guys at different outings.

Wren got a sad look on her face.

�I told you about the first guy I dated in high school. He was two years older, which is a lot in high school. He was also my first, so I had minimal experience with having a boyfriend. Plus, guys didn�t look my way until the summer before my sophomore year, and these grew in,� Wren said as she hefted her breasts.

David could only imagine because Wren was sporting a

�D� cup, and they must have looked huge on her skinny sophomore body. He bet every senior � correction, every guy at her school took notice and worked to get into her pants.

�I was suddenly getting a lot of attention, but when my ex took notice, I was lost. He was the guy every girl wanted. I felt special, and my friends all were jealous that I�d bagged the big man on campus. That was why I was willing to do stuff like let him finger me in school. I thought I had to, to keep him.

�He took great joy in displaying me for his friends,�

Wren said, getting a faraway look.

�What happened?� Phil asked.

�It was graduation, and there was a party. I�d had a few too many, so I didn�t notice when he started fingering me that all his buddies had gathered around to watch. He pulled his cock out and told me to suck it, so I did. Then he pulled it out and fucked me. When he was done, he rolled off, and one of his friends took his place.

�Before the night was done, I�d fucked seven guys,�

Wren said.

�Jesus,� Roc said.

�I should have broken up with him, but I didn�t. I thought he loved me, and I loved him enough to do whatever he asked. All summer long, before he left for college, he would fuck me, and then one or more of his buddies would do me.

�I found that if I got started, my mind would turn off, and I let them have me. The part that scares me is that I liked it,� Wren grudgingly admitted.

�So, in the hotel with Lars and the rest?� David asked.

�I fell back into my old ways,� Wren said.

�If you told me, I would have stopped them,� David said.

�Honestly, I wanted it. But after that, I told myself I was done with being used. That was why I dated Big Cat. He�s a sweet guy, but Chuy and the others told him they wanted to party with me again. Big Cat said they would tonight, so I broke up with him.�

David�s phone buzzed to indicate a message had come in. He saw it was time to get everyone to go back to campus.

�We�ve got to go,� David said as he sent out a group text to wrap everything up and meet at the bus.

◊◊◊

It took a half hour, but he finally tracked down all the recruits. Not all the football players were accounted for, but they weren�t his responsibility. They could figure out their own way back to campus.

He saw Crystal taking a nose count of her sorority sisters, and she looked frustrated.

�Missing someone?� David asked.

�Taylor.�

David held up a finger.

�I might know where she is.�

He called Bec.

�Did you leave?� Bec asked when she answered.

�I�m loading everyone up, and I wanted to say goodbye.

But first, I need your help. We�re missing a sorority girl.�

�Taylor?� she asked.

�That�s the one.�

�She�s in the shower with Zak. I�ll send her right out.�

�Thanks.�

�And David ��

�Yes?�

�Next time, I won�t just tease you,� Bec said and hung up.

Mr. Happy must have been eavesdropping because he instantly got hard.

�She�ll be out in a minute,� David said.

�Thanks,� Crystal said and then blurted out, �About earlier.�

David pulled her in for a hug and kissed the top of her head.

�We�re all good,� he said, letting her off the hook.

He got onto the lead bus and told the driver they could leave.

◊◊◊

When David got back to his dorm, he found Alex and Chloe sitting on the couch, watching a movie. Their hair was wet, so he assumed they�d taken advantage of him not being home.

�You�re dead to me,� Alex announced as David started toward his bedroom door.

�Sorry, why is that?�

Alex held up his phone. As people left the party, they were given them back. It didn�t take a rocket scientist to

figure out that his fellow football players had been sending messages about their exploits.

�You would have loved it. One girl was trying to set some kind of blowjob record, and Zak was number 833. He said it was fantastic,� David said to tease his friend.

�Can�t hear you because you must be a ghost.�

David chuckled when his roommate covered his ears and pointedly returned to watching the movie. Chloe winked at David as he went to his room.

He was getting ready for bed when there was a knock at the door. David answered it and found Wren and Emily there.

�Wren needs cheering up,� Emily said as she pushed past him.

�Well, come in,� David said to Wren.

She hesitated and then tensely entered.

◊◊◊

Emily had talked her into this. She reasoned who better than David to fend off other men, so Wren found herself nervously standing in his room.

She took a moment to look around his bedroom, which didn�t look like any dorm room she�d ever seen. In place of the typical twin bed looked to be a California king. The single room had to be three times bigger than the room she shared with another girl.

Emily had claimed a big comfy reading chair by the window and looked awfully pleased.

Wren was brought back from her thoughts when David�s mouth settled over hers as he pulled her flush against his muscular body. She hesitated a moment as she deduced that David had figured out why she was there. Then Wren slid her arms around him and returned his kiss.

A man like David was a rare catch. She liked how he kissed, and he tasted good, like drinking water from a

meadow spring. His scent was leather and spice, which was intoxicating. Their kiss deepened and intensified. She knew she should hold back, but he was too tempting. When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were lit with desire.

�I didn�t expect you to show up like this.�

�You�re not mad, are you?� she asked.

�Never, but maybe we�re moving too fast,� David said to give her an out.

That made her stop and think. Then the worry arose because David could have any straight girl he wanted, and probably a bunch who weren�t straight. Why would he want her when she was damaged goods?

�Do you want to slow down?�

�No. You�re a beautiful woman, Wren, and not just physically. I like you as a person, too.�

That was precisely the right thing for him to say, and their lips met again. Wren let the emotions between them build, confused by the intensity of her response. She got the vibe that she could trust him, maybe more than she�d ever trusted any other man. The kiss awakened strong feelings within her that she was sure she�d never felt before. His aroused body pressed against hers, and his hands moved sensually along her back and sides.

Wren tightened her arms around his muscular back as desire flowed through her. When he finally released her, she was flushed and overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through her.

David stepped back, reached down, and pulled his shirt off. Her breath caught in her throat as he began to undo his pants. She quickly caught up as her top and bra hit the floor, soon followed by her jeans and panties.

Wren saw him check her out as she did the same to him.

He was a freaking sculpture you would see in a museum.

David stepped in close to her, wrapping her in his arms.

He leaned in close to kiss her, and she accepted his kiss

eagerly. His hands slid down her back to squeeze her bare bottom.

He reached down and scooped her up, lifting her in his arms. Still kissing her, he carried her to the bed and lowered her. She stretched her arms out to the sides, enjoying the feel of his satin sheets against her bare skin.

David knelt in front of her, caught her ankles, and lifted them in the air. He walked on his knees toward her as she let her legs part to expose her sex. David slid his hands down the bottom of her legs to her upper thighs as he leaned against her, and Wren felt her body rolling up toward her upper back, her hips rising off the bed. She hadn�t looked down at his erection, but suddenly, it was there, pressing between her legs.

Wren whimpered in anticipation, her body yearning for him to finally enter her. She wanted to seize him and roll him over onto his back, straddle him and sink down onto his throbbing member. But she forced herself to endure this torment, these last few seconds of delay, lying naked and knowing Emily was watching as Wren eagerly waited to be fucked.

She closed her eyes as the head of his penis pressed against her pussy. David leaned forward slowly, and she gasped, the steady pressure parting her labia and allowing him to enter. Bit by bit, his thick cock filled her until, finally, he was all the way in. He slid out a few inches and pushed in again.

He leaned over her breasts, kissing and sucking on her nipples as his shaft moved inside her. He found a rhythm, and she matched it, pushing up against him, meeting his thrusts. Her long legs splayed to the side as she writhed, possessed by a feverish desire to have him as deep inside her as he could.

He continued his slow rhythm, taking his time, and Wren felt a ball of pleasure forming between her legs, growing larger with every thrust. Everything felt so right: the sheets

underneath her, David�s weight on top of her, the feel of his dick inside her. Emily watching them satisfied the exhibitionist hidden inside her. She wanted this to last forever as she tingled all over.

Wren�s breasts ached, and her core was � she felt so wet down there. So aroused. Watching David like this was better than any fantasy, more erotic than any stupid, fake porn she�d ever watched. Because it was him inside of her, and this was actually happening.

He groaned as she suddenly came. It was so unexpected that she clenched hard around his shaft.

�Wow! Just wow,� he bellowed as her pussy milked his cock.

Wren felt him unleash as jet after jet of cum sprayed inside her. She loved the feel as he filled her up.

When he was done, David rolled off to catch his breath.

She jumped up to clean herself and had to hurry to avoid leaking cum on the floor. Where the hell did all of that come from? Did David�s cock double as a super-soaker?

From the bathroom, she heard Emily say, �I call next.�

�Slut!� Wren called back.

They both giggled as David moaned. He was in for a long night.

◊◊◊

�We�re telling everyone that you�re dating both of us,�

Emily said in the morning.

David hadn�t messed everything up with Crystal for this, but both Wren and Emily dared him to say otherwise.

Everyone had a good time. Wren reminded him of Adrienne with her large natural breasts and narrow hips, except she was a brunette while Adrienne was a California blond. Wren�s sexual appetite seemed to know no bounds, and his inner sexual beast REALLY liked her.

Emily was on the other end of the sexual spectrum, where everything was new and exciting. She was also a more petite girl with an A-cup and a magnificent ass. Emily wore short blond hair, and if she�d had pointy ears, she might have been a pixie or what David imagined a nymph to look like. While Emily was fun, she was more work than he was willing to provide.

�How else can I say it? Get off my boat,� David said.

He saw the corner of Wren�s mouth quiver as if she were trying not to smile at the bad joke he�d told the day before.

David narrowed his eyes at Emily, who finally broke and giggled.

�I�m telling everyone you claimed me, so only you can sleep with me,� Wren announced.

Her determined look told him that she would. Honestly, it was probably for the best.

�Fair enough, but this dating thing is a bridge too far,�

David agreed.

�Now you have to feed us breakfast,� Wren said.

�It�s the least you can do,� Emily added.

Sunday brunch at Sandoval Hall rivaled any of the downtown hotel offerings. He grabbed his phone and sent Cassidy a message, and she sent him one back, saying Jim

was joining them. He returned the thinking man emoji to let her know he wanted details at some point.

They were going to his Malibu place for a late lunch because Phil needed to wrap up his visit to USC before joining them. Phil and his parents would fill everyone in at lunch on how it went.

Also, his soap would be filmed at night for the introduction of Adrienne. She was flying into Van Nuys Airport, and David had promised to pick her up.

Greg had been on the fence about lunch at the parents�

until he began to send David death threats over not inviting him to Zak�s. Phil must have overshared, which meant David would have to face his mother at some point.

He planned to claim that he was the good son and kept it in his pants at the party. No one needed to know what happened once he got home.

◊◊◊

Typically, David missed Sunday brunch. When Alex discovered he was going down, he let Kirk, Lindsey, Lauren, and Jamie know.

Today, instead of omelets, the chef was making to-order crepes. Not just the normal ones you would think of, either.

�Give me something I�ll love,� David said when it was his turn.

�How about I make you two kinds? Smoked salmon with fresh chives, salty capers, sliced heirloom tomatoes, and a hint of lemon. The second is stuffed with p�t� and cream cheese.�

Alex leaned close so only David could hear.

�You know he only suggests that crap because no one else will eat it.�

�I heard that,� the chef said. �You�re getting boring strawberry and blueberry crepes.�

Alex gave David a thumbs-up to let him know he was pleased with what the chef said he had to eat.

While their food was being made, Alex leaned close.

�Remember our deal about Wren?�

�Sorry, buddy, but I�m not sharing,� David, ruining Alex�s fantasy.

�That�s not right. I let you play with Chloe.�

�And I appreciate that, but this is more about Wren. She wants to cool it with being with multiple guys. If that changes, you�ll be the first one I tell.�

Alex grudgingly accepted that.

When they got to the table, Lindsey dominated the conversation and wanted details about Zak�s party. David let everyone else fill her in about all the celebrities who attended. He was surprised that no one talked about the orgy that broke out.

While they ate, David received a message from Adrienne. She wanted him to set aside some time so they could talk. When he asked what it was all about, she said she would tell him after they were done filming today.

�Who�s that from?� nosy Cassidy asked.

�Adrienne.�

�The model?� Cassidy asked.

�Who�s Adrienne?� Lindsey asked.

David smiled as he pulled up one of her pictures from Sports Illustrated.

�She and I are getting naked and filming today,� David said with a neutral expression.

�Wait for it,� David thought.

�You probably need someone to oil her up before the scenes,� Jim offered.

�I could bring you drinks and towels,� Kirk added.

�Naked?!� Emily worried.

The three of them talked over each other. Sometimes this model/movie-star stuff wasn�t so bad. He knew that the staff of The Young and The Wild would run into a terror

because Adrienne wouldn�t let them display her in an unflattering way. That meant everything from camera angles to lighting would have to change from the standard soap-opera format.

They filmed a soap differently from even an average TV

show, where they had more time and a larger budget.

Soaps required a lot of footage with minimal reshoots. This type of cost-effective production required them to be filmed on smaller sets, which were often evenly lit to accompany a multi-cam setup.

Although this saves time by cutting down on the number of takes, it also causes a noticeable amount of backlighting in a frame�s foreground, making people and objects in the shots more pronounced. Adrienne would have none of that.

What he was looking forward to was she also knew how to visually show sexy. Adrienne would put to shame anything that had been done on the show up to this point.

◊◊◊

Cassidy drove David to his house in Malibu, which gave him a chance to quiz her about Jim.

He stared at her with a goofy grin on his face. After fifteen minutes, Cassidy glanced over and scowled.

�Give me the deets. Are you two going steady now?�

David asked like he was an adolescent teen girl.

The little bounce and hand clapping sold it, in his humble opinion. His acting like a goof kept Cassidy from punching him. He might have even seen a hint of amusement in her eyes.

�It�s none of your business.�

David�s grin grew as he turned in his seat and looked out the front window.

Finally, Cassidy got suspicious and asked, �What are you up to?�

�It�s none of my business,� David said, then paused.

�That means you can�t bug me when � it�s none of your business.�

David glanced over as the penny dropped, and his little ninja realized he�d neatly pushed her into a corner, or so he thought.

�When I ask, it�s completely different,� she said, shaking her head to tell him she disagreed.

�How so?� David asked and instantly knew that was a mistake.

�I�m your security, and I must know all the details to assess potential risks.�

�So, I should tell you everything that happened with Wren and Emily last night?� David asked to play along.

�I don�t need to hear about your pervy threesome fantasy,� Cassidy said with a huff. �I�ll ask when I think I should know something.�

She was more intelligent than she looked because he planned to go into detail every time he had a hookup if she hadn�t stopped him. Then he had an idea.

�I�ll just call Jim,� David said as he pulled out his phone.

�Stop!�

David gave her a confused look. She finally caved and told him. The way she described it, it might have been a one-off. David didn�t press because he thought the two would be good for each other.

◊◊◊

When they pulled into the driveway, his mom stopped them and handed David a piece of paper.

�Go to the vegetable stand off Pacific Coast Highway, and buy everything on this list for Rosy.�

His children came running out, so his mom added, �And take your kids.�

�But there aren�t car seats,� David said.

�You used to ride in the front seat at their age, and you�re still alive.�

He could see that his mom was in a mood, so he didn�t argue with her. He did get out his phone, and when all the little ones were in the back seat, he sent a text.

�Butts in the seats while I drive,� S said over the speakers.

His mom gave him a knowing smile as they all settled in.

Since she�d learned that S could get them to pay attention, his mom had gotten a virtual assistant for the house. She�d picked a British guy�s voice and named it Jarvis. His mom had taught them that Jarvis could answer their questions when she�d had enough. She�d sent him a video of Dawson having a conversation with the virtual assistant about why his dad was never there.

With that emotional blackmail hanging over his head, David made sure to be home on Sundays.

When they began to shop at the vegetable stand, their list expanded because his children wanted blueberries and watermelon. When they were done shopping and almost to the car, ice-cream-truck music could be heard coming down the side street. Coby stomped his foot, clearly upset.

�What�s wrong?� David asked.

�Nana say that when we hear the music, it means they�re out of ice cream,� Carol explained for her brother.

�She did not �� Cassidy began and clamped her mouth shut.

David suddenly had a revelation. His mom was a big fat liar. How many times had she pulled something like that on him and Greg when they were growing up? But on the other hand �

�Yep. That�s too bad because I could have gone for an ice cream sandwich. Let�s get home so Rosy can feed us.

Plus, we know the rule: no dessert before we eat,� David said.

Cassidy gave him a side-eye to tell him he was going to hell. He ignored her as he hurried and loaded everyone into the car before they realized the truth since the truck had pulled into the parking lot.

�Allen, sit in your seat and not on your brother,� S said as Cassidy pulled out.

As they drove past, a line began forming at the ice cream truck. Cassidy had to wait for traffic.

David noticed that his kids were all focused on Allen and Dawson as they jostled for where they wanted to sit. That was, except for Coby. He watched the ice cream line, and when the first person received an ice cream cone, his head slowly turned around and looked his dad in the eye. Yep, he was going to hell. He�d just gotten caught lying to his son.

◊◊◊

When Phil arrived, David and Greg had already fed the horde. Cassidy picked out an animated show she wanted to watch, so she volunteered to keep an eye on the kids while everyone else went to the roof. Rosy had once again outdone herself.

�How did it go?� Rob asked.

Phil smiled as Carl, Phil�s stepdad, answered, �He accepted their offer.�

�What about Roc?� David asked.

�He�ll be going to State,� Phil said with a touch of sadness.

The Pearsons had opted to fly out earlier so they could get back to the farm, where there was always something to do. David had always felt it was a long shot for Roc to move so far from home because he was expected to help his family. Someday, the farm would be his.

David understood how his brother felt because he�d left his friends to come to USC. In high school, you felt like the people you called friends would always be in your life.

While he worked to keep in touch with many of them, they were all embarking on the rest of their lives. High school didn�t seem near as important as it once was.

The other part was that Phil planned to graduate early so he could enroll at USC, and being part of spring ball would help him settle in quickly.

The conversation continued as David reminisced.

�What did Coach Merritt say about him coaching next year?� Greg asked to catch David�s attention.

�He was honest with us and said that it was likely that he, and the rest of the staff, would be replaced. He said he had no doubt that someone good would replace him.�

�Who do you think it will be?� Carl asked David.

Grandma Dawson, who dated Ron Pennington�one of USC�s largest boosters�said, �It will be a proven winner. I know David has suggested Bo Harrington from Western Michigan or Matt Styles from Kentucky. I know that three coordinators from Clemson, Ohio State, and Georgia are in the running.�

Phil had been recruited by both Bo and Matt, so he made his opinion known.

�Personally, I hope it�s Coach Styles. With his SEC

coaching background and turning Kentucky into a winner, I think he�s due a shot at taking USC to the next level. Plus, I like how he uses his quarterbacks.�

�That�s why I suggested him,� David said.

�Who do you prefer?� Rob asked.

�I would be happy with Coach Styles, but I personally prefer Coach Harrington.�

�But he�s not been a head coach at this level,� Phil said.

�I agree that matters,� David said, then explained why he liked Bo. �Before he was the quarterback coach at Alabama, Coach Harrington was the guy you called if your quarterback needed help. He worked with several name NFL quarterbacks and saved their careers.

�He went to Alabama to learn how to run a program. He pulled Western Michigan out of the ashes to make them a top twenty program for the last couple of years,� David said.

�Are you supporting him just because he was your coach?� Grandma Dawson asked.

David knew this must have been something Ron had said and wanted to clarify that it wasn�t the case. He knew his grandmother would be in Ron�s ear and wanted Bo to have a shot at the job.

�I do have firsthand experience with Bo. He turned me into a quarterback,� David admitted. �But I wouldn�t just push for him based on how much I personally like and owe him. Bo has done what many football coaches try to do: establish a system for success at Western Michigan. When he leaves, they�ll continue to be winners based on his groundwork.

�Bo brings a winning culture like you see at Alabama and Clemson, which is USC�s most glaring need.

�He also knows how to get the most out of his players.

Take Travis Barry as an example. He was a four-star recruit at quarterback for USC. Travis should have been our starting quarterback this year if he�d received the attention in practice he deserved. Instead, he had to transfer to get a second chance. Bo took him and turned him into a starter who now looks to be an NFL prospect,� David said.

�After hearing that, I might agree with David,� Carl said.

Before this devolved into a football talk, Vickie, Phil�s stepmom, reminded them that they had to catch a flight back to Illinois.

Before they left, Phil took David aside to talk.

�Coach Thomas told me that you would probably start for the Notre Dame game. He said you were watching their game film to get ready.�

�I am,� David said.

�Why don�t you hire Bud Mason and Coach Hope to help you look at it?� Phil asked.

David realized that using mentors to help him was something he�d let slide. He knew his excuse would be that he�d reached a point when he might not need mentors, but was that true? Wouldn�t everyone benefit from having someone successful in their field to bounce ideas off and to point out what you might be missing?

In all honesty, he could have used their help to decide where to play ball next when he first got to USC. He might have been convinced to go to Ohio State or Clemson when he faced resistance to playing quarterback. At least at the other two, he wouldn�t be on a team that looked to finish under .500 this season.

But he�d learned to not dwell on what might have been and refocused on the future.

�That might be the best advice I�ve received in a long time,� David admitted.

�Consider that payback for last night. When I get here, you have to promise you�ll bring me along when Zak�s having a party.�

They both smiled and hugged each other.

�Just don�t tell Greg. Joey would kill both of us.�

◊◊◊

Before he went to pick up Adrienne, David called Coach Hope and Coach Mason. Both eagerly agreed, so David gave them access to his Notre Dame game films he had stored in a file folder in the cloud.

When they arrived at the airport, David paid the cop watching pickups so that he and Cassidy could go in and retrieve Adrienne. He explained it would take both of them to get all her luggage for a week�s stay.

David had made a sign for Cassidy to hold where all the other drivers picking people up were standing. It said

�Adrienne�Supermodel.� He stood back as a crowd began to form near Cassidy.

She came out and spotted Cassidy with her sign. They�d met when Adrienne had gone to prom with him. She read the sign and then scanned the surging crowd until she saw David filming the whole thing.

�Oh, look!� Adrienne said excitedly. �There�s Academy Award-winning actor David A. Dawson.�

Cassidy, his security, high-fived Adrienne and helped her to the car while David now faced his fans. It was just another example of God laughing at your best-laid plans.

Getting surrounded by fans made David realize how far he�d come. It hadn�t been that long ago that he was the one who benefited from Adrienne�s celebrity. She could get him into clubs when he was underage because the bouncers would just open the door and let her whole entourage in.

Now it was him helping her escape without having to take selfies and sign autographs.

When he got to the car, Cassidy and Adrienne looked pleased with themselves, and David gave them a golf clap to admit defeat.

He was quickly forgotten as Adrienne did what she did best, making Cassidy feel at ease enough to share her life story. Who knew his little ninja was such a Chatty Cathy?

But Adrienne flipped a switch and was all business when they pulled up to the studio where they were filming.

While Cassidy parked, David ran interference as the cast and crew were all eager to meet the iconic supermodel.

�Let her get settled, folks. She�s here all week,� David announced as he led her to meet their director.

Abigail and Moira, her assistant, were soon drawn into a long discussion with Adrienne about her notes on the scenes to film today. David stood back and watched from across the set, where he joined Miri, Cole, and Louis. From Abigail�s body language, she was receptive to what Adrienne was telling her.

�So, you know her?� Miri asked.

�Shortly after I got my start modeling, I was hired by Ford Models to be the face of Range Sports. Ford had a big client party in Chicago where I met Adrienne, and we hit it off, and she�s been mentoring me ever since,� David said.

�How old were you?� Cole asked.

�I was fourteen.�

�When I was that young, I was going to be a rock star,�

Louis said. �My buddies and I even had a band. We called ourselves Metal Star. We were enthusiastic, but that didn�t translate into being able to carry a tune. But that experience made me realize I liked being up on stage.�

�It looks like Adrienne wants you,� Miri said.

David looked toward his supermodel friend, and she motioned him over. When he got there, Adrienne asked, �If I made it tasteful, would you consider partial frontal nudity?�

�As long as I get the final say and have a chance to talk to my publicist first.�

�Make your call,� Adrienne said and shooed David off so she could talk to the director and her assistant some more.

◊◊◊

When Frank heard he was shooting with Adrienne, he called David a bad name and said he would be there in half an hour to �oversee� everything.

The first scene they were doing was in a bedroom that depicted them post-coitus. Since they were both naked, the director had cleared the set of all onlookers, including Frank. David was on his back while Adrienne was on her stomach. She laid her cheek over the good stuff with her hair fanned out to help to obscure anything important. The camera was set so it filmed them from above.

This was right from what you saw in fashion magazines when they wanted the ultimate sexy shot.

During the dialogue, Adrienne moved her head, so the base of Mr. Happy was exposed. Then she rolled to give them a look at her full-frontal nudity. Her hair covered most of Mr. Happy.

Abigail�s leg bounced when he was shown it on playback, nervous he would say �no.�

�If you �leak� the frame after Adrienne rolls over and blur out the good stuff, it�ll go viral. You�ll crush it during sweeps because people will want to see what�s hidden,�

David predicted.

�So, you�re good with this?� Abigail asked.

David looked at Frank.

�He�s good. Send me that pic, and I�ll make sure it gets to the right people to promote the show,� Frank said.

In the next scene, David called a foul because he was expected to walk around the apartment with no clothes on while Adrienne put on a bra and panties. It was shot so that all but Mr. Happy was exposed, but the rest of him was on display.

The rest of the day was much the same.

◊◊◊

Cassidy drove them to SOHO Hollywood House, where David had used his membership to book Adrienne a room.

He took them to dinner, and when it came time for Adrienne to ask David her favor, Cassidy went to the bar.

�We�ve decided it�s time to have a baby,� Adrienne announced, and then she added, �Tyler plans to carry it, and I want you to be the father.�

�Does Tyler know I�d be the sperm donor?� David asked because of the way she�d worded her request.

�No. I just told her we�d go to the doctor and have it done when I returned from this trip.�

David thought about it for a moment. Adrienne had broached this before, so it wasn�t a complete shock. She�d

told him that he would have no responsibilities for raising the child. The psychic had said he would have five children, and at the time, he�d reasoned that Dave counted even though he was adopted.

�You know I can�t simply do that. At the very least, I would set up a trust like I did for my other kids and agree to you being the trustee. The money is for education and a down payment on a first home,� David explained.

�We don�t need your money,� Adrienne said.

�I know, but at some point, this�ll get out, and I want our son to know that he got the same as the rest of his siblings.�

Adrienne rolled her eyes when he said �son� but didn�t bother to point out that she wanted a daughter. He knew that the doctor would be able to sort out the boy and girl sperm if they asked, but he could dream.

David didn�t totally agree but promised to seriously consider it.

Then Adrienne gave him her best dick-hardening look.

�You�re on my list of celebrities Tyler will allow me to sleep with. I�m starting to feel sleepy with the time change,� Adrienne said and then yawned for dramatic effect.

There are a select few women that every man would agree to sleep with, regardless of their current relationship. Adrienne was at the top of that list.

�I�ll tell Cassidy I�ll find my own way home tomorrow,�

David said.

�I�ll go freshen up.�

He knew that she knew he was watching her walk away by the sway in her hips. He was in trouble.

◊◊◊

David woke to the sounds of the shower. He contemplated joining Adrienne but stopped himself. She was in love with Tyler, and last night had just been a bit of fun to relieve the sexual tension built during their filming.

She didn�t need him acting like he thought it was more than it was.

Last night had been better than he remembered his past times with the supermodel. They�d gotten a lot more vigorous than in previous encounters, so much so that he�d discovered his condom hadn�t survived. While the ultimate fantasy was to have Adrienne have his child, she didn�t want anything to mar her body. She would have his head if she developed stretch marks or, God forbid, had to have a C-section.

She�d assured him that even though she wasn�t taking birth control�and why should Adrienne since she was with Tyler?�it was a safe time of the month. Adrienne also planned to pick up a Plan B pill sometime today, just to make sure.

She came out of the bathroom, and her eyes lit up when she saw him.

�Morning.�

�Good morning,� David said. �After your convincing argument last night, I�ve decided to help you and Tyler out.

I only have one condition.�

Adrienne tilted her head and then asked, �That is?�

�That I�m not a secret. I don�t plan to intrude in your life, but I don�t want our son to think I abandoned him, either.�

�Daughter,� Adrienne said distractedly. Then she met his eyes. �Let me talk to Tyler before I agree.�

�Sorry, but there�s one more condition,� David said, holding up a finger. �You have to tell my mom.�

Adrienne gave him a look that said he was a wimp, but she had no idea what his mother might do if he announced another child. When she discovered that last batch, she almost took him to the vet to get him fixed.

�When will I see you next?� Adrienne asked to change the subject.

�We film together again on Thursday, and then Friday, I fly out to Corvallis for our game with Oregon State. Maybe I could swing by when you�re filming at the coffee shop.�

�I�d like that. Now that all the naked stuff is done, I still want to spend time with you.�

This highlighted how his life was nothing like an ordinary college student�s. During the week, he was committed to doing something school-related, like classes, his podcast, or soap. And then there were all his football commitments. His calendar showed he was booked an average of eleven to twelve hours a day, Monday through Friday. Then it was even more on weekends, and you had to add family time to the mix.

Most college students only had fifteen hours of classes a week and, being generous for most, fifteen hours of studying. That left plenty of time to party, participate in intramural sports, play video games, join a frat, hang with friends, and the list went on.

Watching Alex made him realize he should have been a kicker instead of a quarterback.

Speaking of kickers, David needed to decide what was to be done with Knackers. David took an Uber back to campus, so he had a chance to call Cassidy while en route.

�I was thinking about slacker kickers, and I think it�s time we do something about Knackers. What do you want me to do?�

�What are my options?� Cassidy asked.

�I could have him tracked down, and we do a whole legal mess to bring him back to the states to face his crimes.�

Cassidy didn�t hesitate with her answer.

�Pass.�

�I could fly out, meet up with him, and kick his ass.�

�Yeah, no. I mean, I sort of like that one, but you�re too soft,� Cassidy said, dismissing that idea.

�I could fly you out and let you kick him in the nuts.�

She chuckled at that idea but said, �No.�

�I want to be there to make him look me in the face and apologize. I really want to see him cry real tears because he knows I could have his life ended,� Cassidy decided.

�He knows you or I would never kill him,� David said, shooting a hole in her plan.

�Shit,� Cassidy mumbled and came back with, �Call that fixer guy. The one that terrified Fritz.�

�Paddy O�Malley?!� David asked in shock.

�That�s the one. Paddy can make Oliver cry for sure.�

�But I promised my mom I would never call him again.�

�Who are you more scared of? Me or your mom?�

Cassidy asked.

David had to think about that one. When he didn�t answer immediately, Cassidy made a huffing noise to let him know she wasn�t happy.

�Do this for me, or I�ll make you cry in front of the whole football team. Imagine practice later today and me chasing you down and snapping your throwing arm. And then ��

�Stop! You win. I�ll call him,� David promised.

�You�d better,� Cassidy said and hung up on him.

David�s problem was tracking the Aussie kicker down, flying Cassidy and Paddy there, and having Paddy�s payment in cash. His bookkeeper, Megan, would know, which meant his dad would find out since she reported to him. Then his dad would tell his mom.

Then he had a thought. He called Lexi.

�I thought you�d forgotten about me,� Lexi said to answer the phone.

�Take it as a sign of faith on my part. Plus, I have very little time to myself these days.�

�Tell me what you need. I would hate to dig into your personal time.�

David ignored the passive-aggressive jab and told her about Cassidy�s wishes.

�No problem. I�ll tell Megan it�s a special project for Cassidy to get closure, and she�ll set up a new line item in the books. As long as it doesn�t exceed a certain threshold, your dad will let it go since you approved it,� Lexi explained.

�Could you maybe organize all this with Knackers, Cassidy, and Paddy?� David asked.

�Why did I not see that coming?� Lexi teased.

�You�re the best.�

�Well, I know you�re busy, and I should let you go ��

David bit his tongue so he didn�t tell Lexi what he thought of her new attitude.

�Look. I can talk until I get back to campus,� David began.

The two caught up, and her bitchy side didn�t resurface.

David did learn something unexpected: Greg had been using her to help him understand what David needed. One project they were working on with his mom was buying the Sigma Upsilon house, the frat that lost its charter. They were working on a homeless charity project.

Before David could get the details, he was at his dorm.

As he walked inside, David said, �Hey. If you want to talk to me, just send me a message or schedule time on my calendar.�

�Thanks. I�ll do that. I was just feeling a bit neglected,�

Lexi said. �And I get that you�re busy. I�ll do as you ask and not let it go next time. Talk to you later.�

◊◊◊

David arranged an after-practice video call with Coaches Mason and Hope. He and Coach Stackhouse were in one of

the football conference rooms. He was surprised when Coach Thomas, Coach Merritt, and Matt showed up. They obviously wanted to hear what his two mentors had to say.

After introductions were made, Coach Hope started the discussion.

�Last year, the Irish were 9�3 before winning the Citrus Bowl. Aside from schedule-strength arguments, Notre Dame is in the running for a playoff spot this year because their defense has taken a huge leap forward.�

�All eleven defensive starters are juniors, seniors, or grad students, with five backups who are also upperclassmen. It�s not just that they have one of the most experienced defenses in college football; it�s the quality of the players. They received a huge boost when their two best players, linebacker Dallas Lawson and defensive lineman DeShawn Narcisse, bypassed the NFL draft and returned to school,� Coach Mason said.

The screen went from a split screen with the two coaches to game film from the Irish�s game with Florida State.

�The most common alignment for Notre Dame�s defense is a 4-2-5 with corners in off coverage,� Coach Hope said as he used the software marker to circle the two outside defensive backs.

They were lined up six yards off the ball. This coverage was designed to prevent receivers from getting past defensive backs. It forced the offense to throw short. For this to work, the defenders had to be great physical tacklers.

The game switched to Syracuse, who had an extra receiver for a total of four. They had them lined up wide out but stacked (one on the line and the other right behind).

�As you can see, Notre Dame switched to a 4-1-6 to deal with Syracuse�s stacked outside receivers. Bringing in that additional defensive back gives them three to cover two on each side.�

The game changed to Michigan, who ran a run-heavy offense between the tackles that included two tight ends.

�Notre Dame is in their base 4-2-5, but one of the safeties has moved up to support the run,� Coach Hope said to show their flexibility.

�Against USC, you�ll see Notre Dame�s base defense,�

Coach Mason said. �Their defense is designed to only give the minimum yardage on each play. They dare you to dink-and-dunk, sustain drives, and avoid a mistake throughout ten or more plays. That�s something hardly any college team can do. It�ll force you to be disciplined in your play-calling because the Irish are a hard team to take shots against.�

�That�s what I�ve seen as well,� Coach Thomas said. �I think we need to find ways to get larger chunks of yardage, or they�ll keep everything in front of them and close quickly. They might be the best tackling team in space I�ve seen.�

�I agree. Give Coach Mason and me time, and we�ll find ways to beat them,� Coach Hope promised.

�Good work so far,� Coach Merritt said. �We value your input.�

From there, it turned into serious football talk, which David loved. He and Matt only added the odd comment as they listened to the five coaches give the equivalent of a master class in football.

When Coaches Mason and Hope signed off, Coach Merritt wanted to talk to his two quarterbacks.

�I gave David permission to focus on Notre Dame. He�ll also continue to work with the other quarterbacks to help prepare for the current game. Since David is redshirting, he can only play in one more game for the rest of the season. The plan is to save him for Notre Dame, so I�m letting him prepare for them,� Coach Merritt said.

�Will he start?� Matt asked.

�We�ll make that decision the Sunday before the game. If he does start, it�s no reflection on you, Matt. It�s just that the two of you have shown you deserve playing time. And I want to reward David for going along with saving his eligibility for the next four years,� Coach Merritt said.

Matt and David knew that was �coach speak� for David would be starting. David was a bit surprised when Matt took the news so well.

�Can I sit in on the Notre Dame calls?� Matt asked.

�I would encourage it if you have the time,� David said, offering an olive branch.

He knew Coach Merritt would have agreed anyway. His saying it was okay showed Matt this wasn�t something selfish on his part. For now, the two of them had to learn to coexist. Next year, one of them would have to go, though.

Teams didn�t function well when the two top quarterbacks could make a case for starting. David planned to be the starter next year.

◊◊◊

David enjoyed his critical thinking class because it made him an active learner rather than a passive recipient of information. It wasn�t about memorizing stuff and regurgitating back for a test; he had to engage in reflective and independent thinking. In essence, critical thinking required him to use his ability to reason or think for himself.

It gave him a systematic approach for him to determine when someone was bullshitting him. Such as a TV talking head making their usual claims about everyday-life stuff.

For example, when they stopped at a coffee shop on campus, Cassidy told him she didn�t have any money to buy a coffee that morning.

�How did you buy yourself coffee yesterday when I wasn�t here? Did you have to beg a stranger?� David asked.

�Why are you being difficult? Just buy my coffee.�

�Why didn�t you just ask instead of making up the story that you didn�t have any money?� David asked as he handed the barista the money.

�I shouldn�t have to ask because you�re the man. You should just pay for stuff,� Cassidy said over her shoulder as she added sugar to ruin a perfectly fine cup of coffee.

�You are single-handedly pushing women�s rights into the stone age. You want to be strong and independent, but I have to pay for your coffee.�

�Someone isn�t getting any,� Cassidy fired back.

�What does my sex life have to do with you making me pay for your coffee?� David complained.

�Adrienne said ��

�What?!� David said to interrupt. �When did you talk to her?�

�I met her at the coffee shop where she was filming. I introduced her to Crystal, Emily, and Wren. We each get to go to lunch with her, and she�s already gone with Emily and Wren. Crystal is today, and I�m Thursday.�

�You introduced � uh �� David stammered.

�The women you are sleeping with, or should I say hooking up with?� Cassidy asked.

His mind wouldn�t engage, so he just blinked at his ex-friend.

�I thought she might want to score us some model clothes,� Cassidy said.

David ordered coffees for himself and Tracy, who he was meeting in ten minutes to do their vodcast. He also got Tracy an apple strudel so she wouldn�t get cranky because she was hungry. When he paid, it made him realize how well Doreen took care of him.

�You can�t abuse my friends like that,� David said.

�Please. Adrienne was bored to tears with you being too busy to hang out with her. Besides, she�s doing you a solid.

She�ll let you know which one of the trio is a keeper so you can dump the rest.�

�Did it ever occur to you that I might like all three?�

�This isn�t high school where you have a harem at your beck and call.�

His little ninja was treading on thin ice today. She must be feeling better after the accident, so he took her smartass comments in stride.

�But it is college, and there�s no reason to settle down with just one,� David said.

�What was it you said about women and me? You just proved every girl�s thought about men with that one.�

He would never admit it, but she was right. It sounded like he wanted his cake and to eat it, too. Maybe he should order that slice of carrot cake they had in the display case.

Wait! Back on topic. Even though that cake looked lonely all by itself.

�I�ll have the carrot cake, too.�

�Dang it, and I planned to have that for lunch,� the barista said, flirting with him.

�Focus,� Cassidy ordered him.

It was good that she did because he was about to ask the barista for her number, and he also had to get to the studio.

�Where did you even get the idea that Adrienne needed to know anything about my love life?� David asked.

He saw Cassidy was shocked that he figured out it wasn�t her idea.

�Brook,� she admitted.

�Brook! How did she � never mind,� David said as he gave up.

Nothing he could do would stop the girls from meeting Adrienne, so why try? There would be payback, though.

Well � maybe that was a hollow thought.

�Have fun today,� Cassidy said as she gave him a wave and scampered off.

That wasn�t weird at all.

◊◊◊

David dropped off Tracy�s coffee and food and hurried to get ready. Today, Coach Merritt was their guest, so he ran through all the questions he planned to ask in his head.

And the carrot cake was a good call. David made a mental note to tell Doreen she should start serving cake.

When he got on set, he noticed the place was packed.

Professor Blum allowed USC film students to volunteer or watch the taping. He wondered if one of the professors had assigned a class to attend as a project.

�We�re live in three � two ��

�Welcome to Trojan Inquirer. Do us a favor and hit the like or follow button to show your support of our vodcast,�

David said, and then Tracy jumped in.

�Today, we were supposed to have Coach Merritt as our guest, but he had something to do. I was able to get two guests who aren�t sports related: film and TV star Bec Carson and Sports Illustrated cover girl Adrienne.�

Between the three women, David couldn�t get a word in edgewise. Of course, there were photos and video clips to promote the soap. It was a good thing he didn�t embarrass easily. At the end, he finally interrupted their gabfest.

In all honesty, David would have interjected himself if it hadn�t been flowing well or wasn�t interesting to the audience. But he did want to say a few words before they went off the air.

�Before we sign off, I thought I might get a chance to talk.�

The audience laughed at that, which made Tracy blush.

Bec and Adrienne weren�t fazed.

�First, I want to thank Bec for agreeing to play my girlfriend on The Young and The Wild. I�ve been a fan of her work, and I have to say she was one of the easiest people to do a scene with. She is a professional that any director would be lucky to work with.�

�Back at you,� Bec said.

�And Adrienne. What can I say but you�re the best. Many of you don�t know that she was one of my first mentors when I was fourteen, and she took the time to teach me how to present myself to a camera and avoid the pitfalls in the business. Almost all of my success can in some way be attributed to you taking the time to help a kid out. From the bottom of my heart � Thank you.�

Adrienne bit her bottom lip and just nodded.

�And cut!�

◊◊◊

When David finally got home that night, he walked in, and Alex said, �You have a visitor.�

David went to his room and found Crystal on his computer, writing a paper.

�Go study or whatever you need to do. When I finish this paper, we need to talk.�

He gave her high marks. Crystal would make a good mom someday. The wait for the talking bit was almost as strong as his mom�s �wait until your father gets home�

threat. He gave her a knowing smile and pulled out his management book.

An hour later, Crystal was printing her paper.

�You ready?� she asked.

David marked where he was in his reading and looked up at her.

�Before you say anything, Cassidy told me what a terrible mistake I made at Zak�s party with Little Timmy.

That girl can be scary when you get on her wrong side, and I can see why you think of her as such a good friend.

�Cassidy said that I likely ruined my chances with you. If that�s the case, I should probably leave,� Crystal said.

David took a moment to think about it. Seeing her with the porn star had been intended as a slap in the face, and

the old David would have written her off for it. But he understood why she�d done it. She was trying to get his attention and show him that his idea of opening up their relationship had consequences. One of those was that she would find other men to spend time with.

He�d decided to take a step back because he didn�t see Crystal as his forever soulmate. But that didn�t mean he didn�t like her. At a minimum, he wanted to keep her as a friend because she was the kind of person he liked to surround himself with. Ideally, a friend with benefits. Mr.

Happy reminded him that she was also H. O. T. hot.

Besides, Crystal had grown on him like E. coli on room-temperature Canadian beef.

Crystal clearly didn�t know the rule that he who talked first in a negotiation lost because she continued.

�I know your tryst with Wren and Emily was because of what I did. I heard you didn�t do anything at the party, even though you had opportunities.�

Tryst was interesting phrasing. It seemed to imply that Crystal expected it to be a onetime event.

�Ask your dad. What�s his biggest headache PR-wise with his clients? It�s when they get caught having sex at parties like that. The buzz is that Sasha, Nolan, and Taylor Lautner had a bi-threesome. Taylor is busy trying to recover his image as a werewolf who likes ladies and not boys,� David said.

�What about Nolan?� Crystal asked.

�Would it really surprise you if he were bi?�

Crystal thought about it for a moment and then shook her head �no.�

David thought the whole issue was stupid because how people were wasn�t supposed to matter. But the Internet sure loved to get all indignant about stuff that was none of their business.

�My point is that if I had hooked up with anyone, I would be dealing with that right now. When I was younger, it was

no big deal. Now, I have kids, and the last thing I need is to give my youngest a reason to sock some other little toddler for repeating what he or she heard at home.�

�Who do you think leaked that about Taylor Lautner and Nolan?� Crystal asked.

David�s shoulders rose into a shrug.

�It could have been someone else who walked through the living room. Or I�m becoming jaded enough that I could make a case for any of the three of them doing it.�

�My dad does complain about stuff like that all the time.

I see why you didn�t hook up with anyone at the party but did when you got home.�

�Before you read too much into that, I was in my bedroom getting ready to go to bed alone when Wren and Emily barged in. I�ll be the first to admit that there is only so much temptation I can withstand,� David overshared.

�I hadn�t heard that part,� Crystal acknowledged.

�And full disclosure: I slept with Adrienne.�

�I thought she liked girls,� Crystal said and then blushed.

David sensed something, so he didn�t let that go.

�Did she come on to you? I could call and see if she�s free tonight. I would volunteer to run the camera, fetch water, and provide towels.�

Crystal laughed for the first time.

�Perv.�

�Do you blame me?�

�I really don�t. If I were to do something like that, Adrienne would be at the top of my list.�

David nodded his agreement and then got serious.

�Let�s cut to the chase. What is it that you want to know?�

�Do you still want me?� Crystal said, sounding vulnerable.

�Absolutely. Without a doubt, I want you,� David said as he stood up and pulled her into his arms.

�But ��

�No buts. If you�re worried you�re not enough, that�s not it. Right now, I just want to be single before I settle down.

I�ve been in some kind of relationship since I was a freshman in high school until now. This has nothing to do with how desirable I think you are. It has everything to do with me alone. I need to figure myself out. Who am I, and what kind of guy do I want to become without having a girl to prop me up?� David asked.

�That�s about the best version of �it�s not you, it�s me�

I�ve ever heard.�

�I would agree if I didn�t want to take you to bed right now.�

�Now that�s a good argument. I just have twenty more questions � yelp!� Crystal squealed as he attacked her.

�Brat,� David said breathlessly after they kissed.

�Seriously, though. Wren and Emily?�

�Little Timmy?� David shot back.

�Shut up before we start arguing again.�

Crystal took control and pushed David onto the bed and pinned him.

This was going to be fun.

◊◊◊

Jason Merritt had gathered his staff together to talk about the upcoming game against Oregon State. OSU was the worst team in the Pac-12, so the Trojans needed to take care of business on Saturday. Toward the end of the meeting, he brought up something on his mind.

�I know I never jump ahead to an upcoming opponent, but I want to get your honest opinions about who should start at quarterback against Notre Dame. I am purposely keeping David in reserve to preserve his redshirt. If he isn�t needed for an emergency, he�ll be available to start that last game. I�ve implied that he may get the start,� Jason said.

The room went quiet because the coaching staff hadn�t faced this issue yet. Who was the better quarterback between David and Matt? When no one seemed to want to jump in with an opinion, Jason turned to his offensive coordinator, Wyatt Thomas.

�Tell me what you�re seeing with Matt this week in practice.�

�Matt�s feeling good about this week�s practice. He�s had three straight days of throwing the ball well after getting dinged up last week. The team likes him. David also showed he�s throwing well, and even Jaden showed some improvement this week.�

�If you look at the numbers, David is 3�0 as a starter,�

said Mike Bolton, their offensive line coach.

�Like I�ve always said, especially when talking to their parents, quarterbacks are like head coaches. They get way too much credit when the team wins and all the blame when we lose. That�s why I get paid what I do, to face that pressure. As a quarterback, that�s not really fair to them.

That�s why, in public, I�ve been supportive of both boys,�

Jason said.

�If a quarterback ever feels he has lost his head coach, he doesn�t have a chance,� Amy Stackhouse, the special teams coach and resident psychologist, added.

Jason was taken aback by that comment because he felt David thought that about him. He understood that between now and the Notre Dame game, he had some fences to mend, or he might not be able to start David.

�If it were up to me, I would start David against Notre Dame. I always believe that you can�t really get a measure of a quarterback until they�re on the field and stuff isn�t going their way. I�ve seen that David is more mature and focused out there, and he has a calming effect on his teammates and helps them get back in there. Where Matt can lose his cool at times,� Jackson Farrow, the defensive coordinator, said.

�David also got jerked around and missed most of spring ball and was up in the air about whether he was playing defense or offense during the summer,� Mike said. �He had to play catch-up, and I think he did a fine job�you did have both him and Matt at QB1.�

�I guess the question is, what do they bring that�s different to the table?� Amy asked.

�That�s a good question,� Wyatt said. �I think we�ve all seen the same things. I�ve seen that they must have come to an understanding because if someone in the press or outside the team asks about them, they turn it around and talk up the other guy.�

�I agree, and I think it�s genuine, and I think they have a lot of respect for each other,� Amy said.

�I asked Bill Callaway what he thought about Matt. He told me Matt�s a lot like David but doesn�t have the coach�s voice. I had to laugh because that�s how I see it as well.

They�re different in how I have to coach them. With Matt, I have to grab him and make sure he�s paying attention.

Whereas David locks in and listens to what I�m coaching,�

Wyatt said.

�Something I�ve noticed is that when Matt�s the quarterback in practice, David is either working with other players or standing behind him so he can see what Matt�s seeing. While when David�s out there, Matt is off getting a drink or shooting the shit,� Mike said.

�David�s mobility adds another dimension to our offense, something that Notre Dame will have to prepare for,� Wyatt pointed out.

Jason wanted them to focus on who should start the last game.

�My take on making a decision isn�t the one who�s the best passer or runner, but the one who runs the team the best and who gets the most out of the other ten guys on the field,� he said.

�That�s Dawson,� Wyatt said without any hesitation.

�I agree with Wyatt. As a defensive coordinator, I�d rather face Matt than David. They�re both good, but David is simply tougher to defend against�and makes the offense tougher to defend against.

Everyone else went quiet as they waited to see how Jason would react. It made him wonder if he�d made a mistake by betting on Matt this whole time. Wyatt was right; the offense played better when David was on the field. He wasn�t perfect, but what freshman would be?

�Okay, I know you all have a lot to do, so I�ll make this short. If you had to make the call today, should David be our starter for the Notre Dame game?� Jason asked.

The entire staff agreed that he should. With that in hand, Jason felt okay letting David start the last game of the year.

But, in reality, it would be Jason�s call when the time came.

He was the dick in dictator, after all.

◊◊◊

Today�s filming was at the coffee house. The sides of David�s mouth quirked upward when he saw Chloe was one

of the baristas. At David�s suggestion, she�d moved out from home and gotten an apartment with Kat�s old roommate, Yong. She needed something to supplement her income until she built her Internet-influencer stuff enough to live on.

David had suggested that either her mom or Alex could help her, but Chloe was determined to make it on her own, which he respected.

As he got his tea, his phone chirped. His mom had sent him pictures of Halloween. It was the first one where his kids sort of knew what was going on. They�d dressed up at daycare and had a party. His group all wore black ninja gear. David might have a clue where they got their clothes.

He got another message that had a video attached. It started with the five of them doing Tai Chi in unison. Little Carol nodded to her nana, who used her phone to play music. He realized they were his kids when they began their ninja dance. It was the cutest thing he�d ever seen.

After the video ended, he spotted Adrienne sitting in a corner by herself. The place was packed with fans of the show. He found it amusing that she was able to avoid having to sign an autograph or take a fan selfie with just a look. Adrienne�s New York attitude had somehow buffaloed the Southern Californians.

David waited until Doreen announced that everyone not part of the crew or cast had to leave. Then he joined Adrienne.

�You have a sweet deal here. Doreen said I get free coffee and pastries because I�m your wife. You have to try their new carrot cake.�

David stole a bite; it might be better than Doreen�s coffee cake. He�d sent her a picture of the carrot cake he had yesterday. He was surprised at how quickly she got it on the menu.

�I hear you took my friends to lunch,� David said with a neutral expression.

Adrienne�s nose scrunched to show her annoyance.

�There�s almost as much drama in your real life as on the soap.�

�What do you mean?� David asked.

�The cast is about to lose their mind over you having a wife, girlfriend, and one on the side. I think they assume there�s more going on in your real life than there is.�

�They�re just drawing off past experiences. Throw good-looking people together for unending hours each day, and stuff happens. It�s more common than you think,� David said to explain.

�No, I get that. I do have one question about your personal life. Why aren�t you dating Cassidy?�

�Because �� David began and trailed off to allow his brain to catch up. �I don�t have a good answer to that, other than I think of her as one of my best friends.�

�That makes sense, then. I bet that someday you think of her as more and discover that you wasted all this time when the two of you could have been together.�

�Or it destroys our friendship forever,� David said to put a voice to his ultimate worry.

�That might happen, but I think you�re wrong,� Adrienne said.

�Cassidy said you were going to solve my love life and tell me who to date,� David said to change the topic.

�I just did, but if I were you, I would go out with Wren and Crystal for now. It would be casual because I don�t think either of them is what you�re looking for.�

�And what�s that?� David asked.

�You�ll know it when you see it, but I don�t get the sense that you�re ready to settle down just yet. From the drama you went through this summer, I doubt you�ll be ready to date anyone seriously for some time,� Adrienne said to offer her opinion.

He kept coming back to what the psychic had told him.

Someone would put him off marriage. That they would be

someone that he didn�t like at first. That honestly could be either Lexi or Crystal. His money was on Lexi since he�d never let Crystal fully into his life. He�d never invited her to meet his kids while Lexi was at his house in Illinois and Malibu.

�What did Tyler say?� David asked.

�I decided to have that conversation face-to-face. I know Tyler would have no objections to you being the sperm donor. I think her problem will be with you being more than that.

�If we decide to do it, I�ll set you up with a visit to a local clinic,� Adrienne said.

�Or I could fly to New York, and we do it naturally,�

David offered eagerly.

�Knowing you, it would take three or four months of

�practice.� I�ll make the executive decision and pull the plug on that idea right now,� Adrienne said.

Unconsciously, his eyebrows furrowed, which caused Adrienne to bark out a laugh.

�You�re such a little boy sometimes,� Adrienne teased.

David stuck his tongue out at her to show his maturity.

Their mock argument ended when they were called to makeup.

◊◊◊

After saying his goodbyes to Adrienne, David finished off his classes. He picked up information on the ones he�d be missing�Margaret Tilghman, his business class tutor, had arranged for the courses to be videoed. Then he participated in the final football practice at USC, and he�d set up another conference call with his football mentors.

Today it was only Coach Stackhouse and David on the call with Coaches Hope and Mason.

�What have you got?� Coach Stackhouse said to kick it off.

�You have your work cut out for you because they are really, really good,� Coach Mason said.

�I agree. I�ve been running some numbers, and for every trip their opponent gets inside the forty-yard line, they�re only giving up 2.9 points. That right there is why defense wins you games,� Coach Hope said.

�It�s a combination of superior coaching and talent. If I were to project right now, I would say that the Irish have three defensive linemen, a linebacker, and three defensive backs who�ll be taken in the upcoming NFL draft,� Coach Mason said.

�What I�m seeing is that they could have more individual statistics, like sacks and tackles for loss. But they�ve bought into a team-defensive approach instead of individual glory. That doesn�t mean that they don�t get into the backfield because they do. But it�s all designed to contain the offense and force the quarterback out of his comfort zone. While they aren�t picking up negative yardage plays, they�re also not giving up chunk plays that hurt them,�

Coach Hope said.

�What that means is they have enough talent and good coaching to be assignment sound,� Coach Mason said.

David let his breath out in a long hiss to show his displeasure.

�What�s that for?� Coach Stackhouse asked.

�David just recognized that finding weaknesses in the Irish defense will be tough,� Coach Mason said. �Normally, we hunt for individuals who try to do too much or are timid in certain situations. This group is all veterans who have played with each other for a number of years and have built up trust. That means they do what we coach and focus on their job. It�s the overaggressive or those that don�t commit that we focus on beating.�

�Does that mean we�ll have to put together long drives of perfect football to beat them?� Coach Stackhouse asked.

�No,� David said. �But it does mean that I can�t force it, either. Even if Notre Dame can play solid football, there will be times when we�ll have the advantage. USC is one of the few schools with the raw talent to play with them. I don�t care who we play. If Bill can reach a ball, he can catch it. If our line can manhandle their line, Marcus can run to space and gain yardage.

�It does mean that we will have to step up our game. We can�t afford stupid penalties. We can�t have John having false starts or holding, and Amari can�t drop balls that should be caught. We can�t afford to waste possessions. The offense will have to play like we did in the intra-squad game, where the defense knew the play. And our defense will have to be at the top of their game as well.�

�David�s right. If Notre Dame gets a lead, you might not be able to come back,� Coach Hope said.

David could see the deck was stacked heavily against the Trojans. But what was the saying? That�s why you played the games. Despite the odds against them, they might upset the Irish.

◊◊◊

Buses were lined up to pick the team up to take them to the airport. The team managers loaded their gear as David and his teammates stood around shooting the shit.

He was talking to Alex, Chuy, and Bill when a big hand clamped on his shoulder. He turned to see it was their starting center and team captain, Willy Powell.

�I heard you and Crystal broke up.�

He said it loud enough that several guys suddenly surrounded their group, including Matt.

�If that�s the case, why don�t you tell her she can bro-hop me,� Willy added.

The last thing Crystal was, was a jock bunny. But if Willy looked to make it to the NFL, she might check him out.

�We decided we would continue to see each other, but we can go out with others,� David said.

�She spent the night with him even after he banged two of her sorority sisters, Emily and Wren,� Alex overshared.

�Does Big Cat know you banged his girl?� Chuy asked.

David held up his hands.

�Slow your roll. I was told Wren broke up with him, or I never would have gone there.�

Big Cat stepped forward.

�It�s all good, so you can stop with the drama,� Big Cat said to Chuy. �After all, I slept with one of the porn stars at the Zak Verwood party.�

�And why the fuck weren�t we invited?� Willy asked, acting mad.

�Because you were having a party at the football apartments,� David said.

�Did that werewolf guy really let that other guy suck his cock?� Matt asked.

David looked at Bill.

�What�s my policy about stuff like that?�

�David doesn�t talk about that kind of stuff. You should ask whether he saw any threesomes going on,� Bill said.

�I saw all kinds of stuff going on, and I might have seen a threesome or two. One of which was Bear with a couple of porn stars by the pool,� David said.

David wouldn�t have said anything except Bear had been bragging about it all week, so it wasn�t a secret.

�Sue me. I have a big cock. It took both of them to be able to handle it,� Bear said, which caused an uproar.

�Quit dicking around and get on the buses!� Coach Merritt called out to break up their conversation.

David was shocked when Matt reached out and pulled him into the seat next to him. On the surface, this made sense, but David worried Matt had another agenda besides the two quarterbacks bonding.

They both sat there in silence until the bus pulled out.

�What�s the deal with you and Crystal? Did you do something to hurt her?� Matt asked with a grimace.

�Did you?� David fired back.

Matt scowled because he didn�t want to talk about what he�d done to cause Crystal to break up with him. He was aware he�d messed it up.

�Fair enough,� Matt said as he pouted. Then he asked,

�Would you have a problem if I asked her out?�

David thought about it for a moment. He realized that if Crystal did hook up with her ex, she and David would be done. But if she went there, it was her choice.

�Ask away, but don�t say I approved you doing it. I think it would be a mistake on both your parts. The past is best left in the past,� David said.

�I didn�t ask your opinion,� Matt snarled.

�Careful, tough guy. Do you remember me saving your ass at that frat? Do you seriously think you could take me?�

David said.

Coach Thomas was suddenly there.

�You switch with me,� he ordered David.

David got up and went up front and sat next to Coach Merritt.

�What was all that about?�

David shrugged.

�He�s still butt-hurt that I�m dating his ex.�

�Shit. Is this going to be a problem?�

�Nope. He knows I can kick his ass. He�s all talk,� David predicted.

His answer didn�t seem to make Coach Merritt happy.

◊◊◊

Matt still couldn�t get over the thought of David fricking Dawson banging his girl. He knew it had been over for a while, but he still held out hope.

They had a couple of hours before dinner, and his roommate, John, was snoring like a walrus, so he decided to take a walk.

He found himself peeking into the hotel bar. A tall young woman who seemed to be around her early 20s came out of the back where the bathrooms were. She looked goth, which surprised him because Matt didn�t think there would be many goths in Corvallis.

The woman had alabaster-colored skin and dyed raven-black hair that was shoulder length on one side and buzz-cut on the other. The tips of her hair were dyed neon blue, and her lips were painted blood red with a red jeweled stud piercing just below her lower lip. Her eye shadow was black, which highlighted her striking blue eyes.

Looking down, she wore a black tank top with a graphic design of two ravens. It showed nice cleavage and stopped a few inches above a black-and-blue plaid micro miniskirt.

Exposed was a taut stomach where a red jewel flashed from her belly button. Her long legs sported black leather thigh-high boots with three-inch platforms.

Even though she was wearing platform shoes, she seemed to navigate the room with practiced ease. Each step caused her obviously braless breasts to jiggle. All thoughts of Crystal left his mind as the woman�s sumptuous movement had him enthralled.

She looked around the bar, where mainly businesspeople drank or were in animated conversations. It was like she was sizing up her prey. Then her eyes landed on him, and a tiny grin appeared.

She walked up and put her hand on his chest. He could smell a heavy floral perfume.

�You looking for a good time?� she asked.

When she opened her mouth, he noticed the metal stud that pierced her tongue.

�I am,� Matt said.

�A blow job is fifty, a quick fuck�s a hundred, the full-on all-night girlfriend experience is five hundred.�

It took him a moment to realize she was a hooker.

�I don�t have anywhere to go. My roommate is asleep in our room right now.�

She licked her lips and offered, �Make it six hundred, and I�ll get us a room � cash.�

�I have an app on my phone,� Matt suggested.

�No. You don�t want to have anything linking you to paying for an escort.�

He felt stupid.

�There�s an ATM in the lobby,� she suggested.

�Okay, let�s go.�

◊◊◊

Her name was Nyx, which she said meant night. They�d spent the afternoon in bed, having some of the best sex he�d ever had. She even took the time to teach him how to be a better lover when he returned home.

Matt explained his schedule to her. He had a team dinner, followed by final meetings for tomorrow�s game.

Then he had about three hours before he had to be in his own bed for curfew. There was one other team activity: it was the seniors� turn to organize a snack before bedtime.

The rumor was it would be a taco bar, which Matt had been looking forward to.

When he got back, they jumped into bed again.

Then he felt that magic feeling in his balls.

His staying power was shit. Nyx did things with the muscles of her pussy that milked the cum right out of him.

He assumed it was a skill she�d learned so she could get back onto the street. Fortunately, he must have found a particular spot inside Nyx because she started to cum. He felt her velvet tunnel grip his cock, and the ensuing ripples of convulsions sent Matt over the edge. She was riding him,

so he could see a river of white liquid pour out down his shaft.

�Oh, God, Matt!� she screamed in pleasure. �Just like that.�

He roared as he felt jet after jet of cum drench her pussy.

Matt�s cock thrust inside Nyx until the last remaining drop came out. When her orgasm was also finished, Nyx came to rest on his lap, Matt�s cock still lodged inside her.

He looked into her blue eyes and didn�t feel tired at all. He felt himself start to stiffen up. Matt was ready for another round.

◊◊◊

�I think you got your money�s worth, and I�m starved.

Take me across the street. There�s a late-night joint that has corn dogs on Friday nights. Feed me,� Nyx all but pleaded.

Matt chuckled.

�I haven�t had a corn dog since I went to the fair when I was a kid. I know my roommate would love to come. Mind if I invite him?� Matt asked. He�d decided he�d rather spend more time with Nyx than go to the seniors� taco bar.

�He�ll have to pay if he wants anything other than a conversation,� Nyx said.

�I�ll make sure he knows,� Matt said.

John met them in the lobby. His eyes got big when he saw Nyx, and he clammed up as they crossed the street.

When they walked in, the smell of corn dogs wafted their way, and Matt�s stomach made a happy growl.

As Matt sat down to eat, he lent John fifty bucks so he could take Nyx to the bathroom. The big lineman came back with a big smile, but no Nyx.

�What happened to my girl?� Matt asked.

�Two other guys paid her. They�re double-teaming her in one of the stalls,� John said as he bit into a corn dog. �I guess we can eat hers, too.�

He and John ate six corn dogs each before returning to the hotel. Right after Coach Thomas checked on them, they both fell sound asleep.

Matt�s shitty day had turned out to be okay.

◊◊◊