“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.
◊◊◊
Chapter 18
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 cliché 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.