A Better Man: Book Four

A Better Man Story

Advanced Reader Copy: August 26, 2025

Copyright ©2025 G. Younger

ISBN-13: 13: 978-1-955699-21-1

Author: Greg Younger

Editing Staff: Bud Ugly, Old Rotorhead, Pixel the Cat, Rusty, TheMikeBomb, and Zom

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All characters depicted in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Preface

The third book in the Better Man series was set in 2018. If you check the football scores and records from that year, you’ll see I only took some minor liberties in the timeline (like USC beating Notre Dame and playing in a bowl game).

Little did I know that so much would change in college football, including COVID-19, transfer rules, and players being paid via NIL. Then there’s the expansion of the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12, the collapse of the Pac-12, and the change in the college football playoff to 12 teams. And there’s more to come—like my hot take that the NCAA might not survive when the Big Ten and SEC split off. I’ve decided that I can’t ignore all the changes that have happened since 2018 and, in essence, will accelerate the timeline.

The goal is for the fourth book in the series to catch up with most of this. I plan on leaving the Pac-12 intact for this season. I’ll also ignore COVID-19 and the fiasco with shortened seasons and no fans in the stands.

While I have your attention, I want to thank my readers. I honestly had no idea this series would become popular. Over ten million downloads and multiple awards prove it has been. My goal has always been to become a better writer, and David and his friends have allowed me to do that. I still have a long way to go, and I hope you’re all in for the long ride yet to come.

Thanks for all your support.

G. Younger

Website: GYounger.com

◊◊◊

Prologue

Cassidy Hope woke with a start. As a rule, college students slept late, especially after a New Year’s Eve party. That was why she was confused when she saw the clock showing it was eight in the morning. Then her phone buzzed again.

She reached over and saw she had new messages from David.

Dsquared: It’s a new year, and you made a resolution last night

Dsquared: Get your butt up and come running with me

Cassidy thought back to the previous night, and her memory was a bit blurry. She remembered the whole fiasco of David and Tracy confirming to the world they were now dating. Cassidy had tried to head that off, but everyone turned against her. She wanted to be mad that she’d missed her shot with David—once again—but couldn’t be angry at his choice of Tracy.

They had a history that predated Cassidy’s coming to Lincoln High. David’s first girlfriend was Tracy until she wigged out and dumped him—twice. At the time, no one realized how messed up she was. Everyone predicted the two of them would be through forever.

But David, being David, hadn’t given up on Tracy as a friend. Well, more than friends, actually. In some ways, Tracy might be his best friend. She, Pam, Brook, and Tami might dispute that, but it was evident that he liked and valued Tracy as more than just an ordinary friend.

So, was it such a leap that their friends with benefits would turn into more? Not if you knew the stupid boy was indeed a romantic.

Tami shared that he always led with his heart and fell in love too quickly. But Cassidy felt he’d grown because he’d decided to let Crystal go. Most other guys would take one look at her and become Crystal’s willing slave. But somehow, the boy wonder had talked his way out of Crystal hating him for life for dumping her.

Buttercup: Honestly?! If you ever see me running, you’d better haul ass because it means I’m being chased by a zombie or an axe murderer

Dsquared: So, that’s a no?

Buttercup: Duh

Buttercup: Maybe tomorrow

Dsquared: I’ll be ready in a few. Be downstairs

Buttercup: I’m going back to sleep

When he didn’t respond, Cassidy cursed and got out of bed. At least she didn’t have to deal with that stupid brace anymore.

◊◊◊

‘F-me sideways!’ Cassidy thought.

She thought she’d been doing pretty well with her rehab, but obviously not. They’d barely run a mile, and she felt like she might die.

“Should we take a break?” David asked.

Cassidy had always prided herself on her endurance. She’d introduce David to sixty minutes of hell, a workout based on Marine Corps training. She’d always enjoyed watching the football team drop one by one from exhaustion while doing it. Ultimately, the payoff was worth it, as Lincoln High became the best-conditioned team in the state. And now, to some extent, USC was the best-conditioned team in every game they played.

Now, she couldn’t even run a mile without taking a break.

“No, I’m okay.”

“I’m not carrying you back,” David warned.

She glanced over, knowing that was an empty threat. David really would if he had to. But he also knew she wouldn’t back down.

“Just shut up,” Cassidy said as she lowered her head and picked up the pace.

That lasted a whole hundred yards before she was bent over, throwing up the remnants of too much partying last night.

The old David would have joined her in puking, but he was no longer a sympathetic puker. Having five kids had toughened him up.

Once she was done, he handed her his water bottle.

“Thanks,” Cassidy gasped.

“People have said you’ve put on a few pounds.”

She noticed he’d taken a step back to be out of reach as he taunted her.

“Keep it up, bozo. Joey and I are in charge of training you this spring.”

“Sorry,” David said, giving her his best wet, shivering puppy dog face he used to get out of trouble.

If she didn’t know better, Cassidy might have bought it.

“Bite me. Let’s finish this run.”

“As you say, Buttercup.”

She was sure David had cut their run short. When he went into the townhouse, she gave him a puzzled look.

“Where do you think I slept last night?” David asked with a lopsided grin.

She put it together. The dorms were closed, and Tracy lived upstairs.

Pam picked the moment to stumble down the stairs.

“Coffee,” Pam moaned.

“I made a pot before this one got up,” David said.

Pam squinted at the two of them and wrinkled her nose.

“You stink.”

Cassidy heard a door open and remembered that Brook and Tami had spent the night. They came down and gave her and David a funny look. David ignored them and bounded up the stairs. She could hear Tracy giggle, which could only mean one thing.

“Sounds like someone’s getting lucky,” Tami said.

“What were you two doing?” Brook asked.

“David overheard me make a New Year’s resolution to get back into shape. He forced me to get up and run with him.”

“During a summer in high school, I made David spend time with me. I rode a bike when he ran, and it was almost too much for me,” Tami said.

“But the view was worth it,” Brook teased.

Tami smiled. “I did like the shorts he wore.”

“On that note, I’m going to shower,” Cassidy said and went up the stairs.

As Cassidy got into the shower, she had to smile. She always said she would be the last one standing when David finally settled down. All the other girls had had their shot and failed, and Cassidy had no doubt Tracy would flame out for a third time. Maybe David would see sense by then, and they could do more than date.

◊◊◊

Chapter 1

David’s phone rang. He was surprised to see it was Matt Long, his main competition for quarterback this spring.

“Morning,” David answered.

“I don’t know if you have stuff to do, but I was hoping you could meet with me and my dad today.”

“I was planning to go home and watch bowl games with the family. Is this important?” David asked.

“I think it is.”

“Okay. When and where?” David asked.

Matt gave him the information. They’d meet at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Matt’s dad had made reservations at Cut, with a celebrity chef in charge of one of LA’s better steak houses. This must be important if they were willing to spring for something that pricey.

Cassidy, Tami, Pam, and Brook were going to his house in Malibu, so he arranged for them to take Tracy. Greg and his family would also be there with their kids, so David knew his children would be entertained and not miss him while he took the meeting.

He wasn’t too put out because it meant he could drive his Demon with minimal traffic since it was New Year’s Day.

Matt and his dad were cooling their heels in the bar when he arrived. They greeted each other, and Matt introduced David to his dad. They made small talk until they were seated and had ordered their drinks and appetizers.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Matt said.

“How so?” David asked.

“I read that your brother accepted a scholarship and will enroll in the spring.”

“Phil wanted to take part in spring ball. He’s a bit disappointed that his best friend decided to go elsewhere, though.”

Roc was going to State, close to home, so he could help with his parents’ farm.

“I got a call from John. You’ll be happy to hear he flunked out,” Matt said.

David frowned at Matt’s comment, though it was true he didn’t like John for a number of reasons. At the top of the list was John’s attempt to end his career during spring ball last year. He was also a walking penalty when he was on the field.

“That doesn’t make me happy.”

“Come on. You actively worked to keep him off the field.”

“How many drives did he kill this year?” David asked.

Matt grimaced because he knew David was right.

Matt’s dad, Ed, changed the subject.

“Matt tells me you have prior relationships with Coaches Harrington, Mason, Trent, and Allen. What are the odds of Matt beating you out in spring ball?”

David was taken aback by Matt’s dad’s blunt question. In David’s mind, there was absolutely no way he would allow Matt to become the starter. David felt he was the better quarterback. That didn’t mean that Matt didn’t have the talent; he was one of the best pocket passers in college football.

What Matt lacked was athleticism and leadership. Add that to David’s winning record as a starter, and his honest take was that spring ball would be an exercise in futility for Matt.

Another advantage was that Coach Harrington had been hired, first by his high school and later by him personally, to teach David how to be a high-level quarterback.

Bud Mason had also turned David into a quarterback and had been his offensive coordinator his senior year of high school.

Coach Trent had been in charge of the Elite 11 competition, which was designed to find the best high school quarterback in the nation. David had been co-MVP his junior year, and now Coach Trent was USC’s new offensive coordinator.

The truth was, Matt knew him as well because he’d come in second during David’s senior year. Matt said that while David was off playing baseball for the USA 18 and under team, Coach Trent had made it clear that David would probably have won his senior year.

Matt and two other quarterbacks, who comprised the top three who attended Elite 11, had shown up to a camp at Lincoln High put on by the University of Michigan. Without picking up a football for most of the summer, David had smoked the competition.

Coach Allen, who would coach the quarterbacks, was David’s one-on-one coach at Elite 11.

The four coaches knew and liked David, making Matt’s job that much harder if he wanted to take the starter’s role.

“I thought you’d decided to transfer,” David said, deflecting the question.

He didn’t want to come off as cocky by stating what he really thought.

“We talked about it, but if Matt has a shot at being the starter, he’d rather do it at USC,” Ed said.

“Have you thought about where you might want to go?” David asked.

“Answer the question,” Matt said as he realized what David was up to.

“Okay,” David conceded. “The unvarnished truth is, I believe I would have to get hurt for you to win the job.”

“Care to elaborate?” Ed asked.

“Talent-wise, Matt and I are similar in arm strength and accuracy. He might be a better pure thrower than I am,” David said with a half-smile to throw Matt a bone. “But it’s in the other areas where I would separate myself from Matt.”

“Like what?” Ed asked.

“Do you really want me to say it?” David asked.

“No,” Matt said, shaking his head. “It was what we thought, but I knew you’d tell me the truth.

“Coach Harrington and the others assured me the competition would be open and I’d be given a chance. If something horrible happens to you, I can see their side of it, but if I stay, I’ll miss out on spring ball at my next destination. That’s something I’m not willing to do since the transfer rules are changing.”

The NCAA had announced that players would be given a onetime transfer option as underclassmen as of the first of the year. Once they earned their degrees, they could transfer again and not have to sit out.

During the fall, they’d been more open to exceptions and allowing transfers for circumstances such as a coaching change or a family need, like a sick parent. But their enforcement had been all over the place with no consistency. There were so many complaints—which made it look like litigation was coming—that they changed the rule.

The bottom line was Matt wouldn’t have to ask for a waiver and cross his fingers to see if he could transfer without sitting for a year. He could use his onetime exemption, even without having a coaching change to help him. He would be able to play in the fall.

“Back to my question. Where are you looking at?” David asked.

“Let me turn this on its head. Who would be on your short list if you had to open your recruitment again?” Ed asked.

David chuckled.

“All the big dogs like Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Washington, Clemson, and Alabama have starters in place. While I’m cocky enough to think I could beat them out, it would be like someone coming here and trying to win the job from either Matt or me. That means I would look at the next rung of teams.

“Washington and not Utah or Oregon?” Matt asked.

“I think they’re ready to break out, and they have a great coach,” David said.

“Who are the next tier in your mind?”

“Texas, Oklahoma, Penn State, Florida State, and maybe someone like Iowa.”

“Iowa?”

“Yeah, I know. But defense wins championships, and if they get smart and find a decent offensive coordinator, they could be a powerhouse,” David said.

“What about Notre Dame?” Matt asked.

David couldn’t help but give a sour look. They’d always considered themselves part of the top tier but hadn’t made the playoffs recently. Granted, they would’ve made it if they hadn’t been upset by USC this year.

Besides their thinking too much of themselves, Notre Dame was one of USC’s biggest rivals, and he didn’t want to play Matt each year. That was why he was pushing for somewhere like the Big Ten, the ACC, or the SEC as a landing spot for his teammate.

“If you hate me, go there.”

“I just might,” Matt teased.

“I think I saw they have a fourteen-ounce Wagyu ribeye with my name on it for the main course.”

“Matt’s not going to Notre Dame,” Ed assured David.

Apparently, Matt’s dad had seen the price of that steak.

“It might be worth it to show USC what they missed out on,” Matt said.

David chuckled.

“It might be fun. That way, I could honestly hate you,” David fired back.

“No, you could never hate me,” Matt said.

David had to think about that for a moment. Matt, while not really a friend, had changed last fall and become someone David considered part of the team.

“I agree. But we could be good competitors. May the best man win,” David said.

“I have trips planned to visit Florida State and Texas. I might add Penn State and Iowa to the list,” Matt admitted.

Their appetizers came, and they ordered their main courses. Ed said they were celebrating, so he ordered the rib eyes for all of them.

They were halfway through their meal when another interesting topic came up.

“Have you heard the news about NIL?” Matt asked.

David hadn’t been paying attention recently because of his trip to Dubai and Christmas in Alabama, so he shook his head ‘no.’

“You heard that the UCLA basketball player and others had won their class action lawsuit, right?”

The suit argued that the NCAA violated antitrust laws by not allowing athletes to make a share of the revenues from using their names, images, and likenesses in broadcasts and video games. They’d won the initial case, but the NCAA was thinking about appealing the decision.

David nodded to confirm he was aware.

“Well, California has a bill in the legislature right now called Fair Pay for Fair Play. My understanding is that college athletes could receive pay as soon as the bill passes,” Ed said.

“I’m sure the NCAA will fight it, but it sounds like there’s already a crack in the dam. It won’t be long before we can make money,” David said.

The question was, how would that actually happen? He couldn’t see the universities footing the bill, which meant he couldn’t see them giving up any of their gate or TV revenue. It would have to come from outside sources. The average athlete would have a hard time making money on their own. Most lacked the knowledge, skills, or time to chase a paycheck.

The best possible scenario would be for the boosters to somehow get organized. This might be a good project for Lexi and his agent, Kendrick Knaggy of Knaggy, Anderson, Petters, aka KAP Agency. It might also be something good for Greg to get involved in.

David would need to think about that. With change and confusion, there was opportunity. Universities would be searching for solutions as soon as NIL was allowed.

David was surprised when Matt hugged him when they got up to leave.

“I’ve enjoyed playing with you. I learned a lot from being around you and how hard you work,” Matt said.

“Whatever you decide, I wish you the best,” David said, adding, “If you need help or want someone to be a sounding board, call me.”

“We might do that,” Ed said.

◊◊◊

David walked into the TV room where his family was watching the games. He looked around and didn’t see his mom, so he asked his dad where she was.

He didn’t expect his dad to give him a dirty look.

“She got a call from one of her investors who wanted to make an offer on a strip mall.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” David asked.

His dad caught himself and sighed.

“It’s just that with that stuff that generates leads, she’s never home. It was all I could do to get her to come to Christmas,” Rob, David’s dad, said.

David had met Alyssa Timmons in his Financial Accounting class the previous spring, where they’d traded off buying coffee. At first, Alyssa thought he was a typical jock and only interested in having her help him pass the class. David finally proved he could hold his own, which broke the ice so they could become friends.

He discovered she was at USC studying computer science as well as business. David talked Alyssa into helping him with another class where he had a project. He wanted to see if it would be possible to identify likely buyers and sellers of real estate through public records.

He got the idea from a case study where a major retailer identified pregnant women based on buying patterns. They’d fashioned a marketing strategy that targeted those families by direct promotions for stuff they might need, like diapers.

For his project, David went to different county agencies, such as the tax appraiser. He had them give him a sample of their data, which was part of the public record. Alyssa was able to merge all records from the different sources into a searchable database. He then asked his mom what some of the triggers were or factors they should look for to find eager sellers or buyers.

David and Alyssa both got ‘A’s in their classes for this. And in the end, the proof of concept worked. His mom hired Alyssa to create a fully functional system. It may have worked too well; she frankly had too many leads. His mom told him she was going to hire a bunch of agents to help her chase them down.

“Hasn’t she hired more people?” David asked.

“She has. She was looking for a bigger office, but now she needs even more space—maybe several offices—with everything that entails. I never see her anymore.”

“Have you thought about helping her?” David asked.

His dad gave him a pained look.

“And who will look after your kids?” Rob asked.

David held up a finger as he got out his phone and called Lexi. It rang for a long time before she answered.

“Do you have any idea what time it is here?” Lexi asked.

He did a quick mental calculation, and it had to be well after midnight.

“Don’t tell me you were asleep.”

“You got lucky; I just came in from a party. What’s so important you’re bothering me?”

“Please. Last time we talked, you gave me shit for never calling you,” David said.

“Fine. What do you need, boss?”

“Call my mom tomorrow. She needs help with her real estate company, and I’m hoping you might have some ideas.”

“What am I walking into?” Lexi asked.

“She has too much business.”

“Sounds like the good kind of problem to me.”

“It would be if she weren’t swamped,” David said.

“Any details you can share?” Lexi asked.

“I know enough to say you should talk to her.”

“Smart boy,” Lexi said, adding, “I’ve been thinking about moving back to LA.”

“Okay.”

“You don’t sound excited,” Lexi said.

David wasn’t falling for that one. He had zero desire to get into another fight with his ex.

“I’m happy with whatever you decide.”

“So, you have no opinion?” Lexi pressed.

“I have no say. You do what’s right for you, and I’ll support it.”

“You’re no fun.”

“That may be,” David admitted.

“I’ll call your mom,” Lexi promised and hung up without saying goodbye.

Maybe calling Lexi wasn’t the best idea.

◊◊◊

David didn’t get to watch much football because Brook and Tami monopolized his time. They were both leaving later that day and wanted to catch up.

The big news was that Tami had a boyfriend. Brook made her bring up a photo on her phone. Frank McKeller had black hair closely trimmed on the sides and long on top and wore thick-framed glasses. Metrosexual art nerd? He may have looked like an edgy business student, but not a future doctor.

“How did you meet?” Brook asked.

“He was the teaching assistant in a chemistry class that was kicking my butt. I became a permanent fixture in his office, seeking help. I hadn’t noticed him as someone I might date until he got brave and asked me out.

“Even then, I pushed back because I was struggling and didn’t have time for a personal life. But after I took my finals, I told him I’d go out with him. We went to a party the first night, and one thing led to another …” Tami trailed off.

David smiled.

“The old ‘finals are over’ sex-a-thon.”

“What are you talking about?” Brook asked.

“Haven’t you noticed? Even people who never get any seem to hook up after finals,” David said.

“He might be right,” Tami said. “Tension relief is one of the reasons people have sex. If you haven’t had any for a while—or ever—finishing your finals could trigger a need to be with someone.”

“Don’t feed his bogus theories,” Brook said.

“Says the girl not getting any,” David quipped.

“How did you— fudge,” Brook said, being caught out.

Tami and David grinned.

“Fine. I got dumped at Thanksgiving,” Brook admitted.

“Bastian dumped you?” David asked in shock.

Tami’s eyebrows went into her bangs before she asked, “Bastian?! You actually dated a guy named Bastian?”

“He’s this Outer Banks guy she should’ve dumped last year,” David said.

“He’s not wrong, but I didn’t want to bother finding a new boyfriend, and Bastian was decent arm candy. Even though he was a cheating jerk.

“When I said I wouldn’t have sex with him unless he wore a condom, you would’ve thought I told one of David’s kids they had to wear a raincoat over their Halloween costume. He had this big tantrum, but I pointed out that I had no idea who the skanks were he was boning on the side.

“And then …” Brook petered out when she realized she might be providing too much information.

David reached over and gave her a hug.

“Let it all out. I’m here for you,” David joked, patting her back. “I would wear one if you asked.”

“The sad part is he knows how good-looking he is and expects something like that to make you drop your panties,” Tami said.

“I’m a bit stressed,” Brook said as she looked into David’s eyes hopefully.

“Can we never get our timing right?” David asked, shaking his head.

“I’ll give you a onetime pass,” Tracy called out from across the room, obviously eavesdropping.

David gave Brook a leer, causing her to laugh at him. Mr. Happy was confused as to why the big brain was being difficult. Hadn’t one of his favorite people just offered to have some fun?

“Why did Bastian dump you?” Tami asked, trying to get their conversation out of the gutter.

“His side piece back home claimed she was pregnant. I guess his parents made it clear he had to do the right thing and marry her, or so he said.”

“Is there anyone you’re interested in?” Tami asked.

“This one guy, who’s a friend—”

“Stop right there,” David said, shaking his head.

“What are you talking about?” Brook asked.

“Let me guess, and you tell me where I go wrong,” David said, then began. “This guy is always hanging around. He’s the one who sends you little messages like ‘good morning’ or cute emojis. When you fight with your boyfriend, he’s the sympathetic ear who shows concern. Am I close?”

“Almost dead on,” Brook said.

“I give the guy credit for putting in the work, but you need to know that he isn’t the innocent guy you think he is. He’s playing the long game to get into your pants,” David said.

“I don’t think so,” Brook said.

“No, David’s right. That guy doesn’t really give a flip about you. He’s just trying to get laid,” Greg said, jumping into the conversation.

“I think he only wants me to be happy,” Brook said.

“Send him a message that you reconnected with David, and send him a pic of you two,” Tami suggested.

David put his arm around Brook as she snapped a selfie and sent it off.

“I bet you don’t hear from him for a while,” Greg said.

“He could be spending time with family or something, so I don’t expect to hear from him for—” Brook’s phone pinged.

She looked at the message and frowned.

“What does it say?” Tami asked.

“I’m too much drama, and he wished me a good life.”

“No payoff,” Greg said. “Time to find a new man.”

“Do guys really pull the ‘friends’ routine just to … you know?” Brook asked.

“Oh, yeah. It’s a thing,” Pam said. “Mine turned out to be gay, so there was no … ‘you know.’”

Tracy and Cassidy high-fived.

“I called it,” Cassidy said.

“Bite me,” Pam said.

“Uhhhh! Can’t say that,” little Carol said.

That reminded them that little ears were intently listening.

“Should Pam get a timeout?” Cassidy asked to cause trouble.

The little ninjas felt Mama Pam should get a pass this time. David knew his kids hoped they would get passes when they said something they shouldn’t.

Cassidy looked disappointed, though.

◊◊◊

David and Tracy gave Brook a ride to the airport.

“I can’t believe him,” Brook said, obviously not happy David had been right.

“If the guy was a true friend, he would’ve been happy for you,” Tracy said.

“Or honest with you,” David added.

“At least you say whether you like the guy I’m seeing or not. Most times not.”

“That’s because you’re too good for most of them. You knew back then that Bastian wasn’t the right guy,” David said.

“I guess I’m just jealous of what you have,” Brook said.

“Don’t be,” Tracy said. “If you paid half a mind to the hell David went through last year with Lexi and the rest of them, you would feel lucky you had Bastian.”

Brook chuckled. “That was a bit of drama. I was worried about you when I saw the party in Dubai. I thought you’d finally embraced the dark side and gone full Hollywood.”

“One of those girls tried to rob me,” David shared.

He had to explain how she’d tried to use his phone to access his banking apps, but thankfully, his security team had made him turn on two-factor authentication to unlock his phone.

Then David added, “But I got it out of my system, and Tracy reminded me what we once had.”

Both girls acted like they were gagging.

“Can’t I say that I love you?” David asked, acting hurt.

“To think I fell for that,” Brook said with a tiny grin.

“Sadly, it’s my third go-around. You would think I would’ve learned,” Tracy said.

“That’s a two-way street,” David shot back.

“I might have to do something extra special for you,” Tracy said.

“Don’t say that. He’ll think you’re offering anal,” Brook said with a look of horror.

David’s eyes got wide, and he acted excited.

Tracy just gave him a hooded look. Somehow, he guessed that wasn’t in the cards.

◊◊◊

Chapter 2

After dropping Brook off at the airport and saying goodbye to Tami, David drove Tracy back to the townhouse. On the way, he received a message from Joey. She wanted to show him the new recovery lounge for the football team.

So, after parking at the townhouse, David made his way over to the football training facility. He found her new torture chamber next to the weight room, and Joey seated in a small office with a window so she could oversee everything.

She came out and smiled.

“You bailed on watching football?” David asked.

She shrugged.

“Your brother was a bit miffed, but I need to finish setting everything up before all the guys hit campus.”

“And you figured I’d be willing to be your guinea pig.”

“Maybe,” Joey admitted.

“Okay, give me the sales pitch.”

He saw her smirk and then turn serious as Joey went into professional trainer mode.

“The recovery lounge was created to provide the ultimate recovery experience for our athletes. Services provided are compression therapy, hyperbaric oxygen tank therapy, cryotherapy, infrared sauna with red light therapy, and massage therapy.”

As she named each thing, Joey made her best spokesmodel hand gestures as she pointed out each piece of equipment or area. She continued, “These therapies are designed to aid in the health and well-being of our athletes by aiding cellular health. We believe that providing this will improve their bodies in seven areas.”

David listened intently because most of this was new to him. She listed what it was supposed to help with.

“Mental acuity measures how sharply and effectively their brain functions in real time.

“Circadian rhythm is the body’s natural cycle, including sleep, digestion, and metabolism.

“Performance recovery services are provided for quicker recovery from physical exertion.

“Sleep optimization, combining light therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, may lead to a better night’s rest.

“Skin, ligament, and bone health are improved through light therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the production of collagen.

“Improved blood flow is helped by compression therapy, cryotherapy, massage therapy, and the infrared sauna.

“All five services help decrease inflammation, which allows athletes to recover more quickly and work harder than their opponents.

“I’ve been reading about some additional therapies I’d like to try out on you because the university hasn’t approved them yet,” Joey said.

“Let me guess: I’d be paying for that out of my own pocket.”

“Everyone says you’re the bright one in the family.”

David barked out a laugh.

“Hang on a second and say that again,” David said as he pulled out his phone.

Joey just gave him her big, doe-eyed, innocent look and blinked at him.

“You’re no fun,” David complained. “Maybe give me the thousand-foot view of your thoughts.”

“Let me tell you some truths. You won't feel the same after the first day of spring ball. This will happen again during fall camp and then once the season begins. There’ll be something that gets strained, tweaked, or outright hurt. I want to use the time between now and then to prepare your body for that,” Joey said.

Unfortunately, Joey was telling the truth. After the first practice, David never felt a hundred percent. At the end of the day, he just had to buckle up his chin strap and get ready to go. Sometimes, David would get home after a game and cringe when he had to type a paper because his fingers were swollen. But next week, come game time, he’d forget he had any injuries. David mused that this might be for the same reason women were willing to have a second baby after going through hell with the first one.

“Besides all these gadgets, I want you to start taking nutrition seriously. Some pro players have made it into their forties playing your position. The best of them took that to heart. I have some ideas about how to help you get there,” Joey said.

David was already pretty good with what he ate. He’d driven his mom crazy, asking her to poach chicken breasts for him as a healthier alternative to frying them. The problem was that he lived in a dorm that didn’t cater to athletes’ needs. While they had healthy choices, it wasn’t focused on what someone like him should eat at each meal.

“I’ve talked to the new strength and conditioning coach about you,” Joey continued. “Quarterbacks are his greatest concern because if you get hurt, it could greatly change the trajectory of this year’s team. With that in mind, he’ll introduce you to different exercises and movements designed to build muscle density. The goal is to make you more resistant to injury.”

David wrinkled his nose and asked, “Why does that sound like it’ll be painful?”

“You’re a tough guy. You’ll be fine.”

He gave her credit for saying that with a straight face.

“I want you to hire a sports-centric chiropractor to adjust your skeletal structure. When muscles get tight, the pressure goes to the joints and causes injury,” Joey said.

“I bet you have someone in mind.”

“You’re right, I do, and I’ll give you their number before you leave today.”

“What else?” David asked.

“Your head. Quarterbacks must take in all kinds of information and be ready to act on that knowledge in a split second. I want you to schedule regular sessions with Coach Stackhouse and let her do her psychologist bit. I also have a call in to an NFL team about how they use neurofeedback to help their quarterbacks make quicker decisions.”

David was on board with that. If he could see opportunities and deliver the ball quicker, it would be harder for defenses to win. Of course, they would still have the advantage now and then, but this sounded like it would cut down on the number of times that happened.

“Okay, let’s do this,” David said.

“Now?” Joey asked.

“Right now. I have big goals for the year, and we’re both here. Our families can’t get more irritated that we’re working on a holiday,” David said.

“My husband will divorce me before this is all done,” Joey worried.

“Your husband’s a wimp. If he gives you any shit, tell me, and I’ll straighten him out.”

“I don’t think so. I don’t need you meddling in stuff like that.”

“When it does happen, remember I made the offer,” David said as he changed his clothes.

◊◊◊

David took his time off to spend it with his kids and let Joey practice on him. He’d chartered a flight so Tracy, Pam, and Cassidy could fly back to Illinois and spend a week with their families.

His brother, Greg, had given him a piece of bad news: the former fraternity house that he planned to turn into a homeless shelter had been turned down for rezoning. Seemed the neighbors had caught wind of it and pulled the typical ‘not in my backyard’ (NIMBY) act. While they thought it was a great idea, they didn’t want homeless people wandering around their neighborhood.

His mother had suggested he turn it into student apartments. She’d told Umberto Sandoval, Alex and Nat’s father, about the conversion. David had no idea that she and Umberto had talked. Alex’s dad shared that his kids wanted to move out of the dorm for their junior year. David knew they would like to be in the same building if he was willing to move as well.

He’d just parked at the former fraternity house, where he found his mom and Umberto waiting. With them was a surprise: Lexi.

He was greeted with a handshake from Mr. Sandoval and an unexpected hug from Lexi.

“Shall we go in?” Carol asked as she pulled out the keys.

They explored the building.

“The frat left it in a mess. I had a crew come in and clear out the trash and pull up all the carpet,” Carol said as they walked in.

Lexi wrinkled her nose at the smell of beer and urine.

Umberto pulled out his phone and started taking pictures. When they got to the kitchen, he asked, “Do you plan to provide meals, or will there be a kitchen in each unit?”

“I would prefer not to have to cook. With my schedule, it would be hard to carve out the time to do it regularly,” David said.

“I agree,” Lexi said. “College kids would probably burn the place down. Plus, pampered pets like David would probably kill themselves with food poisoning.”

“Alex almost did something similar a few summers ago. He came home late at night, put a pizza in the oven, and fell asleep. I woke up to the smoke detectors going off,” Umberto said.

“David used to cook the family meals when he was younger. I don’t think he’s the pampered pet you’re referring to,” Carol said.

“Yes, I know he can cook. I was just poking fun at the boy wonder,” Lexi said.

David ignored her jab and said, “I’ll ask Crystal what they do at the sorority. I know they had a cook for a while, but I think they found someone to cater lunch and dinner Sunday through Thursday.”

“What do they do for breakfast?” Umberto asked.

“I think they’re on their own. I’d prefer having three meals a day, seven days a week,” David said.

“If you did put kitchens in the units, you wouldn’t necessarily have to rent to students,” Carol said.

“Would you want to move into a building with college students?” Umberto asked.

“Good point, but I thought you were looking to do something upscale,” Carol said.

“There’s a waiting list to get into Sandoval Hall, which is more expensive than any other dorm. A lot of USC students come from money. We could make this an attractive alternative,” Lexi said.

David agreed because he could find an apartment for a lot less than what he paid for his dorm. But Sandoval Hall came with security and the best food on campus, plus all the other amenities.

They toured the rest of the building. David began to wonder if he’d paid too much for the place because his mom and Umberto shook their heads at every turn. The term ‘a complete gut job’ was tossed around more than he wanted to hear.

“I want Fritz to come look at it for security,” Umberto said. “Then I’d like to get someone to create renovation plans to get a handle on cost.”

“Why are you doing that? Shouldn’t that be my issue?” David asked.

“Your mom offered me half the property if I paid for the rehab,” Umberto said. “Besides, I want to ensure it’s up to my standards.”

David wasn’t sure if he should be offended, but he’d seen how Umberto and his family lived. He was convinced that whatever he came up with would be top-end.

“How about I just sell you the building for what I have in it, as long as I get first pick of the apartments? That way, you wouldn’t need me involved in decisions,” David said.

“I’ll write it up and promise not to charge you a full commission,” Carol said.

“I thought we would just do a handshake deal,” David said.

His mom’s eyes tried to bore a hole in his forehead. Thank God she didn’t have superpowers, or he might have just died.

“Then again, you always say that a realtor does the most work from contract to close. It’s probably for the best that you handle it.”

“Good save,” Lexi whispered.

His mom pulled out her tablet and had David and Umberto e-sign a contract, promising to take care of the rest.

“Now I need to ask a favor,” David said. “Last year, I threw a welcome party for the new recruits and their families, and it went over well. I’m planning to do it again this year. Could I do it here?”

“I don’t see why not. You would handle all the details?” Umberto asked.

David pointed at Lexi, who nodded her agreement to organize everything.

◊◊◊

Cassidy, Pam, and Tracy had all returned from their trip to Illinois. Cassidy was happy she had her brace off, and she and David had been going to the weight room after their run each morning. She beat him out of the locker room. Lifting by himself was the new trainer, Bishop Thorne. He had latte macchiato skin and dark hair bound at the nape of his neck. He had a swimmer’s build, slim enough to appear taller than he was. Bishop’s head turned, showing a face that wasn’t handsome but pleasant enough to look at.

David exited the locker room and asked, “You want to lift with us?”

“I’m good,” Bishop said as he went to the bench.

“Let’s stretch,” David said.

Cassidy joined him on the exercise mat as they began to get ready to lift. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted that Bishop had loaded the weights on the bench press. She knew Bishop was a trainer, but that looked like more than David usually lifted, and he had Hulk strength.

“Pay attention,” David admonished Cassidy.

She used her chin to point to Bishop across the room. David’s eyes narrowed as Bishop lifted the weights off the rack and let them come down. Bishop struggled to push them back up and was almost back to the top of his motion when his arms began to fail. The bar went across his neck, and Bishop’s face went red.

“Fuck,” David growled.

Cassidy stood frozen as David raced across the room, grabbed the bar that had Bishop pinned to the bench, and pushed it off to the side. The weights hit the floor with a loud crash.

Bishop rolled toward David, went face-first off the bench, and landed on the floor. Cassidy knew something wasn’t right when Bishop’s arms flopped at a weird angle. She shook off her paralysis and rushed to David’s side. He rolled Bishop onto his back and checked the pulse in his neck.

“Go get help,” David said in a calm voice.

Cassidy felt her stomach clench as David tilted Bishop’s head back and began to give him CPR. When David started chest compressions, she raced to the trainers’ offices and found Joey reading something.

“David’s doing CPR on Bishop. He was lifting alone, and the bar landed on his throat,” Cassidy said.

Joey knocked over her chair while getting up.

“Dial 911!” Joey said as she raced to the weight room.

Cassidy made the call. When she was done, she ran back to find that Joey had unpacked the training room’s defibrillator. Joey then ripped Bishop’s shirt open and attached the two sticky pads to his upper right chest area and left side.

Cassidy knew they’d just installed the equipment earlier in the week. Never in a million years did she think she would ever see it being used. At the time, she felt they were being overly cautious.

She decided she would talk to Fritz about installing one at David’s Malibu house near the pool. And maybe another in the kids’ playroom. Her only concern was that Coby might get it out and practice on one of his brothers.

“Clear!” Joey called out.

David lifted his hands off Bishop as Joey shocked him. She put two fingers on his neck and gave David a relieved look.

“He has a pulse and is breathing on his own.”

Cassidy hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath and gasped in relief.

“You saved his life,” Joey said. “Most people wouldn’t know what to do in a situation like that.”

“My dad ran our local park’s swimming pool. The summer before high school, I was the gofer for the lifeguards. My dad made me take CPR training in case I ever had to spell one of them. I can’t believe I remembered what to do,” David said.

Bishop began to come around, clearly disoriented. He had a wild, vacant look like a drunk suddenly jolted awake. It looked like his arms hadn’t woken up yet as they flailed at his sides when he tried to sit up.

“Just lie down. You’re okay,” Joey said with a reassuring voice.

Bishop tried to fight her, but Joey pushed him down and looked at him sternly.

“You’re okay,” Joey repeated.

“What happened? Why does my throat hurt so much?” Bishop labored to ask.

His voice had a rasp like Bishop had a bad cold. That was followed by a coughing fit.

Joey got a towel for Bishop to cough into. In the distance, a siren could be heard. David jogged off to let the paramedics know where to go.

Bishop didn’t want to go to the hospital, but Joey put her foot down.

By now, half the athletic department was in the weight room, having come to investigate the need for an ambulance. Coach Harrington backed Joey up, which made Bishop consent.

“Let’s get out of here,” David said quietly.

The stupid boy scared Cassidy half to death. She hadn’t seen him come up behind her.

“I say we let Joey deal with all this,” David said, looking at the crowd.

Sometimes, he came up with good ideas. There were sure to be a lot of questions, and that didn’t sound like something she wanted to do on one of the last days of freedom before school started. If she or David were needed, she was sure Joey would let them know.

◊◊◊

David was throwing his ‘welcome to campus’ party for all the new football players, their families, and coaches, and Tracy was there with him. Before the party started, she already knew there was a problem brewing: Lexi Andon, David’s ex.

Tracy had seen how girls reacted around her boyfriend over the years. Almost all of them were interested, but David was somehow able to act unaware. Lexi somehow cut through that and could get David’s full attention.

Tracy knew David was hers, but the way Lexi looked at him when he wasn’t watching was not the way a PA should look at her boss. Tracy decided that she needed to have a quiet conversation with Lexi.

“Really?” Tracy asked.

Lexi was momentarily startled but recovered quickly.

“I’m sorry; did you need something?” Lexi asked.

“Don’t play coy. Just because you’re back and David invited you doesn’t mean he will ever want you back.”

To her credit, Lexi didn’t try to deny it. “Some things are hard to give up.”

“I understand. This is my third go-around with David, and I don’t intend to give him up. I want to be clear about that,” Tracy said.

“If you can do it, I’m sure I can eventually win him back,” Lexi said.

Tracy actually admired Lexi for not pulling her punches. It was the sly ones that worried her the most.

“Just know that I will end you if you try,” Carol said as she came up behind them. “You’ve done enough damage. I honestly don’t know why David forgave Tracy, but they’ve worked hard to become good friends. My son is more forgiving than I ever will be. But if she makes him happy, I’ll certainly support Tracy.”

“I completely understand. I have a lot of work to do before he would ever consider pursuing anything with me romantically. But we work well together, and David opens doors I would have a hard time getting into. I’m not about to cause him any trouble,” Lexi said.

Tracy saw that David’s mom had caught Lexi’s implied threat. Lexi was one of the few people David should worry about causing him trouble.

“Now that we have that unpleasantness behind us,” Carol said with a smile, “let’s enjoy the party.”

Tracy had to admit that David’s mom scared her a bit. The good news was that Lexi was looking at the woman warily. If anyone could keep Lexi in check, it was Carol.

◊◊◊

David walked into the party and had to admit Lexi might be an even better PA than he remembered. She hadn’t bothered him with a single detail and had hit it out of the park.

Fritz’s team had handled security. They’d fenced in the backyard and parking lot to keep out party crashers. Manaia and Ruth worked the door with Bryant Franzese, USC’s recruiting coordinator. David spotted Fritz talking to some people he didn’t recognize, giving them their instructions for the night.

Lexi had hired people to set up and tear down. The caterer was the Sassy Pig, his favorite BBQ restaurant in LA. Their smoker and grills were creating mouthwatering odors. His stomach assured him it was ready for a rack of ribs to kick off the night.

Lexi must have talked to Crystal because their go-to DJ for parties was spinning the tunes. Right now, it was mellow due to the large number of parents and coaches, but he had no doubt it would kick off later when it was their bedtime.

David grabbed coaches Harrington and Stackhouse.

“Time to give me some third-party validation as a team leader rather than the movie dude who takes people to cool parties,” David said.

“Is he serious?” Amy asked Bo.

“When it comes to stuff like this, yes. Now, David isn’t beyond pulling a prank when he gets a chance. I remember going to a football camp, and he announced that he had dates for us.”

“This I have to hear,” Amy said.

David held up his hand.

“Time and place, people. Right now, it’s all about making parents comfortable entrusting their sons to you and making me look good.”

“I recommend you call Matt before he transfers and tell him David’s the one leaving,” Amy said with a serious expression.

“I sort of owe him,” Bo pushed back. “That date turned out to be my wife.”

“Now you have to tell me,” Amy said.

“Later,” David said. “I see Dequan Bailey and his parents. I have to crush his psyche before spring ball. I don’t need him intercepting my passes.”

“What if he only intercepts the other team’s passes?” Amy asked.

David began to nod.

“Good point. That would mean I get back on the field faster so we can score more points. I like how she thinks,” David said with a straight face.

“I’ll call Matt,” Bo joked as he led them to meet Dequan.

David was impressed with the way Amy tailored her approach to each new team member. While he was good at the meet-and-greet, there was always something new to learn, and he was mentally taking notes.

Something he discovered was that the parents, especially the moms, loved Coach Harrington. He hit all the right notes when talking about developing their sons, not only with football-related matters but also working on the academic side and turning them into men. He hammered that USC was now family, including their parents and siblings.

David found himself as the third-party validator for both of them because his teammates and their parents would look at Bo or Amy and glance at him. At that point, David would jump in and sing their praises. It worked because David believed what he was selling, and one thing moms were good at was using their finely honed BS detectors.

In turn, Bo and Amy talked about how David had helped organize last semester’s incoming class and turned several of them into game-day contributors. The implication was that they should seek David out and do what he said. David would help them when they needed to bounce stuff off someone.

David assured them that his teammates would also be there for them.

Before they ate, Bo got up and introduced all the staff, explaining what they did. Then, the guys split off from their parents and joined David at a large table where they could eat and ask questions.

All was going well when Tracy came up and placed another plate of brisket next to his ribs.

When she left, Dequan said, “Damn. I hope she’s a jock bunny.”

Phil and Damion burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Dequan asked. “I’m just saying she’s the kind of talent I hope is willing to put out.”

“Son,” David said, giving him a sad look, “this is college. USC has some of the best-looking women in the country. And all of them are used to LA guys trying to talk them out of their panties.”

Dequan was about to brag about his skills, but David cut him off. He pointed at Cassidy.

“Tell you what. Whoever gets her to go home with them tonight, I’ll proclaim as the stud of this class. I’ll let all the jock bunnies know of your superior game between the sheets, which will guarantee you getting laid almost every day, if not multiple times a day,” David said.

Phil and Damion didn’t warn them about what they were about to encounter. David predicted it wouldn’t be pretty.

◊◊◊

It didn’t take long for an upset Pam to find David. She was closely followed by amused Tracy and Lexi.

“David?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think I’m better looking than Cassidy?”

“Of course I do.”

“If you were a guy, who would you hit on first?”

“I think you know the answer to that. You’re my favorite,” David said.

He almost laughed when Tracy and Lexi stifled their giggles.

“Then why do all the new guys like Cassidy better?”

“They see her as more approachable. You’re so smoking hot that you intimidate regular guys.”

David had to shoo Tracy and Lexi away because they couldn’t contain their laughter. Pam’s eyes narrowed, and she turned to David.

“What did you do?”

David explained his challenge, which calmed Pam down.

“You might want to find Cassidy and the new recruits. She’s torturing them right now,” Tracy said.

David hurried to where Tracy pointed. He found all his new teammates inside the old fraternity, with Cassidy holding court.

“What exactly did David promise?” Cassidy asked.

His brother ratted him out.

“Interesting,” Cassidy said. “I think one of you is going to get lucky tonight.”

That brought smiles to everyone’s faces. David stood back to watch it unfold. He had a feeling Cassidy would wipe those smiles off their faces soon.

“But I need to see what you’re working with. I don’t want to make a mistake and take someone home who …” Cassidy wiggled her pinky.

David wasn’t surprised when Steve Barber, aka Cub—Bear’s younger brother—unzipped his pants and exposed his humongous member. It looked like he might be even bigger than his older brother. Every guy in the room took a step back. David could see that none of them were willing to be compared to that.

Cassidy pulled out her phone and snapped a pic. Cub quickly stuffed his junk back into his pants as his face turned deep red.

“I’m out,” Cub announced.

Soon, it was just Phil, Damion, and Cassidy with David; the rest of the guys had fled.

“Cassidy, the holder of all the cards. What’ll it take for you to take me home tonight?” Phil asked.

David could tell from the calculating look that Cassidy was considering it.

“You wouldn’t even have to do anything, but if you said we did, I would be your slave,” Phil offered.

David was disappointed that Phil had caved so easily. He should at least get laid if he was going to become Cassidy’s bitch.

Phil had clearly not thought this through. Pam was already insecure about all the guys hitting on Cassidy. What was she going to do when Phil won the contest and jock bunnies began to line up? Let alone if Pam thought he’d slept with Cassidy?

David thought about being a good brother, but Phil needed to learn that his dick shouldn’t do his thinking for him. In David’s case, the big brain and Mr. Happy battled regularly. While David’s dick had good ideas at times, Phil needed to learn to engage the big brain and listen to it.

“I’ve always wanted a slave,” Cassidy said.

Again, David almost stepped in to stop this, but Phil could use a lesson about women.

Phil got a big smile and offered Cassidy his arm. The two of them walked out together. David quickly found Tracy.

“I’m going to sleep with Pam tonight.”

Tracy’s eyes narrowed, but David pointed at Phil and Cassidy.

“We haven’t had a threesome in a long while,” Tracy said, confirming why he was dating her.

Pam was about to go nuclear until Tracy had a quick talk with her. Then she was all smiles.

Maybe Phil had done him a favor.

◊◊◊

Chapter 3

Darius (aka Dare) Rossetti had called Megan, David’s bookkeeper and Dare’s source of project cash. David made him call her because he was a big wuss and didn’t want to be bothered. Megan had all kinds of stupid rules, like insisting Dare give her actual receipts, which could be a pain in the neck when he bought stuff on the dark web. Dare called because he wanted to fly to LA to pitch an idea to David. Dare had requested an extra ticket for his new girlfriend, Faith Sanders.

They were in a cab headed to David’s townhouse.

“You know I could ask my mom for the money,” Faith said. “It would be a lot less stressful.”

Her parents owned Sanders Clay, which manufactured clay pipes and other masonry products. The company had been in business for nearly 150 years and employed over 500 people in the small town of Logan, Ohio.

“It’s not just the money. David has contacts that can take our concept and monetize it.”

“I understand wanting to make money, but I thought you said he was just a dumb jock. I think the exact phrase was, ‘David is a jocktard.’”

Dare flinched.

“Don’t let him hear you say that. He fancies himself more than that, but he’s delusional,” Dare said.

“He is good-looking. Do you think he’d let me have my picture taken with him so I could join his DavidOnly website?” Faith asked.

Dare glanced over and saw the telltale quiver of her left eye, signaling she was yanking his chain. Dare might have shared that David somehow snagged any woman he set his eyes on and that Faith had to be wary of his charms. But Faith wasn’t David’s usual type because she was a nerd who wore glasses and had unfortunate curly hair. She was in an oversized t-shirt and baggy shorts, which hid her figure.

The problem was that David might hit on her if he knew Faith was Dare’s girlfriend.

They’d met at a talk on multithreaded parallelism by MIT’s Software Design and Engineering program. She’d caught Dare’s attention when she asked probing questions about his VR product that had failed because it was too expensive.

The cab dropped them off in front of David’s townhouse, where Pam, Cassidy, and Tracy lived. Megan told him that was where David stayed until the dorms opened again.

“I hope he’s at home,” Dare mumbled as he reached the front door.

“You didn’t call ahead?” Faith asked.

Dare waved her off.

“It’s better that he isn’t prepared.”

Dare could almost feel Faith’s ‘Eyes of Judgment’ boring into the back of his head as he rang the doorbell. Cassidy opened the door and looked at Dare, then Faith, before looking back at Dare.

“This is new,” Cassidy said. “Did you find this one behind the taco place?”

Dare didn’t need to stand there to serve as a nucleation site for Cassidy’s boiling gossip, so he pushed his way in.

“Where’s David?” Dare asked.

“He’s up in Tracy’s room. Go on up. You can leave your bags by the door.”

Dare turned to Faith, saying, “Let’s get this over with.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs. He found the door closed and decided it was best to surprise David, so he opened it.

“Oh, shit,” Dare muttered.

David was standing naked with his back to them and a towel around his neck. Dare could hear the shower running where he guessed Tracy was.

“Cassidy? What did I tell you about perving on me …” David trailed off as he turned around and gasped. “Dude!”

Dare froze as he saw David’s big smile. Dare could only blink as David walked toward him with his hand out.

“Hi, I’m David. Who might you be?”

Dare’s mind re-engaged when he saw his blushing girlfriend shake David’s hand.

“I’m Faith. Dare wanted to surprise you.”

“Mission accomplished. Maybe you could give me a moment to put some clothes on. It’s a beautiful morning. We could go to the roof to catch up,” David said.

“Let go of his hand and quit staring,” Dare hissed.

“Oh, sorry,” Faith said as she blushed even more.

Dare grabbed the door handle and closed it.

“He seems nice,” Faith said.

Dare mentally slapped his forehead. His girlfriend had already fallen under the stupid boy’s spell.

◊◊◊

David warned Tracy that Dare was there with a girl. Tracy wanted to go with him to see if Dare had found an actual girlfriend or if she was just a friend.

David found his two guests with their heads together, furiously whispering. When they saw David and Tracy, they shut up.

“Faith, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Tracy,” David said in the way of introductions. “Would you like a Cream Pie?”

Dare and Faith both blinked in response. Then Faith sucked in her breath and covered her face. Dare gave David a look that promised pain.

Tracy chuckled, “I’d like one, Tiger.”

David realized how that’d sounded and quickly opened one of the cabinets and pulled out a box that said, ‘Oatmeal Cream Pies.’

Faith giggled when she realized her mistake.

“I’d love one,” Faith said, adding, “Now I can say that David A. Dawson gave me a cream pie and be telling the truth.”

Everyone took one except Dare, who didn’t find the humor in it. That told David that his nerdling buddy liked Faith.

“What brings you to LA?” David asked.

“Two things. The first is that I have a new project Faith and I are working on for which I need funding. The second is an investment opportunity that I need a loan to participate in,” Dare said.

“You didn’t tell me about the investment,” Faith said.

“I told you about the business Professor Jenkins is starting. He needs seed money and has been going to friends and family for investors. If his idea works, he plans to do an IPO,” Dare said.

“What’s your idea?” David asked.

“Many courses are being offered at all levels via remote access. What’s missing in that setting is a way to really ask questions if you don’t understand a topic. We want to offer an AI experience to assist or even teach different subjects,” Dare said.

“What makes this unique?” David asked.

“It will use the virtual reality software we developed for football,” Dare said.

“And the AI will evolve to recognize the best way for the individual to learn. It incorporates the four learning styles and focuses either on one or on a combination of the four to teach the subject,” Faith said.

“What are the four ways?” Tracy asked.

“Spatial learning, sometimes called visual learning, focuses on seeing and observing things, including pictures, diagrams, written directions, and more.

“Reading/Writing learners prefer to learn through written words. While there’s some overlap with spatial learning, this type of person gets the best results when they write and read articles or books. Some of the best results come from writing in diaries, looking up words in the dictionary, and searching the internet for just about everything.

“Tactile learners do so via experiencing or doing things.

“Finally, auditory learners prefer to listen to a lecture rather than read written notes, and they often use their own voices to reinforce new concepts and ideas. For example, they read out loud to themselves,” Faith said.

“Where are you at with this, and what do you need from me?” David asked.

“I thought you said he’d be hard to sell?” Faith asked Dare.

“If Dare flies across the country to sell me on something, I take him at his word,” David said.

“We need money to buy stuff. It will be off-the-shelf this time, so the end product should be fairly inexpensive. Then I need test subjects. I was hoping we could use your kids,” Dare said, then shut up.

David noticed that Dare was learning how to handle David. The old Dare would’ve tried to delve into all the details that he thought David wanted to know. But David wanted high-level info and trusted Dare to figure out all the rest.

“Give me a number,” David said.

Dare told him, and he noticed Faith flinch. That told David that Darius was trying to pull a fast one and ask for more than he wanted before walking in.

“I’ll authorize half of that for now. If you need more, write up a proposal for Megan, and I’ll release more funds on her okay. Now, tell me about your professor’s deal,” David said.

“He’s building an improved AI, one that can solve human-level problems, not just address specific tasks. He plans to build generative models using deep learning technology, leveraging even larger amounts of data to train an AI system to handle problems that are much greater in scope.

“His goal is to develop the next generation of AIs,” Dare said.

“You said he’s looking for angel investors?” David asked.

“What are those?” Tracy asked.

“An angel investor is a wealthy person who invests his or her own money in a company—usually a start-up in the early stages of development,” Faith explained. “They expect to take ownership positions in the companies they support because their capital is unsecured—they have no claim on the company’s assets.”

“I’ve heard he’s willing to give one percent interest in his company for $10,000,” Dare said.

“Which would entitle you to one percent of the stock when they do their IPO?” David asked.

“I think so.”

“Does he have a written prospectus with the investment details?” David asked.

“I can ask,” Dare said.

“How much do you want to borrow?” David asked.

“Enough to buy ten percent of the company,” Dare said.

“Call him and have him send me the documents. If it is what you say and you believe in this guy, I’d be willing to match your amount,” David said.

David knew that Dare wasn’t someone to risk money unless it was for a kick-ass PC system, drones, or other technology. He also knew the professor was asking for much more than a normal angel investor would be willing to give him. Most times, it maxed out at about $50,000. He suspected the professor planned to raise half a million to get this off the ground.

David wondered why they hadn’t gone a more traditional route and gone to an investment banker.

On the other hand, AI development was an arms race. Whoever could develop something that was able to do human-level thinking would make a fortune. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow could be substantial.

The thing was that his and Dare’s entire investment would be at risk. With that in mind, David would call someone to give him their opinion. The first name that came to mind was Grace Davenport, Brook’s grandmother.

“Now that you’ve gotten everything you wanted, why don’t we run to your favorite taco place and grab lunch?” David suggested. “It’ll allow you to fill Faith in on all you did the last time you were in LA.”

“How about not?” Dare replied.

“I like tacos,” Faith said.

“It’s in a seedy part of town. Maybe we could go somewhere better,” Tracy said, ruining David’s fun.

Dare and his former partner, Corvus, had discovered the hookers that hung out in the alley behind the taco restaurant. Cassidy shared that they went almost daily to … uhm … relieve tension via oral stimulation.

◊◊◊

Phil was kicked back in his room. The incoming freshmen had come to campus early to go through Bo Harrington’s orientation. No other students were currently in the athletic dorm.

Today, he and the rest of the new guys had been introduced to the trainers and the strength and conditioning staff.

They’d first met with Bishop Thorne, the head trainer, and Doctor Liao, the team doctor. Those two were responsible for evaluating, treating, and rehabilitating athletic injuries.

Dr. Liao gave each of them a complete physical. Then Bishop ran Phil and each of his teammates through tests and different gadgets to measure everything about each guy, from height and weight to speed. They videoed each player as they ran and then had them jump on force plates so they could identify any problems.

Phil discovered his left leg and arm were weaker than their counterparts, and his gait was uneven when he ran. Bishop said he would give the strength and conditioning staff that information with recommendations on how to help him improve.

Their next stop was to meet Grady Emmett, the strength and conditioning coach, who introduced them to all the equipment in the weight room.

He then sent them to meet USC’s nutritionist, Chari Wylie. She had an area off to the side that had everything from energy bars to individualized smoothies based on the results of the blood tests Dr. Liao had done. She encouraged them to hydrate before, during, and after workouts.

Phil’s roommate, Ezekiel ‘EZ’ Rodriguez—a local kid who played wideout—stuck his head in the door.

“We have to go back,” EZ said.

“I was just there.”

“Then you can boomerang your way back.”

They’d been trying out Aussie jokes since they had a new Australian punter, Lachlan Fraser. He seemed like a great guy, but he was 23 and acted like he was above it all. The guys had made it their mission to get him to laugh because he said they had childish senses of humor.

“Fuck,” Phil complained.

“You’re supposed to be a leader. Get your ass up and lead,” EZ teased.

“What are we doing?” Phil asked.

“We have to go to the recovery room. I think you know the lady in charge,” EZ said.

Phil moaned. That meant Joey Dawson would get her hands on him. He thought he’d escaped his sister-in-law when she and his brother, Greg, moved to LA. She’d been his high school team’s strength and conditioning coach for two years.

“Whatever she has planned for us, expect pain,” Phil warned.

EZ just laughed as he left to get the rest of the guys.

◊◊◊

They took two cars to the restaurant because Pam and Cassidy wanted to go, too. David had received a message from Crystal that said she and Taylor were at the sorority house and bored, so he invited them as well.

Tracy had called ahead to reserve a large table. David was irritated that she’d used his name because the owner was there and wanted a picture taken of the two of them. They said it would go on the entrance area wall. David saw that other celebrities were featured there, so he let them.

Crystal and Taylor were sniping at each other when they were finally seated.

“Let’s let David decide,” Crystal said.

Taylor glared at her sorority sister and said, “She’s a monster.”

“You look like you’re a short pair of claws away from becoming one yourself,” Dare quipped.

David couldn’t help himself as he laughed. It was easy to forget that the nerdling had a wicked sense of humor. What made it so funny was that the guy had no idea what he was saying half the time.

“I like him,” Taylor announced.

“Give him a few minutes and tell me if that’s still true,” Cassidy said.

“Dare is an equal opportunist when he makes his ‘observations,’” Pam said with air quotes.

“Why is she a monster?” David asked to find out why the girls were arguing.

“She said that since the two of you are no longer dating, I can’t ask you to help with rush,” Taylor said.

“Taylor!” Crystal yelled.

“You said to let him decide,” Taylor fired back.

“You didn’t have to add the part where I’m not dating him anymore.”

“Honey, if you want to borrow him, just let me know,” Tracy said.

David looked at her because he saw Pam’s little grin. Tracy had just opened a can of worms and didn’t realize it. He was just glad she was now the gatekeeper so he wouldn’t have to endure the hassles of girls hitting on him.

“David gave Faith a cream pie today,” Dare announced.

“He did,” Faith said, piling on.

Tracy suddenly understood as the rest of the girls wore big smiles.

“You can all die,” Tracy said.

◊◊◊

David walked into the athletic building with Cassidy to work out when he spotted his former best friend turned nemesis, Alan Douglas.

“Go ahead and get started. I’m going to take a minute and talk to Coach Harrington about Alan,” David said.

“I could just hurt him. I’m sure I could easily take him, even with only one good arm.”

“Let’s save that for now. But if you want to intimidate Alan a bit, feel free,” David said as he went to the coaches’ offices.

He found a familiar face sitting out front.

“Good morning, Miss Farrow. I’d like to speak to Coach Harrington, if I may,” David said formally.

She looked up, and her eyes narrowed.

“Do you have an appointment?” Rachel asked.

“No, ma’am. I was hoping he might have a spare moment …”

“David! Get in here,” Coach Harrington called from his office.

Bo had Chaney Hurst, USC’s new defensive coordinator, and George Rector—who David knew—with him. Coach Rector had been Lincoln High’s defensive coordinator before he left to coach in college. Recently, he’d been at Mississippi State before becoming USC’s secondary coach. David knew Coach Rector had a devious mind because the man had tricked him several times with innovative coverage schemes.

“We were discussing how to test you,” Coach Hurst said.

“Good luck with that,” David said.

“What can I do for you?” Coach Harrington asked.

“Alan Douglas,” David said.

Coach Harrington got a pained expression.

“Tell me he hasn’t done anything.”

“Not yet, but I want to ensure he’s in check,” David said.

“What’s going on?” Coach Hurst asked.

David gave them a general rundown of the shenanigans Alan had pulled in the past. He added that Alan could be a huge asset if pointed in the right direction, which Coach Harrington confirmed.

“He knows not to pull any stunts. If he does, let me know,” Coach Harrington said.

“I want to be clear that I’m fine with Alan if he’s helpful. Just don’t give him any authority over me,” David said.

“I won’t,” Coach Harrington assured David.

“Okay, thanks. I’ll let you three get back to plotting. I hate to say it, but the offense will clean your clocks,” David said as a parting shot.

“I’m going to enjoy taking you down,” Coach Hurst said as he left.

◊◊◊

Chapter 4

The dorms opened, so David packed up his gear and brought it early to avoid the mayhem of new students moving in and the old returning to school. When he arrived, there was already a line for the elevators, so he used the stairs.

He found his room door open and Camilla Sandoval, Alex’s stepmom, walking around with a tablet and taking notes.

“Good to see you, David,” Camilla said as she hugged him in greeting.

“Where’s Alex?”

“Alex and his sister are with their dad, looking at cars. They plan to get something they can share while at school.”

“Then what are you doing?” David asked.

“I’m checking to see if any of the furniture needs to be replaced or if there is anything you need. Alex gave me a list of groceries. Is there anything you want?”

“Let me see his list,” David said.

He chuckled because it mainly consisted of alcohol and junk food. Based on this list, Alex would gain forty pounds this semester.

“Maybe pick up something healthy to snack on,” David said.

“I saw you’re low on Mountain Dew. Did you want me to get you a couple of cases?”

“I don’t know where we’d store it. Besides, I’m cutting back for football. The plan is to win it all this year.”

“You boys and your sports,” Camilla quipped.

David left her to whatever she was doing and dumped his bags on his bed. He’d arranged a meeting with Dare and Coach Harrington, so he bypassed the elevator and took the stairs.

◊◊◊

David had asked Dare to stay an extra day while Faith flew back to Logan International Airport, a few miles from MIT’s campus. David wanted to brainstorm with Dare and Coach Harrington on how they could use the AI to help the team. Cassidy had brought the nerdling to the football building.

She stopped David before they went in.

“I received a call telling me your lease is up on my car.”

David had received a year’s lease from a luxury dealer in his Academy Award gift bag. He’d gotten a Porsche Macan, which Knackers had wrecked. They’d replaced it with a Mercedes that Cassidy could drive with her injured arm.

“I can follow you over, and we can drop it off this afternoon,” David said.

He could read Cassidy like a book and knew she thought he would extend the lease or get her another car. But David had taken what Brook had told him to heart. It wasn’t up to him to do stuff for others just because he could. He knew Cassidy had more than enough money to get a car if she wanted one.

That made him think about the Mustang he’d leased for Pam and Tracy. Pam needed something to get to and from school with. Since she was Coby’s mother and had given him custody, he thought that justified his double standard. It might be time to get them something that all the girls could drive.

“Let me know when you want to go,” Cassidy said and left to work out.

David was directed to one of the coach’s conference rooms, where he found the coaching staff and Alan waiting for him.

“When I heard Darius was coming, I let the entire staff know,” Bo told David, then turned to his staff. “This is Darius Rossetti, one of the guys responsible for the virtual reality training software you’ve all been playing with. I want to hear his ideas about adding AI to the mix.”

“Call me Dare, and this is more David’s idea. I came to him with an educational product, but he thought I could maybe work on this as well,” Dare said.

“I wanted Dare to meet Coach Harrington and brainstorm on what AI might do to help us win games. With everyone here, we should come up with some ideas,” David said.

“In high school, we had this playbook and videos showing the plays. I know the VR software can show us all angles and pick up details that are missed in a regular film session because we can’t see them,” Alan said. “What if the AI could watch the plays and suggest improvements?”

That kicked off a lively discussion. Amy, whose dad owned an NFL team—the Arizona Cardinals—shared what his people used AIs for. David watched as Dare and Alan started to thoughtfully come up with creative uses.

After an hour, Bo leaned over to David and whispered, “Let’s let them work on this. I want to talk to you.”

When they reached his office, Bo said, “I wanted to thank you for hosting the welcome dinner for the new recruits. I’ve talked to Drew about making that a permanently recurring event here at USC. He liked that you involved the players’ families so they could all get to know each other.”

“I could send him the bill for the event,” David said.

“Good luck with that,” Bo said. “But stuff like this will build a winning team. I want to change the culture here at USC.”

“What we need are Every Day Guys,” David said.

Bo perked up.

“I like the sound of that. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“It just popped into my head. What I like about it is that it’s not just about football. It applies to all facets of a student-athlete’s life, be it in the classroom, at home, working out, or in games. The way I see it, being an Every Day Guy is about more than just being a good football player; it’s about being a good teammate,” David said.

“I like that,” Bo said. “I can see us using this to make them accountable and responsible every day to do the job they have to do, no matter what.”

“In my opinion, if they learn to be an Every Day Guy and be accountable, it’ll make them successful not only on the football field but also in life. We have to do our jobs.

“Sometimes, we don’t feel great. Sometimes, we’re drained and want to stop. Even if you just broke up with your girlfriend or crammed all night for a test, your teammates need you to be accountable and responsible for doing your job on those long practice days. Do not let life’s distractions sidetrack you. That, to me, is an Every Day Guy,” David said.

“I’m stealing this. I can see this as the cultural change we need, and down the road, when they leave the program. If they don’t learn anything else, I hope they learn to be an Every Day Guy,” Bo said.

“I like it,” David said. “I also think we should involve the players’ families. We need to win them over, or we’ll have them in our guys’ ears or on social media, causing problems.”

“That sounds like a lot of work,” Bo said.

“Says the man making the big money,” David quipped. “Can I tell you a secret? I turned all my social media stuff over to someone. If I were you, I would put each position coach in charge of building those relationships, allowing you to fill in where needed. Or you could have Rachel or some other staff member help out.”

“Why do you have someone else do it?”

“I try to prioritize what’s important for me to be doing. If I can find someone or some way to streamline or eliminate the time-wasters I have each day, it allows me to focus on what matters. And I’m in no way saying that building relationships with players’ parents is a time-waster. If you win them over, they can be your biggest cheerleader and support the sons they’ve entrusted you with,” David said.

“I’m glad you’re the one who stuck around. I received a call before our meeting that Matt has accepted a scholarship with Penn State.”

“Good for him. I hope they succeed, and we can beat them in the playoffs on our way to a national championship. He needs to know who the better quarterback really is,” David said, joking.

“And then you say shit like that.”

David just shrugged.

“Quick question: how’s Matt’s knee?” David asked.

After the bowl game, Matt had minor surgery. David hadn’t asked Matt directly because if Matt hadn’t brought it up, it was because he didn’t want to discuss it with David.

“He’s good. Still some soreness, but Dr. Liao told me he was good to go.”

“That’s good to hear. And speaking of time-wasters, I need to go work out.”

“I’ll see you Monday,” Bo said, ending their meeting.

David went back to the room where he’d left Dare. Only Dare and Alan were still there, talking.

“I can run you back to the townhouse or lift for an hour,” David said.

“Go work out,” Alan said.

◊◊◊

Cassidy was making steady progress toward getting back into shape. The arm she’d injured was still weaker than her other one, but it, too, was improving.

David found her breathing heavily when he came in.

“I only have an hour. I was thinking about doing sixty minutes of hell. Care to join me?”

“I just worked out,” Cassidy said.