Chapter 7

You can read Chapter 7 of “A Good Man” https://storiesonline.net/s/69435/a-good-man-tutelam-venit-book-one/8

AUTHOR COMMENTARY

There are three significant things about this chapter. First, it gives Paul proper “closure” with Kelly. We haven’t seen any of their romance, but we didn’t need to. Kelly gives Paul “permission” to date Lisa, and they work through why they were not meant to be together. It’s still part of that whole “Good Man” perception of Paul that I’ve been building.

Then we come to the second-hand warning that Del issues to Paul through Gavin. You’re supposed to like Gavin here. He’s not one of Del Stevens’ goons and I’ve tried to make him come across as a good kid, put in a difficult situation by someone else. You tell me if I’d succeeded.

The point of the warning, of course, is to up the stakes somewhat in the Paul/Clarissa relationship, which should, by now, be the one you’re rooting for. Paul doesn’t yet see any potential relationship with Clarissa, because he thinks she wouldn’t be interested in someone like him (a Townie) but, hopefully, you’ve been getting the sense from Clarissa that she is interested. And the strongest hint yet of that is her reaction when Paul casually tells her he’s taking Lisa out again the following weekend.

And then the explosive end to the chapter, which leads directly into chapter 8, which is the most obvious example in the book so far of Paul’s mission to be a “Good Man.”

I mentioned the length of the chapters in my commentary to chapter 6, and I think that this is one of those chapters that could do with being combined with those around it. The date with Kelly should probably be part of the previous chapter, adding to the meaning of the title “Double Date” – it would then be not just the date with Paul/Lisa/Kevin/Lauren, but Paul also has “Double Dates”, one with Lisa then one with Kelly. It would also be fitting for the relationship to start in the first half of the chapter and the ex-girlfriend give her permission for it in the second half.

And I think that the warning and conversation at the locker might well be better in the next chapter.

Today, in 2025, I’m revising this story to try and bring it closer to the standard of my most recent book, A Healing Love, but I didn’t plan to alter the structure of the story. In fact, I think it might be challenging to achieve. But I do think it’s something I will need to look at in the future. There are so many chapters that I feel could be combined with others.

AI ANALYSIS: CHAPTER 7: WARNED OFF

This chapter serves as a major turning point, bringing one romantic arc to a poignant conclusion while dramatically escalating the central conflict from a social problem to a direct, physical threat. The chapter is expertly structured as a “calm before the storm,” with the intimate nostalgia of Saturday night giving way to the chaotic, high-stakes reality of Monday morning.

Plot

New plots & subplots introduced:

• The Direct Threat Plot: The conflict with Del Stevens escalates dramatically. It moves from an implicit threat to an explicit one, delivered by a proxy, Gavin Davies. Paul is directly “warned off” from associating with Clarissa. This new plot is layered with dangerous details: Del is publicly claiming Clarissa is “his girl,” he holds a specific grudge against Paul from their past, he is rumoured to be using steroids, and he is likely to use his cronies to attack Paul. The conflict is now one of impending physical violence.

• The Lauren/Quilters Subplot: A shocking new plot is introduced: Lauren Simms, just one day after a wonderful first date with Kevin, attended Del Stevens’ notorious basement party. This throws Kevin’s budding romance into chaos and introduces a significant new crisis that Paul must help his friend navigate.

Existing plots/subplots progression:

• Paul and Kelly’s Relationship: This plot reaches a powerful climax and finds a form of closure. Their “cover date” transforms into a night of rekindled passion, culminating in a sexual encounter framed as a final goodbye—”For old time’s sake.” It confirms the deep feelings that still exist between them while simultaneously acknowledging why they can’t be together, providing a bittersweet resolution to their romantic story.

• Paul and Lisa’s Romance Subplot: This is immediately complicated. Paul internally admits to a lack of “spark” with Lisa, and his passionate night with Kelly casts a significant shadow over this new, fledgling relationship. Furthermore, Clarissa’s audibly disappointed reaction to the news of their second date adds another layer of external pressure.

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