Chapter 37: Women Troubles

Sunday July 12

It was good to be home, and to sleep in my own bed. I was sick of dorm and hotel beds. You just seem to sleep better at home. I was also happy to see Duke. You would have thought I'd been gone for years by the way he acted when I got home. I would have to a talk with Brit and Precious about what they had done to my poor boy.

As I walked down the stairs to go run, I went through a mental checklist of what I needed to do before I left for my last football camp. I wanted to get the oil changed in both the Charger and the Jeep. I would ask Tami to drive one of the cars to Sullivan's. I'd have them detail the vehicles while they had them.

I saw the grass was out of control in the yard. Wolf could call my Mom or Dad to see if there were any other yard jobs that were needed to be done. My apartment had to be cleaned, and laundry was piled up. I needed a housekeeper. Hang on, that wasn't such a bad idea. But, if I hired someone, Mom would want them to work on her house, too. She would never allow me to get one just for me.

After I stretched I put Duke on his leash, and I began my run. Duke was turning into a good running partner. I mentally kicked myself, because I had forgotten to call Tim and let him know I was back. I'd made a commitment to run with him. Well, it was too late, now. I was glad in a way, because I wanted to think. Specifically, I had to think about Tami.

Our relationship was too much of a roller coaster for me. In the last year we had gone from best friends who planned to someday marry; to being so mad at each other we took a nine month break; to should we be friends?; to jumping into bed: to me loving her again: to, I don't know what! I needed a scorecard to keep it all straight. I knew if I asked my uncle he would make some smart comment about us being teenagers. Sometimes I wished I was as old and decrepit as he was.

The whole let's be friends until we get out of college, and then get married sounded too much like I'll hang on to you until I find someone better. Some things just didn't add up. Tami sometimes thinks I don't listen, or pay attention. I do. What didn't add up was our sex the last time we were together. The way she used her internal muscles to massage my member had to be done by someone who had more experience than she was letting on.

The problem was I couldn't prove it. Tami would become a doctor after all. She knew about the human body, and how it worked. Tami was also very smart. It was possible she learned it herself. But how would she know it would make me feel so good if she hadn't been doing it to others. She had to have had a lover who taught it to her; and, from everything I heard about Simon, I didn't think he was the kind of person to teach her. I got the impression he would just be worried about himself. Then again, who knew? Gawd!

If Simon hadn't taught her, who had? Tami broke up with me almost a year ago, which had laid the groundwork for me to be more jaded. Some other events had contributed. When Devin had broken his trust with me with Nancy, it had been a big first step. Then Peggy went off with Mitch, and promptly got herself pregnant, after holding me off for the whole time we dated. Finally, there was Harper and her old flame. I simply was not ready to accept things at face value, anymore. Something in the back of my mind told me more had happened in the UK than I knew.

I honestly didn't know if I wanted to know. What I did know, was I needed to figure out what I felt for Tami. I wouldn't be held hostage for years to come with the possibility that maybe, someday, we would get together. The way she acted the other night with the receivers told me she wasn't planning on being celibate over the next few years. I needed to wrap my head around the possibility we were through as a romantic couple.

The question then became what kind of friends would we be? I no longer needed her help to make decisions, nor did I want it. What I really wanted was us to be the kind of friends who could count on each other, and be happy to see the other happy. I didn't want to be the guy who couldn't see Tami in a relationship with someone else. If she liked the guy, fine. I didn't want the specter of some nebulous possible relationship in the future ruining my current relationships, either. I had gone through that with too many girlfriends. I didn't want them to worry what would happen if Tami came swooping in, and stole me away from them.

Tami had her chance with me. I had offered myself to her twice, with no reservations, over the last year. She had turned me down both times. I wasn't sure there would be a third offer. Who knew? Maybe we would eventually hook up and get married. I could marry Beth and be very happy. I was sure if I looked around their might be other options in my future.

As I came up the block to finish my run, I knew I had to have a serious talk with my friend. I wasn't sure how she would take the news that I wasn't going to put my life on hold, in the hopes of a maybe. It wasn't fair to her, either, really.

Mom and I went to church. When we came back, Greg and Angie were making brunch. Today was all about pancakes. Kyle and Mack must have figured into what we were going to eat, because they loved them. After we ate, I went up to my apartment to sort out my laundry. Angie scared me to death when she walked into my bedroom. My guard dog was worthless. He just let his tail thump on the floor when he opened his eye from his nap and saw her.

"Come out and talk to me. I haven't seen you since the wedding," Angie said.

We sat on the couch and she put her feet in my lap. I think she missed the foot massages I gave while she was pregnant.

"Why don't you have my brother do this for you?" I asked.

"He complains it's too much like work."

I could understand that. He was giving massages to earn a living. Who would want to bring their work home with them? I was betting Angie paid in other ways, so my brother was an idiot.

"How was your week?" I asked.

"Good. I enjoyed some alone time, but with the three little ones, it was good to have Greg come home. He took them to the park, so they could feed the ducks."

"I'll watch them for you when I get back next week, so you two can have some time alone. I could ask Tracy if she would lend you her parents' lake house if you wanted to get away for a day or two," I offered.

"Thanks. I'll talk to Greg and see when we can get away."

I focused on massaging her feet and we got quiet.

"I think Tami and I are done with our romantic interest," I blurted out.

"I'm sorry to hear that. What happened?"

I spent the next half hour talking to my sister-in-law about it. When I finally ran out of words, she got thoughtful.

"Don't get me wrong, I like Tami. I just never understood why you were so in love with her. You're so young, and I never got the impression you wanted to settle down. You could pretty much have any girl you wanted. I just didn't get what was so special about her."

"I had always thought we would get married. To me, she was perfect. Smart, independent, athletic, and she got me. There are just people who you click with, and you just know. She was mine, and I thought I was hers."

"I guess. I know you two are great friends. I just think you can do better. Heck, I heard Kate Upton and her baseball boyfriend were breaking up," Angie said.

"What?" I said perking up.

She started laughing. She had gotten me good.

"If Kate walked in the door and wanted to get married, would you think twice about it?" Angie asked.

"Kate Upton is a fantasy. She would never be the woman I have pictured in my mind. But dang it, I could overlook a lot," I said with a grin.

"I bet you could," she said and then got serious. "I'm proud of you for recognizing the promise of a future commitment for the trap that it is. If Tami can't figure out what she is giving up, she is a fool. Even if it didn't last forever, you embrace love. You don't get many chances in your life to find the one who you will spend the rest of your life with. If she can't see that, then she doesn't deserve you." Angie said.

I thought about it for a moment, and then she continued.

"David, honestly, you have no business dating anyone. High school is about learning how to interact with the opposite sex. People date to get to know each other enough to have sex. You don't have to date to have sex. I bet you could make one phone call, and go get laid this afternoon."

I scoffed. I think she thought too much of my abilities to attract women. She got an evil look in her eyes.

"Give me your phone," she ordered.

"Look," I started.

"I need to prove a point. Go get it."

I got my phone and handed it to her. She scrolled through my contacts.

"When she answers I want you to say 'Hey, I'm horny'," Angie said.

She handed me the phone and I heard it ringing.

"Hello?"

I recognized Pam's voice.

"Hey, I'm horny," I said.

"Funny you should say that. My parents are gone for the afternoon, and I've missed you, too."

"I'll be over, shortly," I said, and hung up.

I looked at my phone, and shook my head.

"David, you're too nice of a guy sometimes. You need to go a little crazy and have some fun. I could have picked almost anyone on your contact list and you would have gotten the same response. They all know it is just sex. Right now that is exactly what you need."

I couldn't argue with her. The sexual marathon I had with Sarah after I broke up with Harper helped. I was sure Pam would help me start to get over Tami. I went in and grabbed several condoms and then gave Angie a kiss goodbye.

Pam met me at the front door and then led me to the basement. I loved how she dressed when she was at home. She had on a pair of cutoff jeans that barely covered her little ass, and a bikini top. I felt a bulge developing in my shorts. Pam noticed before we got downstairs.

"I see someone is horny," she said, as I pulled her into my arms, so I could kiss her.

"I missed you."

"Go sit on the couch. I'm going to turn on some mood music, and get us a couple of Mt. Dews."

I sat down and Pam went behind the bar and found the sodas in the bar fridge. She then turned on the stereo. She made a point of swaying her hips as she walked towards me. Fuck it! I stood up and got naked. I needed to get laid and now. Pam smiled at me and I helped her get undressed. I noticed someone didn't have any tan lines.

I gave her a fierce kiss and then put on a condom.

"Get on the couch and lean over the back," I told her.

She was on her knees and presented me her magnificent backside. I got on my knees on the floor and she was just the right height for me to bury my face between her legs. I took a deep breath to inhale her arousal. I immediately went to work to get her wet enough to handle my throbbing desire.

"Oh baby, right there. Yes. Lick me! YESSS," Pam hissed.

I sunk two fingers between her folds and found her entrance. I slowly pushed into her depths. When I felt she was ready, I stood up and rubbed the head of my dick up and down her aroused sex. When I found her opening, I pressed forward, and felt her stretch around my member as I filled her.

"I love your cock. Fuck me," she ordered.

I grabbed her hips and guided my cock in and out of her. I heard myself moan with pleasure. Pam was one of the sexiest women I knew, and we were good at this. We both enjoyed what the other had to offer. Soon I wasn't sure who was fucking who. We were going at it like two crazed rabbits. My stomach slapped her ass as we came together in rapid-fire motion.

I felt my balls tighten.

"I'm coming!" I bellowed.

That is when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I saw the fist swinging at my head, and I did my best to roll with it. Cal clipped my ear and it hurt like a son-of-a-gun.

"Fuck!" I cried out.

"DADDY!" Pam yelled.

"CAL, STOP!" Lacy joined in.

If there wasn't murder in Cal's eyes, the scene might have been humorous. There I was naked with a slick condom on my throbbing dick as I finished cumming. Cal wasn't to be deterred. He was going to kick my ass. I didn't want to hurt him, but I wasn't going to let him injure me. He charged me. Luckily, he had no idea how to fight. I took him down, and then put him on an arm bar to keep him from continuing.

"DAVID!" both Lacy and Pam screamed.

"I'm not hurting him," I assured them.

Cal was incoherent he was so mad. I would be too if I walked in on my daughter having sex.

"Lacy, please take Pam upstairs. Cal and I need to talk."

I think it sank in that Pam was naked. She ran upstairs followed by her mom. Cal was still trying to get away.

"Sir, if I let you go will you promise not to try and hit me?" I asked.

"Fuck no! I am going to kick your ass!"

At least he was honest. My parents listened to classic rock, so I was aware of some of them. I particularly liked AC/DC and Bob Seger. The song that jumped into my head was by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Give Me Three Steps. In the song, a young guy flirts with a girl in a bar. Her boyfriend shows up, and takes exception. The young guy, fearing for his life, begs for just three steps towards the door. I chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Cal asked.

I told him about the song I was thinking of. He calmed down some.

"I promise to not hit you. Now let me up."

I quickly pulled my boxers and shorts on, not letting my eyes leave him. I left the condom on for now. I didn't think he needed to see me take it off. I didn't put my shirt on because I didn't want to get punched when I couldn't see him. It was obvious he wasn't going to give me three steps, because he had the route to the stairs blocked.

"Sit down," he ordered.

I backed up the couch and sat. I didn't think he was going to attack me at the moment.

"How long has this been going on?" he asked.

"Today? Or how long have we been having sex?" I asked.

I swear I wasn't trying to be a smart ass. I was trying to answer the man's question. I saw his eyes cloud over, so I answered quickly.

"Since last fall."

"Do you love her?"

"No, sir. We get together to have fun. We are just good friends," I said and hoped he took the news well. "I do like her a lot."

"I have half a mind to forbid you from ever seeing her again."

"Sir, the one thing I do know is you would never win that one. At least I have never been able to order a teenage girl into doing something she didn't want to do," I clarified.

"Come to think of it, me neither. That doesn't mean there won't be some form of punishment."

"May I make a suggestion? Call my Mom. She is pretty good at making me pay for my sins."

Cal smiled for the first time. He knew I was right.

That was how I found myself sitting at Pam's dining room table with her and her parents and my parents. My mom had an amused look on her face. Dad was more serious. I knew my mom had talked more than one parent off the ledge when Greg had been caught. This was my first experience of being caught in the actual act. Beth had been worse. We were worried about her being pregnant.

Lacy had gotten me a bag of ice so I could put it on my ear. Pam wasn't able to look anyone in the eye. I waited patiently while Cal gathered his thoughts.

"We came home earlier today to what sounded like my daughter being assaulted. We found this one," Cal said as he pointed at me, "doing unspeakable acts to my innocent daughter."

My Mom raised her eyebrows.

"That's my story, and I'm sticking to it," Cal mumbled.

"Pam, did David force you?" Mom asked.

"No," she almost whispered her answer.

"Did David hurt you?" Mom asked.

Pam wouldn't look up, but she shook her head 'no.'

"So it was consensual?" Mom asked.

She nodded 'yes.'

"If we told you to stop, would you?"

Pam peeked at her parents, then dropped her head and shook it 'no.'

"How about you, young man?" Mom asked.

"If you told me not to, I would follow your wishes."

"Good enough for me," Cal said.

"I didn't tell him not to," my Mom clarified for Cal.

"What?" Cal asked confused. "He just said if we asked him to, he wouldn't see her again."

"No, he said if I, meaning me, asked him not to he would stop."

"So, tell him," Cal demanded.

Mom ignored Cal.

"Pam, you need to tell everyone what you want."

"Daddy, David has never done anything I didn't want him to do. I was the one who initiated things with him. He has only been the best with me. I never feel pressured, and he never talks about what we do."

"Cal, you and I need to talk," Lacy said. "Thank you for stopping by. David, please don't see my daughter until we have had a chance to work this out."

"Yes, ma'am."

When I got home, Mom marched me into the office and closed the door.

"David, I thought you were smarter than that. You could have gotten yourself hurt. Even worse, you could have hurt Cal. What were you thinking?" she asked and then stopped herself and said, "No, don't answer that."

I couldn't help myself. I let a little smile touched my eyes. She saw it of course.

"This is not funny. Cal could have shot you dead, and claimed he thought you were raping his daughter."

That sobered me up in a hurry.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"I'm not stupid enough to tell you not to have sex with her. I couldn't stop her from seducing you if I wanted to. You say you could abstain, but I know men. What I am going to tell you is to bring her back to your place from now on. You don't need to rub it in Cal's face."

"Yes ma'am."

"Now for your punishment. You have to give up the Charger for a week."

"I was planning on getting the oil changed, and having it detailed tomorrow," I said.

I bit my lower lip. My Mom had given me a gift, because I was would be gone most of the week when I went to football camp in Houston.

"I could have Tami drive it," I uttered.

"Tell Tami to come over today. She can take the Charger for the week," Mom said.

Something was fishy, but I was in no position to question my Mom, and she knew it.

Tami came over for dinner. Mom made a big production as she handed my keys over to her. Angie was dying to know why I was in trouble. Luckily, Mom was not talking. If Mom wasn't talking, neither Dad nor I would, either.

Tami was in the dark also, so after dinner I was hustled up to my apartment. Angie and she made eye contact. I could tell they were sending her on a mission. Tami was eager to get some salacious scoop when I floored her.

"Can we talk?" I asked.

I almost laughed out loud because of the deer in the headlights look I got from her. It was good to know those words had the same effect on women as it had on men. She finally got control of her emotions and looked me in the eye.

"I am sorry I ever used that line on you. It really does suck," she admitted.

"Yes. It is, off-putting."

"That would be the word. So what did you want to talk to me about, and if you say us I will punch you."

"Funny you should mention that. You wouldn't be the first person to punch me today."

"Oh, do tell," she prodded.

"First I want to talk about us. FUCK!" I exclaimed as she punched me in the chest.

"Shut up you big baby. If you say it's you and not me I will call Cassidy and have her beat the crap out of you," Tami warned me.

"Well, FUCK!" I exclaimed as she punched me again.

I had forgotten how hard she could punch. Being a tomboy, she had picked up some bad habits as a kid.

"Spill it," she said.

She acted as if she would punch me again when I hesitated. She laughed, when I flinched. When we were kids, she always got away with this shit because she knew I wouldn't hit a girl. What absolutely floored her was when little Alan punched her back.

"You keep it up, and I'll put you over my knee," I warned her.

She knew I was serious about that. I might not punch her back, but I would paddle her ass. She raised her eyebrows like she was daring me to do it.

"You're not ten years old anymore, but that doesn't mean I won't do it," I said.

She tousled my hair.

"Tell me why you are breaking up with me."

"I'm not breaking up with you. I hope we are friends for the rest of our lives. I just wanted you to know I am not going to put any conditions on our friendship. You can date whomever you want. So if you decide to go after Mike, I wish you the best."

She looked at me hard trying to figure out what I was telling her.

"But," she prodded.

"There is no but. I just realized I was trying to tell you what you could or couldn't do. If I really loved you, I wouldn't do that to you."

"But," she tried again.

"There is no but," I said and then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I admit when I saw you flirting with those football players I felt a pang of jealousy. It got me thinking. Did I want to be the guy who couldn't stand to see his friend happy? So I decided it was best to stop dancing around us and fully commit. I want you to be my friend. I can't be your friend and say I will only be your friend if you don't date x, y, or z. I also can't be your friend if I say you have to commit to me at some point down the road," I said.

"Don't you love me?" she asked.

"Sometimes I can't understand you, nor do I understand why you even have to ask that question. Have I ever stopped loving you?"

"No."

"I am giving you everything you have ever wanted. For me to be your friend, your best friend, and your freedom from any romantic entanglements I might cause by placing a claim on you. If in five, ten, fifteen years if we find ourselves free, we can explore becoming more. Until that time, I want only the best for you, and your happiness."

"So, what exactly are you saying?"

"I don't understand what you mean," I said.

"Are you saying you have no interest in me beyond friendship?"

"I never said that. What I said was I want to be your friend first. I offered you more, but we agreed we are not ready for more than friendship. I would rather be your friend than a part-time lover, and we mess everything up. I'm saying I agree with you."

"I guess that will work," she conceded.

I got up, and Tami stood too. I guided her towards the stairs. When we got the bottom, I touched her arm to stop her.

"I have two questions. Why did you need my car this week?"

"I'm driving up to pick up your grandma. They are signing the papers for the farm."

"That reminds me, we have to get the oil changed on the Charger. I need your help because I want to take the Jeep in at the same time."

"Sure," Tami said.

"The second one really isn't a question, but more of a suggestion. When you're ready, I am willing to hear about your other guy in the UK."

Her reaction was enough to confirm my suspicions. I just closed the door and went back to my room. I still had laundry to do.

Monday July 13

I called Tim last night so he was there when I came down to run. He was talking to my dad and Wolf. Wolf would do our yard work. I was right, my parents had a list of things they wanted done. This was one of the benefits of having money, which I embraced. I didn't miss having to take care of the yard.

I also talked to my Mom and Angie about getting someone to come in once a week to clean and do laundry. I made them both so happy I think I could have gotten my car back if I'd asked. Angie said she had a couple of girls who she was working with at her non-profit who could use the work. I told them I wanted to make sure everything was done correctly. That meant hiring them through my company, and getting a background check. I was worried they might be dog haters, was what I told them. I was really worried they might like little kids too much. You just never knew.

When Tim and I got back, we went to school to lift. Word had beaten me back. I told the guys we would go to Monical's tomorrow for lunch, my treat.

Everything was cool until we went out to practice plays with Alan. We had scouts and recruiters on the sidelines. I grabbed one of the freshmen.

"Go get Coach Hope," I told him.

I was happy to see Tami showed up. I pulled her and Alan together for a quick talk.

"I'm not sure what the rules are. I think we need to talk to coach before we run any practices," I said.

I saw Jeff Delahey, the local sports reporter, coming over.

"Elite 11 MVP, top quarterback in the nation, what's next?" Jeff asked.

"Another State Championship would be nice," Tami said.

"I like how she thinks," I said with a smile.

"Have time for an interview?"

"What were you thinking?"

"I would like to do a full length piece. It would take about an hour."

Coach Hope walked up.

"Hey, Jeff, did you get lost?"

"No, I was going to see if I could get David to do his aw shucks, I owe it all to clean living, and I'm just lucky to be here routine."

"Why do you need to interview me? Sounds like it writes itself," I teased him.

"He is just setting you up. He's going to pull out his hard hitting investigative abilities, and get you to cry," Alan said.

Yeah, right. Jeff was a good reporter, but I never felt like he ambushed anybody.

"What are the NCAA rules about the college coaches being here?" Coach Hope asked.

There was a calendar, which told you when certain recruiting activities could occur. It was a little confusing, because they give things goof names like Quiet Period. You would assume by the name that it meant no talking. During the Quiet Period, recruits were allowed on campus visits, and during portions of it, the coaches could make one in-person off-campus visit. June through July was considered a Quiet Period.

Of course, there was a Dead Period sandwiched in there somewhere. I needed to get my NCAA Handbook out and actually read it.

"I'll bet if you went over and asked them, they would know," I suggested.

Tami and Alan had to look away, or they would have laughed. Coach Hope gave me a look that promised bodily harm. He didn't say a word. He went and talked to them. He came back with the information he needed.

"Great! They all want to talk to me, and get game film. Alan did you load the video from David's camps yet?"

Bo had shot video over the summer, and Coach was asking if it was available yet.

"I'll have it up by the end of the day," Alan assured him.

We went ahead and practiced on our own. Alan accused me of goofing off and sent me to run a lap. He was lucky we weren't alone. I couldn't undermine his authority, or none of the guys would listen to him. I assumed he did it to prove he was in charge.

I just said, "Yes, Coach," and took my lap.

After we were done, I sat down with Jeff. Tami had been on the ball (again), and had called Kendal and asked Coach Hope to join us. It was smart to have them there. Kendal reminded me I should have her there for all my interviews.

I told Jeff about all the camps I went to and how the guys had rallied behind me and helped me prepare. I followed Tami's advice and refrained from saying I too much. I made it clear it was a team effort. Jeff rolled his eyes at me, but there was a reason I did the whole aw shucks routine, people loved it. They didn't want their sports heroes to be chest-popping douche bags. They wanted someone they could trust to be a good role model for their kids.

Jeff did have one piece of new information he was going to be able to break: my offer from Oregon. I told him I had a great visit. I didn't mention the mix up, because I didn't want to burn any bridges.

Tami and I went to get the cars serviced. She made a point of holding my hand while we waited and talked. I think she was feeling a little unsure about what I meant about friends, and wanted to remind me she loved me.

While I waited, I got a call from Pam.

"How's your ear?" she asked.

"Fine. Is your dad still looking to cut my nuts off?"

"Nope, he is sending mom and me on vacation. Said it was a surprise he had been saving, but I know it is to get me out of town."

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"We get to visit Cora in Utah, and then the three of us are going to Southern California. I don't get back until school starts."

"I'm going to miss you. Make the best of it. Devin's ranch is beautiful, and you will find things to do. I'm sure it will be good to see your friends."

"I don't know about the friends part. My ex-bestfriend who is still dating my ex-boyfriend are not high on the list of people I want to visit," she said.

"When are you leaving, maybe we could get together," I suggested.