Chapter 12: It’s Been Three Years...

Saturday October 8
“Good morning, sleepy head.”

Bandit blinked at me and then stretched. The poor kitty had been tuckered out after his flight yesterday.

“Your mama should be here shortly to pick you up.”

He got up and rubbed himself against me as he purred. He wanted his chest rubbed, which I obliged. For a cat, Bandit was okay. There was a knock at the door, and Bandit’s head cocked as he tried to figure out where the noise came from. Then he bounded off the bed for the door and began to meow and pace. I grabbed my shorts and put them on.

“I’m hurrying,” I told him as he gave me a baleful look.

I opened the door to find Halle James on the other side with Flo, her security. Halle bent over, and Bandit jumped into her arms. While they were getting reacquainted, I invited Flo in.

“Good to see you,” she said as she checked me out.

I felt a little embarrassed, so I grabbed one of the robes the hotel offers its guests and put it on. I heard the key card reader chirp, and Brook wandered in. An unhappy Bandit was handed to me as Brook and Halle hugged each other. I tossed him on the bed and went to the bathroom to get ready, giving the girls time to catch up.

I came out wearing only a towel.

“We’re going to a party tonight,” Brook announced.

“That’s nice,” I offered as I dug in my suitcase for underwear.

I used the trick I’d learned at the beach and put them on under my towel.

“That was disappointing,” Halle complained.

“I’ve been training him,” Brook replied.

I didn’t think she appreciated the snort I’d made, so I changed the subject.

“Who’s having a party?” I asked.

“I ran into Zak Verwood eating lunch at Spago with Tanya Bishop. I told them you were coming to town for a recruiting trip and he decided that he needed to throw you a party,” Halle explained.

Zak and Tanya had both been in our movie The Secret Circle. I was more than a little nervous about taking Brook and Halle to a party Zak threw. The last time I’d been at his house, it had turned into an orgy, and Sage and I’d left early. She’d broken up with Bill because he’d let it slip that he’d been hooking up with girls on game weekends, and it was evident he’d slept with Ridge’s girlfriend Penny.

The LA lifestyle rushed back to me in that instant. It would be easy to fall back into the casual sex and nonstop parties. I was a little worried I might slip back into that mode if I were surrounded by Zak and his friends.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I asked.

“I’m sure Brook and I’ll be good. I think the real question is whether she has you domesticated or not?” Halle teased.

I ignored the barb and got dressed. It sounded like I was going to an LA party tonight. God help me!

The hotel had a pretty good breakfast buffet. I found Mom and Dad eating with Cindy, Dean Lloyd, Professor Donaldson, Professor Katz, and a few of Cindy’s classmates. Mom had been in touch with Cindy about the planned renovations on my new house. The team was here this weekend to assess what was possible.

“Oh, my God! It’s Halle James,” one of the students said.

I sometimes forgot what a star she was. If being the daughter of Rita James wasn’t enough, she’d been in Star Academy, The Secret Circle, and was now filming Love Letters. The press loved her, and she was now a regular on all the TV gossip shows. Frank, with Rita’s permission, had done his magic and was beginning to make her a household name. I could see her becoming our generation’s Drew Barrymore if she got a few more leading roles under her belt.

Whatever conversation my parents were having with the Ohio State contingent was soon forgotten. I decided to get in line for the buffet and left Halle to fend for herself. Brook and I found a table and began to eat while Halle dealt with her fans.

“Do you miss her?” Brook asked.

“Yeah, I do, but luckily, I have you to make me forget,” I said, winking at her.

“Nice save,” she said. “Halle and I keep in touch. She misses you something fierce.”

Every guy knows that when talking to your current girlfriend, you don’t want to make it obvious that you still have the hots for an ex. In fact, the best approach was to make sure you didn’t give even a hint of your desire if you wished to survive the conversation with all your body parts intact. But damn, Halle looked good.

She and I’d taken things slowly and gotten to know each other before we took it to the next level. I had to be honest with myself, seeing her dredged up some feelings I thought I’d put behind me. I couldn’t honestly say that I wouldn’t have picked her over Brook if she’d stayed in Lincoln.

Now that I’d been dating Brook, I knew that I’d made the right choice. Brook had worked her way into my heart, and I felt like we were both all-in on this. There was no way I wanted to jeopardize what we had just because I liked Halle.

“She’s a great girl and good friend,” I said neutrally.

“You ever think you might want to be with her?”

I raised one eyebrow because we had just ventured into dangerous waters. I guess that Brook felt a little insecure with Halle James across the room.

“I’m a guy,” I deflected. “The truth is that Halle will always hold a special place in my heart, and I’ve even thought about what it would be like to be with her again. But it’s always you that I come back to. I would never give you up for anyone else. I love you, Brook Davis.”

I was surprised when I saw a tear form and Brook gave me a tight smile.

“I love you too.”

Halle finally broke free and got herself something to eat.

“I’d forgotten you bought a house here. Your mom says they’re going to remodel it with Cindy’s help,” Halle said.

“It’s in the Serra Retreat gated community in Malibu, across the highway from the one that Zak’s house is in,” I shared.

“That must have cost an arm and a leg. I’ve been looking for something of my own, and I’ve looked in there. You must be making a lot more money than I am,” she teased.

“I bought it from Craig Wild’s estate. The place looks like a showplace from a 1960s sitcom. It needs a lot of updating,” I admitted.

“You and Cindy were friends,” Halle stated.

“Yes, yes we were.”

“You should invite her to the party tonight. Actually, Zak said you could invite whoever you wanted.”

I thought about everyone I knew in LA and decided to send out text invitations. I got busy while Halle and Brook talked about Halle’s new movie. I was half-listening when I heard Halle say something that made me concerned.

“ ... and then Zander groped me on set.”

“What happened?” I asked, fully engaged now.

“My costar, Zander Lewis, cornered me in my trailer and tried to force himself on me. Ever since then, the chemistry on set has been terrible. As you would guess, there are a bunch of scenes where we have to act like we’re in love. I can’t get what he did out of my head, and it’s affecting my performance,” Halle shared.

“Has Zander tried anything else?” I asked.

“Yeah. He’s a lot like Zak, but not in a good way.”

“What do you mean?” Brook asked.

“Zak is an unapologetic pussy-hound, but he’s harmless. Zander is the embodiment of the worst stereotypical Hollywood type. He thinks just because he’s a movie star that women should fall at his feet. If they don’t, well, let’s just say he can be persuasive. Zander’s a favorite of several of the big executives. I know for a fact that he derailed one girl’s career. She hasn’t worked since she turned him down,” Halle admitted.

“You’re not thinking...” Brook started.

“No. I am Rita James’s daughter. If I weren’t, I would probably have to, though.”

“Jesus,” I swore.

“The problem is that if you say anything, they all circle the wagons and freeze you out. It’s not like a regular job where you can just quit and work somewhere else. If I get a reputation for complaining about sexual misconduct, I might never work again.”

“Have you talked to your mom?” I asked.

“No. Mom’s preparing for a role, and I don’t want to distract her with this.”

“You need leverage and support,” I said. “Are you at least videoing everything?”

“No. I told Fritz I didn’t want my life captured 24/7. I guess I need to,” Halle admitted.

“Fritz is a good start. He and his team have to be told that you’re in danger. He hates stuff like this and will do whatever it takes to keep you from having to worry about this guy. Why don’t you talk to Kent, Frank, and Ari? Between the three of them, they should be able to give you advice,” I suggested.

Kent was her manager, Frank her publicist, and Ari her agent. They all had a vested interest in making this work out. Plus, they knew the darker side of the business and how to navigate it.

“I was just going to suggest that you kick his ass for me,” Halle said.

That would have been my solution too, but I’d learned a thing or two over the last year.

“That is an option, and I’d be more than happy to do it for you,” I said in all seriousness.

“Too bad Cassidy isn’t with us,” Brook said.

“That’s true. Not too many guys want to admit it when a girl kicks their butt,” I said.

“Let me think about it. I also wanted to warn you that Zander will be at the party tonight,” Halle said.

I said a little prayer that he would do something in front of me. I went back to sending out text messages.

USC knew what they were doing. My old teammate, Bill Callaway, was our chaperone and everyone was happy to see him.

“Nice. I see you got us invites to a Hollywood party,” Bill said.

“Malibu, actually,” I corrected.

“What’s that all about, anyway?” Wolf asked.

“Zak was one of the actors in The Secret Circle with Halle and me. I guess he ran into Halle and she told him I was in town this weekend. If I know Zak, he’s throwing the party to attract women.”

“Why do you say that?” Brook asked.

They all laughed at me. I took their good-natured ribbing in stride. The guys were all jealous when I told them about the porn-star party I’d been invited to and how he’d finagled an invite on my coattails. I also explained to Tim and Wolf how Zak was a player, not just a wannabe. He was always on the lookout for his next conquest.

I then told them the not-so-funny story of how he’d worked another invite to go on a yacht with me when they wanted me to sign early for the next two Star Academy movies. His wandering eye had almost gotten his butt beat when he let it slip that he’d slept with the girlfriend of one of my costars in Star Academy. They thought it was humorous that I’d invited said boyfriend, Ben Cowley, to tonight’s party.

“What would make it even better would be if you invited the girlfriend,” Tim said. “Then we could sit back and wait for the fight to break out.”

“I’m not sure I have Isabel Alexandra’s phone number,” I admitted.

“You’re talking about the babe from the Baywatch movie?” Bill asked, and I nodded. “Dude! You have to come to USC. I totally get why Zak wanted to have a party in your honor.”

“She did look good in her bikini,” I admitted.

That was when I was reminded that I already had a girlfriend. Going to USC might not be the best for my long-term relationship with Brook. I thought about it for a minute and decided she might as well get over it. She knew how I felt about her. That was why I sent a text to Ari. If anyone could get Isabel’s number for me, it was him.

“And you’re fine if Ridge and I invite some of our teammates?” Bill asked.

“Just don’t overdo it. We might want Zak to invite us to more parties in the future,” I suggested.

I saw my dad motion for us to get back with the group. We were ready to see USC’s football facility, the John McKay Center.

It seemed that all the top football programs we had visited had new football facilities. Ohio State had spent a $100 million on theirs. Clemson and USC had each managed to keep theirs to only $70 million. This one was 110,000 square feet of football heaven. There was no doubt that boosters were pouring money into these top programs, and a new football facility was part of the arms race to attract the top recruits.

USC had taken a technology slant with their building. I think everywhere you turned there was a video screen that I wouldn’t mind playing some Xbox on. It didn’t stop in the public areas. In the locker room, each locker had its own video screen.

While all that was nice, they’d seriously thought out the building. The weight room was ginormous. Then there was the ... wait for it ... underground practice field. I mean, seriously. We were in frickin’ Southern California. When would you ever want to be inside to play football? I guess it gets hot in the summer, but underground?

By the time Bill had finished showing us the facilities, we could check that off our list as being acceptable.

Our next stop was to talk to the academic advisors. I remembered that USC was a private school. They wanted us to know precisely what our scholarship would cover. Tuition was $51,442 plus a fee of $841. Room and board totaled an additional $14,348 per academic year. Students electing to live off campus elsewhere in Los Angeles were advised they’d have to budget at least that amount. The list went on from there, with guesstimates for books and other living expenses. Bottom line, we could expect the bill to be $69,711 per year. By the time we would graduate, they figure it would be closer to $100,000 per year.

This was 92% more expensive than the national-average private nonprofit four-year college tuition. The scary part was that their acceptance rate was only 17%. I hated to think how much the average student would be in debt by the time they graduated. For $70,000 per year, I’d better learn something, or I would have to face my mom.

Of course, I already knew that USC was a top-notch university. Their strength was in business-related degrees, and they also were heavy in the arts. This was, of course, what you would expect from a school that was just miles from Hollywood.

We then broke up our groups to talk to academic advisors one-on-one. Tim was a little overwhelmed when he discovered that their Bachelor of Architecture was a five-year degree. Wolf and I found that USC ranked in the top 10 in marketing, international business, accounting, entrepreneurship, and real estate. They had a dramatic arts program for acting and for everything technical surrounding that.

Our parents were satisfied that we would be fine academically. Another box checked.

We’d split off from the other recruits so Bill could give a private tour of the campus. Being from our hometown, he knew what would interest us and was able to explain how he’d adjusted to the move to a big city.

“At first, it was a little overwhelming. It’s much more diverse, and people don’t seem to have the same values that we’re used to. It’s much more a ‘me first’ attitude. A good example is when someone breaks down on the highway. Everyone’ll slow down to see what’s going on, but they won’t stop to help. That is unless they think they’ll get something out of it.

“The first month I was here, Ridge and I were headed somewhere and had to take the highway. I saw a woman who looked to be about my mom’s age pulled over on the side. Ridge thought I was crazy for wanting to stop. All I could think of was that back home I wouldn’t think twice about it. Ridge was worried she would think we were trying to rob her or something.

“One thing I like is that it’s much more diverse. I’m starting to have a thing for Asian girls,” he admitted.

Several inappropriate comments were made in fun. My mom shut that down, but we all knew we shouldn’t have been making fun anyways. We were in the land of the politically correct, plus we knew it was just wrong. I thought about it as we toured the campus. It wasn’t that I was thinking in racist terms, but I could see how it could be hurtful if viewed from a different perspective. I vowed to do better.

I’d never thought of people being different because of race. To my mind, people differed because of their personal experiences. Just like Wolf had felt the store clerk was profiling him, I reacted differently because of who I was. We each would bring our own life experience to the table, but the bottom line was that we shouldn’t judge someone solely on their ethnicity. I couldn’t lie, though: I thought Asian women were hot, too.

USC is in the heart of LA and has two primary campuses situated on 249 acres. The second campus was just a couple of miles away, and it was where they had their Health Sciences campus, home to the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the School of Pharmacy, as well as three major teaching hospitals. If you didn’t know you were in the middle of LA, you wouldn’t even sense it. It was like the other campuses I’d been on: large green areas and students either going about their business or goofing off.

Bill said that some areas close to campus were a little sketchy, but if you paid attention and didn’t do anything stupid, you should be okay. He liked that you could find just about anything you wanted without having to travel for miles to get it.

After the tour, he had to go get ready for the game. USC was playing Colorado today, a team they hadn’t lost to in the last ten years. Today might be a different story, though. Colorado came in ranked number 21 and USC was 2–3. The Trojans had started the year with a game against Alabama (number 1) and gotten the stuffing kicked out of them 52–6. They also lost to Stanford (number 7) and Utah (number 24). So, all three of their losses had been to ranked teams.

Last week they’d played Arizona State. In many ways, it had been Ridge’s coming-out party. He finally looked comfortable in the offense, and they had won a game most people didn’t think they would. They’d done so in convincing fashion on national TV, winning 41–20. Today’s game was big for them. A win would bring them to .500, and they needed a win against a ranked team.

The neighborhoods around the stadium were on the rougher side, so Fritz made a run for sandwiches while I took everyone to the Exposition Park Rose Gardens. It looked like a lot of people had the same idea, and for good reason. It was a beautiful afternoon, and I couldn’t think of anywhere else you could see so many varieties of roses. I’m not big on formal gardens, but this was nice. Fritz found us with the food, and we all took a break sitting around the huge fountain in the center of the park.

“What do you think so far?” Mom asked.

“I’ve always thought that USC might be a good place to go, especially if I wanted to focus on acting. As far as football goes, there’s a clear path to playing time. Last year Ridge played behind Cody Kessler who was drafted in the third round. He’ll probably play this year and next and then enter the draft early. That would set things up for me playing right away.

“USC is one of those schools that seem to get quarterbacks to the NFL. Their alumni include Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, John Booty, Mark Sanchez, Aaron Corp, Matt Barkley, and finally, Cody Kessler,” I ticked off.

“I think that’s every quarterback that’s played in a game at USC, except a couple of spot starters, since you’ve been born,” Dad said, surprising me with his knowledge.

You have to understand, my parents were never really sports nuts and hadn’t followed football until I began to play. Dad’s focus was more on golf. Yes, we followed the Cubs and Bears, but that was just a way of killing time, for them at least. For Dad to recognize that almost every starting quarterback who’d played for USC had at least had a cup of coffee in the NFL showed that he had done his homework.

None of the other schools I was looking at had USC’s track record in that regard.

“Back to your mom’s question. What do you think?” Wolf asked.

“I wanted you guys to see it for yourself. I would be comfortable picking USC. I would also be fine with Michigan. They’ve shown us a ton of love. Clemson surprised me. I like what they’re doing there, and I think the small-town atmosphere would be comfortable. I’d hate to decide before we visit Alabama, though. I think you’ll like it,” I said.

“If it were just up to you? I know you’ve been to Alabama for camp,” Tim said. “Where would you pick?”

I thought about it for a moment. Where I would probably go was Ohio State, but OSU didn’t want all of us. I had a feeling that would be the same at Alabama. For me, that really left USC and Michigan. While I would love to go to USC, Michigan was closer for my family to come for games, and that was important to me.

“Michigan,” I announced.

Both Tim and Wolf seemed relieved. I would have to get them alone and talk with them about it. Stating my preference now, in early October, was no guarantee as to who I would pick come February, on signing day.

USC played their home games in The Grand Old Lady, otherwise known as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which could hold up to 93,000 fans. It was a gorgeous stadium built in the mid-1920s. The moms had decided we didn’t need to experience tailgating, aka the dads drinking beer, so we went inside to watch the band’s pregame show. I was glad that we did because we were able to see the USC Trojan lead the marching band. This was one of the great traditions in college football as we watched him march out to the center of the field, kneel, and then plunge his sword into the turf.

As we watched the band, the stadium slowly began to fill, and other recruits joined us, along with people associated with the university. Wolf, Tim, and I tried to be sly while we glanced around because there were a bunch of Southern California babes seated just behind us. It was almost like Sports Illustrated had dropped off their swimsuit models for the game.

“What are you doing?” my mom asked me.

WTF! Did she just out me?

“Taking in the scenery. This is one of the iconic football stadiums in the country,” I said piously.

Both Tim and Wolf held back laughs when Brook gave me the ‘death stare.’

“I love you,” I told her as I batted my eyes.

“A boy can look,” Wolf offered.

I was with him on that. That was until the girls in question recognized me and turned out to be fans! I had a public image to uphold, so I had to sign autographs ... right? Anyway, that’s my story, and I was sticking to it. It didn’t help that the girls started to flirt with all the recruits when they found out we were here to check out the university. One buxom blonde decided it was her mission in life to lure me to USC. That was until Brook used a Cassidy move and jabbed me under my arm in one of my pressure points. Damn, that hurt.

“Are you about done flirting?”

“But they’re fans,” I tried.

From the look I got, she didn’t buy it. I just gave her a mischievous look and planted a big kiss on her. Even my personal recruiter got the message that I was taken. I think my mom had rubbed off on Brook. She got the bright idea that the recruits and the girls should all have their picture taken together. I was the only one smart enough to decline. It took her all of two seconds to post it on her social media accounts. It took a full two minutes for Wolf and Tim’s phones to begin to ring. Dumbasses.

Something that really appealed to me about USC was they had a ton of talented pass-catchers either on the roster or coming via recruiting. What I didn’t like was they seemed to shoot themselves in the foot every chance they had. USC turned the football over four times in this game. After the game, if I’d just seen that stat alone, I would have said they lost the ball game by a wide margin.

Early, Ridge looked rusty. His sitting out most of last year, because they had a senior who played well enough to be taken in the third round of the NFL draft, had me nervous. If Ridge didn’t look good, what would I look like if I was busy making movies instead of learning the offense next season?

USC took an early 14–0 lead into halftime. I think everyone thought they had the game in hand. I did, which was why I spent time checking out their cheerleaders. I’ve seen some nice-looking women at various campuses, but USC was in a league of their own. I’d heard somewhere that UNLV might be even better. If my decision was based on the college girls, I was all-in with USC.

Colorado made halftime adjustments, and early in the fourth quarter had tied the game at 14–14. The USC fans started to get nervous. With about ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, USC put together a six-play seventy-yard drive that ended with a seven yard touchdown to Bill. It was his second touchdown of the game. Our contingent was on our feet cheering for our ex and possibly future teammate.

Colorado took the ball and drove it down the field. When they were just outside the red zone, it looked like the game might go into overtime. With four minutes left, they ended up having to kick a field goal to bring them closer with a 21–17 score. That’s where it ended. USC had defeated Colorado eleven straight and was now a .500 team.

On the way out of the stadium, I overheard fans joke that both Notre Dame and UCLA had lost close games today. The riddle was ‘What is the perfect day?’ Answer: ‘When USC wins and both Notre Dame and UCLA lose.’ I love football rivalries.

I knew my uncle would be happy. For some reason, he despised Notre Dame. I think it was because many of the old guys in the coffee klatch were Notre Dame fans. They did talk some smack about how good the Golden Domers were. I was sure that he was down there each morning to let them know that the Irish had started to pile up the losses. After this game, they were only 2–4.

Fritz had arranged to pick us up a block from the stadium parking lots. I was walking down the street when out the corner of my eye I saw a pretty little thing approach me.

“I never saw a man who looks so all alone. Could you use a little company?” she said and winked. “If you pay the right price, you won’t be so alone and your evening will be nice, then you can go and send me on my way.”

I glanced over at Brook who’d been talking to my mom as I led the way. I saw Tim roll his eyes as everyone stopped to watch this train wreck unfold.

“Why do you do this to yourself?” I asked.

She looked at me, and I could see the haunted look in her eyes.

“My parents say I’m wicked and that money doesn’t grow on trees. I’ve got bills to pay and mouths to feed. Nothing in the world is free, so I do what I have to,” she admitted.

That was when my mom stepped forward.

“David, give the poor girl some money.”

I was confused. My mom had just told me to pay for a hooker. Okay, I’m a ‘stupid boy.’ She wanted me to give the girl money, even though the girl had said nothing was for free. The girl suddenly looked scared.

“I didn’t realize you were with all of them,” she confessed.

I reached into my pocket, peeled off a couple of large bills, and handed them to her. Her eyes got big, and I thought she might cry. My mom pushed me out of the way and hugged the girl.

“Have you eaten today?”

She shook her head no. Mom made me give her more money and then sent her on her way. I’d been afraid that Mom might want to adopt her.

“We might have just been scammed,” Dad said.

“I don’t think so,” Mom said to end the conversation.

I was glad to see Fritz pull up in a minibus.

We went back to the hotel to take a shower and change. I’d had Caryn make reservations for somewhere nice for dinner. I wanted to treat everyone and had conveniently built up a large balance on my debit card. Caryn had continued to give me my monthly allowance, and since I’d come home, I hadn’t been spending near as much as I’d had during the summer.

Me. Frugal. Who’d a thunk it?

Caryn had made reservations at BOA. BOA had a business-casual dress code; I had to explain to Wolf and Tim that in LA people dressed up more for parties than they did back home. I’d made sure their moms had made them pack some dress clothes.

Fritz had traded out the minibus for two vans. It made sense because the parents planned to hit the town and go dancing while we went to Zak’s for his party.

BOA was one of the better steakhouses in LA. Everyone was shocked at the prices. I explained that we were in the big city and it was to be expected. I got the 21-day aged bone-in ribeye that you could cut with a butter knife. Brook picked the Chilean sea bass. We traded bites, and I liked the simple preparation of her fish. It reminded us of our spring break trip to the islands.

Next stop, Zak’s.

When we arrived at the gated community, I could tell that Tim and Wolf were impressed.

“You bought a house in here?” Tim asked.

“Well, across the highway. Zak’s closer to the beach, I have a better view.”

I don’t think it had sunk in that I had money. Yes, I had some fun toys like my Demon, but we lived in a reasonably normal house with a few upgrades. Malibu was where some of the most famous people in Hollywood lived. I think they wished they had one of those Hollywood Homes maps so they could figure out who lived in which house.