Chapter 27: Another Canadian Open

Dave's last evening at Wake Forest before going to the Canadian Open was very quiet. Alec didn't return to the apartment until late and Dave had simply fretted, or tried to relax, all evening. He and Alec talked briefly and Alec told him he was sorry for what had happened between Dave and Jennifer and then between Dave and Jana - but didn't have much useful advice. He told Dave he had to put it behind him and start focusing on his tournament.

Dave tried to forget it all but the words Jana said kept ringing in his ear - "Jennifer said you were a hypocrite." He was sad about Jana but he was totally upset by Jennifer's comment. He had never cheated on her and, in fact, always went out of his way not to. He had been with other girls but always at her urging and with her consent. His frustration and anger towards Jennifer continued to grow and, when he finally fell asleep, he had told himself he really didn't care if he ever saw her again.

He woke early after a terrible sleep. He couldn't believe he had gotten so angry with Jennifer. He thought about the line in the Kelly Clarkson song "For hating you I blame myself". And he sadly realized that he did not hate her but hated her not wanting him. He was in a daze as he phoned a taxi to pick him up for the airport. He thought it would be cheaper to taxi both ways instead of paying for more than a week's parking. He pulled his bags and golf clubs out of the apartment - he could have asked Alec to drive him but he didn't have the heart to wake his friend.

As he struggled out the front door of the building at six o'clock he was surprised to see a very upset Kyra standing by the door waiting for him. She ran to him and he dropped his bags then carefully set his important clubs down just before she landed in his arms, "I'm sorry, Dave. I tried to convince her not to do it but she wouldn't listen to me. Then she made me promise not to tell you. I refused to have sex with Mark and that made her even angrier at me. I swear I didn't betray your trust."

Dave felt tears tumble down his cheeks as he pushed her back so he could look deep into her eyes, which were quite red. It was obvious she had had a restless night as well. He kissed her softly then replied, "I believe you and I never, ever suspected you slept with Mark. I love you and thank you for coming to tell me how you feel."

Kyra looked relieved as she added, "I just couldn't let you go without knowing the truth. Jana and I had a big fight last night and we're going home today to talk it out with Mom. She will get us straightened out. Do you think you could ever forgive Jana?"

Dave rubbed a hand across Kyra's cheek, "I truly don't know. She had sex with someone after I specifically asked her not to and told her exactly why that would hurt me deeply. But please know that I love you and I will never blame you for what she did."

The taxi arrived much quicker then Dave had expected and he loaded his luggage into the trunk then kissed Kyra goodbye.

The drive to the airport and the flight to British Columbia were a blur to Dave. The whole day simply flew by and, when he finally landed in Vancouver, he was emotionally drained as he had beaten himself up once again for losing first Jennifer and now Jana as well. A chauffeur was waiting to drive him to the hotel. When Dave reached the hotel he went straight to his room and went to sleep. He had been sleeping for an hour when his phone rang. His mother asked, "When did you get in?"

"I got in a while ago but I was very tired so I slept for a while. How was your trip?"

"Our trip was wonderful. Your father and I got in late yesterday afternoon and Sam was waiting for us at the airport. Here, Sam wants to speak to you."

Dave heard the familiar voice of the red-headed nurse who had nursed him back to care after he had been shot several years earlier. Sam asked, "Did you miss me, Dave?"

"Yes, I missed you. Are you sure you don't mind my parents staying with you? I have an empty room in my suite."

Sam chuckled, "Oh no, I wouldn't let them stay anywhere but here. Are you coming over for supper?"

Dave apologized, "I'd love to but I promised Lynn I would call her when I got in. I should probably have done that before I went to sleep but I was completely exhausted."

Sam whispered into the phone, "Please leave one night free for me. I think I should inspect your wounds to make sure they healed properly."

Dave replied, "It's a long week. I'll make sure I leave some time for you."

Sam said goodbye before his father picked up the phone and explained, "I'll meet you at the golf course at eleven o'clock. The shotgun start is noon, right?"

Dave answered, "Yeah, noon. See you at eleven. And thanks again for caddying for me. I couldn't ask Alec to miss the first college tournament even though I know he would have."

After their farewells Dave hung up the phone but immediately picked it up again and dialed Lynn's number. He had been looking forward to seeing his favorite Asian triplet and she had made arrangements for him to go out to supper with both Kim and Tina on Tuesday. But Lynn had planned to come to the hotel by herself when he arrived and they were going to go out for supper together. After two rings, Lynn's sensual voice said, "Hello?"

"Hi, Lynn; it's me. Are you ready for supper?"

Lynn's soft voice cooed, "I'm ready to have you for supper - or at least dessert."

He chuckled for the first time all day, "Do you want me to pick you up or are you coming here?"

She replied, "I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Dave didn't even get the phone away from his ear before he heard Lynn hang up. He had a quick shower and tried to rejuvenate himself for the evening but his mind kept coming back to being called a hypocrite. He had just changed into some casual clothes when he heard a tap on the door. As soon as the door cracked open, Lynn burst into the room and jumped into his arms. He picked the tiny Asian up as she squealed, "You've gotten so big since I last saw you. I really missed you." She kissed him passionately and he felt her tongue slide into his mouth.

He returned the kiss but when she broke for air, he suggested, "Let's go eat - then we can come back here and talk."

She looked at him curiously then declared, "I'd rather make love first and then go eat."

Dave was trying to avoid this conversation but he had made a tough decision during his flight to Vancouver. He felt sad as he took Lynn's hand and guided her to the couch. He explained, "You know how much I loved Jennifer and you also know she has had a different boyfriend for over a year now. Well, in July I decided I wanted her to be mine and I was going to ask her to leave him but I suddenly found out they were engaged. After two weeks of serious debate I finally asked her to leave him anyway." Dave was staring at his hands as he choked back the still-painful tears before he continued, "She couldn't decide and in the end we split for good. While I was home on QAI, Jana and Kyra came to visit. I told you all about them and you know Jana and Jennifer have become very close friends. Well, Jana wanted me to sleep with her and Jennifer; after our permanent split that couldn't happen so Jana instead wanted to do a three-some with Jennifer and her new boyfriend, Mark. I was jealous and told her she couldn't do something like that with him without really hurting me.

"Well, it turns out she did anyway and I just found out last night. We had a big fight and she told me I couldn't sleep with you or anyone else. We sort of broke up with heated words - but deep down I feel I can't sleep around on her until I clearly break it off with her. I know it sounds stupid and this is the same situation I was in when we first met but I can't betray her even if as soon as I get back to Wake Forest I plan to break up with her. It just wouldn't be right. Does this make sense to you?"

Lynn lifted his chin and stared into his eyes, "I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm disappointed. I really looked forward to being with you. But I know how important your values are to you - that is one of the things that made me fall in love with you when we first met. We can go to supper and then decide what we want to do for the rest of the night." Dave nodded agreement, relieved that his friend understood him.

They went to a nice restaurant to eat. Dave really enjoyed Lynn's company and she brought Dave up to date on her life as well as Kim's and Tina's. Kim was engaged to be married and had already moved in with her fiancée several months earlier. Tina was in a serious relationship with a successful business man. Lynn had been dating several guys off and on and one was very interested in getting more serious but she had put him off until after Dave's visit. Dave apologized again but she simply said it was probably better for her relationship with the other guy anyway.

Dave thanked her for understanding. After the meal they went back to the hotel room and simply talked. When it was time for Dave to go to bed Lynn smiled and explained, "Just because we can't have sex doesn't mean we can't sleep together."

Dave shook his head, "I don't think I could resist you."

She laughed. "Then you can always tell yourself I attacked you."

She stood up and stripped off her clothes. He stared at her tiny sleek Asian body and he felt his prick get hard as stone. He doubted he would last two seconds in bed with her. She took his hand and he followed her tiny form into his bedroom. She stripped him naked then stared at his large pole standing hard and straight out. She smiled then whispered, "I'm relieved to see that some part of you is happy to see me."

Dave gasped, "Every part of me is happy to see you except my conscience and right now it's in charge."

Lynn guide Dave to the bed and after he lay down on his side she cuddled into the front of him making sure she pushed her firm little ass onto his hardness. Dave was going crazy inside. She took his hand and placed it on her tiny breast and Dave started to massage the small mound and rock hard nipple. He was just starting to consider making love to her when he heard Jennifer's voice yell, "Hypocrite." He literally cringed before he stopped moving his hand and lay completely still. His hardness eventually softened and he fell asleep holding his wonderful Asian doll.

When he woke in the morning he could feel Lynn still clinging to his body and he considered making love to her again but finally decided against it. They slept until well after nine and then they got up and had a shower together. After a good breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Dave kissed her goodbye and promised to call her after he finished golfing.

He arrived at the course just over an hour before his tee time and he used that time to warm up. He met an RCGA official who introduced Dave to his team for the first pro/am. The team was made up of Vancouver businessmen who had paid big money to play with the defending champion. A distracted Dave only played fair but the businessmen were impressed with his huge drives and his occasionally accurate approach shots. The team didn't do very well in the competition but his teammates were simply happy to play with him. Dave liked the Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club and he and Roger spent a lot of time taking notes and planning his first competitive round. Roger, however, could tell that Dave's concentration was not very good and after the banquet they sat down and talked.

Dave explained everything that happened with Jana and his father was very sympathetic. Dave looked at his father seriously and said, "I don't know how ready I am for this tournament. I really don't feel like golfing."

His father simply told him to try and focus and do the best he could. Dave thanked him before they left the course in separate taxis. Dave called Lynn as he drove to the hotel in and the taxi stopped to get her on the way. They spent another quiet night in the room. Dave again had to use all his self control not to make love to her.

Tuesday's and Wednesday's rounds passed quickly and without much fanfare. Dave only hit the ball fair and he spent less than two hours on the practice range the entire week. He was actually getting mad at himself for not showing more interest as he realized he was merely going through the motions. He enjoyed seeing Tina and Kim on Tuesday evening and also met their current boyfriends. It was a pleasant evening that ended with Lynn in Dave's bed as usual.

On Thursday, Dave and Lynn woke late and after eating breakfast went to the golf course together. Dave warmed up briefly and, when he was due to tee off, he was neither very excited nor very nervous. His performance showed his lack of interest and he shot five over par seventy-five. The leader was Vijay Singh who shot six under sixty-four. Dave did several interviews after the round and wasn't surprised to hear one reporter ask, "So has the midnight bell rung on Cinderella? Are you going to fade into the distance like most 'Could have beens'?"

Dave looked at the reporter without any emotion, "My game is a little off right now - but this Cinderella isn't washed up yet." Dave fielded several more questions before the interview ended.

After the interview Dave kissed Lynn goodbye and she promised to see him in the morning. Dave then got in Sam's car with his parents and Sam and they went out for supper. It was a pleasant evening despite Dave's sad mood. While his parents were up dancing, Sam asked, "Your father explained what happened with Jana. You probably don't want any company tonight, do you?"

Dave smiled at her. "I'd love to spend the night with you, but I can't. I'm sorry."

She squeezed his hand across the table before she replied, "I understand."

They dropped Dave off at the hotel and he went straight to his room. He had just crawled under the covers when his cell phone rang. He flipped it open and said, "Hello?"

He was very surprised to hear Jennifer's soft voice say, "Hi, Dave. I'm sorry what happened with Jana."

Dave didn't know whether to get angry or sad. He simply replied, "I'm sorry too."

Jennifer continued, "I hope you will give her another chance. I know she is very upset that you kicked her out of your apartment."

Dave didn't really care about Jana or her second chance as he went right to the core of his distress with Jennifer, "Jana said you called me a hypocrite. How could you say that? It was your idea to sleep with Ann. It was your idea to include Katherine. You didn't object when Julie joined us and it was your idea to include Sam. I definitely didn't object but I never pushed you into it and I never, ever cheated on you. We were not seeing each other when I started dating Katherine or when I went to England to see Sarah. If anyone betrayed our relationship, you did the time you started dating that hockey asshole, Alex. I never cheated on you and you know it. I can't believe you called me a hypocrite."

Dave could hear Jennifer sobbing and his heart broke. He loved her so much but she seemed to keep hurting him. She cried, "I never called you a hypocrite. I said it wasn't fair that you could sleep around on Jana but she couldn't."

Dave growled, "I never told Jana she couldn't sleep around, I simply told her I didn't want her sleeping with one guy, Mark. That was because I knew how much it would hurt me and strain my relationship with her. He already has the heart of the only girl I will ever truly love and I didn't want him even touching Jana. But she obviously made her own decision and now she will have to live with it."

Jennifer cried even harder when he said she was the only girl he would ever love and when he finished speaking she sobbed, "I'm sorry, Dave. I do love you. Goodbye."

Dave tried to reply but he heard a sudden click and the line went dead. He closed his phone and set it back on the nightstand. He tossed and turned for hours as he thought about Jennifer and Jana. As incredibly good as the last two years had been, he wanted to rewind them and start again - at least to the point of being able to tell Jennifer of his true feelings before she drifted away.

The alarm woke him early in the morning and he eventually got in the shower before catching a taxi to the golf course. He barely arrived before his tee time and only had ten minutes to warm up. He teed off at seven-thirty and played almost as badly as the previous day. He shot four over par seventy-four and he was pretty well assured that he would miss the cut. Lynn, Sam, and his mother had followed him all day. After the round Dave pulled Lynn aside and explained, "I'm going to get a flight out of here this afternoon. I'm very upset and disappointed with myself and I need to get away from golf for a while."

Lynn nodded as she understood how he felt. She kissed him tenderly. "Goodbye, Dave. I will always love you."

He replied, "I will always love you too. Goodbye." Another love was going to fade away.

Lynn disappeared as Dave went for his interview. It was a very brief interview as even the media took pity on the dejected-looking teen from QAI. Dave told his father he was leaving that afternoon as soon as he was certain he missed the cut. Dave then said goodbye to his mother and Sam and took a taxi back to his hotel. When he entered his room he pulled out his cell phone and dialed the programmed number. He heard a familiar soft voice say, "Hello?"

"Hi, Hilary; it's Dave. I'm up in Vancouver and have a few days off. Would you still like me to visit you?"

Hilary cheered, "Definitely, I'm still in Los Angeles finishing up the movie. Can you fly down this afternoon?"

Dave replied, "I'll check the flights but I imagine I can. I'll call you back when I know for sure."

Hilary explained, "I'm just on my lunch break then I'm going back on the set. Call my agent when you know what time the flight is arriving in LA and I'll have a limo pick you up."

She told Dave the number before he answered, "I don't need a limo. I'll just take a taxi."

Hilary put him off, "No, a taxi is too much trouble - limos are more discreet. I can't wait to see you. I have to get back to the set. It's going to be a great afternoon waiting for you to arrive. Goodbye, Dave."

Dave said goodbye then called the travel agent and rearranged his flight. He would arrive in LA at six o'clock. He packed all his clothes and turned on the television to check the scores. They showed the projected cut line to be three over par which was six strokes below Dave's score. He turned off the television and called a bellboy to get his luggage.

The flight to LA passed quickly and Dave was anxious to see Hilary - he felt better than he had all week. The limo took him to a posh hotel and he was escorted by private security to Hilary's room. He tapped on the door and was invited inside by a woman dressed in a maid's uniform. As soon as he was inside the door Hilary jumped into his arms and kissed him on the lips. He had never kissed her before and he was surprised by her unexpected passion. He held her tight as they kissed for a long minute. She then let him go and said, "I can't believe you have finally come to see me. I thought you weren't interested in me."

Dave smiled at the gorgeous blonde and replied, "Interested? I'm definitely interested but I simply wasn't available. I guess I'm still not completely available but that could change very soon."

She looked at him quizzically so he briefly explained what happened with Jennifer and then with Jana. After his quick description of his two failed relationships she asked, "Do you want to go to a party? One of my friends is having a get-together this evening. There should be lots of celebrities there."

Dave agreed, so she helped him unpack before they ordered room service. They sat around talking for several hours after they ate and Dave really enjoyed her company. At nine o'clock they got dressed and left the hotel through the back entrance. Hilary explained that she was constantly harassed by paparazzi and Dave remembered his limited but bad experience with the menacing photographers the previous fall. They were just stepping into the limo when a man jumped out of a bush and started snapping pictures of them. Hilary got angry but Dave didn't really care and he calmed her down as they drove to the party.