Chapter 23: Four Stooges

Friday December 6, 2013 – Freshman Year

I was up early because Mr. Hill wanted to get in two shoots before we had to leave at noon. Tracy had come over last night and helped me pack. I found out the no sex rule did not include manual stimulation. I brought her off three times and she gave me a hand job. We came very close to breaking the rule, but somehow I was able to slow things down. We decided her spending the night was probably a recipe for disaster, so she went home.

I grabbed my bags and headed downstairs. Mom's bags were by the back door so I dropped mine off next to hers. She and Dad were making breakfast. I broke down and got a cup of coffee. I have not yet acquired a taste for it but I liked the effect. Dad gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"I thought Tracy was spending the night?"

"That was the original plan, but we are taking things slow. We decided it was best if she went home."

Mom came over and put her hand on my forehead.

"He doesn't have a fever."

I am glad Mom hadn't lost her sense of humor.

"Not to change the topic, because this one is so fun, but when we get to Utah do you want to bail on the photo shoots?" I asked Mom.

"What are my options?" Mom asked.

"Skiing, shopping, relaxing by a fire and reading a book, or sitting in a hot tub. I don't know, but a few of my photo shoots are outside. The high for tomorrow is supposed to be 23 degrees. I'm sure that Devin will have some ideas," I offered.

I didn't want to feel responsible for Mom getting sicker.

"I might go to a couple of your outdoor shoots, but I think I might not survive for long if it is going to be that cold."

Dad looked concerned.

"Don't push it. Kendal will be with David, so take it easy."

She gave Dad a kiss.

"I will honey."

Kendal must have felt like part of the family because she just stuck her head in the back door.

"David, grab me a coffee and let's get this show on the road."

Mom got her a coffee and I carried our bags out.

We hustled and were a little early for the Hill Marketing newspaper flyer shoots. I had Kendal talk to Mr. Hill again about him giving me clothes from the shoot. Clare had told me that in Chicago that was not usually the case. Mr. Hill explained to Kendal that they shipped the clothes in and if they sent them back they were considered used, so they just wrote them off as an expense. Mr. Hill said they figured that since I showed up on time and wasn't a prima-donna, it was a perk he was willing to provide.

We finished the two shoots and Kendal signed off on the photos. We no longer had to hassle with paper checks. Hill Marketing set us up for direct deposit and Kendal worked it out so I would see the funds in my business account the next business day.

We got to the airport with time to spare. I got our bags checked and looked at our tickets. I was in first class for the four-hour flight. Of course, I checked my Mom's ticket and she was in coach. She and Kendal had been relegated to the back of the bus.

"Here, I'll switch with you. I'll bug Kendal for the flight and you relax in comfort," I told my Mom.

Kendal was going to object, but I gave her a look.

"With your long legs, you will be cramped in coach. I will be fine," Mom told me as she hugged me in thanks.

"Mom, you haven't been feeling well. I'm more than happy to switch seats."

I let my concern show in my voice. She gave me the mother look that will freeze that bad idea in your head.

"I'll make you a deal. If I do not feel well, I will switch with you. They bought you that ticket because they need you rested."

There was no arguing with Mom when she gets like this, so I let the matter drop.

We had a few minutes so Mom and Kendal went to buy something to read on the flight. I went to our gate and found a seat. Putting my ear buds in I used my Pandora app to listen to music. In my own world, it barely registered when two people sat down on either side of me. They both leaned in and squeezed my knee getting my attention. I almost jumped out of my seat.

I jerked my ear buds out to find Allison and Lindsey, two of the models from Chicago, smiling at me. I gave them a surprised, "Hi."

"Hey dream boat, where are you headed?" Lindsey asked.

"I am off to Utah to do the Range Sports shoot. How about you girls?"

I was trying to act cool, but these two were looking fine and getting into my personal space acting all flirty.

"Allison is going to New York and I am off to LA," Lindsey supplied as she teased my thigh. Then she asked what they came over for, "Everyone is dying to know: when you are working with Adrienne?"

"A couple of gossip hounds are you?"

They looked at each other and grinned; then nodded to me.

"Okay, now this is just between us." I lean in conspiratorially. "Adrienne and I are on the outs. She found out I'm taking Kate Upton to Prom. I need some ideas on how to win her back."

The two models looked at me with their mouths open. Mom chose that moment to make her appearance.

"I swear to God, I leave you alone for two minutes and I find you with two gorgeous women. Are you trying to piss off Kate? She about flipped out when you put Adrienne in a lip lock."

"Hey Allison. Hey Lindsey, I see you met David's Mom," Kendal said as she walked up.

The two looked at Mom and me to try to figure out if we are kidding them or not. Lindsey recovered first.

"David was just telling us that Adrienne is mad at him because he is going to Prom with Kate Upton," Lindsey shared with Mom and Kendal.

"Shhhhh! I told you not to talk about that," I scolded her.

Kendal caught on to our act quickly. Kendal showed she could be a pretty good practical joker, so I was not surprised when she didn't miss a beat and helped me mess with the two models.

"Who are you kidding? Everyone already knows."

Allison and Lindsey looked at each other and suddenly had to leave. We were all laughing as we saw them hurrying off with their cell phones glued to their ears.

"I wonder how long it will be before that rumor hits the gossip mill?" Mom asked.

Kendal shrugged.

"If they believe that then I hope it gets spread. I still have not gotten Kate's people to call me. Maybe the rumor mill will put a fire under them."

I just rolled my eyes. Kate Upton was not going to care about me one bit. Kendal was having too much fun teasing me about this.

First class was nicer than the charter flight we took to see the Florida vs. Kentucky game. I was in an aisle seat and most of the passengers had already boarded. I asked the stewardess,

"If this seat is empty, can I upgrade my Mom to first class?"

I was still worried about Mom's comfort and this looked like something she would agree to.

"Let me check to see if this seat is sold," she told me as she went to the plane's phone.

A few minutes later, she came back.

"Mr. Dawson, I'm sorry the seat is not available. It shows the occupant has checked in but not boarded yet."

She must have looked my name up when she checked the seat.

"Thanks."

She winked at me.

"If they don't show up, I'll see what I can do."

I was a little surprised when she did the eye scan of me, checking me out.

"I appreciate that," I said while returning the favor.

She was cute and looked to be in her early 20's.

She looked behind me and smiled.

"I think your seat mate made it."

I turned to see an out of breath Sandy Range smiling at me.

"I almost didn't make it."

I took in her appearance and she was wearing hip hugger jeans with a white turtle neck that you could tell she was not wearing a bra. I smelled a rat. Ms. Range was dressed to seduce, I got up to let her in. She made a point to bump into me so I had no doubt her bra was missing. The stewardess took her carry on and stowed it in the overhead. The stewardess took Sandy's coat and stored it in the closet.

"Fancy meeting you here," I said once we were seated.

I arch my eyebrows and give her a tight smile.

"Does your brother know you are flying home with me?" I asked.

"Hmmm ... I think they have me booked on an earlier flight. There was some kind of mix up and I was just able to make this one. I had no idea you were on this flight."

This girl was good. The look of innocence was impressive. If I didn't know better, I would almost believe her. I started to clap.

"And the Academy Award for Bullshit goes to ... OW!"

She had the nerve to whack my arm.

She gave me her best puppy dog look.

"Poor baby, did that hurt?"

I was rubbing my arm in mock pain.

"Yes. If you leave a mark your brother isn't going to be happy."

She waved her hand dismissing my concerns.

"Nothing a little makeup won't cover up."

I decide to get to the bottom of this.

"So, now that you have me held captive for the next four hours, what are your plans for me?"

She pulled out a sheet of paper that showed my schedule. She found the flight, marked it out, and wrote in 'David gets to know Sandy'.

"It says here that you are to get to know me during this time."

She then scanned down today's events and marked through something.

"No that won't do."

She wrote in 'Dance Club w/ Sandy and friends'.

"I take it the schedule had some problems that needed to be fixed."

She gave me a bright smile acknowledging my firm grasp on the problem.

"My brother is lucky I caught the scheduling issues."

"I bet he is," I said giving her a doubtful look.

Sandy and I fell into easy conversation. I found out that she was a junior and only had one boyfriend. She went out with a senior her sophomore year and they broke up when he went on spring break. He admitted he cheated on her. Then her Dad died of a heart attack last May. Devin had been forced to take over the company. She had always been close to her brother. She recently started to tag along with him so she could learn the business. She was doing this because the family business was taking up the majority of her brother's time and she missed him.

I responded by telling her about my family. Once the family things were out of the way, we reverted to being kids and talking about everything. I found I liked Sandy. She reminded me of John's sister Alice because she had the same wicked sense of humor. Somewhere over Nebraska or Colorado, she took my hand and held it. I didn't stop her because I was enjoying her friendship and that was all it was. She flirted like crazy, but was just being Sandy. By the time we landed, I had a new friend and we both knew that was all it was.

Range Ranch was nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. Their spread was enormous. Sandy explained it was as far as the eye could see. After we entered the gate, we drove another 15 minutes before we reached the ranch house. As we drove in, Kendal and Mom, just sat quietly and took in the majesty of the snow-covered valley. Sandy and I talked about the area. Park City was the closest town and was where she went to high school.

When we reached the ranch, we saw the main house was situated on a small hill back away from the rest of the ranch complex. We were taken to the guest bunkhouse. In the center of the bunkhouse was a great room with a huge stone fireplace and floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the valley.

The valley view looked like an idyllic Christmas card. The snow-covered scene glistened in the early afternoon sun. I wanted to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fireplace and just take in the view. I looked at Kendal and Mom and the expressions of peace and serenity reflected my feeling exactly. I pulled out my phone to take some pictures to capture the moment. Both women rewarded me with warm smiles. I thought this was exactly what Mom needed to take her mind off her worries.

Sandy gave us the grand tour. One wing was set up as an exercise facility, complete with an indoor pool, sauna, hot tub and exercise room. The other wing was the 'bunkhouse'. I got to my room and found I had an outfit ready for me. There was thermal underwear, jeans, sweatshirt, boots, lined leather coat, gloves and cowboy hat.

"Change clothes," Sandy said. "Devin knows we are here and they are getting the horses ready." She went into my bathroom and came out with a jar of Vaseline. "Put a thin layer of this on your face. It will prevent that weathered look you can get from the cold dry wind. I want you looking good when I take you out tonight."

When I was dressed, I went and found Devin in the barn. It was one of the biggest I had ever seen. It must have had 50 stalls plus a tack room and an office. There were five hands that I could see, taking care of all the horses. There were two huge horses saddled and ready to ride. They looked more like draft horses than something you would normally ride.

"These guys are big," I said.

"We're cross-breeding Percherons for their power with Arabians for their ride. We need a horse that can plow through heavy snow. These can go through chest deep snow without a problem and they are gentle to ride. Get in the saddle. I want to show you the ranch."

I grabbed the saddle horn and the back of the saddle, got one foot in the stirrup, and bounced up as if I did it every day. I was sure I couldn't pull that off twice. The brute I was riding was named Princess. She was more agile than I expected, and had a nice easy gait. This was like riding in a Cadillac. You just seemed to float in the saddle. I followed Devin around the side of the barn to a trail. It had snowed earlier in the day and there was about 18" of the stuff on the ground. I could tell we were on a busy trail because the snow was packed down by horses and 4-wheel drives.

Devin started talking as we rode.

"We have 120 acres worth of paddocks surrounding the ranch. The ranch extends for the full length of the valley, basically as far as you can see. The remainder of the acreage is open range. We are going to get some elevation under us so you can see the full layout."

After several minutes, we broke off the main path. We were on a twisting trail that started to climb slowly up the Northern ridge. When we got a little higher, we hit a tree line and entered a wooded area. The whole time Devin was telling me about the ranch. We wound through forest and suddenly we were out of it. A few minutes later, we could see over the trees and it opened up to a bluff overlooking everything. I could see for miles. The ranch looked like a model from this distance, complete with miniature people and horses.

"This is breathtaking," I said as we gazed up the valley. "I can see why you love it."

Devin got excited.

"See that."

I looked up along where he was pointing. There was a big buck and three does peeking out of the tree line. They suddenly became alert. I felt I was watching National Geographic as a pack of four wolves broke cover. The deer exploded into motion to flee. One of the does stumbled and miraculously avoided being taken down. I was shocked when the wolves didn't pursue the deer.

I asked Devin about it.

"Why didn't the wolves give chase?"

Devin had a sparkle in his eyes.

"Those four are pups. They were just having fun. If the rest of pack was here, that doe would never have gotten away. We call them the four stooges. They are always getting into trouble. We have had to chase them off a couple of times when they get too close to the farm."

I watched as the smallest wolf suddenly pounced on the biggest one. They were soon rolling in the snow. The other two trotted into the woods ignoring their sister's antics. When the big male looked like he had the upper hand, she yelped. The other two suddenly burst from the woods and tackled the bully. Devin and I just sat quietly and watched the fun unfold. As if some signal was made, they all stopped and cocked their heads. They were soon bounding into the woods after whatever caught their attention.

"We are hoping for a little more snow tonight," Devin said. "We have areas in the north valley that will really show off our gear. First thing in the morning, we will head into the lodge at the ski resort and we will shoot some of the clothes. Do you know how to snow board?"

"I know how to fall off one."

I could tell by the excitement in Devin's voice that he loved to snowboard. I was looking forward to him teaching me how to stay upright.

"I'll spend some time teaching you. You're an athlete so it shouldn't take you long to learn." His face brightened. "You will love it. There is nothing like the feeling of slicing down a hill. Once you're ready, we will let you loose on one of the runs we have shut down for the shoots. We want to show you coming down a hill on virgin snow."

"I can't wait," I said and Devin smiled, seeing I meant it.

He then took me to some other spots of interest. I was sure we could have spent the day riding and exploring the wonders of the valley. He seemed to revel in seeing my expressions when he showed me something new. I felt a little jealous that he grew up with this as his back yard. I could just imagine Greg and me camping out and running wild.

We rode for another hour and then we worked our way back. I was glad Sandy had clued me into the Vaseline tip. The wind was cold and biting and I'm sure I would have had rosy cheeks if I hadn't used it. On the trip back, Devin quizzed me about my flight with Sandy. I answered his questions and I think he was relieved when he heard there was no romantic interest. He then quizzed me about Kendal. I teased him about her but stood firm when he wanted details and I told him he needed to talk to her. I knew Kendal was still seeing her boyfriend from college. I also knew they were planning to split when school ended so I didn't want to give anything away.

We had dinner that night at the main house. It was a log home, and when you entered, you were in a great room with 20' ceilings. Devin had told me on the ride that the home was built for a bootlegger in the late 20's. Their family had purchased it in the early 60's. In the mid-90's, the home was in disrepair so they moved out and it was completely redone.

Clare had shown up at the ranch when we were out riding, so it was the six of us for dinner. As soon as we sat down, Clare started giving me shit.

"I got a strange call today from Adrienne's people. Apparently she is upset you are not taking her to your Prom."

If no one was paying attention before, they were now. Kendal's face went white and I thought she might throw up. Mom was choking on her wine and neither one of them would make eye contact with me. I had an idea I was on my own with this one.

"Why the hell not," asked Sandy.

She was looking at me as if I was an idiot, which I was. I tried to come up with a plausible explanation.

"Adrienne is my backup plan. We are in negotiations with Kate Upton to be my Prom Date," I said to Sandy giving her a serious look.

I watched as she and Devin did matching double takes and then I turned to Clare.

"Who let the cat out of the bag? I hadn't officially asked Adrienne yet."

Clare now had a shocked look on her face. I saw the wheels turning.

"Oh shit. I need to make some calls."

I gave a heavy sigh and look deflated.

"Give me Adrienne's direct number and I will straighten it out."

To my amazement, she gave me her number. You had better believe it was programmed into my cell phone in a flash. Kendal and Mom rolled their eyes at me as I dialed because they knew what I had pulled off. Now Clare, Sandy and Devin were all looking at me as if I was a rock star.

"Hello."

Holy shit she answered.

"Hey it's David. I hear you're mad at me."

"David... ?"

She was trying to figure out who I was. Then she sounded annoyed.

"David, I hear you aren't taking me to your Prom. Are you dumping me for Kate?"

"Oh baby, you are my number one. What Kate and I had was fleeting. I would love it if you went to Prom with me."

She laughed out loud.

"I bet you have a bunch of people listening don't you."

"You know me baby. So how about a little fun and you and I do Prom? I promise it will be a night you will never forget."

"You kill me. Who all is with you?"

"Now don't get jealous baby, I know I was supposed to check in. I'm having dinner with Clare Thomas, Kendal Miller, my Mom and Devin and Sandy Range from Range Sports."

Adrienne broke out laughing again.

"Seriously, that was smooth. I'm glad you aren't a little older or I would be very interested in your cute ass."

"Baby cakes, you don't have to put conditions on it. You can have my cute ass anytime you want it."

She dropped the phone, apparently from laughing too hard. While she was picking it up, I'm snapping my fingers at Kendal and mouthed 'What date is prom?' Mom picked up a dinner roll and whipped it at my head, but I caught it with my free hand, and gave her a dirty look. The other three all had their mouths open in shock.

Adrienne came back on the line.

"Okay my favorite young stud."

I groaned at that which caused peals of laughter.

"I'll go to Prom with you if I'm not tied up. Let me get my calendar and I will pencil you in."

Kendal showed me that date and I told Adrienne.

"I still want to do a shoot with you. I told Ford to get it arranged," she said.

I got serious for a moment.

"Thanks Adrienne, you're a champ for putting up with me. It would be a huge honor to do a photo shoot with you. And thank you for agreeing to go to Prom with me."

"When I heard the stunt you were pulling, I had to get in on it. I called Kate and she said you had launched a twitter campaign to get her to go to Prom. She was impressed with your persistence. I can't wait to call her and let her know that she lost out." She paused for a moment. "I never get to have fun anymore. I got into this business because I loved it. You make me laugh, and you're not shy. When I see the fun you are having, I miss how it used to be. Plus, you kiss better than most women I know, and just so you know, that is high praise."

"I'll take that. And you're pretty special yourself."

"Get back to your dinner, and I'll be in touch," she said as she hung up.

I turned to Clare.

"Adrienne wants you to find a project we can do together. She said she told Ford, but hasn't heard anything."

I could see Clare wasn't sure if she believed me or not. Adrienne didn't work with up-and-comers like me. If she could get me paired with her, I would make a big splash, and be able to be booked in higher paying jobs. This was a big opportunity not only for me but also for her as my agent.

"Okay, I need to make some calls. I will be right back."

She got up and hurried from the table so she could get some privacy. After she left, Kendal and Mom about fell out of our chairs laughing. Devin and Sandy looked confused while I sat there smiling like the proverbial cat-who-ate-the-canary. Kendal let them know what was up.

"If you haven't noticed David is a smooth talker..."

"He gets that from his father," Mom interrupted.

" ... And as you can imagine, he sometimes bites off more than he can chew. Moreover, this little shit is competitive as all get out, so when he was challenged that he couldn't get Kate Upton as his prom date, he put his team in charge of making it happen. We have been using a social media campaign trying to get Kate to go with him. Of course he has a snowball's chance in hell, but that hasn't stopped him," Kendal shared.

"Today at the airport, we ran into two Ford models that had heard the rumors. Without batting an eye, he is spinning a tail about Adrienne being jealous."

I picked it up from there.

"When Clare gave me a hard time, I figured I'd go for broke. I still can't believe she had, let alone gave me, Adrienne's personal cell. When I called, Adrienne was a good sport and played along."

"Is she really going to Prom with you?" Devin asked.

I grinned.

"It looks like it. I guess she and Kate are friends. Kate told her about my twitter blitz, so she figured it sounded like fun. The long and short of it is I'm taking a super model to Prom."

Devin gave me a high five and we all laughed. About that time, Clare came back in and handed me the phone.

"This is David."

"David, Deb Thomas. Before I call Adrienne, and make a complete ass out of myself, did she really say 'yes' about going to Prom with her?"

I didn't blame her for verifying the story.

I assured her.

"Yes I am."

She broke up laughing.

"What about Kate? Isn't she going to be devastated that you are going with another girl?"

"What do you mean, what about Kate? She had her chance. Adrienne got smart and pulled the trigger. If Kate Upton gets upset, I can call Adrienne and see if the three of us can go together. No teenage boy is going to turn down that threesome."

I heard Devin mumble, "Or any straight man alive."

"Your high wire act is definitely without a net. Is it okay if we turn this into a media event? I think we would be willing to work with your Prom Committee to make it something special."

"Hang on a second and let me ask." I put my hand over the phone. "Should we make Prom a media circus? Ford may pony up and upgrade Prom if we do."

Sandy didn't hesitate with her opinion.

"I would say absolutely yes. But you better ask Adrienne before you commit."

Everyone seemed to agree.

"I agree if this is just for fun," Mom said.

I talked to Deb.

"I'm okay with media, but run it by Adrienne. She might not want the hassle. Let her know it is her call."

I gave the phone back to Clare and she went off and talked to Deb.

When she got back, we found dinner to be excellent. I tried buffalo for the first time. I think it is an acquired taste. It wasn't bad; I just prefer beef. Sandy announced our plans to go to a club. Devin didn't seem happy. He took me aside after dinner.

"I'm not sure about Sandy taking you clubbing tonight. I have to remind you we have a very important photo shoot tomorrow."

I needed to lay his fears to rest.

"I need to tell you a couple of things. First, I had an incident in my past that has caused me to swear off drugs and alcohol. I'm also acutely aware of how I act in public can affect you. Both my girlfriend and Kendal have pounded that fact into my head. I'll also talk to Sandy to make sure we leave no later than 10:00. I came here to work. If Sandy were not a friend, I would be refusing to go. But she wants to show me off to her friends, so I agreed."

I was sure that, in Devin's eyes, I was coming off as a total playboy. Not the boy next-door image that Range Sports wanted, but I wasn't going to become 'no fun David' either. He still wasn't thrilled, but relented. Clare was worse. She insisted on going with us. When I told Sandy that my 24-year-old agent was going, she just rolled her eyes. She gave me a look that only a teenage girl can when you have really screwed up.

We drove to Park City, and Sandy took us through the downtown area. It reminded you of a Norman Rockwell painting of old Americana. The old buildings were adorned with Christmas Lights. The little town had a little over 7,500 residents. When the mining jobs dried up the town almost did too. But there are now three ski resorts surrounding this town and their main business is tourism.

The club Sandy was taking us to was on the edge of town in an old warehouse. Once a month they had a teen night, we got lucky, and it was tonight. There was a line waiting to get in so Sandy dropped me off to hold a spot in line. After about five minutes I figured out the girls were sitting in the car keeping warm until I got to the front of the line. I was a little pissed because Kendal had picked out my 'club' clothes and she selected lightweight slacks, more appropriate for Miami weather. So I was literally freezing my balls off.

I reached the front of the line in time for Sandy and Clare to sprint from the warm car. I gave them a dirty look and they giggled as we went in. For an early Friday night, I was surprised at how busy the place was. Sandy explained that most of her high school was there.

She introduced me to several people. One guy gave me a dirty look and I figured he was interested in Sandy. She just laughed when I asked her about it. Her friends had a table near the dance floor. Kim was a small Eurasian girl that turned out to be Sandy's best friend. She was outgoing and cute. The other girl was Joanna. She was wearing jeans, a plaid button up shirt and cowboy boots. She was your tomboy and girl next door all wrapped up into one.

I had just gotten my coat hung up behind one of the chairs when Joanna grabbed my hand.

"Come on Fancy Pants, I want to dance."

I let her drag me out on the dance floor. She turned out to be a lot of fun. During our second dance, I noticed people were actually staring at us. I leaned into Joanna and asked, "Is my fly open?"