David had flown several members of the athletic department and Coach Clayton to the Sacramento airport. When they got out front, a short bus was waiting to take them to the museum. As David was getting on, Jaxson called his name.
“Hang on; Gabe will be here in a second to give us a ride.”
Coach Clayton didn’t look happy when a limo pulled up, and David and Jaxson got into it. The limo was full with Gabe, his family, and some boosters.
“You made me promise to play nice with Coach Clayton,” David whispered in Jaxson’s ear.
“Shit.”
“Why don’t I ride the bus?” David asked as he got out and waved to his coach. “They want you to go in the limo.”
Coach Clayton jogged over so he wouldn’t miss out, leaving David to board the bus. Once on, he turned to the driver.
“We’re all here. Let’s go.”
David remained standing as he turned to the staff.
“Who can tell me what to expect? Who I need to suck up to, and is there any food I should avoid?” he asked as he pointed at Jaxson’s assistant to help get them talking.
◊◊◊
The event didn’t begin for an hour, so David decided to tour the museum while the athletic department helped Gabe set up. It was just another reminder that he couldn’t do it all. Since high school, he’d let his artistic endeavors, photography and drawing, go to the wayside.
“I was sent to keep an eye on you,” Rachel, Coach Farrow’s daughter, said as she found him.
“You sure that isn’t the other way around? Did you touch one of the paintings or something?”
“I bumped into some stupid vase. Gabe said it was worth more than my dad’s annual salary,” she admitted.
“Kids,” David said, rolling his eyes as he mimicked Gabe’s voice.
“Shut up. I said it was an accident,” Rachel whined.
“How’s your fake boyfriend doing?” David asked.
“How’s your fake girlfriend?” Rachel fired back.
That was a surprise.
“What makes you think Crystal is fake?”
“Oh, please. I admit that Crystal makes great arm candy that you can trot out for events, but I’ve seen her with her actual boyfriends. She doesn’t follow you around and tell you what to do 24/7.”
“Did it ever occur to you that I might not want a girlfriend to follow me around? I also don’t need anyone telling me what to do,” David said defensively.
Rachel snorted in response.
She might have a point. When Crystal dated Matt, it wasn’t unusual for her to waltz into the football locker room to find him. She hadn’t tried that stunt since they’d broken up.
“What should I expect tonight?” David asked before he was outed.
Rachel made a face.
“Jaxson asks most of his staff to attend these events so they can mingle with the boosters and answer any questions they have. What it turns into is a bunch of old men hitting on you.”
“That might make me uncomfortable. I’ll have to make an announcement that I’m straight,” David teased.
Ignoring his quip, she continued on.
“I’ve been told that this might be the worst stop because there’ll be a lot of political types here with their hands out for their next election. I guess because of what they do for a living, they have no morals, and some might come right out and proposition some of our staff,” Rachel said.
David suddenly understood why Gabe had asked her to ‘keep an eye’ on him.
“Then stick with me. I might need you to answer questions while I fend them off and protect them from your obvious allure, and you from its effects.”
“That might not be a bad idea,” she decided, and then added, “Mr. Francis has a goal to raise more money than you did last weekend.”
The competitive beast within woke up. David had to make a few phone calls before the event began.
◊◊◊
When the mixer began before the event, Rachel’s prediction about the politicians proved correct. Sacramento was California’s state capital, and they weren’t as polished as the federal-level representatives at asking for money.
They also were clumsy in their advances towards Rachel. One woman even did it in front of her husband. David assumed that the husband might be gay or bi by the way the man looked at him.
When there was a lull, they were able to talk.
“I feel like I need a shower,” Rachel said with a shudder. “How do you get them to back off so easily?”
“Three things. Be polite but firm and never give them an opening that makes it seem like they have a chance. Like when you told that douche from San Jose that you were with me right now. The implication was that when I wasn’t around …” David said as he raised one eyebrow.
“But you ask for their business cards. Isn’t that worse?”
“Of course I do. I keep a list of people in case I ever need something. I have an app that scans the cards and saves them to my contacts. I just add some personal information and where I met them,” David shared and then smiled at her. “Did you see me give out my phone info to anyone?”
“Oh,” was her insightful response.
Jaxson found them, and he talked to David.
“It’s about to begin. There’s a seat at the main table for you.”
“Do me two favors. First, let Rachel sit by you up front; I’ll sit with your staff. Second, let me talk before dinner is served.”
“Who said you were talking?” Jaxson asked.
“Gabe wants me here to help raise funds and entertain everyone. If you do this again, you should set me up at a table to sign autographs,” David suggested.
“Next summer, you are interning in my office,” Jaxson decided.
“How about I date Rachel, and she comes in with all the good ideas?”
“You better hope I don’t get a steak knife with my dinner,” Rachel threatened.
Ruth was suddenly at his side, but David shook his head, and she took a couple steps back. He didn’t want his security to hurt the girl he was slowly winning over.
“I’ll get it okayed with her dad,” Jaxson said, and the two of them laughed at her look of confusion.
◊◊◊
As he’d proposed, Gabe invited David up to say a few words. It wasn’t lost on him that Coach Clayton looked pleased that David was sitting in the back of the room while he was at the head table. David decided to let his head coach’s pettiness go … for now.
David did five minutes on how summer ball was going and the strides that all the freshmen were making. He made it a point to name each one and say something nice about them. The talk then turned to the rest of the team.
“While I can only control the games I’m involved in, I’ll promise you that every game that I start, we will win,” David announced.
So much for not being petty, too.
“But you already knew that,” David said with a cocky smile. “I have every confidence Coach Clayton and his staff will guide us toward a national championship this year.”
The frown that had been on the head coach’s face became a smile when the room gave a standing ovation.
“USC’s glory days are not behind us. I came here to win. Not only win but to put us in the championship conversation year in and year out.”
The excitement in the room was palpable. These USC boosters were tired of living in the past. Last year’s team had been exceptional, but that success didn’t seem to follow consistently. This year’s offering was projected to hover around .500 by the early prediction magazines.
“To get there, we need your help. When Gabe asks you to dig into your pockets later tonight, do so knowing that you’ll see the results of your giving on the field. If not this year, then in the near future.”
David paused for the applause to die down.
“I also have a personal request. Governor Blackfarmer gave me a personal challenge to help him with the homeless issues in our great state. He said that the government can only do so much, and I agree. Though I think our government can do more, especially since we see more and more people on the streets. I accept that if this crisis is to be solved, it will take help from the private sector and charities. There needs to be a blended approach of private and public sectors, or this will continue to spiral out of control.