Everyone seemed to have a naked David story. I was shocked when Beth told one about me getting out of the hot tub in front of her mom.
“Who is this stud?” the cheerleading coach, Pam Lowden, asked. “I have to meet him!”
Everyone laughed.
“That would be me, ma’am,” I said and waved at her.
“Truly?”
“David, take your shirt off,” Beth said.
I stepped into the aisle and took my shirt off.
“Here he goes again. Beth, please don’t ask him to lose the pants. I still have nightmares,” Wolf said.
“OH MY GOD, he looks like that and gives head too?” Pam asked.
Suzanne leaned over and whispered in her coach’s ear. Pam’s eyes got big.
“Truly?”
Pam looked right at my crotch.
“David, are you going out for basketball?”
Now she had me puzzled.
“No, I wasn’t planning on it.”
“I need you to be a cheerleader. I can think of a few team-building activities that will help you with your flexibility and cardio.”
“You dirty girl,” Jill snorted. “I thought we trainers were bad. You might kill the poor boy.”
“I don’t think he’d mind,” Pam smirked. “What do you say, David? Will you be a cheerleader?”
I started to edge toward Pam.
“I don’t know, Coach, maybe I could come over after football practice and you could show me what you’re talking about.”
Beth grabbed me and pulled me back.
“No, bad David.”
“But me likey.”
“We likey our coach. We don’t want to have to get a new one just because you likey her.”
I looked solemnly at all the cheerleaders.
“You guys will have to help me. Somehow you’ll have to find ways to keep me safe so I don’t fall between Coach Lowden’s legs.”
Ed jumped up and knelt before me.
“Master, please take me and teach me your ways.”
It broke the sexual tension and everyone laughed.
“I’m serious. Where did he learn this stuff?” Ed asked over the noise.
“Does the name Greg Dawson help?” Suzanne asked Ed.
Ed’s head whipped around.
“Oh, that explains it.”
He looked around and most of the cheerleaders were nodding.
“Yes, my brother dated every one of these ladies, and that’s how I met them. We all are friends. That’s why I’m comfortable flirting with them. That’s also why I’m comfortable taking my shirt off. Hell, I probably spend more time in Beth’s hot tub than she does. ”
The conversation finally turned to other topics. I was glad we rode the school bus. This was much more fun. I got to spend time with Wolf and Ed and got to know them better. It was nice to make a couple more friends my own age.
We pulled into the Radisson at 6:30. As we got off the bus, the cheerleaders teased the rest of the team by hanging all over Ed, Wolf and me. We tried to keep a straight face when the juniors that gave them shit saw the cheerleaders give us hugs and kisses on the cheeks. John and Alice Phillips came out of the front door of the hotel and laughed at the girls’ antics.
“Ladies, let me introduce you to John Phillips. He is last year’s All State quarterback for the state of Kentucky. He’s on pace this year to set several state records, and according to his sister Alice,” I pointed her out, “he’s a lock for All State this year. He also has a full ride to the University of Kentucky and is the jewel in their nationally ranked recruiting class. If I decide to go to Kentucky, he’ll be my personal valet, food taster, and bench warmer.”
John blushed when our cheerleaders started to flirt with him. Alice Phillips sliced through the crowd and had me in a death grip as her lips found mine. John gave his sister a look and she gave him one back. I think they would have a talk later.
“He’s been here two minutes and he already has a girl kissing him?” Luke asked Ed and Wolf as he came up to us.
“He hasn’t agreed yet, but I’m going to be his apprentice,” Ed said.
“Damn, why didn’t I think of that?”
Alice and I grabbed my bags. We went into the lobby and found Coach Lambert. He handed me a room key.
“Sorry, David, but you don’t have a roommate,” Coach said.
I tried not to smile.
“That’s okay, Coach. Is it all right if I go to dinner with my friends?”
“Just get in before 11:00. We have breakfast as a team at 9:00 a.m.”
“Yes, sir.”
I went up to my room and unpacked. I took a shower and changed from jeans and my football jersey to one of my new outfits. Alice came by and checked me out.
“You clean up nice. Are you ready for dinner? Dad’s taking us to a steakhouse.”
“Do you think John got away from the cheerleaders?”
“My crazy brother wouldn’t know what to do if one of them caught him. He has a new girlfriend, so he won’t be playing around. She’s a sweet girl who’s had a crush on him forever. They’re both going to Kentucky next fall.”
She called her parents, and we all met in the lobby. John showed up a few minutes later, and we went to the steakhouse. Mr. Phillips wanted to talk football.
“I hear you’re not planning on going to Kentucky.”
I knew this topic had John and his dad worried. I was currently a higher-ranked prospect than John. He was a pure pocket passer geared more for a West Coast short-pass offense. He threw quick, accurate passes that could surgically take apart a defense, whereas I was just as big a threat to run the ball as throw it. I also had a much better long ball. Where his offense dinks and dunks down the field, ours exploded. Unfortunately, Kentucky used their quarterbacks to move the ball with their legs also.
“John and I cut a deal. He gave me Alice, and I promised not to go to Kentucky.”
Alice almost choked on her drink. John’s eyes got big, and he started to backpedal.
“You know, David, we were just joking around. I’d never just give my sister to someone.”
She looked at me.
“So now that I’m yours, what are you going to do with me?”
Mrs. Phillips smiled and jumped into the fray.
“Yes, David, what do you plan to do with my only daughter, the joy of her father’s heart?”
“I plan on cherishing every minute I’m with her,” I said without missing a beat. “She’s a unique treasure, and I’m honored that John thought enough of me to allow me to spend time with her. She’s a smart, sexy young lady who should be treated like the special woman that she is. I’m humbled that she allows me to spend time with her. Every moment spent with Alice is a moment that I feel like I won the lottery of life.”
There was stunned silence at the table as I looked into Alice’s eyes. Okay, I laid it on a little thick, but as I said it, I meant it.
“If you don’t kiss him, I will,” Mrs. Phillips finally said.
Alice leaned over and gave me a kiss that let me know that I’d said the right thing. When our kiss broke, each member of the Phillips family had a smile on their face. The waitress came and took our orders. John and his mom and dad were talking about doing some sightseeing Saturday morning. Alice took the opportunity to talk to me.
“Did you mean what you said?”
“I meant every word of it.”
“We agreed to be friends. You can’t be saying you love me.”
I started to get that funny feeling.
“I don’t think I did say that, but I do love you, but I’m not in love with you. We’re very special friends. I want you to know that I care for you, but make no claims on you. You’re smart enough to know that we can’t be together as anything more than friends right now. Someday, we may be more, and I want you to know I’d be open to that.”
Being with Alice brought out the romantic in me. There was a lot to like about her. Just talking to her made me feel better. I loved her sense of humor and liked her family. There was a potential fit here. I really needed to ratchet it down some, because we both knew that it might be six months to a year before we would see each other again. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her.