When we got back from our late lunch, Wolf wanted to talk to me alone.
“What’s the deal with Cindy all about?” he asked.
I took a deep breath and let it out in a long hiss. After a moment’s consideration, I decided to just tell him.
“I know I would want to know, and I would hope you would tell me if something like this came up,” I said to ease the blow.
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“No, definitely not,” I said. Wolf waited for me to continue. “The reason Sarah isn’t happy with you is that you’re not satisfying her in bed.”
“If you’re messing with me …”
“I would never joke about something like this,” I said, and then smiled and shrugged. “Well, maybe …”
“Seriously?”
“Sorry, man.”
“Does everyone know?” he asked, worried.
“I haven’t told Tim … yet,” I said, and then took a step back. “Too soon?”
“Yeah, too soon to joke about.”
“Hey, buck up. I’ll share a little secret with you. I had no idea what I was doing, either. Cindy actually taught me a lot. Apparently, I come off well when the girls talk about me,” I teased.
“This is so embarrassing.”
“Why don’t I tell Tami to make Tim join you for your lesson? That way, you won’t be singled out.”
“Wait, Tim is good in the sack?” Wolf asked.
“Before junior year, I put Kim Sun in charge of training him,” I admitted.
I was moderately sure that Tim wouldn’t mind that I shared that with Wolf. He would probably have told him if asked.
“What’s she going to teach me?” Wolf asked.
“Relax. I promise it’ll be all good. Just be sure to not go too far. Cindy will ruin your reputation if you’re not careful. She has shocked me a time or two,” I admitted.
“We’ll have to have a few drinks and discuss this,” Wolf said with a smile.
I was glad he was taking this better now.
“Why don’t you and Tim take her class, and we can talk afterward? Then you might have something to share.”
“Bite me. You really are a dick sometimes,” Wolf said, and then got serious. “I’m glad you told me. I wonder why Sarah didn’t.”
“That, my friend, is something you need to work on. Talking to your significant other is usually the best option. I’ve learned the hard way that if you don’t, it never works out like you want. I would suggest that you sit down with Sarah and figure out what you both want out of this.”
“What’s my other choice?” Wolf asked, making a face.
“Up your game in the sack. I’ve found if you rock their world, they don’t care what a douche you really are,” I said. I danced out of his reach. “Still too soon?”
“Dick.”
I noticed he was fighting a smile. That talk went about a hundred times better than I’d expected it would. As a friend, I needed to tell him, but no guy wants to hear what I shared. At least Brook had arranged for him to learn how to improve his performance. My philosophy was that a mentor or coach was always a good idea. I had every confidence that Cindy would set him straight.
◊◊◊
Lexi’s tour idea for late this afternoon and early evening was a trip to Griffith Park. The plan was to end up at Griffith Observatory once the sun set. Lexi assured us that the views of the city at night were spectacular.
Our first stop was the Ferndell Trail, a short walking trail that was located right as you came into the park. Lexi told us that it was unique in that it stayed lush and green all year round, even when other areas of the park dried out and turned brown. It received recycled water from the Griffith Observatory.
It was well-named because there was a variety of ferns. As you walked the trail, you almost forgot you were so close to LA. It felt like you were in a tropical forest.
When I got off the bus, I grabbed Tracy’s hand, and we separated from the group. I wanted to get a chance to catch up with her.
“You excited about going off to college?” I asked.
“Yeah, I guess,” she said, not sounding excited at all. “When I get home, I move into the dorms. Mom assures me that I’ll make friends.”
“But you’re going to miss us,” I offered.
“I see how others have gone off to college and are never seen again. Think about how many have simply disappeared. I’m afraid you’ll all forget about me,” she worried.
“I’m not so sure about that. You already know several people who go to State. Plus, Pam and I will be around. I would just view it as a chance to practice before you head off to USC in the fall.”
“If nothing else, I love the weather here,” Tracy said, starting to warm up to the idea.
“When’s Pam taking you to see the campus? I know you guys checked out some places in LA yesterday,” I said.
Pam had agreed to come on the trip so that she could show Tracy around. Pam planned to go to Pepperdine, so the two of them wouldn’t be too far apart. It would be too great a distance for them to find a place together and commute, though.
