Chapter 89: New Teammate

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"Faster."

"Again. Faster."

"Your explosiveness and endurance have clearly improved."

Katherine kissed Nolan’s forehead.

He was holding her while doing rapid squats, almost the same exercise he had once used to win her the pair of CL shoes. Compared with that day, his body had obviously changed. Frequency, range, and power had all risen sharply.

If he entered that kind of contest now, he would win easily.

"Skill work next."

After Nolan set her down, Katherine picked up a football and stepped back. Then she threw it hard.

To train with him, she had changed into a sports bra and tight workout pants. Her long, athletic figure was fully on display.

The football sailed behind Nolan.

The difference from what Katherine had expected was significant. She stared at her hands in surprise.

From Nolan’s angle, he could also see that Katherine’s arms and abdomen still held faint muscle lines, even though she had stopped volleyball training a month ago.

She was young, and a high metabolism was normal.

The problem was that without training, her strength had not dropped. It had increased a little.

When Katherine told Nolan, he had her test it.

She went upstairs for a volleyball and compared the force with a spike. The ball cut through the air, slammed into the wall, and kicked up a little dust.

By her estimate, her power had improved only slightly, roughly ten percent.

Nolan reassured her that it was normal. Because Katherine’s growth was far less obvious than his, she did not dwell on it.

’So it isn’t only me. The other person can change too?’ Nolan thought.

The increase was small, but in theory, if he was diligent enough, and with Katherine’s own experience, she might become a near-elite volleyball player again.

Beyond that, he noticed no other changes in her.

Lisa walked into the washroom humming, her face covered in a dark algae mask.

After rinsing it clean, she stepped back from the mirror, opened her robe, and studied her body from several angles, looking for anything that still needed "improvement."

Since meeting Nolan, her anxiety about her appearance had grown noticeably. Her daily skincare spending had climbed, and on any day she expected to see him, she took extra time preparing herself.

"Wait..."

Lisa leaned closer to the mirror. At the corner of one eye, a fine line had faded.

The difference was tiny. Anyone who did not inspect her face daily would never be certain, but Lisa was very certain.

That CPB serum was working.

She remembered the expensive bottle she had recently bought, cheaper than its weight in gold but somehow less affordable than a pencil.

She would buy more next time.

The next morning, when Nolan woke, William was already gone. Nolan had returned so late the night before that William had been asleep. When he asked Katherine, he learned William had gone to the San Fernando Valley to look at houses.

Then Thomas called.

During summer, Thomas checked in on the players from time to time, making sure they maintained their condition and kept training daily.

Today was Nolan’s turn.

"Of course," Nolan said, running a hand through his messy hair. "I am training every day."

"Are you? Because you sound like you just woke up."

"Caught a chill sleeping last night. Nose is blocked."

"Cut the crap. Knowing you, you probably went to Reese’s mother again. And that reporter was pretty too, now that I think about it. Wait, I forgot. You are still living with Katherine, aren’t you?"

Thomas laughed like a thief.

After the news broke, the players had spread the gossip privately. Thomas knew, of course. He had even asked Nolan about it in private.

At the time, Nolan had neither confirmed nor denied it, which was practically a confirmation.

As for Penny Webb, Thomas had been interviewed by her during the program shoot. Nolan had been present, and Thomas could tell something was off between them.

"I need to check whether your legs can still hold you up," Thomas said. "This afternoon, meet me at a public field on the edge of the San Fernando Valley. I am introducing you to a new teammate."

The field sat near the foothills west of the Valley, in a recreational area with several football fields, baseball fields, and riding facilities.

"Alberto?"

"He is coming too?"

Thomas clearly had only just heard that news.

"Yes. So who is this new teammate?"

"Our starting fullback. He tore his ACL before and missed the entire season. He is returning next year. The others will be there too. Treat it as a team gathering."

Nolan nodded, not refusing. A new teammate for next season was worth meeting.

Besides, he had heard that the four BHHS starters recovering from injuries were all capable players. He hoped this fullback would be a useful surprise.

"Only one problem," Nolan said. "I do not have a car. You have to pick me up."

"Hey, Nolan is here!"

Several BHHS players waiting at the entrance to the public field shouted when Nolan climbed out of Thomas’s Toyota.

One look at their grinning faces told him certain rumors had already spread.

"Nolan, where is your baby boy?"

A teammate who did not get along well with Reese said it at once, laughing.

"Careful," Nolan said, lifting a finger to his lips. "Bad for team unity. Especially in front of Reese."

"Words that hurt team unity stay out of Reese’s hearing," Thomas warned them too.

If this truly blew up, Nolan could transfer. Thomas could not. Better to help Nolan keep it buried.

Of course, paper could not wrap fire forever. The only clean solution was either to push Reese away from the team or for Nolan to break up with Reese’s mother.

But Thomas could not help remembering Lisa’s mature charm, her tempting eyes, her outrageous figure.

Put himself in Nolan’s place, and even Thomas might grab that thigh and never let go.

As they spoke, Reese’s red NSX appeared, the engine restless as it pulled up in front of them.

Reese stepped out with his cap tilted sideways, dressed in loud, loose clothes. Three chains hung around his neck, one ear had an earring, and his baggy low-rise pants made him look clumsy when he walked with that swaggering sway.

"Hey, brothers."

He fist-bumped the teammates one by one and showed off the new tattoo on his forearm.

"A character from the distant East," Reese said proudly. "Complicated lines, perfect symmetry. Looks cool, right?"

When Nolan bumped fists with him, he glanced at it.

The neat character on Reese’s arm meant manure.

"It really does look cool," Nolan said with a shrug.

"So what were you guys talking about?" Reese adjusted his cap. "You all looked pretty happy. Whose joke did I miss?"

"Coach, I will check the gear."

"Nolan, do you know where there is a convenience store nearby? I am thirsty."

"Bathroom."

The players and Thomas scattered with awkward expressions, each finding an excuse to leave.

Only Nolan stayed.

"Just talking," Nolan said after a moment. "Women, you know."

That was not technically a lie.

Reese nodded meaningfully.

"Speaking of women, are you still in touch with that middle-aged woman you told me about?"

Reese had nearly caught Nolan and Lisa once and had pestered Nolan for details afterward. He still did not know the woman was his own mother.

"Maybe forget that one."

Nolan felt the whole thing was too strange.

"Now you are holding out on me?" Reese shook his head. "You do not treat me like a friend."

Nolan had no choice but to continue the story from before.

"Damn. What did it feel like?"

"That woman is really..."

"No way..."

Reese listened in amazement.

As Nolan spoke, another car turned in from the road: an old white Lincoln.

The person who stepped out surprised him.

Former quarterback Adam Newman.

"Hey, Newman. Leg doing better?"

Reese shouted immediately.

Adam seemed healed, but when he saw Nolan standing with Reese, his face grew serious. He walked over and quietly pulled Nolan aside.

"Are you insane, Nolan? How can you fool around with a teammate’s mother?"

He did not understand it.

"And it is unfair to Katherine."

Adam was a devout believer. He despised behavior like this, though his tone held more warning than contempt.

With someone like Adam, Nolan knew ordinary explanations would not help.

Then he thought of an angle Adam might understand.

Nolan looked up at the sky and sighed.

"I did not choose this. It was arranged by God."

Then he explained, in a very solemn voice, how he had encountered a certain Utah-style faith, how he had been moved by it, and how he had become a devout man in his own way.

Adam listened, considered it for a while, then nodded. Instead of questioning Nolan further, he actually encouraged him.

"If that is true, then treat them well. Raise plenty of children. That is the greatest return to God."

In some very conservative families, double-digit numbers of children were considered normal.

Adam was not an exception so much as a representative of a traditional American conservative strain. His view had its own logic.

Nolan had not expected the excuse to work so well.

Nobody wanted to step directly onto First Amendment ground.

"As for Reese," Nolan added, "I will explain it to him. Not now."

Adam nodded. From that angle, it was Nolan’s family matter, and he should not interfere.

"When the time comes, what is Reese supposed to call you?" Adam asked thoughtfully. "Little Dad?"

"When father and son recognize each other, you will need a proper celebration."

On the way back, Nolan saw a tall boy standing beside Reese. His skin was tanned wheat, his shoulders were broad, and aviator sunglasses sat on his face. He chewed gum, wearing camouflage pants and a black T-shirt stretched tight across his chest. His hair was a muted flax color.

At first glance, he looked like a drill instructor from a Hollywood movie.

When he saw Nolan, he pushed his sunglasses up onto his forehead.

"Cooper Smith," Adam introduced from the side. "Before you joined the team, he was the strongest guy on the roster. As far as I know, no drugs."

"Also, I should warn you..."

Before Adam could finish, Cooper walked over and offered his hand.

"You are Nolan Callahan?"

He wore a bright, open smile.

But when he gripped Nolan’s hand, he did not let go.

Cooper’s expression changed slightly.

"Let’s see if Nolan falls for Cooper’s prank," Reese said, moving closer.

Then he saw Nolan and Cooper both standing expressionless. The veins in their hands stood out. The two of them were clearly testing strength in silence.

A moment later, they laughed at the same time and pulled each other into a hug.

"Cooper has real strength," Nolan said. "I like him."

"A real man who can lead a team to victory," Cooper said, laughing even more loudly than Nolan.

The two big men standing together created a striking picture.

"Nolan, is your hand all right?" Adam asked.

He had seen finger marks on Nolan’s skin.

"Small problem."

Nolan did not care. This guy’s raw strength was serious. Cooper could be a qualified fullback.

What nobody saw was Cooper’s right hand slipping behind his back, fingers flexing again and again, the whole hand trembling slightly.

With Cooper’s arrival, the football gathering was complete.

There were not that many people. Only about half the starters had come. The rest were probably scattered around the world on vacation.

"I called you here mainly to check whether you kept yourselves in shape over the break," Thomas said. "The losing side reports to my house every morning at seven-thirty starting tomorrow, and I will supervise your training. Since we do not have many starters here, we will play eight-man football."

"This again," Reese muttered in front of Nolan.

Eight-man football used a smaller field. The offense had only three downs to gain fifteen yards. The key point was that offensive players also had to defend, which made it a full test of overall ability.

To sleep well for the rest of vacation, Nolan had every reason to go all out.

Thomas looked around.

"Nolan Callahan will captain one side. The other captain will be our graduated senior, Adam Newman."

Nolan and Adam looked at each other, both surprised by the choice.

"Captains decide the draft order with rock-paper-scissors. The selection order is one, two, two, three. Whoever picks second gets three players at the end."

Nolan had no idea where Thomas had copied that rule from, but it did help balance the teams as much as possible.

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