"I got it," I say, "but thanks for offering."
"Cal Tuckerman," he says, smiling and holding his hand out.
I drop my bags and shake his hand. "Luke Sydel."
"Is this your first time at this camp?"
"First time at any camp," I say, hearing the nervousness in my voice. I shouldn't show my nerves but shit, it's Cal Tuckerman! I wonder if his dad is here. I'd love to meet him.
"Never been to camp, huh? Well, if you like golf, you're gonna love it. I personally haven't been here before but I've heard it's great. My dad went here back in the day and said it really improved his game."
"I've been watching your dad for years. He's an awesome golfer."
"He's retired now," Cal says, "but a few years ago, yeah, his game was pretty impressive. It's a lot to live up to."
"Yeah, I bet."
"Is your dad a golfer?"
I laugh. "No. Not at all. In fact, he hates golf and pretty much anyone who plays it."
Cal's smile falls. "But you play it."
"Yeah," I say, looking down at the ground. "He's not my biggest fan."
"Sorry to hear that."
I shrug and look up at him. "It's not a big deal. We have different interests. That's all. So anyway, I should probably check in."
"I'll go with you. The check-in guy gave me the wrong key. I have to get a different one."
We walk together to the check-in table and as we're waiting in line, an image of Cal's sister pops in my head. She's been in my head since I saw her on TV five years ago. Sometimes I look her up online just to see what she's up to. She's really into golf, like her brother. She's even been in some junior tournaments. She's grown up a lot the past five years. She doesn't look like a little girl anymore. She's filled out and has a body that...well, I shouldn't be thinking about that with her brother standing here. I'll just say that she's still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.
"So is your family here?" I ask Cal.
"They were. They just left. We hit some balls at the driving range and then they took off."
"Your mom golfs too?" I purposely don't mention his sister, although right now she's all I can think about.
"Yeah," Cal says. "So does my sister."
"Is she any good?" I ask casually.
"My mom? Yeah, she's okay. She played in college."
"I meant your sister. How old is she?"
"Fourteen. And yeah, she's good. She's really good at her short game. She needs to work on her drives. She wants to go pro someday, just like me."
A girl who's beautiful AND loves golf? She's my dream girl! I wonder what she's like. She looks nice in her photos but looks can be deceiving. But her brother seems cool so maybe she is too.
I don't know why I care. It's not like I'd ever date her. We don't even live in the same state. When her dad retired he moved the family to Phoenix. That's a long ways from San Diego.
We reach the front of the line and I check in and get my cabin assignment.
"Here's your key," the guy says, handing it to me. "Cabin fourteen."
"No shit?" Cal turns to me. "I'm in fourteen too. We're roommates."
I'm rooming with Cal Tuckerman? That's just great. Actually, it IS great because he seems really cool and his dad's a golf legend and I could probably learn a lot from Cal and even become friends with him. The only problem is, being around him means I'll keep thinking about his sister.
"Guess I'll see you in the cabin," I say. "I'm gonna go put my stuff away."
"Wait up," he says. "I'll go with you. I just need a new key." He explains the key mix-up to the check-in guy.
"I think I have yours," the guy behind us says. He hands Cal his key. "This is for cabin fourteen. I'm in thirteen."
"Then this is yours." Cal gives him the key. "I'm Cal, by the way."
"The great Cal Tuckerman?" He smiles. "Son of a legend?"
Cal laughs. "Don't let my dad hear you say that. He's got a big enough head as it is."
"I'm Steve. I've been following your dad's career since I was a kid."
"Your name's Steve?" Cal asks, sounding surprised.
"Yeah. Why?"
Cal shakes his head. "No reason. I just didn't see your name on the list. Did you sign up last minute?"
"No. My real name, Salvadore, is what's on the list. I go by Steve."
"Oh." Cal seems confused. I'm not sure why. The guy's explanation wasn't confusing.
"That's a big change," I say. "Salvadore to Steve?"
Steve laughs. "I know. My dad's from Spain so he insisted on a Spanish name but I've never liked it. When I went to kindergarten I told everyone my name was Steve and it stuck. I've been Steve ever since." He looks down at this phone. "That's weird."
"What's weird?" Cal asks.
"I met this girl today and texted her but I just got a message saying it couldn't be delivered."
"Guess she wasn't really into you," Cal says. "The wrong number trick? It happens to all of us at some point. I wouldn't worry about it."
"I don't get it. This girl seemed really interested. I didn't ask for her number. She gave it to me. I must've typed it in wrong. Now I'm pissed. She was really hot. I was hoping I'd see her again."
Cal shrugs. "I'm sure you'll find someone else."
"I met her here at camp. She must be someone's sister. Or maybe a cousin. I'll ask around. Someone here has to know her."
"Just find someone else, man," Cal says. "You don't want to waste time tracking down some girl. You need to focus on your game."
"Yeah, you're probably right. I'll see you guys later."
Cal and I head to our cabin. He's staring at the ground as he walks, like he's lost in his thoughts.
"Is something wrong?" I ask.
"What?" He looks up. "Um, no. Everything's fine."
"Was it Steve? Do you not like him?"
"Steve? No. I like him. Seems like a good guy."
"It's just that you got really quiet after we met him. I thought maybe he said something to offend you."
"Not at all." He smiles. "Sorry. I don't know why I got quiet. I guess I'm just tired. I got up early to pack."
He gets his phone out and checks it as we walk.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" I ask.
"I did, but we broke up a few weeks ago."
"Was it serious?"
"Not really. We dated a couple months but I was never really that into her."
I want to ask him if his sister is dating anyone but that would seem odd so I don't.
"It's this one." He points to the cabin next to us. "They're kind of shitty but they're cabins so you can't expect much."
If he only knew where I came from. From the outside alone this cabin looks better than my house. We go inside, and although it's not great, the cabin is still better than the house I just left. It's actually clean and isn't littered with clutter.
"What about you?" Cal asks as we're unpacking. "Got a girlfriend?"
"No. I've never even been on a date. I'm too busy working."
"Where do you work?"
"At the shipyard with my dad after school, and on weekends I work at a golf course doing maintenance and sometimes caddying."
"Shit, you really work that much? How do you have time to golf?"
"I fit it in when I can. The owner of the course has been good to me. He lets me get there early in the morning and practice for free. Or I can go at night once everyone's gone."
"Do you ever sleep?" Cal kids.
"Not much. But I need to golf more than I need to sleep. If I don't practice, I won't make the pros."
"I know, but shit, you need to sleep. You can't focus if you're tired. What about school? How do you get your homework done?"
"I kind of suck at school. I try, but I'm not really into it. I know I should be but when I'm there all I can think about is how I want to be on the course. Golf is what I want to do. Nothing else interests me."
"But if it doesn't work out, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I'm hoping it won't come to that. If I work hard enough I don't think it will. I'm determined to make a living playing golf."
"What about college?"
"I'm not going to college. I don't have the grades or the money."
"You could get a golf scholarship. It could pay for all four years."
"Maybe, but I still don't have the grades. No college would want me."
"So get your grades up. You don't need straight A's to get into college. And if you're good enough at golf they'll let you in just for that."
"Why are you pushing this college thing? You just met me." I say it jokingly but I am a little annoyed he keeps talking about this.
"Sorry. I guess my dad's lectures are starting to sink in. He's always telling Taylor and me to go to college, even if we're good enough to go pro. He says golf can be temporary. We could get an injury and never play again. That's why he wants us to get a degree, as backup in case something happens."
"I'm not worried about that. I can always find a job. It may not be a great job but I can always find something that'll pay the rent."
"Yeah, I suppose." He tosses his empty duffle bag under the bed. "You want to hit some balls before orientation? We have about a half hour."
"Yeah, that'd be great!"
We grab our clubs and go to the driving range. I can't stop smiling. It's a beautiful summer day. I'm out here practicing my swing. And I just met a guy who I think could turn out to be a good friend. Unfortunately, that guy happens to be the brother of the girl I haven't been able to get out of my head for the past five years. That's a problem. Or maybe it's a sign. Maybe I'm meant to meet Taylor. Maybe not now, but maybe someday.
Chapter Five
Luke, Age 20
"Good to see you, man." Cal gives me a quick guy hug, then backs away. "How've you been?"
"Can't complain." I set my duffle bag down. "My game's better than it's ever been."
"You should go pro this year. You definitely have the talent."
"You're talented too," I say. "You'll play pro again."
Cal looks down and clears his throat. He's not comfortable talking about going pro because he tried it last year and failed. He was so bad he lost playing eligibility and ended up going back to college. He's a great golfer but he gets nervous during tournaments and it messes with his game. When he went pro there was so much pressure on him to do well that Cal's nerves took over and he came in last in every tournament.
"Haven't decided if I'll play again," he says. "Gotta finish college first."
Cal goes to Arizona State, which has an awesome golf team. He scheduled all his classes Monday through Wednesday so he could golf the rest of the week. It's worked out well for when I come visit him. Like now, it's Wednesday night so he's free until next week.
"You ever regret dropping out?" he asks.
"No. College wasn't for me. I knew it wasn't but when they offer you a free ride, you take it. At least it gave me a place to live after my parents kicked me out."
"You ever talk to them?"
"Not really. My mom will say hi but that's about it. My dad hasn't spoken to me since I left."
Cal shakes his head. "That sucks, man. I don't understand why they're not happy for you."
"My dad wants me to be just like him, working at the shipyard the rest of my life, struggling to pay my bills."
"Why would he want that? He hates his life. Does he want you to hate yours too?"
"Pretty much. I don't understand him. Never have."
"His loss. Most dads would kill to have a future pro-athlete for a son." Cal starts walking. "C'mon out back. Just leave your stuff there. You can put it away later. We'll hang out by the pool until my parents get home. My dad made reservations at some fancy place for dinner."
"I didn't know you had plans tonight."
"The dinner's for you, dumbass." He opens the sliding door to the back patio and we go outside.
"Why would the dinner be for me?"
"Because you're here in town and we're friends and my family likes you."
"They do?"
He hits my shoulder. "Don't be stupid. You know they do. If my dad could adopt you he probably would. He'd have not just one, but two sons who are awesome at golf. It'd be a dream come true for him. And my mom loves you. She thinks you're sweet." He laughs.
"She said I'm sweet? Why does she think that?"
"Who knows?" He pours himself a drink from the poolside bar. "It's probably those damn dimples. Makes you look sweet."
"I've been told the dimples make me look hot, by more than one girl."
"Oh, yeah?" We sit at the table that's next to the pool. "So tell me about these girls."
"There's nothing to tell. I was just making a comment."
"Are you dating someone?"
"Kind of. We've been out a few times but I don't think it's gonna go anywhere."
"Why not?"
"She's not really my type."
"Then why'd you go out with her?"
"Because she asked."
He smiles. "You're so sweet. Afraid to tell a girl no."
I laugh. "Shut up, idiot. It's not about being sweet. It's about giving people a chance. I thought if I got to know her she'd end up being my type after all."
"So what exactly is your type? Maybe I could set you up with someone."
My type is his sister. But I can't tell him that.
"I don't know. It doesn't matter. I don't have time for girls. I'm too busy."
"You're not that busy. Who was that girl you went out with last spring? The one I met when I came out to see you?"
"Heather. We broke up a few weeks after you met her."
"She was hot. Why'd you break up with her?"
"We just didn't click. We're still friends though."
"You want a drink?" He stands up. "We got everything. Beer. Soda. Water."
"I'm good, but thanks."
He sits back down. "If you change your mind, just help yourself."
"So how's the rest of the family?"
He looks at me funny. "The rest? It's only my parents and sister and I already told you about my parents."
"What about your sister? Does she like college?"
"I think so, but last time I talked to her she sounded a little homesick. That'll go away once she gets busy with classes and being on the golf team."
"Where does she go to college?" I know the answer. He's told me before and I looked it up online, but I want him to think I forgot.
"Camsburg. In northern California."
"That's right. I think you told me that."
"She's been meeting a lot of people. Making friends. She'll be fine after a few more weeks."
"And once she gets a boyfriend she'll like it even more."
"I doubt she'll date anyone. She's too damn picky."
"Like how?"
"She'll go on one date and come up with a million reasons why the guy wasn't right for her. Or she'll decide that before she even goes on the date. Like I said, she's too damn picky, which is fine with me. I don't want some guy using her or breaking her heart."
"Does she ever see that friend of hers?"
"What friend?"
"The girl with the weird name."
"Birdie?"
"Yeah. Weren't they best friends in high school?"
"Longer than that. They've been friends since they were kids. Birdie's going to school in Tucson but she and Taylor still talk all the time." He takes a drink. "What made you think of Birdie?"
"I was just remembering back when we first met. You told me that story about her and Fake Steve, who turned out to be Real Steve. Did you ever tell her about that?"
"No, and if you ever see her, don't tell her that story. Or Taylor. They'd both be pissed at me for not telling them the truth."
"Why didn't you?"
"Steve seemed like an ass. He wasn't right for Birdie."
Steve wasn't an ass. In fact, we all got along great so I don't know why Cal would say that
about him. Maybe they had a fight I never knew about.
It's hard to believe that camp was five years ago. It was the best two weeks of my life but then I got home and my dad made my life even more miserable. He got a call from one of the camp coaches who told my dad I was really talented and had a lot of potential. Instead of making my dad happy, it pissed him off. He didn't want me playing golf so he tried to make sure I couldn't. He made me work double shifts at the shipyard for the rest of the summer but I still found time to golf. I'd get to the course at the crack of dawn and play until I had to be at work. But I didn't have time for the coach Albert was going to hire so that never happened.
When school started in the fall I was still putting in long hours at the shipyard but then one day I was suddenly let go. Apparently someone reported my dad's boss for having me do work that wasn't safe for kids under the age of eighteen. His boss got off with a warning but was told he'd get fined if he ever hired a minor again.
To this day I don't know who reported him but I'm assuming it was Albert. He's denied it a million times but I don't know who else would've done it.
Losing that job meant I had time for a coach and could spend more time golfing and hanging out with Albert. Things were going well until the day I turned eighteen. Instead of throwing me a party, my parents threw me out. I was no longer their responsibility so they told me I had to leave. I ended up staying with Albert until I left for college.
I didn't do well at college. I couldn't focus on my classes. All I wanted to do was golf. Instead of paying attention during a lecture I'd imagine myself on the fairway, wishing I was there. And when I wasn't thinking about golf I was thinking about girls. There were a lot of hot girls at college, and since I didn't date much in high school I decided to make up for it in college. I lost my virginity the first week there, and sowed my wild oats around campus that entire semester. In the spring I slowed things down and tried dating a girl for longer than a couple weeks. That didn't work out and by the end of the year I needed a break from both college and dating.
Anyone But Her Page 4