Page 12 of Creed

On Friday, I met up with Claire, Josey, and Natalie for lunch in Clarity. It was never as easy as just showing up and enjoying the time I had with old high school friends. Strangers wanted to take pictures with me, and I signed a few autographs. Claire finally snapped at a fan when she approached our table after the food arrived. I appreciated it since I already had a reputation of being a snobby bitch. But seriously, they served our food. That woman could have waited and let us eat in peace. I would have been more than happy to speak with her after our lunch was over. I owed it to people in the public that watched my movies, but all I asked was to eat in peace before my food got cold. I was a paying customer just like everyone else.

Claire was still single, working as a paralegal to a lawyer in Clarity. Josey was engaged to a really nice guy that was a bricklayer. She was a first grade teacher, and I could clearly see the love in her eyes when she spoke of him. She said I’d get tomeet him at the benefit the following day. Natalie was married to Tim Williams who just happened to be best friends with Josh Magnus in high school. She said they’re still friends and Tim stood by his side through everything Deanna did to him. Tim and Josh were also friends with Brett Darling, who was one of the lawyers Claire worked for in Clarity. The way Natalie explained the whole thing with Josh Magnus was that Deanna cheated on Josh and got pregnant. Before she miscarried, she tried to pin it on Josh, but he knew better because he always used a condom. There were already rumors that she was cheating on him, so he wasn’t buying it. The real father hung out with Shane Doyle, and she was too ashamed to tell anyone. She was little miss perfect to her parents and tried to say the pregnancy was the result of rape. She was mad at Josh, so she pointed her finger at him. The judge ordered a paternity test, and it was not Josh’s baby, and she knew it, so she admitted the truth before the test, and it ever went to trial. She ended up having a miscarriage later in her pregnancy. My heart broke for Josh. He was always really nice and would try to reassure me after Deanna was so cruel to me. He told me she was jealous and not to let it get to me. In fact, most of the guys in school looked down on the girls that picked on me. I was shocked to learn Deanna returned to town a few years back with three kids by three different dad’s and she was living in the trailer park I owned. How was that for karma? Unfortunately, Josh had already signed up for the Army before Deanna admitted the truth. It was too late for Josh to follow his dreams and play college hockey.

“I can’t understand why the tabloids always say you’re such a bitch.” Claire was dumbfounded.

“Hey now, I earned that reputation, so don’t knock it.” I laughed. “Its not because I’m a bitch to regular people, it’sbecause I have standards and will only work with a certain type of actor. I learned my lesson a long time ago about working with people with addictions. They don’t take our work seriously, they’re always late and they never know their lines. Being linked to them in any way is also harmful to reputations. I also guess its because I rarely do interviews and never give the paparazzi a really good look into my personal life.”

Natalie laughed. “Showing off your boobs and ass isn’t harmful to your reputation?”

I shook my head. “It’s for art and its not like I’m making porn.”

They all laughed. “Tell that to my brother.” Josey rolled her eyes. “I walked into his room when we were kids and witnessed some pretty traumatizing things he was doing to your poster and a sock. Never walked into his room without knocking again. You’d think he would have at least locked the door.” She gagged a little.

“Same, even my dad asks when you’re coming to visit. The booty shots have to stop, Morgan.” Claire was just teasing.

“Well, there’s some truth to what the tabloids are saying. I’m on a two year hiatus, but I will have to go back for the movie release and some contractual obligations, but I’m not accepting any scripts for new movies at this time. I’m burned out and can’t imagine making another movie. I love acting, but I’ve lost my inspiration, and Hollywood sucks the life out of me. I’m ready for something real in my life. I’m almost thirty and I haven’t had an adult relationship in years, and I want kids someday. I’m not getting any younger and I’ve made enough movies to retire. I could easily live just off royalties for the rest of my life. I don’t need a career anymore, but I do need a life.”

Claire sighed. “I feel it too. It’s that biological clock ticking.”

I shrugged. “Maybe, but I really just don’t want to make another movie. I’ve made six in five years. I own a beach house that’s usually sitting empty because I’m always traveling, and I’ve always wanted to retire to a quiet lake house. I don’t have anyone to share my dreams with, and I know I won’t find that person in California and probably not Cold Springs. I have some decisions to make and now I have time to really think about them. I won’t leave Cold Springs until I make sure Callie and Addie are safe. After that I have no idea what I will do.”

“Tristan is still in Cold Springs. Maybe you can reconnect with him.” Josey said.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe, I don’t know. He never liked the attention that came with me. It was too much for him back then and would be worse now.”

“He doesn’t actually ride on the garbage truck anymore. He’s now in middle management, so maybe that will help.” Claire said.

“What he does for a living doesn’t matter. Garbage truck or not, he’s a wonderful person that works hard and lives a quiet life. That’s exactly what I crave these days, and I don’t see that changing.” I was being honest with my friends.

After lunch, I went home and hung out with my mom. I still hadn’t visited with my grandpa like I promised. He was my great grandpa’s caregiver, and those two old men could find more trouble than Charlie Sheen at a bachelorette party. I wasn’t feeling it quite yet and hoped to visit when Patrick had time to go with me.

The next day I was excited about the benefit. I never saw a poker run, and Patrick offered to let me ride in his truck with him to the different bars the MC would be visiting. I had no idea it was more bikers than the guys who lived at the lake. That made me nervous once I saw all the bikes. There must have been hundreds of motorcycles. Patrick said I’d be safe as long as I stuck close to him. I found out the guys wearing jean and leather cuts with patches were Devil’s Rejects and hoped I had one chance to confront Shane. Although, I did have fears of his gang and didn’t like the idea of being recognized by them. I chose to stay in the truck for the stops and Patrick bought me a water or pop at each stop. We hit every bar in the county, which took hours. Finally, once we got to the Tavern in Cold Springs I had to pee so bad that I was in pain. Patrick was just as good as any body guard, but he was still just one man. I was scared to death, but if I didn’t want to pee on his truck seat I had to visit the bathroom.

“Wait here for just a minute.” Patrick jumped out and went inside the tavern. I bounced my foot and prayed to God I didn’t pee my pants as I waited. Patrick came back with men following him, but they weren’t wearing any vests or patches, just regular black t-shirts and jeans. He walked to the passenger side and opened the door. I heard one gasp after another from the six men he brought out with him. Patrick offered me his hand and I hopped out. They formed a wall around me all the way to the ladies room, but that did not protect me from being recognized.

“Holy shit, it’s Morgan fucking Rossi!” One guy yelled out as I walked.

“I’ve dreamed about having those lips wrapped around my cock for years!” Another said.

The Devil’s Rejects were yelling profane things at me all the way to the back of the tavern and still yelled them while I was in the ladies room. I knew my face had to be blood red from the embarrassment. I was relieved to pee, but still freaked out about the Devil’s Rejects. When I opened the bathroom door to leave, I gasped when I saw turquoise green eyes looking down at me. He was a tall man, absolutely beautiful and it took me a minute to remind myself to breathe. He had his arms crossed and Patrick was standing next to him, blocking my exit. He just stood there, looking into my eyes and I couldn’t peel mine away from his. He was the man from the airplane that made me feel all sorts of funny.

He finally tore his eyes from mine and looked at my brother. “Why the hell is she here? Could you have been more stupid?”

“She never saw a poker run and has been with me all day. She just had to pee and it’s the first time she left my truck.” Patrick explained himself as men were shouting about things that pertained to my vagina, but they were not that classy with their words.

The gorgeous man that had me awestruck looked at me again. “We will get you to the truck, but don’t hang around.” He looked at my brother. “Take her straight to the VFW and let your uncle know she may need eyes on her all night. The assholes yelling that shit won’t go to the VFW, this is their last stop, and they’ll head back up north. They’re not exactly big fans of Darren’s and won’t take the chance.”

I wasn’t really hearing all he had to say because my eyes were trailing down that magnificent body. My God, my sister was right if the man in front of me was Creed. He was beautiful and took my breath away. The bikers, some that were wearingcuts and had patches, formed a wall on both sides and the beautiful man that just called my brother stupid, led the way to Patrick’s truck. All my insecurities faded away as I watched the man walk in front of me. Not even Jake had that fine of an ass. Once I was up in the truck, the man shut my door and through the window pointed to my seatbelt. After acting totally mature and rolling my eyes, I snapped it on, and he gave me a nod. Patrick got in behind the wheel and I watched as the most beautiful man on the planet walked away while shaking his head.

“Who was that gorgeous and totally fuckable man?” I looked at Patrick and he scrunched his nose.

“Don’t ever talk like that to me, and that was Creed. He is the President of our local motorcycle club.”

I felt a smile form on my face as Patrick backed out of his parking spot, cursing because some of the Devil’s Rejects kept acting like they were going to step behind the truck. I turned and saw some of the men in black t-shirts step in and clear a path for us.

“Since Creed’s group is throwing the fundraiser, I’ll get to see him again?” I didn’t feel one ounce of unease, but I did get goosebumps when he was looking into my eyes.

“Don’t get your hopes up with that guy, Sis. Those are very private people, and they don’t exactly welcome strangers into their lives.”

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