Page 2 of Creed

Restless

Morgan

Six Years Later

Jude squeezed my hand as he thrust his body on top of me. I shut my eyes and moaned against his lips.

“CUT!” The director, Jonathan Powers AKA my biggest enemy, yelled out over the movie set. My co-star, Jake Meadows, yes THE Jake Meadows rolled off me. I pulled the sheets up to cover my almost nude body, and Jake looked over at me with that panty dropping smile. I always wondered if those scenes were weird for Jake and Jonathan, since Jonathan was Jake’s uncle by marriage.

“That was great, babe.” He gave me a wink and I slapped his shoulder. Jake wasn’t just handsome with dirty blond hair, a chiseled jaw, big beautiful green eyes, and a body to die for, he was funny and always made me laugh. We just finished the last sex scene in the movie we were currently shooting on location in Alberta, Canada. We would soon wrap up filming and head back to LA. I couldn’t wait until it was over so I could visit my family in Cold Springs in less than a month. I would take that time to consider my future. Time had run out, the contract I was in for so long, and dictated my life, was over.

I laughed when Jake pecked my lips. “Best sex scene ever! Damn, that was hot!” He pecked my lips again.

No, we were not lovers, and never had we ever been lovers, but we were friends. In fact, Jake was one of my two best friends. That’s what made the movie we were working on the most anticipated movie made in years. Fans couldn’t wait to see us together again. Jake and I starred on a television series together as kids. Teens and young adults all over were huge fans of the show and the last episode was a wedding between our two characters. A union the fans cheered for during the entire duration of the series. I played Darcy, the wild and out of control surfer, while Jake played Dillon, the quiet but smoking hot book worm.

After the television series ended, we grew up, worked on our own projects, then came back together for the movie. Through all those years, we remained friends. His status of Hollywood heartthrob never really got to his head. He was still my down to earth best friend, which would surprise most people. He was the son of Allison Blakely and Kenny Meadows. Allison was an actress, and Kenny was a country music singer. Jake attended prep school then managed to get a masters degree in education and a bachelors in performing arts from Belmont University in Tennessee. I got the same education at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. I think it may have been his father’s country roots that helped Jake stay down to earth. He spent quite a lot of time at his grandparents farm which was also in Indiana. Funny coincidence, right? Being that I was born in Cold Springs, Indiana, to Jennifer and Tanner Rossi.

They were both sixteen at the time, but they beat the odds and were still together twenty nine years later. Despite being a child actor, I was not so much into the whole Hollywoodparty scene. Hell, I hated Hollywood, and I was growing restless. I loved acting, it was a natural part of me, but for years I began feeling as if I was selling my soul to the devil. I had never been married, or engaged. I dated, but never with an actor. In fact, my high-school sweetheart was the guy that rode on the back of a garbage truck. Yes, my first boyfriend became a garbage man. A very handsome, kind, and funny garbage man. We broke up because he couldn’t handle the attention of dating a teen starlet. I honestly couldn’t blame him, since I wasn’t a big fan of it either. We broke up our senior year and he didn’t have many long term goals, other than living a quiet life in our small town.

I loved acting. I mean, Ireallyloved it. To be able to transform into any character and feel what they felt, it was like an escape from real life. Not that my real life was bad, but it was more like taking an adventure. It all started when I was five years old. I got so lost in the world of make believe that my mother worried I was special needs. If I wanted to be Alice in Wonderland, I was her and never stepped outside of that role. She truly believed I thought I was Alice. She took me to a child therapist, that broke the news to mom that there was nothing wrong with me, I was simply a born actress. I loved role playing and entertaining the other children. The therapist recommended an agent, and I was six when I made my first appearance on a soap opera. I only worked on that soap opera during the summers, until I landed the role of Darcy McLeary on the television series with Jake. I was fourteen. That was where I met Jake and our friendship began. It was through him where I met the worst people in Hollywood and started making movies. I never cared for the stardom, it was acting that I loved. I never attended parties, never did drugs like many of my costars, and my public appearances were limited to a few skits on Saturday Night Live, being a guest on a few late shows, and of course forcharities like the USO. I did a few tours with the USO, like to Germany and the middle east. I guess I could say I always had a soft spot for our men and women that served our country.

Beyond that, I lived somewhat secluded. I wasn’t living the most fulfilling life. The paparazzi and media ruined relationships by hurting my family and friends. I wasn’t just labeled as the most boring starlet but the most snobbish. I didn’t let anyone in close enough to know the true me, since I always felt protective of not just myself but my family as well. I rarely gave interviews, never acknowledged the paparazzi, and chose very carefully who I’d work with, that was in the contract. Going out wasn’t a thing for me. I stayed out of the public because the trauma of seeing my family suffer was enough. At one point they accused my parents of horrible things, and the same for the two men I let in close. They nearly destroyed my high school boyfriend’s life before he got a chance to start living it. I never wanted to be the cause of their pain ever again.

The production assistant wrapped me in a robe, and I tied it around my waist as Jonathan approached. “We need to talk.” His jet black hair with sprinkles of gray was always styled perfectly. He was handsome in a dad kind of way, but I learned not to let his looks fool me. Jonathan and his wife were money hungry pricks that took advantage of my naivety years ago. He also happened to be Jake’s uncle, and they never got along. The only reason Jake agreed to this movie was because my contract was ending, and he wanted to make sure Jonathan, and his nasty wife weren’t able to take advantage of me again.

“Let me guess, you’re adding scenes?” I asked as he followed me to my dressing room. Jonathan was most known as a director, but he was also part owner of a production company ran by his wife.

“No, we’re still about to wrap up here, but I have a familiar role for you. The studio wants me to direct the sequel to Death’s Door, and I want you back for the lead role.”

I opened the door to my dressing room. “I don’t do sequel’s. You know this, Jonathan. It was in our contract.”

“That contract is expiring, and Ashton has agreed to return as long as we bring you back as well. To be honest, the project probably won’t happen without you and Ashton both. That movie broke the box office, and you won an Emmy. The first one did well for all of us, let’s bring it back. Come on, just do it for me, Morgan.” He gave me pleading eyes as I walked to my makeup chair.

“I am taking a break to be with my family. You know this, Jonathan. I already told you I want a two year break. I’ve done back to back movies for you for years and I’m not committing to any new projects.” I held my ground. I was finally free to make that decision.

He spun my makeup chair to make me look at him with both of his hands resting on the arms of my chair. “I need you, Morgan.”

I sighed with the frustration I was feeling. “I have worked since I was six years old. I worked through high school and college without a break. Do you know how many vacations I have had in the last five years? Two, I have taken two, while you and that wife of yours traveled the world.” They traveled off the money I made for them.

He stood straight and ran his hand down his jaw. “I can give you six months.”

“No, its not just the time off, you know this, Jonathan. I don’t do sequels. I’m sorry, the answer is still no.”

I heard a throat clear and looked over to see Jake leaning against the doorframe. He was in nothing but a towel covering his lower half and had a serious look on his face.

“This is a private conversation.” Jonathan said, forgetting that we were not the newbie actors that were afraid to speak up. We were A-list actors, and I finally had the freedom to make my own choices.

“I believe when a woman says no, the final answer is still no.” Jake was always way too protective of me.

“This isn’t your business, Jake, now back off.” Jonathan wasn’t pleased to say the least.

I looked up at Jonathan. “The answer is still no. I’m not changing my stance on this. Death’s Door is best left as a stand alone movie. Trying to add to it and make a franchise out of it is a huge mistake.”

Jake tilted his head. “Death’s door? Are you kidding me?” Jake saw the problem, Jonathan not so much. Jake walked over and stood behind me and rested his hands on my shoulders. “She doesn’t do sequel’s, end of story.”

Anger and frustration filled Jonathan’s dark eyes. “You’re her manager now?”

Jake chuckled. “Not her manager, but she is more of a family to me than you or my aunt. When Morgan says no she means it. Don’t you have director shit to do so she can get dressed? We have reservations for dinner, and I don’t want to be late. The paparazzi will be so disappointed if they miss their next chance to start rumors about us.”

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