In the rugged terrain of the Appalachian mountains lies the small town of Cedar Ridge, where the echoes of the past reverberate through the winding roads and rolling hills. It is here that we find Elena Stone, a young woman burdened with secrets and...
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Sitting outside on the porch of the clubhouse, I could hear a commotion happening at the gate. The guard, Josh, looked like he wanted to disappear into a black hole as he spoke to someone in a very luxurious car, trying to gain entry into the clubhouse. From the voice, I could tell it was a woman. Why would an outsider be at the clubhouse?
As my dad and some of the other club men and prospects walked out of the clubhouse with straight faces on, I frowned at the sight. I had never seen that side of them before. Mack came and stood beside me, looking down with a smile before returning his gaze forward, his face now serious. Dad stood in the middle of the parking lot, and the girls from the clubhouse gathered around him. I couldn't help but wonder what was really going on.
Josh eventually let the woman through, and my dad crossed his arms over his chest. The woman parked her car and walked up to everyone. I stood up with Josh's help and wondered where Wrench, Slick, and Brick were. I whispered to Mack, asking where they were. He responded in a hushed tone, "They went out a little while ago. They texted me like 30 minutes ago saying they were on their way back." I nodded, my curiosity growing.
I turned my attention back to the woman. She didn't look too well, with bags under her eyes and appearing awfully skinny. I absentmindedly rubbed my belly as she said something that caught my attention. "Where is Thomas, Ethan, and Daniel?" she asked, her face filled with brokenness. I looked towards Mack, confusion written across my face. Why would she be looking for Wrench, Brick, and Slick? Before I could finish my thought, my dad spoke up, confirming my suspicions.
"Clarissa, they have moved on. Now, I think it's about time you have done the same," my dad said sternly. That's when it hit me. This woman was Clarissa, the one who had broken the hearts of my men. She looked around, pleading with everyone, until we heard a car pulling into the gate. Finally, they were back. Wrench, Slick, and Brick hopped out of the car and walked straight toward me. I smiled warmly at them, and they surrounded me.
Slick walked away from me and approached Clarissa, who had a pout on her face and tears falling from her eyes as she looked at the men surrounding me. In a low, threatening voice, Slick said, "It's time you leave this property, Clarissa. After what you've done, you aren't welcome here anymore. So leave, and don't come back." Clarissa looked down and started sobbing. She glanced at me, and I saw a flicker of an emotion I couldn't quite decipher. Then, she climbed into her car and drove off through the gate.
Slick walked back to me, and we all made our way back inside the clubhouse. Something about the way Clarissa had looked at me didn't sit right with me. They say hell hath no fury, but they haven't met a woman who's both heartbroken and pissed off, one who fully believes she's the victim.
*****
As I stood in the bustling kitchen, surrounded by an array of ingredients, my mind focused on the task at hand—preparing dinner for the clubhouse. Loaded fries and burgers were on tonight's menu. The clubhouse had been practically begging all day, and who was I to deny them a little indulgence? Sizzle. Pop. The oil in the fryer danced a merry jig as the first golden slivers of potato hit the hot surface.
