50 Shades of Drake 5 and 6

Chapter Twenty-Six

    Breakfast started off quiet. Noticeably so. Carlos seemed intently focused on his plate, while Jasmine and Candace threw him glances every few minutes, as if they expected him to say something. Destiny's parents spoke to each other in low tones, and then Mrs. Richards and Sandi would start talking about clothes or hair stylists. Dennis and Mr. Richards talked sports and music, old school blues and jazz. Hush, Mark, Ryan, and Chubbs looked like they were still in the process of waking up. OB was nowhere to be found.

    Aubrey leaned in to kiss Destiny on the cheek. "We should probably thank our families and friends for being willing to come out to support us."

    She turned and watched their families quiet conversations. "Aubrey and I really do appreciate that you were all willing to come and celebrate with us on such short notice."

    Ryan and Mark briefly raised their hands into the air, vague affirmative gestures meant to show their support.

    "Of course, mama," Jasmine said, smiling brightly.

    "It wasn't that big of a sacrifice, coming to Cali," Candace added. "I'm trying to find a way to stay."

    Jasmine laughed. "Same."

    "I'll see what I can do," Aubrey told them.

    "Really?" Candace's eyes widened.

    "Owning a company worth close to a billion dollars has to have it's perks at some point," he said, draping an arm across the back of Destiny's chair.

    The breakfast table lapsed into silence again.

    Destiny inspected Aubrey's plate and stole a piece of waffle from it.

    He arched a thick eyebrow at her.

    She grinned as she popped the piece of waffle into her mouth. "What are you going to do?" she asked him. "Punish me?"'

    Jasmine and Candace shot looks towards Carlos.

    Carlos lifted his eyes from his plate and looked back at them. He returned their stares. "What?" he demanded finally. "I'm not saying shit this time."

    A dark look passed in Aubrey's eyes, and his mouth slanted into a devilish smirk. He raised a hand to Destiny's hair and caressed it lovingly. His eyes flicked over to their guests at the table as his hand lowered to the bottom of her hair. Positioning his hand out of the view of their guests, he gently grabbed her hair and wound it around his hand. Then he leaned over and said low into her ear, "You don't even know what you're in for, do you?"

    Returning his intense gaze with a daring look, she angled her fork across his plate and speared another piece of waffle. "Well, since I'm already in trouble and everything..." She popped the piece of waffle into her mouth.

    He laughed and gave her hair a tug before releasing it and leaning away from her.

    Destiny happily chewed on the waffle, turning her gaze onto her friends.

    Jasmine and Candace were staring at her and wearing expressions that were tough to read.

    "What?" Destiny asked when she was finished chewing.

    "Nothing, girl." Jasmine shook her head and laughed. "This has been a complete trip."

    OB sauntered into the kitchen, wearing gray sweatpants and a hoodie with the hood pulled up over his head. His eyes were squinted into narrowed slits.

    "Morning, OB," Destiny greeted.

    Aubrey touched her arm and shook his head.

    OB gruffly returned the greeting and snatched a muffin from the breakfast counter. Then he wheeled around and surveyed the breakfast table. "Why is everyone so damned quiet? Everyone's leaving today, right?"

    Several heads nodded.

    "Shit, then where's the conversation?" OB asked. "The teary goodbyes? All of that sentimental shit?"

    Candace and Jasmine exchanged glances and Carlos all of a sudden seemed extra interested in his over-easy eggs.

    OB frowned, then looked at Aubrey and Destiny. "Ohhhhh, I know what this is. This is the morning-after-everyone-and-their-momma-literally-hears-Aubrey-fucking, isn't it?"

    Jasmine's eyes widened.

    Mrs. Richards's fork clattered to her plate and Mr. Richards stood up from his chair.

    Sandi bowed her head and shook it. "OB," she murmured in a chastising tone.

    "Sorry, Mama Graham, but you know your son," OB said before taking a bite into his muffin.

    Mr. Richards's frown deepened.

    "He means nothing by it, Mr. Richards," Aubrey said, leaning back and wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin. "Tact is not OB's strong suit. OB...settle."

    OB shrugged, turned, and left the kitchen.

    Mrs. Richards tugged on the sleeve of her husband's button-down shirt. "Take a seat and calm down."

    "Did you hear how he was talking?" Mr. Richards asked. "I already wasn't a fan of the profanity, but then he had to go and talk about...intimate details concerning our daughter and her future husband? In front of everyone like that?"

    Destiny's cheeks heated up. She fidgeted with the hem of her cream-colored, short-sleeved dress.

    "Not to be rude, son," Sandi piped up, from beside Aubrey, "but you might want to consider moving your guests to a different part of the house. Or you and Destiny might want to visit the pool house, or...one of the lower floors of the house if you need private time. Just food for thought."

    Carlos chewed his food while giving Destiny a knowing look.

    Aubrey shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I apologize if any of you heard...anything that you would've preferred not to hear."

    Ryan burst out laughing and pulled out his cell phone.

    "Moving on," Mrs. Richards said, "I would like to congratulate the happy couple on their union."

    "Andon their second union," Carlos muttered, raising his glass of orangejuice. "And from the sounds of it, their third union and fourth union. Ifthe past few nights have taught us anything, it's that our dearest Aubrey andDestiny are extremely...united. In every sense of theword."