Company

Chapter 20

The tension between Drake and Tae was thick enough to hold up a brick wall, however, they remained professional like always. The last thing they wanted to do was make anybody in the crew uncomfortable. Business continued to get handled.

The crew gathered in the Kitchen, food lined the counter, cups, half-eaten plates of food scattered around. The room was warm and full of good vibes. Tae had just broken the news that Apple Music was extremely pleased with how well 'OVO Sound Radio' was doing, and that the rating were going up every show.

Drake stood across the room. He'd catch glimpses of Tae whenever he could, however, Tae was indulged in the conversation she was having with one of his friends she hadn't looked at Drake once. She played it off way better than him, she continued to speak to him as if they'd never had that conversation on his balcony. It was like she was trained to not let her emotions get the best of her when in public. Which was yet another thing Drake admired. She handled her problems in private and didn't cause a scene for everyone to see.

He watched her facial expressions as her phone began to ring. Her eyebrows frown as her lips pressed together, Drake knew that face all too well. It was someone she didn't want to speak to. She excused herself as she walked down the hall into a large game room. "We have nothing to talk about....... No... No, just stop........ I don't have time for this........ Because I don't........ I'm done with this....... There is nothing..... I gotta go. Bye."

She spoke with her back turned to the door, Drake leaned against the frame "everything ok?" She turned in surprise hoping he hadn't heard too much of the conversation, his voice rattled in genuine concern his eyes looking directly into hers. "Yea, I'm fine." She said turning her phone screen off and placing it into her back pocket. "Listen, I wanted to let you know I apologize for last night, I was caught off guard and wasn't sure about how to handle the situation, normally I plan what to say out." Drake spoke while still looking in her eyes, she began to get that uneasy feeling, he had a way of looking at you the whole time he spoke and nobody ever did that. It was something she loved but hated at the same time. "It's fine. I understand."

Drake stood looking at her for a moment longer. He began walking closer to her, the smell of his cologne filled her nose he slid both hands onto her hips and squeezed, her eyes closed as he pulled her closer to him pressing himself against her. He stared down at her as she opened her eyes looking back up at him. His head leaned in to kiss her but was stopped by her index finger. "I told you to let me know if you needed anything business-wise from me. THIS is not business." She spoke inches away from his face. It took everything in her body to deny him, the smell of his cologne, the look of his full lips, him looking down at her, she was a knee buckle away from melting into him right there, but she held her ground. Drake's jawline clenched as Tae slid his hands from her hips and eased her way from in front of him and made her way back to the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drake stood standing in the center of a low lit restaurant, his custom black tailored suit fit him like a glove. As if when he put a suit on he turned into 'Aubrey' like he had this 'Batman vs Bruce Wayne' complex. It was extremely sexy he became smooth not that he wasn't already but it was just something about seeing this man in a suit that was fit for a God.

"You feel like you fucked up? Like you lost whatever it was you two had going on?" His manager Oliver said standing in front of him as he then took a sip of the yellowish tint liquid from a clear wine class. Oliver was dressed in a black button-up dress shirt, fitted black slacks, with a fitted black Pea Coat thrown on to complete the look.

"We lost something, I mean for the last week she hasn't said anything to me that hasn't been 'business-related' and when she is speaking to me she's a arm's length away from me." Drake spoke as he swirled the brownish liquor in a short glass he held in his hand. He looked passed Oliver to focus his eyes on Tae who was hands down stunning in every way possible tonight. She wore a little black dress with a black fitted blazer over it, her heels were at least 7 inches high with the signature red bottoms Drake wondered how the hell she was walking around without stumbling but she did it flawlessly, her hair was pulled up into a high bun, baby hair that was too stubborn to be pulled back laid on the sides of her temples. Her makeup was clean, a cherry red lip, eyeliner, and beautiful long lashes, she wore a gold watch on one wrist and 3 gold Tiffany bangles on the other with gold studded diamond earrings.

"Well, at least you know she doesn't let things interfere with her work, she remains professional."  

Oliver and Drake's conversation was cut short when the clicking of Tae's heels got closer to their direction, he watched her walk closer a gold iPhone 6 was pressed up to her ear as she spoke to whoever was on the other end. "Hey, It's Howard University. They want to make sure that you'll make a surprise visit like planned." Tae covered the speaker of the phone as she spoke. "Yes! Definitely. Tell them yes." Tae nodded her head as she turned around and began speaking into the phone again. Drake watched her walk away shaking his head. "See what I mean!? I get nothing. Straight business."

Oliver took another sip as he paused looking back at her direction then back to his friend. "Damn, you definitely fucked up, She obviously feels some type of way, it seems like you were judging her and you should be the last person to be judging any women of their past."

Oliver laughed as Drake shot him a look, but Oliver was right, Drake always saw the good in certain women that others only saw the bad in, he didn't judge women for certain things they've done. If he didn't like a certain action from a woman he simply just ended it depending on how deep his feelings were but he'd do his best to move on. Oliver began to speak again "she felt judged and on top of that you kind of accused her of setting you up for something as if she had a vendetta against you." Oliver took another sip from his glass.

Drake realized that Tae was simply doing what he did when he didn't like a certain action he simply cut ties with the women, he'd remain friends with them but that was it. The best case of this was his relationship with pop star Rihanna, with her having a tendency to flip flop between her ex and him (who he was not fond of in the least) he simply did not like her actions. There were too many times that she'd go back and forth, and being indecisive made Drake anxious/nervous, he hated it. Sure he spoke to her about it but the slip-ups became too much so he cut the relationship sting but still remained a close friend to her and that was it. This is what Tae was doing.

"She's too much like me. I don't know how this will work. I need contrast."
Drake shook his head as he looked back at 40 waiting for his response.
"Well, her birthday IS October 31st what do you expect!? She's an OVO. We're all too much alike." Drake ran his hand on the back of his neck as he gave Oliver a small chuckle. "Listen, it'll work out. You stressing and you don't need too..... Plus if all else fails, sing 'Just Hold On We're Going Home' to her that shit always works." Drake busted out in laughter with a smile full of teeth Oliver began cracking up as he placed his hand on Drake's shoulder.