Destiny Undone: The Complete Series Box Set

by Heartley, Amanda

  Brenda Lowe, our board chairperson, began the presentation by thanking everyone for coming, for their enthusiastic support, and then acknowledged the people behind the scenes who’d made our vision a reality. I squeezed Pepper’s hand in anticipation of a specific recognition I knew was yet to come.

  “Even though Sea Lab is a non-profit organization,” Brenda continued, “funding for our projects is critical, especially in this era of government cutbacks. We rely heavily on the generosity of individual and corporate sponsorships. In particular, we’d like to express our heartfelt appreciation for one such sponsor, and for whom we’ve dedicated the naming our new wing, The Douglas Anderson Wing. Please put your hands together for Mr. Doug Anderson.”

  Doug was caught completely off-guard, and looked my way for some sort of explanation, but I just smiled and joined everyone else applaud him in a standing ovation. Pepper squealed in delight and hugged her father, and Charlotte kissed him before nudging him to rise and take a bow.

  Brenda stepped back and held out her arm to make way at the microphone should Doug have chosen to address the crowd, but Doug stood where he was and simply offered a smile and a wave before sitting down again. He leaned over to me and said, “Boy, you really got me good, didn’t you?”

  I laughed and shook his hand, then Brenda introduced me to the audience. Unfortunately, my turn at the podium wasn’t optional but, much as I dread public speaking, I was eager to introduce everyone to their new neighbors.

  The lights dimmed and the giant screen on one wall filled with the breathtaking sight of our whales swimming gracefully through the water. I was thankful that hardly anyone was looking at me as I explained how the Northern Right whales were native to our waters and how their numbers had drastically dwindled since the seventies due to vessel strikes and getting tangled in fixed fishing gear.

  The children always expressed their shock when they learned about man’s relationship with certain species, and today was no exception. The globally endangered status of the species, I felt, helped mitigate any negative perceptions regarding keeping our pair of whales in captivity, unlike some other species in more commercial facilities. I gave the audience just enough information to whet their appetite for more, and then segued into the tour portion of our opening ceremony.

  After the lights came up, I said, “Martin, will you wave your hand, please?” All heads turned Martin’s way, who was positioned to escort everyone into the new wing and two other staff members stood by to help organize the throng as well. For our grand opening, we’d mostly booked schools and advertised in the region. Admission was free, but the press releases had been clear that reservations were required for our inaugural showings.

  “Our friendly staff is ready to check your reservations. Please don’t rush them—we want this to be an enjoyable experience for everyone. I hope you enjoy it.”

  I turned the mic back over to Brenda, who had the unenviable task of completing her remarks as the crowd buzzed with excitement and pretty much abandoned her. All of the board members swarmed on Doug, eager to shake his hand and offer their thanks. Eventually, he and Charlotte made it over to where Pepper and I were standing.

  “You rascal,” he scolded, reaching out to shake my hand again. “You know, if you’d asked me about naming the wing in my honor—”

  “You’d have refused,” I finished, “but that’s hardly fair. Your generosity and modesty should definitely qualify you from some long-term recognition.”

  “And was it your idea, then?”

  “I seem to recall some conversations with various board members,” I replied—as if that recollection were now hazy—“but I do remember everyone thought it was a brilliant idea. I apologize for ambushing you like that, though.”

  “Wow,” Pepper exclaimed, “you really know how to keep a secret, don’t you? Honest, Dad, he didn’t even tell me! Bastard!” She nudged me with her elbow.

  “Now, you can’t call him that. We’ve got all the necessary documentation to prove he’s ours,” I heard my mom say. “We’re so proud,” she gushed, and gave me a hug while Dad patted my shoulder. “And that was so generous of you, Doug,” she added, giving Pepper’s father a hug too.

  “I’m glad we postponed our trip,” Dad said. “So… when can we see the whales?” He sounded like a kid who’d been standing in line for the matinee.

  “I think we can arrange a showing right now, if you’d like,” I responded, and off we went, taking a detour through the staff area to bypass those standing in line.

  The banquet was also a huge success, and I was glad that Doug had loosened up enough to say a few words to the audience about the importance of Sea Lab, both as a member of the community and personally. He said that Sea Lab was almost like part of his extended family, and that made me feel extremely proud.

  Chapter Eight — Pepper

  The grand opening of the new wing and the banquet couldn’t have gone any better. I really appreciated how Gabe had graciously redirected the spotlight from himself onto my father. Dad deserved the attention since he’d donated a lot of money—but Gabe was the driving force behind the scene. His lack of grand-standing reaffirmed the kind of man he was—and his humility made me love him even more.

  There was no way I intended going back home with Dad and Charlotte after the banquet, and I made it clear while Gabe and I sat at the main table. I didn’t have to say anything—I guess some would call it an example of non-verbal communication—I called it fun.

  I knew it was naughty and risky, and although I was sensitive to Gabe’s reputation, I couldn’t keep my hands off of him… and I didn’t.

  My hand slid under the table and across the front of his slacks. He shot a playful look at me and then looked back at the crowd with a wide grin on his face. He started to say something to the rest of the guests, and I playfully squeezed his thigh and caught him off guard.

  As soon as we were able to exit gracefully, we ran through the parking lot as fast as Gabe’s leg would let him and hopped into the Audi. He valiantly attempted to return my kisses as he shifted gears, checked his mirror, and generally tried to avoid running over anything. I smooched on his neck as I played with his cock and it was a wonder he had enough blood circulating in the rest of his body to handle the driving. By my calculations, he’d been hard for a while.

  We only made it as far as the living room before I pulled him down onto the sofa, undid his belt and tugged his pants down far enough to have my way with him. He pretended to protest as I brought the tip of his cock to my lips, but as soon as I slipped it inside my hot mouth, his objections melted away.

  I took my time planting soft, wet kisses along its length, and ran my tongue along the ridge before sucking the tip into my mouth again. I’d sucked Gabe’s cock enough times to know what he liked and what got him off easily. I wasn’t going to do that now, though. I wanted him hot—and hard.

  I stroked his cock gently… playfully… waiting for the moment when he was about to explode, and then let off just a little to give him a few seconds to compose himself again. I wanted to tease him—but not end our night too soon.

  “Pepper, baby, you’re killing me.”

  “I know, right?” I answered, teasingly, as I lifted the cute little black dress I had on, slid my panties down my legs and shamelessly straddled his cock. He moaned as I slowly inched down his length, taking him inside me. I was already dripping wet, but at full staff, he was still quite a handful so I spread my legs a little wider and gently eased down on him again.

  “Fuck, baby, you’re good,” I whispered as I felt his thick cock inch deeper. He held onto my hips, pulled me down on him and I shuddered as his cock filled me completely. When he was all the way inside me, I ground my pussy slowly against him and he rocked his hips into me. The tip of his cock hit me in all the right places and the tinge of pain as it hit bottom immediately turned into pleasure. His hands roamed my body endlessly—holding my face one minute, caressing my breasts the next—I couldn’t hold b
ack anymore. My toes curled, and with one more thrust, lights flashed behind my eyes and I grabbed his shoulders and let myself go. With a full body shudder, I came all over his dick—my favorite place to be.

  “Gabe, honey,” I cried out. Waves of electricity screamed through my body and my hips gyrated, pulling every last ounce of my orgasm out of me and I collapsed onto Gabe’s chest as it subsided.

  “God, I love you, Pepper,” he breathed as he sucked on my neck.

  “I love you too, Gabe,” I whispered quietly while his cock still pushed its way between my wet lips and stroked the walls of my pussy. With another thrust, he tensed and cried out as he came hard inside me.

  We lay there together, spineless, for a minute while we caught our breath, kissing and breathing each other’s sighs. “Pepper?”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “You’re so easy,” he said and smiled. I sat up and playfully smacked his arm.

  “No, I’m not and what if I was anyway?”

  “You are baby, and I love it. You stroke not only my cock, but my ego too!” and we both laughed and I got up off of him and ran towards the bathroom.

  “Race you to the shower! Loser makes breakfast in the morning!”

  After Gabe had made breakfast the next morning, we headed over to my Dad’s house. Evangeline, Charlotte and Mills were already gathered at the dining room table making plans for the wedding and I wondered if they’d pulled an all-nighter.

  “Pepper,” Evangeline called out, “what do you think of these bridesmaid designs?” I leaned over her shoulder and checked out the different options she’d tabbed. Most were full-length and very formal. Nothing like what I would have picked out.

  “They’re… okay,” I replied. I glanced over at Mills and she rolled her eyes.

  “Check my preferences out, sis.” Mills moved her laptop so I could see her selections. They were a little more in line with my own tastes with hemlines that came down to just below the knees.

  “Nice,” I said, trying not to sound too enthusiastic.

  “But which do you like better?” Evangeline asked, putting me on the spot. I felt like I was in a crossfire—like an angel of mercy—thankfully, Charlotte rescued me.

  “Pepper, have you had breakfast yet?” she smiled then turned toward the others. “We can’t expect her to weigh in on an empty stomach, can we? Come on, Pepper. Let’s go see what we can conjure up.”

  “It’s okay, Charlotte, we’ve eaten. Gabe made breakfast this morning.”

  “Fine, dear. You got yourself a keeper there!”

  “Yeah, I think I’ll keep him!” I replied, smiling when I thought about our sexy time the night before. “He’s a great cook!”

  I looked at the stacks of bridal magazines, notepads and lists, wondering how they’d accumulated so much wedding material in less than twenty four hours. “Wow, you guys are doing enough work for two weddings!”

  It was like the three of them all heard a dog whistle and stopped in their tracks, and then I picked up the frequency myself. Two weddings!

  “That’s it!” Mills cried. “That is so fucking it!” She calmed herself for a second. “Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Charlotte.” Then she jumped up and down. “That’s an amazing idea! Let’s do it, Pep. What do you say?”

  I felt my own excitement building by the second. I liked it! But was Gabe ready for this? I kept my thoughts under wraps and looked at Evangeline. She was staring at me—almost through me, it seemed. I could practically hear her wheels turning, and then she came out of her trance.

  “Fucking fantastic!” she cried and we all hugged and whooped so loud that Daddy appeared in the doorway to see what all the fuss was about.

  “It sounds like a scalping party!” he said.

  “Doug,” Evangeline gasped. “We’re going to have a double wedding! Mills and Pepper!”

  “That’s wonderful,” he smiled and walked toward me with his arms outstretched. As he patted my back, he added, “Practical, too.”

  “Oh, I knew you’d say that,” Evangeline laughed. “But it’s true. There’s only one hitch—somebody has to inform Pepper’s fiancé.”

  All eyes turned my way. I gulped. “I guess that would be me.”

  Gabe was surprisingly receptive to the idea and in fact, he was more concerned about whether it was what I wanted. As we lay in his bed that night, he caressed my arm while he mulled it over.

  “You don’t see any potential for conflict?” he asked. “You know, between what you want and what Mills wants… and what Evangeline wants?”

  “I really don’t,” I said. “Mills and I are so close to begin with, and this would just make us closer. And Mom’s been really cool so far. She’s taken on the planning for the wedding itself, and she’ll probably hire a professional to coordinate some things, the photographer, the catering, etc. but she’s allowing Charlotte to handle the reception… with final approval, of course. After all, she’s still the Queen Bee, even though she abdicated her throne.”

  “And what does the guy’s family—I mean, the groom’s—what’s their part?”

  “The rehearsal dinner, mainly,” I said. “Yassir is all over it. At least, that’s what he said. Evangeline is probably the most nervous about that. She’ll be expecting daily progress reports, but I don’t think Yassir is intimidated by her. He’s pretty laid back.”

  “Well, if you’re sold on it, then I’m on board,” Gabe said. I believe I squealed at that point, and after several hugs and kisses, Gabe seemed to drift away a bit. “I was just thinking of my mom,” he confessed. “I wonder if three months’ notice is enough time for them to make arrangements to be in the country for the wedding—I’m sure she’d like to be there and to participate.”

  “Call her,” I prompted. “Now!”

  I guess I’d pictured an ecstatically eventful call where my future mother-in-law and I would bond long distance and get all teary-eyed. Instead, I felt bad about waking them up in Macedonia or wherever they were. The reception was terrible, and before Gabe could tell her I was standing by, they were disconnected.

  “Should I try to call her back?” he asked.

  “No, that’s okay. They probably need their rest. How did she sound? Was she excited… a little? Maybe?”

  “It was hard to tell.” He frowned. “You know, when I tell people about what my parents do, the places they travel to and the humanitarian stuff, everyone’s always impressed. ‘Oh, you must be so proud! They must be such good people!’ And they are. I just wish they were a little more traditional in some ways. There’s a point where selflessness resembles selfishness. They’re so dedicated to helping others that they ignore the people who they’re closest to. They don’t have time for me anymore.”

  We both stared up at the ceiling as if we were looking up at a starry sky. I wondered if there was such thing as a ‘normal’ family anyway. There’d been a few times when I’d thought I’d met one, but the longer you know someone, the more they reveal the strangeness under the surface. Somehow, we all find a way to deal with it, and that becomes our ‘normal.’ As messed up as my family was, and as awesome as Gabe’s parents were, I felt sorry for him.

  A few days later, I moved back in with Gabe to ‘practice’ our domestic compatibility and everything was pretty smooth. I made sure there was food in the fridge, and Gabe vowed to observe the Golden Rule whenever things got a little tense between us.

  And there were plenty of opportunities for tensions to erupt. While killing two birds with one stone might seem efficient, a double wedding is double the headaches for everyone involved and when you schedule a double wedding a few days before Christmas, you’re asking for trouble.

  Evangeline was able to secure the Episcopal Church we’d attended when I was a little girl. It was a wonder they’d even agreed to let me set foot inside again but the Rev. Michael Carling—the same minister who officiated at Mom and Dad’s wedding—had agreed to officiate at ours, even though he was now a Bishop. How cool was that?

  Mi
lls and I won out on our choices of bridesmaid gowns, of course, and came up with colors that incorporated the holiday season—Mills’ bridesmaids wore red and white gowns with green accents, while mine wore green and white with red accents—while complimenting each other.

  Aven, of course, was my Maid of Honor and that was a big incentive for her not to food-binge her sorrows away while she recovered from Dominic, and it worked. Another incentive for her to stay ‘on the wagon’ was Jonathan Church.

  I couldn’t help thinking that Gabe had a lot to do with Jonathan and Aven rekindling their relationship. After Jonathan’s bratty brother, Justin, was busted for vandalizing Sea Lab, Jonathan made the mistake of mentioning to his father that he knew Gabe. Charles then dispatched Jonathan on a mission to persuade Gabe not to press charges, and told him he had a blank check—whatever it would take—to help Gabe come to the right decision.

  That was awkward for Jonathan, to say the least, and certainly uncomfortable for Gabe. I mean, there was no love lost between the two, especially after Jonathan ran Gabe off the road the first night they’d met—not that Gabe held a major grudge, or wanted to punish Justin just because his brother had been such an asshole.

  Jonathan had told me that Gabe listened to him and that he’d apologized for the car accident. When he’d finished, Gabe had apparently said about the vandalism, “It’s about more than the damages. In addition to being the administrator and marine biologist here, one of my main duties is education. What would Justin learn from this if there were no punishment? How long would it be before he’d be back at it, acting out whatever problems he has on our property or someone else’s? I can’t agree to that.”

  When Jonathan told me about their meeting, it was obvious he was remorseful about his role in Justin’s behavior. “Maybe if I’d set a better example all these years, he wouldn’t be such a little punk,” he’d said. “Here we are, Pepper. Both our families have more money than they know what to do with, and look at how we’ve turned out. Well, you’ve changed. You found your own way and matured. Maybe I need to take stock, too.”