Carter chuckled in response to Joshua’s comment. “Soon enough he’ll be a fucking father.”
“God help us all.”
That was Aaron.
I glanced back at my brothers, grinning. “Jealous because I beat you all to the punch?”
“Hey, hey!” my mother called out when I ducked a swing from Joshua. “You all stop that. I swear you would’ve thought I raised a bunch of farm animals.” She sucked her teeth.
Since the women had been cooking much of the day, my brothers and I served the table. It was sort of a tradition in our house, when the food wasn’t catered. I held out one of the wooden chairs for Destiny to sit, pushing it toward the long, glass table. I sat next to her as my mother insisted we say grace, and then began eating.
“Destiny, you were saying you’re a financial advisor?” my mother began.
“Yes, Mrs. Townsend.”
“Please, call me Deb or Deborah, or Mom, if you’d like.”
My chest swelled as my mother’s blue eyes wrinkled as she smiled at my wife.
“Thank you, Deb.”
“I’ve listened to your podcast. Been listening for a while, actually,” Michelle spoke up.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I just didn’t want to say anything the first time we met.”
Destiny and Michelle laughed.
“What’s a podcast?” my mother questioned.
“Um, it’s like an online radio show. I host it with my sister. Well, technically Resha is my cousin, but we were raised together. So for all intents and purposes, she’s—”
“Your sister,” Patience finished Destiny’s statement.
Everyone at the table understood that. Given that fact that technically speaking, Aaron, was my cousin by DNA but after his biological parents were killed in a car accident caused by his father, my parents adopted him. He was raised right alongside us as brothers, no difference.
“So are you one of those financial advisors that advises all your clients to invest the funds that will bring you the highest returns but cost them the most in fees.”
“Aaron, what the fuck?” I growled across the table at the shitty questioned he’d so arrogantly lobbied across the table at my wife.
“It’s okay,” Destiny responded, tightening her hand around my arm, pulling me back from the table.
“It’s not okay. It was fucking rude and di—”
“No really. It’s okay,” Destiny began, placing her hand on my thigh. “I get it. Unfortunately, financial advisors don’t have the best reputation and with good reason. There are a shit load of mutual and investment funds with outrageous fees. Excuse my language, Deb.” Destiny gave my mother a remorseful look.
My mother nodded and smiled at her.
“Everyone should question their financial advisor’s loyalty. I don’t charge my clients by which investments they make. I charge them based on the time I spend with them. Thus, if they only see me for an hour a month, that’s all they’re charged for. I don’t continually switch my clients’ portfolios around, trying to chase the next big stock rise. I make it clear my strategy is to invest with two strategies in mind. For diversity and for the long haul. I left my full-time job at one of the biggest investment banks in the city because they encouraged stock picking and chasing fees over what was best for the client. I choose not to do that in my business. I’ve been successful thus far,” she finished, tilting her head in Aaron’s direction before smiling up at me.
Goddamn, I love this woman. Leaning down, I pressed a kiss to her lips before turning a sharp gaze on Aaron.
“Any further questions, I expect will be directed my way and not toward my wife,” I growled.
Aaron didn’t have anymore questions and the rest of dinner went off without a hitch. After dinner we opened presents and not for the first time I couldn’t wait until Destiny and I had our own children to unwrap presents by the tree with.
****
