The Arrangement

Chapter Twenty

Henley

I'd already had a feeling that Blair would be a good time, but I hadn't quite realised just how much until tonight. After Lennox filled me in on the absolute shit show Asher made of her first time in the playroom, I knew she needed her mine taken off of it and well booze and dancing has always been my go to at times like this.

Turns out it works pretty well for Blair too.

Especially when she drunkenly dragged us into this horrendous 80's themed bar, with bodies everywhere, a sticky dancefloor and cheap booze. It's decked out with neon colours, retro arcade games lining one wall and vintage posters of iconic 80's movies plastered everywhere. It's without a doubt a sensory overload in the best possible way.

I lean back against the bar, a drink in hand whilst Blair completely owns the stage. She's up there singing along to Material Girl on the karaoke machine, not missing a single word. She seems completely at ease, her joy palpable, radiating out over everyone that's also entranced with watching her. The crowd is loving it, cheering her on and singing along, as they get caught up in the moment alongside her. It's as if the whole bar has become a part of her own personal concert, and she's the star of the show.

Glancing over the Lennox, I see he's grinning from ear to ear just as caught up in her performance and enjoying himself as much as I am. We both exchange a look that says it all. Blair is full of surprises, and we're more than happy to be along for the ride.

As the song comes to an end, Blair takes a theatrical bow, her cheeks flushed and a triumphant smile lighting up her face. The crowd erupts into applause, and she hops off the stage, making her way back to us through a sea of congratulatory high-fives and enthusiastic compliments.

"Who would have guessed you'd be such a karaoke queen" I tease as she reaches us, handing her a drink.

She laughs, the sound as bright and infectious as her performance. "You haven't seen anything yet," she replies her eyes twinkling. "My dad was into his music, there wasn't a moment our home wasn't filled with it when I was growing up" she then says and it's brief, the slightest flicker of something in her expression but it's there.

Grief and I'm sure there's guilt too.

She hasn't mentioned her parents and Lennox was quick to note how she diverted away from the conversation when he'd mentioned the family pictures in her apartment.

We know she'd been his carer after his cancer diagnosis. Dropped out of college and uprooted her whole life to care for him whilst the disease ravished him. They were clearly close, and she seems to have fond memories of him yet she hasn't mentioned him once.

I can't even imagine how hard it must have been for her watching both her parents go in the same way. I guess it's no surprise she clearly pushes the grief away.

I have no idea what to say so I look to Lennox.

"He clearly had great taste" he says, always knowing what to say during tense moments like this. "Must've been a great guy"

A slight wistful smile spreads across her lips for a brief moment but then she swallows hard, blinking away her tears.

"Yeah he was" she replies, her voice barely noticeable over the music.

She brings her drink to her lips, chugging it back with a noticeable shudder. Shaking her head she then clearly puts on a false smile.

"So which one of you is going to duet with me?" She asks, a strained edge to her tone as she keeps the false smile in place.

I know Lennox spots it too but neither of us say anything, we just share a glance. Probably thinking the same thing. We'll discuss it later.

For now we continue drinking with her. So much so, at some point I'm up on stage singing along to grease with her. Lennox seeming to love every single minute of it as he films it in his phone. No doubt to send it off to Ashton and Carter.

By the time we get home, Blair has pretty much drunk me and Lennox under the table. For some reason I'm the one dancing on the coffee table, stripping my top to give them both a show after losing a fucking game of snap.

I can't even remember agreeing that stripping as a forfeit was a good idea but then I gather when cards were mentioned I must of assumed we'd be playing poker, not fucking snap. If it was poker I'm sure it would be Blair up here stripping.

Instead it's me as Blair hoots and hollers. A look of pure glee on her face as she watches on. 

Suddenly the fun is cut short though as my phone pings in my pocket and the music cuts out causing me and Lennox to sigh at the same time.

"Wait, what happened?" Blair asks, her smiling faltering as she looks around.

"Carter's what happened" I grumble pulling my phone out of my pocket and seeing a message from him just as expected.

Carter: Get the hell off the coffee table.

Sighing I roll my eyes and pull up the security system deciding to disable it instead of sending off the reply I really want to.

Which would be 'shouldn't you be fucking Ash out of his bad mood?'.

The thing is I might be drunk, I sure as hell don't have a fucking death wish and if Ashton's already in a bitchy mood I have no intention of making it ten times worse.

So instead I flip him the finger up to the camera with a shit eating grin. "Night jackass" I say and then cut the feed to his phone.

Blair's brows pinch together. "Wait, he watches you?" She asks, clearly confused.

Hopping down off the coffee table, I sit myself on it and roll my eyes. "You see Carter's a complete control freak, if he's not here he'll always be checking in on what we're all doing"

"Usually Henley likes to give him a show" Lennox scoffs causing Blair's eyes to go wide.

"You fuck so he can watch you?" She gasps, her cheeks adorably flushing. Her head snaps between us both, her mouth slightly open.

She doesn't look uneasy about it though, more intrigued than anything. She shifts slightly in her seat and then clears her throat. "I wanted to ask you both something actually" she says, her voice a little high pitched as she speaks.

Sitting back, Lennox spreads his arms across the back of the couch, "Go ahead princess" he says coyly and flashes her a smile.

"Will you let me watch you two?" she says pausing for a moment to bite down on her bottom lip before she continues, "watch you two together"

Now that definitely wasn't the question I was expecting but as I look to Lennox he shrugs and gives me a wink. No doubt letting the alcohol fuel his decisions making right now.