Lennox POV
"Becky what's wrong with MiMi?" Jayce-Lynn frowned as we walked down the street towards the restaurant.
Driving in New York is a no-go, the traffic here is absolutely insane. The restaurant is only about a block and a half away from the hotel room. Yet that didn't stop Jayce from complaining that it was too far away. She can literally run around in circles for hours, but this is making her tired? I don't get it.
"Why do you think something is wrong with her love?" Beckham paused mid-stride bending down to her level.
"Because she won't pick me up!" She whined causing me to roll my eyes.
He lets out a chuckle and swooped her up, using only
one arm. She's so damn spoiled. "Is that better?" Jay nodded, laying her head on his shoulder.
I shook my head, walking ahead of them but Beckham tried to grab my arm and pull me back. "I'm hungry Beck. Come on." I whined.
I'm in 6 inch stilettos, ignoring the soreness in between my legs in the pursuit of carbs. He's getting in my way.
Suddenly we were swarmed by a mob of paparazzi, cameras were flashing everywhere. I felt like I couldn't breathe, I could hear Jayce's screams as everything around me started to blur.
"Hey. Hey. I got you." I could barely hear Beckham's voice but I felt his arm wrap around my waist. The size of the crowd reminded me of what happened last spring and I felt the overwhelming urge to vomit. My throat felt tight and I struggled to breathe as I was suddenly back on that street corner in Los Angeles, surrounded by another large group of strangers. Their phones and cameras out pointing at me, their voices screaming. I shut my eyes tightly trying hard not to let out the tears that were trying to fall.
"Lennox! Lennox! I need you to breathe, sweetheart." Just as quickly as it seemed everything had happened, Beckham now kneeling in front of me inside of the restaurant lobby. "Are you okay?"
"What happened?"
"I think you had a panic attack. The paparazzi swarmed us and then you started to hyperventilate. I think you had a panic attack." I let out a shaky breath, nodding my head.
More likely the paparazzi triggered my repressed PTSD... It's fine, whatever happened is over now so I would just like to move on and forget about it.
"I'm fine. It wasn't a panic attack. They just gave me a fright." I smoothed out the fabric of my dress, concern immediately flooding my face. "Where's Jay?! Is she alright?"
He nodded his head in the direction where Brandt was standing in a corner holding her. Poor baby had silent tears rolling down her cheeks.
"She got scared. She'll be okay though." Beck rubbed my thigh. "My Dad said he's going to take care of the pictures, you don't need to worry about anything. We can go back to the hotel if you want but the restaurant has already been cleared. We're now renting it for the night."
My eyes glanced around finding that he was indeed correct. The restaurant was entirely empty with the exceptions of the wait-staff, Beckham, Jayce-Lynn, Brandt, some executives who work for Beckham's company and Brynlee... Who was seated looking awfully smug as she sipped on a glass of red wine.
That fucking bitch.
I shot up from the bench that I had been sitting on heading in her direction, but once again Beckham intercepted me. "What are you doing?" He grabbed a hold of my shoulders.
"We have never had a problem with the paparazzi before. You are a businessman, but now we're suddenly being mobbed like you're a fucking Kardashian. And you didn't just piss off your crazy ass ex hours before. Pretend like that's a coincidence if you want to."
"You think Brynlee tipped of the paparazzi?" He spoke slowly as if he didn't comprehend my statement.
"You don't? She called me off your cell phone—"
"She did what?!"
"That's why I came to New York. She called me off of your phone—" I tried to explain but before I could finish Beckham had turned around stalking towards Brynlee.
In a surprising turn of events Beckham snatched the wine glass out of her hand, slamming it down on the table. "Get up, pack your shit and get out. You're fired effective immediately."
"You can't fire me." She scoffed. "You know what happens if you fire me. You can't afford to lose my father's money."
"Every employee contract at Veratin has a morality clause. You violated yours by calling the paparazzi on Lennox and I."
Brynlee began to laugh like actually laugh. "You're adorable. You can't prove that and I can appeal my termination if I believe it's unmerited."
I tilted my head to the side watching their interaction as the two continued to go back and forth. She's right. Beckham is being motivated by his feelings and acting on his emotions, rather than taking logical and rational steps to remedy this issue. Meaning that once again, I'm forced to handle everything myself. As always.
I took a deep breath regaining my composure and walked up to them, clearing my throat. "Beckham don't say anything else. Brynlee is right. You can't fire her, but you don't need to because she's quitting."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because while Beckham can't prove that you called the paparazzi. I don't need to. One phone call to TMZ even hinting towards scandal and it'll be all over every tabloid by the end of the day. And when I confirm that your desperate ass has been attempting to terrorize me. I won't have to make the insinuation that your poor treatment of me may be racially-charged. People will do that one their own, then public will turn on you. Which would make you a liability to the company because of all the bad press, in which case you would be fired. But it doesn't have to come to that. You can quit and keep your reputation in tact. Or you can become the new Permit Patty." I shrugged my shoulders. "It's up to you.. Kinda, you have a week to submit your letter of resignation before I start shopping around interviews. But if you keep your mouth shut so will I."
Her face fell and I could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she weighed out her options.
"You want me to quit I'll quit. But you'll still be seeing me around Lennox we both know that." She recovered flinging her hair over her shoulder before strutting out the restaurant. "See you back home, Beck." She paused and looked over her shoulder sending a wink his way.
Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead.
"I had that under control." Beckham voiced. I let out a humorless chuckle.
"If you had it under control it never would've got that far. I'm gonna go check on Jayce now."
I made my way back to the lobby where Brandt was trying to console her. "How is she?"
"She's stopped crying. So at least there's that." He rubbed her back, rocking her back and forth gently.
"Bug? I'm sorry. How are you feeling, do you wanna go home?" Unlike Beckham I wasn't referring to the hotel. I will book a red-eye and take her back to Seattle tonight if need be. The last thing Jayce needs is to be subjected to more trauma.
She nodded her head. "C-Can we eat first?" She sniffles briefly lifting her head from Brandt's shoulder to look up at me.
"Of course we can, angel. Whatever you want." I kissed her forehead softly. "Come here." I held my arms out for her, taking her from Brandt and carried her back to the dining area as he followed behind.
I sat down in the booth next to Beckham. It feels odd being in a restaurant where all the tables are empty but given everything that happened it feels like the best-case scenario. As we were all getting settled in at the table, Niall came in from outside. I guess now he has everything figured out with the photographers and he came to join the rest of us for dinner. The party seemed to be separated between two tables. All of the Veratin executives at one, and me and the rest of De Loughrey family at the other.
"What do you want to eat? Hmm?" I looked down at Jayce adjusting her in my lap. I grabbed the large tablet on the table with the menu displayed on it. Apparently, going paperless is all of the rage now. It's better for the environment so at least there's that.
I browsed through the menu options. Mostly for me. Asking Jayce what she wanted to eat was a rhetorical question. She has a rather limited diet.
"Do they have fries?" She furrows her eyebrows together.
I glanced down at the menu. They have steak and fries, but she doesn't eat steak. I'lll order for her. Instead of steak and frites I think I can get them to swap a chicken breast. Not that she would finish the entire thing. Whatever she doesn't eat. I know Brandt will be more than happy to consume on her behalf.
I tapped the iPad putting our orders in. Grilled chicken and fries with some roasted broccoli for Jay and the chicken tortellini alfredo for me, with grilled asparagus and extra garlic bread.
"Are you mad me?" I looked at Beck who was seated beside me.
He really wants to do this now... Okay.
"I'm not mad, per se. You tried to fix it. You were willing to fire her to protect me. And I know what you were risking by doing that. I appreciate that, that's a big deal." I smiled softly. But I'm upset that Jayce got hurt. I'm pissed that she became collateral damage in all of Brynlee's bullshit.
He sighed softly, "Len.. You are important to me. Okay? You and Jayce-Lynn and.." He trailed off looking over at his father. Niall doesn't know that I'm pregnant. "You are my family, okay? You're my priority." He wrapped an arm around me pulling me close to him and kissed my forehead.
"Move in with me." I scoot away from him furrowing my eyebrows together. We agreed to move in when we got engaged, and we are no where near a proposal. "You're overthinking it. Just say yes."
I looked down at Jayce who was now coloring in the travel-sized book she had taken from my purse. It also doubles as a toddler entertainment bag.
I don't want things to move too fast between us. At the same time, now that I'm pregnant I don't have the same fears I had before. Beckham is always going to be apart of Jayce-Lynn's life. Even after our contract expires. So I no longer have to worry about her becoming attached to someone who would ultimately leave.
"After the summer." I compromised. Knowing that would give me about a month or so to see how things continue to progress between us. He has a lot of nerve asking me to move in after the events of the past few weeks. He needs to try harder. "I will move in with you after the summer."
"Oh my god. We're gonna be roomies?!" Brandt squealed excitedly. "I can't wait we're gonna have so much fun."
I smiled widely. There is of course that perk. If Beckham fucks things up Brandt and I could always get our own place. At least there's that option.
Niall finally set his menu down to say something, "Well congratulations you two. Hopefully this one relationship that my son can manage not to fuck up. I think we all like having you around Lennox."
I let out a small laugh. "Hopefully." I agreed, "I think I like being around." I placed a hand on Beckham's thigh just as the servers began to bring out the food.
Thank God.
I'm starving. I could hardly stop my mouth from salivating as the basket of warm garlic bread. I immediately grabbed a piece, tearing off a corner and shoved it into my mouth. That's amazing.
"So are the two of you starting to get serious?" Niall inquired as I awkwardly shoved more bread inside of mouth.
"Dad.. Can we just eat dinner?" Brandt let out a chuckle. Best friend coming to my rescue per usual. I don't know what I'd do without him.
"There's no need to worry. She's definitely gonna be sticking around." Beckham smirked and in return I pinched his thigh under the table.
I shook my head beginning to cut up Jayce-Lynn's chicken for her. So that it'll be in cubes small enough for her to eat.
The realization suddenly dawned on me once again. This is the closest we've been to normal in a very long time. While the De Loughrey version of normal is far from conventional, it's slowly but surely starting to grow on me.
Lennox did what had to be done. As she always does point, blank, period. Poor tink though, she may have PTSD. Nevertheless she bossed up and kicked Brynlee to the curb. Her and Beckham are slowly but surely making some progress in their relationship. Them moving into together is going to be a step in the right direction though.
~Lee