“You’re supposed to be recovering from surgery, aren’t you? Go, sit.” She looked back at her phone. “Nikhil said he’d be home soon. Is it okay if I wait on your porch? Or, he said his iPad is on the dresser in the quilting room. I can’t believe you put my brother in aquiltingroom. Hey, do you need help with anything? I volunteer at a rehabilitation hospital… not because I’m, like, a saint or something. I’m applying to med school next year and it looks good on applications. Why aren’t you sitting down?”
This girl was… a lot. “Um, I’m okay. You can wait in here if you want…”
Nalini shook her head. “No, you’re not okay! You had major surgery!” She kicked off her shoes. “Lemme help.”
Marley had no choice but to let this girl gently guide her back to the recliner. Nalini immediately sat on the sofa, and McQueen, who was delighted there was another person to lavish him with love, jumped on her lap.
“You should get this cat registered as a therapy cat,” Nalini said, stroking McQueen’s head. “There’s a cat that comes into the rehab hospital. The patients love him. He’s so chill. Believe it or not, the cat’s name is Mayhem. Can you imagine a therapy cat named Mayhem? They should have changed it toDon’t Worry, You’ll Be Fine. Do Your Physio.”
Marley snorted a laugh. “That’s not a great cat name, though.”
“What’s this guy’s name?”
“McQueen.”
“Ah! Like the race car from that Disney movie?”
Marley shook her head. “No, like Alexander McQueen. The fashion designer?”
“Of course.Duh. You’re Nikhil’s stylist—makes sense you’re into fashion. Our family isn’t exactly known for ourfashion sense. Anyway, you seem to be helping Nikhil. I saw a TikTok calling him asnack, and I was like,Ew. That’s mybrother. But no way anyone would say that the way he dressed before. I’m not much better, though.” She looked down at her sweater. “This was Nikhil’s. I don’t know how I ended up with it. But Ihateclothes shopping.”
“I can take you one day,” Marley offered. Nalini reminded her of Nikhil, except chattier. “I mean, you can wear whatever you want, but I take people who don’t like shopping out all the time.”
Nalini smiled, tilting her head. “Like, you can be my stylist, too! You know, I’ve never met any of Nikhil’s girlfriends before. This is really cool.”
“Oh, your brother and I aren’t—”
“I know.” She waved her hand. “You’re friends, hookups, whatever. Still. With him all the way in California, I kind of wondered what kind of friends he had. I was afraid everyone he hung out with was, like… a douche or an influencer or something. But I like you.” She sighed. “I wish he lived closer. He’s really the best brother.”
Considering Nalini’s other brother was a criminal, it wasn’t a high bar for Nikhil. But Marley knew that Nalini was right—he absolutely was the best big brother.
Marley was an only child, and even though she was always surrounded by cousins, she missed having a sibling bond. She felt kind of bad for Nalini, though. She had one brother in jail, and the other one was living all the way in LA. She smiled at her. “Do you want to stay for dinner? Nikhil mentioned you likedThe Bachelor. I think a new episode dropped today.”
“Oh my god,yes. Let’s watch. I’m dying to know what Cassidy whispered into Marcus’s ear last week.”
That night, Nalini and Nikhil both helped Marley go over Reid’s stock. They kept her brain on track, even though both their instincts on what to wear were horrendously wrong—Nikhil could not wear an animal-print bomber jacket to a talk show. They made a list of things they thought would work and sent it to Ruby, who said she’d bring the clothes the following evening.
Shayne was right. Marley could do this. Just not alone.
Ruby came over Saturday night after her shift with four huge Reid’s bags full of clothes. “Am I going to finally find out who the VIP is?” she asked as she took off her shoes. “The NDA they made me sign told me absolutely nothing. Why do you still look so fabulous after a mastectomy? You’re unreal, Marley.”
Marley was still on her recliner. She was having a better day painwise but was still taking it easy. She didn’t feel fabulous at all.
“Shut up, Ruby. I look like crap.”
“You look like gilded crap. I looked like a coughed-up hairball for a month after my surgery.” She bent to scratch McQueen’s head at that statement.
Ruby brought the garment bags into the living room. “So… the dude is, like, here?”
Marley nodded. “Upstairs.” Ruby didn’t know Nikhil waslivinghere… and Marley wasn’t sure if she wanted her to know that. Would the NDA cover something that the studio itself didn’t even know?
“Is it Tom Hardy? I think these would be his size.”
“Don’t you think Tom Hardy would be an old hand at dressing for press tours by now?”
“So itisHarry Styles.”
At that, Nikhil came down the stairs dancing and singing “Watermelon Sugar.” Marley rolled her eyes and Ruby laughed. Then froze. Then turned to Marley.
