But as the bell on the door to the cafe jingled, I had a strong wave of regret. What had I been thinking? She was Lior Flynn. Had I just invited chaos into my sister’s life? Was her picture going to be everywhere tomorrow?
To my relief though, the few other people in the coffee shop looked up when she walked in and then went back to what they were doing. Maybe out of context, in a place not expected, wearing clothes that practically mirrored Marley’s, she was as invisible as the rest of us.
A smile spread across my face and Marley caught me, rolling her eyes before turning to take in the vision that was heading toward us.
“Holy f?—”
“Watch it,” I said quickly. I usually let her swear when the parents weren’t around to hear, but I tried to keep it to a minimum.
“—frankincense,” she finished in a loud whisper. “That looks like…oh my god she’s coming over here!”
She turned back to look at me, her eyes now so wide I wondered if they might fall out of her head.
“I know,” I whispered. “Be cool.”
“Hey,” Lior said, smiling first at me, then at Marley.
“Hey,” I said, standing to… what? Was I going to hug her? Kiss her cheek? Shake her hand? Where were we in this sort of friendship?
She answered the question for me by leaning in and giving me a one-armed hug before turning back to my sister who was frozen in her seat. Which, I didn’t mind saying, was pretty gratifying. She never thought I was cool and now she knew that I knew a famous fashion model. That I, in fact, knew the famous fashion model.
“You’re…” Marley said but didn’t finish her sentence.
“You must be Marley,” Lior held out a hand. “I’m Lior. It’s really nice to meet you and I love your outfit. Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys today.”
Marley’s mouth finally shut and a hand moved as if in slow motion toward Lior’s. The two women shook hands and then Lior pointed to the seat I’d been sitting in and I nodded, sliding over on the bench and laughing at Marley’s hand that was still outstretched.
“It’s going to be so fun reminding you how uncool you were in this moment,” I said.
“Graham!” Lior said, elbowing me as Marley sank onto the bench across from us. “Be nice. Marley, ignore him. I’ve had this exact moment a few times myself. And truly, it’s very flattering that you know who I am, and seem kind of… I don’t know. Excited to meet me too?”
My sister took a breath, her hand now tucked under her thigh, and gave an embarrassed smile.
“Can we pretend that didn’t happen and start again?” Marley asked.
“Absolutely,” Lior said. “How would you like it to go?”
They ran through a couple of scenarios and then Lior went outside and came back in, pretending to see us for the first time, giving me another hug (she smelled like heaven, the scent so subtle it almost wasn’t there), and turning to Marley who shook her hand this time as if she wasn’t completely and ridiculously overwhelmed by the moment and the woman.
“Forevermore, that’s the version I’ll tell of our first meeting,” Lior said.
Marley blushed with happiness and took a sip of her coffee. If Lior saw that her hand was trembling, she was kind enough not to say.
“What can I get you?” I asked her.
“No, let me,” Marley said, getting to her feet. I had to fight hard not to laugh. She was having a moment but I would not risk Lior’s wrath.
Lior leaned forward, her voice lowered. “Wouldn’t it be so much cooler to tell your friends that Lior Flynn bought you something?”
This seemed to stump Marley.
“Here,” Lior said, pulling a credit card from her wallet. “If you don’t mind grabbing me whatever you’re having, and anything else you might want, I’m going to sit here for a minute and talk to your brother about the job we have coming up.”
“You have a job with him?”
Lior looked to me and I shrugged.
“You didn’t tell her?” she asked.
