‘Two tickets?’ she queried.
‘Yeah, my younger brother always comes with me if it’s anything to do withThe Lord of the Rings, Marvel orStar Wars.’
‘Good-lookingandgenerous.’ Joanie looked at Lorelai pointedly.
‘Nah, I make him pay for this own ticket.’ Grayson rubbed the back of his head, clearly feeling awkward.
‘In that case, good-looking and a responsible adult teaching his siblings the value of money.’
‘Something like that.’ Grayson was talking to Joanie, but he kept looking over at Lorelai and she wished he wouldn’t. Everything in Lorelai’s being was telling her to shut this down, to leave no room for interpretation, make it clear she wasn’t interested. And yet… she couldn’t ignore the pleading look in his eyes.
‘We’ll see you on Saturday,’ she managed, finally.
‘Thanks. Wish me luck. Staying awake through these marathons isn’t my forte and my brother tends to draw obscenities on my face if I’m the first to fall asleep.’
‘I’ll have a Red Bull waiting,’ Joanie said.
‘And a Sharpie for your brother,’ Lorelai said before she could stop herself. Grayson’s face lit up in surprise, and there was that smile again. He gave her a small wave and was sucked back out onto the streets of Soho, a very definite spring in his step.
‘God, Lorelai! Next time can you let me get a word in! And maybe turn down the volume a bit? You’re just so loud!’ Joanie stuck her finger in her ear and winced.
‘I just cannot believe you.’ Lorelai picked up a stack of paper cups and one by one began to pelt them at her annoying friend.
‘Yes, you can.’ Joanie picked up a popcorn bucket and triedto catch the cups as they flew through the air. ‘I’ve always been like this. It’s your fault for hanging around me!’
‘I’m still furious!’
‘I know, I’m just the worst! Thanks to me, we know the guy you like is clearly into you.’
‘Clearly?’ Lorelai hoped the intense frustration in her voice masked her need to know the exact details of how Joanie knew for sure that Grayson liked her.
‘Lorelai. It’s nine a.m. The cinema has been open all of twenty seconds. He could have just printed out his tickets at home or shown them on his phone on the day.’
‘Maybe his printer’s not working or… or maybe his phone’s broken,’ Lorelai huffed. She began picking up the cups she’d thrown, knowing Wesley would be furious if he saw them.
‘You’re ridiculous,’ Joanie said, ruffling her hair as she walked past her into the storage room in the back. ‘Umm… Lorelai?’ Joanie called a few moments later.
Lorelai followed her voice to the storage room, and spotted Joanie standing, arms folded, looking through the open door, an incredulous look on her face. Before Lorelai could say anything, the sound of thunderous snoring hit her ears.
‘Is that…?’
‘The laziest man in the universe? Yes, it is.’
Lorelai followed Joanie’s gaze to where Riggs was sleeping on the floor, propped up by a bucket and a mop, headphones clamped over his ears, his black puffer jacket laid over him to keep him warm. Joanie looked at Lorelai, eyes wide in disbelief.
‘Joanie, be gentle with him…’ Lorelai warned but Joanie was already stomping towards Riggs.
‘Oi!’ Joanie nudged the sole of Riggs’s combat boot.
Riggs jolted awake with a giant snort, and dribble escaping his mouth. He squinted up at Joanie, the harsh strip lighting too much for him to take. It took him a while, but eventually his expression cleared, his vision adjusted and he took in Joanie looming over him. He began to babble.
‘Erm, er, um…’ Riggs scrambled to his feet as quickly as he could, knocking over the mop.
‘Riggs!’ Joanie yelled. ‘Are you kidding me? We’ve been open for all of ten minutes and you’re already taking a nap?’ Joanie was so cross that she’d failed to notice an open rucksack on the floor. A rucksack in which Lorelai could see a toiletry bag sticking out.
‘Riggs, have you been sleeping here?’ Lorelai asked quietly.
Joanie halted mid-rant and followed Lorelai’s gaze to the open bag on the floor.
