Page 109 of The Wedding Forecast

‘Not too busy to talk to Mac all night,’ Hayley says. I can tell she’s trying to keep her voice light and neutral.

‘That’s different.’

‘How is that different?’

‘Mac and I are friends. Talking to him is just continuing an ongoing conversation. Messaging Patrick is starting a whole new thing. It’s the precursor to going on a date. That takes a different energy.’

‘That makes sense,’ Luke says, and I smile at him gratefully.

‘I only bring it up because you told me how cute and nice Patrick was after the photoshoot.’

‘He was cute and nice.’

‘And the fact that he coincidentally dropped into your life again—that means something.’

‘It does.’

‘So…’

‘So nothing.’

‘So call him.’

Birdie gives a small hiccup, and I frown at Hayley. ‘You’re upsetting the baby.’

‘Don’t change the subject.’

‘I’m not. Every time you pressure me, Birdie gets closer to crying again. She’s very in tune with my emotions.’

‘You have ghosted this cute and nice man twice now,’ Hayley says. ‘That’s the kind of situation that leads to bad karma.’

‘I have not ghosted him.’

‘You have!’

‘The first time, I didn’t reply to a text message. That’s rude but it’s not ghosting, not technically, not by the official definition. I needed to actually start communicating with him to ghost him. The second time, he left the ball in my court. I am simply taking my time. He told me to call him when I am less busy.’

‘Your book edits are done.’

‘I know.’

‘So you’re less busy. What are your plans for the rest of today?’

‘Well, I’m currently babysitting my ex-boyfriend’s baby. That’s a trauma I will need a few hours to get over. And then I need to return a library book. And water the plants we got last week. Test out the new showerhead. Make dinner. It’s a full day.’

‘I just think—’ Hayley says, and then stops.

‘What do you just think?’ I say. I can see Luke shaking his head at her in what he believes is a subtle way.

‘Nothing.’

‘Hayley. Just say it.’ Nothing annoys me more than knowing someone else has an opinion about my life that they won’t share.

‘I have nothing to say,’ Hayley says.

We stare at each other, tension building. The doorbell rings.

‘That’s going to be Joel,’ Luke says. ‘Do you want to be here, or not be here?’