Page 141 of The Wedding Forecast

‘You know why.’

‘Tell me.’

‘Because.’

‘Because why?’

‘Because I’m in love with you. Because I wanted one more night with you more than I wanted a lifetime with him.’

‘What do we do now?’ he whispers.

‘I don’t know. How long until you fly home?

‘Five days.’

‘We have five days to figure it out.’

We’ve had almost a year to figure it out before this, and we never did, but I can’t think about that. I don’t have to be numb anymore, I can let myself feel now. But only a little bit. I can let myself feel five days of feelings, that’s it.

43

THE NEXT MORNING, there’s knocking on my bedroom door that starts gentle, for about a second, and then becomes very vigorous.

‘I’m coming in,’ Hayley says.

I was in the kind of deep sleep that I don’t snap out of easily, and my brain doesn’t quite compute what’s happening until Hayley sits on the bed.

Mac and I are both naked.

‘Hayls, no,’ I say, yanking up the sheet.

‘Good morning,’ Mac says, also making sure he’s covered. He is already awake, and, I notice, reading my book.

‘I’m sorry to intrude, but better me than what’s coming.’

‘What’s coming?’ I say, sitting up a little, the sheet thankfully still covering my boobs.

‘Your mum.’

‘She’s here?’ I’m fully awake now.

‘And my mum.’

‘Where?’

‘Downstairs.’

‘What time is it?’

‘Eight thirty.’

‘Why are they here?’

‘My mum is dropping off some book you wanted and they brought us coffee and pastries.’

‘God.’

‘They think Patrick is up here with you. They bought him a gluten-free brownie.’