Page 149 of The Wedding Forecast

‘Happy or sad ending?’ I ask her.

‘Happy please,’ she says.

I’m stocking more romance than Bobbi does in the other shop, so I have an array of options for her. She buys three books, promising to come back and tell me what she thinks.

Bobbi and Mum arrive at lunchtime.

‘Go out and get a sandwich, sweetheart,’ Bobbi says. ‘When you get back, I’m going to film you giving a tour.’ Bobbi has insisted that it’s time for me to appear on our social media.

When I get back with sandwich in hand, I find Mum in the front window, dismantling the careful display I had created.

‘Mum! What are you doing!’ I half-shriek.

‘I noticed an important book was missing from the display,’ she says, innocently holding up a stack of copies of my book. ‘Bobbi okayed it,’ she adds, looking at my face.

I shake my head. I don’t have the energy to tussle with my mother today.

Bobbi is at the counter, and her face looks a little odd.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Oh nothing. Just thinking.’

‘I’m just going to eat this in the backroom and then I’ll be out, okay?’

‘Take your time.’

I walk into the backroom, mentally running through a list of the books I still need to order, and yelp.

For a moment, I think I’m imagining things.

But I’m not.

Mac is sitting there.

Mac is sitting there.

He’s at my desk, reading a book, and he looks startled when I come in.

He stands up.

‘Hey.’

‘What are you doing here? Was your flight delayed?’

‘Not exactly.’

‘Then what?’

‘I didn’t get on it.’

‘Oh.’ I put my sandwich down. ‘Why not?’

‘Well. I didn’t want to.’ He stands up, letting the book close without marking his place.

We look at each other.

‘What does that mean?’ I ask.