Page 38 of The Wedding Forecast

‘It’s about family. And friends. And being a good bridesmaid.’

‘And Patrick?’

‘Well, Patrick is a good opportunity for me.’

Mac laughs. ‘Is he a person or a job?’

‘I just mean, at my age—’

‘Aren’t you thirty?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s young.’

‘It is and it isn’t.’

‘No, it is.’

‘I’m halfway to sixty.’

‘Exactly, only halfway. And sixty isn’t that old.’

‘How old are you?’ I ask.

‘Thirty-one.’

‘And you don’t feel old?’

‘Sometimes. I have officially aged out of most teenage roles.’

‘Well, I just mean now that I’m thirty I’m trying to figure out what I want from life and make sensible decisions and be with someone like Patrick.’

Now I have his attention.

‘Someone like Patrick? As opposed to someone like…me?’

‘No. That’s not what I mean.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, just that Patrick lives here, he co-owns a business, he seems really nice—’

‘And I don’t seem nice.’

‘You’re nice! Ish. I mean, you’re making me sleep in the bunk bedroom on a mattress that’s about two centimetres thick.’

‘You are welcome to share my bed.’

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’

‘It’s probably not.’

‘You’re here for a weekend. You wanted to sleep with the celebrant. You churn through women.’

‘Churn! I churn through women?’

‘That’s the impression Luke has given me.’