Page 87 of The Wedding Forecast

‘That’s not like you. You always yell at me when I ask a stranger to take our photo.’

‘I do not yell.’ I politely cringe.

‘Who’s that?’ Dad says.

‘Who?’

‘That person beside you.’

‘That’s a stranger, Dad.’

‘Well he’s standing very close. I thought it might be that guy, Luke’s friend.’

‘Mac? It’s not. It’s a twelve-year-old boy.’

I have edited the pictures to remove any evidence of Mac except for a couple of pictures at the end, of him and Hayley, and one of the three of us eating lunch together.

‘That’s Mac, with Hayley there,’ I say. ‘You met him at the wedding, Dad.’ Dad has no memory for faces.

‘He’s very handsome,’ Mum says, looking at me meaningfully. I will not take the bait.

‘He’s photogenic,’ I say.

‘Oh, the three of you look very cosy,’ Bobbi adds, as the lunch picture pops up.

Hayley and Luke are silent, which is suspicious.

‘It was nice to catch up with Mac,’ Hayley says finally.

‘See, you like him now,’ I say to her.

‘I always liked him, he’s very likeable,’ she says.

‘She just doesn’t trust him,’ Mum says. ‘I don’t either.’

‘You don’t know him,’ I say.

‘I know that actors are not people to get emotionally involved with,’ Mum says.

‘I’m not emotionally involved with him.’

‘Oh Anna, please,’ Mum says.

‘What?’ I say, looking at their faces one by one.

‘We called Hayley one morning and you weren’t at the hotel room,’ Bobbi says.

‘So?’

‘It was 7 am!’ Mum says.

‘I was out getting bagels.’ That sounds like a believable New York lie.

‘Hayley said you were at the gym,’ Mum says. I look at Hayley, and she makes a face.

‘Well, I was doing both. I did a little cardio session on the bike and then I got us bagels with cream cheese.’

‘Darling. Please. Give us some credit.’