Page 138 of The Wedding Forecast

He shakes his head, and holds out my book to me, still in its brown paper bag. ‘You should take this, I don’t want it now.’

‘I’m sorry. I—’

‘Goodbye, Anna,’ he says, and walks out the door.

I let out a long breath, hugging my book to my chest. What have I done? I’ve blown up my life for something impossible. My hands are shaking. I’m a terrible person. Who makes bad decisions. What is wrong with me? Why couldn’t I just love Patrick?

There’s a noise behind me and I turn to see Hayley and Luke, wide-eyed, staring.

‘Did you hear all that?’ I say.

‘No,’ Luke says.

‘Every word,’ Hayley says at the same time.

‘Here,’ Luke says, pressing a glass of wine into my hand.

‘Should we email Psychic Sue?’ Hayley asks, as she leads me back into the lounge room.

‘I don’t think so.’

‘She might want to know. To update her prediction.’

‘I think I’m probably done with her predictions,’ I say, sitting down.

‘So,’ Luke says. ‘Was he right?’

‘About what?’

‘Did you break up with him because of Mac?’

‘And what the hell did Mac say to you outside the restaurant, because your face was all—’ Hayley says, making a kind of stunned chicken face.

I stare at them both for a second, put my drink down, and stand up.

‘Where are you going?’ Hayley says.

‘I just need space for a minute.’

‘Are you calling Mac?’

‘No,’ I say. ‘Please. Give me some credit. I broke up with Patrick two minutes ago.’ I walk outside, because I can’t bear the thought of them overhearing me when I do call Mac. I stop when I see Patrick, who is standing on the kerb.

‘Oh. Hi. Sorry.’

‘I’m waiting for an Uber,’ he says.

‘Right. I’m just—’

‘Going out to see Mac?’ He smiles tightly.

‘No. No. I was going for a walk, to get some air and clear my head.’

‘Sure, okay.’ He looks down at his feet, and I feel sick.

I start walking down the street and I can feel Patrick’s eyes on me as I walk, and I don’t dare reach for my phone. I keep walking, until I feel like maybe I’ve gone far enough, and then I duck behind a tree and crouch down, feeling ridiculous and awful and guilty.

I call Mac.