Page 51 of The Wedding Forecast

‘Too dexterous is not an acceptable ick.’

‘Fine. You’re right.’

Hayley has a slightly suspicious look.

‘You don’t have a thing for Mac, do you?’

‘What? No.’

‘Because there was a vibe between you, last night, when you were signing the book for him.’

‘There was no vibe,’ I say, looking at my make-up in the mirror so she can’t properly see my face.

‘Good, because that’s a waste of time.’

‘Don’t worry. I am focused on Patrick.’

‘We’re here to help with the buttons,’ Bobbi announces, as she, Mum and Jean open the door.

‘They’re all done,’ Hayley says.

‘Oh, darling! You look so beautiful!’ The mums gush and fuss over Hayley and examine the dress from every angle.

‘Well done on the buttons,’ Mum says, when they have recovered from their fussing. Bobbi leans into the mirror, attempting to fix her eye make-up because she started crying.

‘I didn’t actually do most of them,’ I say.

‘Patrick did,’ Hayley says, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

‘Oh, that’s interesting,’ Bobbi says.

‘He’s lovely. Better than Joel,’ Mum says.

‘Don’t do that,’ I say.

‘Do what?’

‘Trash Joel.’

‘I wasn’t trashing him.’

‘Saying a stranger we met a day ago is better than Joel, who I loved and lived with for eight years, actually makes me feel bad.’

‘Fine. I’m not going to say another thing,’ Mum says, holding up her hands.

‘And I’m just going to say one last thing on the topic,’ Bobbi says, still peering at herself in the mirror. ‘Would you believe they told me this mascara was waterproof!’

‘What one last thing, Mum?’ Hayley asks, sipping a glass of champagne I handed her.

‘One last thing, then silence about it forever,’ Bobbi says.

‘Okay, let’s hear it,’ I say.

Bobbi walks over and grips my shoulders. ‘This Patrick, he’s the one. He’s your soulmate. I can feel it. That’s it, that’s all I’m going to say.’

‘Oh, great. Well, that’s settled then,’ I say, smiling despite myself.

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