While we all love CW, I think it is worth noting Anne's feelings when she missed the dinner party.

In ch. 7 "He must be either indifferent or unwilling. Had he wished ever to see her again, he need not have waited till this time; he would have done what she could not but believe that in his place she should have done long ago, when events had been early giving him the independence which alone had been wanting."

Anne feels that if CW had loved her as much as she loved him, he would have come back when he had money/independence. This makes me think that Anne probably told him that lack of independence on his part made it a bad time for marriage and that maybe they should wait until he was in a better position. Given what was said earlier about Anne being persuaded it was in his best interest not to marry, one can see that she loved him so much she didn't want to get in the way of his career.