Page 112 of The Backup Groom

“Have at it.” Dean sat back down across from me. “I’m not going anywhere.” He pulled out his phone and started scrolling.

After almost ten minutes of researching, I practically screamed, “I’ve got it! I think I have just the thing to show Amber how truly sorry I am, while also touching her heart deeply. But it has to be a complete surprise. How confident are you that you can get her downtown tomorrow night without her knowing I’m there?”

“Dude . . .” He grinned, gesturing to himself. “Who do you think you’re talking to here? I can make it happen. With Stella’s help, of course.”

“Good.” My energy level suddenly spiked. “I need to get to work.”

This was my one and only shot to make it happen.

I’d walk on hot coals while dueling with the devil himself, if it meant I could get her back. I had never wanted anything so badly in all my life, and I was determined to make it up to Amber in the grandest fashion I could come up with.

No more messing around.

I was going to get Amber back.

And nothing was going to stop me.

ChapterTwenty-Five

Amber

Going out with Stella and Dean to a cocktail party was at the very bottom of my wish list, but how could I say no when someone wanted to talk with us about forming a new ad agency? Considering we were both unemployed and I had accepted the fact that I wasn’t getting my inheritance, we’d be foolish to pass up the opportunity to speak with a person who had the funds to finance our venture.

On an even brighter note, I finally had a reason to shower.

Since Stella mentioned it was a white-themed event, I wore a white, sleeveless, V-neck, chiffon cocktail dress with matching sandals. Stella and Dean looked cute in their matching white outfits. She wore a strapless, sweetheart-neckline jumpsuit. Dean looked dapper in his white linen pants and silk Tommy Bahama shirt with a pineapple printed on the pocket.

Seeing them this happy made me miss Scotty even more. In a perfect world, he would have been my date tonight. What a wonderful evening that would have been.

Don’t go there.

I couldn’t let myself back into the sadness and misery I’d wallowed in the past week. Today was about an exciting new business opportunity regarding something I’ve always wanted, my own agency. That would keep me busy and distracted from my personal life, which sucked beyond belief.

We entered the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego and walked toward the elevators, passing the lobby, the bar, and the gift shops. I glanced at the giant clock on the wall and sighed. It was eight o’clock, which meant I was four hours away from Uncle G’s deadline, four hours away from losing five million dollars.

Congratulations, Mercedes. You won.

I was a firm believer that things happened for a reason, but there were simply too manythingshappening this week to trust that they were all for the best.

Stella pressed the elevator button to go up. The hotel was massive, so I still had no clue if we were going to one of the cafes, a banquet room, or the sky lounge on the fortieth floor, which had spectacular views of downtown and all of San Diego Bay.

We stepped inside the elevator, and Stella pressed the button for the fourth floor.

A few seconds later, the elevator dinged, and the doors opened back up.

Dean smiled at me and motioned to the outside. “After you.”

“Thanks.” I stepped out onto the lower-level rooftop, gazed up at the stars in the sky, inhaled the fresh air, then practically skidded to a halt.

My heartbeat sped up, and my breath hitched in my throat.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Scotty.

Seeing him for the first time since the wedding rehearsal was not even close to the most shocking part of this moment, not by a long shot. He was dressed up as Superman, complete with tights, cape, even the shoes, and it wasn’t one of those cheap Halloween costumes. It looked like the real deal, like he had gotten it straight from Hollywood.

Scotty took a step closer and sighed. “You look beautiful.”