Page 24 of The Backup Groom

I threw up my palms. “Hey—no need to explain. If you ever need to talk, though, I’m always available.” I shrugged. “I mean, if it wouldn’t be weird chatting with the guy who makes your coffee.”

“Not any weirder than baring my soul to a bartender.” She giggled softly. “However, I do know you make the best coffee in the world.” Amber took another sip. “I also know that you have no idea what genreSupermanis, even though it is plainly and clearly a romance.”

I placed my hands on my hips, pretending to be offended. “Science fiction.”

“Romance,” she said emphatically before she started laughing.

I laughed right along with her. “You know, you keep saying it’s a romance, but you still offer no proof. That’s a pretty shoddy defense, if you ask me.”

Amber motioned to the chair. “Can you sit for a moment?”

I glanced back at Dean, who was wiping down the counter. Nobody was in line, and I would not pass up the opportunity to spend some time with Amber.

“Sure . . . I think I can spare a few minutes.” I pulled out the chair and sat in front of her, folding my hands on the table. “Let’s hear what you’ve got. Give me your best shot.”

Amber didn’t waste any time with her first piece of so-called evidence. “Superman caught a bullet for Lois Lane. How romantic is that?”

“Uh-huh . . . Well, yeah, sure, because catching bullets is not science fictionat all. In fact, I catch bullets every day.” I reached up and pretended to snatch one out of the air. “Just caught a bullet right there. Ooh, here comes another one.” I reached up again. “Got it.” I gave her my bestI-told-you-soface with a grin.

“Do you think you’re funny?” Amber was trying her best not to bust up, which was so darn cute.

“Yes, and I’m romantic, according to you, because I think I just saved your life. Don’t I even get a thank you for that?”

“Not even close,” Amber said. “Try this one on for size . . . Superman turned back time, so he didn’t have to live in a world without Lois Lane. It doesn’t get much more romantic than that.”

“Again . . . Is time travel or turning back time realistic? It certainly sounds like science fiction unless you know someone who turns back time in real life. Have you ever gone back in time yourself to have lunch with someone you had the hots for? Like Mr. Darcy or Fred Flintstone?”

“First of all, those are fictional characters and even if I were to travel back in time, I would still only find them in a movie or on television, not in real life. And while we are on the subject, Mr. Darcy is overrated.”

“Whoa . . . Did you hear that?” I cupped my hand behind my ear. “That was the sound of five hundred million women collectively gasping at the absurdity of your comment.”

“Gasp away, ladies,” Amber said. “I’ll take Dermot Mulroney fromThe Wedding Dateover Mr. Darcy any day of the week.”

I scratched my chin. “Very interesting. And what about poor Fred Flintstone?”

“Don’t go there. My ex-husband was practically a caveman. No way, I’m not going down that road again. Besides, Fred makes poor fashion choices. Would you wear a short-sleeved orange and black-spotted loincloth with a torn hemline?”

“It depends.” I thought about it. “What’s the occasion?”

Our shared laughter was wonderful.

Chatting with Amber was effortless.

Call me crazy, but it almost felt like we were on a date.

Yeah, I wish it was a date.

“How did we go fromSupermantoTheFlintstones?” I asked.

Amber shrugged. “I have no idea, but the easiest thing for me to do is to blame you.”

“I accept full responsibility. I actually binge-watched all one hundred and sixty-six episodes ofThe Flintstoneslike a little kid, while I was recovering from a tennis injury.”

Amber perked up in her seat. “What a coincidence. I play tennis, too.”

I blinked twice. “Seriously?”

She bobbed her head. “Well, it’s been a while, but yes. What kind of injury did you have?”