Page 69 of The Backup Groom

I kicked myself for glancing down at the ring, then tried to push down the lump lodged in my throat that must have been the size of a golf ball.

Amber looked like she wanted to say something, but didn’t have a chance.

“Who’s the lucky guy?” Dean asked, moving closer.

I could have answered that.

Mr. Universe, of course.

The man had it all.

Good looks.

He was a doctor

He had the ability to bench-press my body with his pinkie.

And now he had Amber.

Stella held her phone toward Dean. “This is him.”

I wondered why she had a photo of the man, but it didn’t really matter. At least I was smart enough to not look, because that would just make me feel worse.

Dean leaned closer to the phone, then jerked his head back. “No way. I saw him this morning with your crazy cousin. Huge guy.”

Amber cranked her head in his direction. “He was with Mercedes? When?”

“About fifteen minutes ago when I delivered coffee to Wells Fargo,” he said. “I saw them walking in to PB Donuts on my way back.”

Amber ground her teeth, looking like she was going to blow a fuse. “Did you hear what they were talking about?”

Dean shook his head. “I tried to use my detective skills, but I couldn’t get close enough without them seeing me. Sorry.”

I had to act fast for a fighting chance of having Amber in my life as more than a friend. There was nothing for me to lose at this point. I opened my wallet, pulled out my business card, and dropped it on the counter in front of her.

Amber glanced at the business card and froze. “What is this?”

I thought it was pretty clear since the card said Ryan “Scotty” Scott.

Blowing out a frustrated breath, I opened my wallet again and pulled out my driver’s license, two credit cards, my gym card, and my library card, fanning them out on the counter in front of her so she could clearly see my name on all of them. “This is me.”

“What are you up to, Scotty?” Stella leaned closer to take a peek, then squealed. “This is the best news ever!”

Amber didn’t share her best friend’s excitement.

She scanned the cards with her eyes, her jaw dropping open.

I couldn’t get a good read on her, but I would not stay quiet.

“My birth name is Ryan Scott,” I added. “Technically, I’m Ryan Scott the third, but to avoid confusion with my dad and grandfather having the same names, my family, relatives, and friends called me Scotty when I was a baby. The name stuck. Nobody calls me Ryan.”

Amber stared at me. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“I was going to tell you at least two other times, including last night, but I had to leave,” I said. “Someone thought he was going to freeze to death in a refrigerator.” I glared at Dean, then got my eyes back on Amber.

She was still staring at me, like I was a freak.

“Say something, Amber,” I said.