Page 77 of The Backup Groom

“Do I look like a cheerleader to you?” he asked. “Clear out your stuff and be gone within the hour. Make it thirty minutes or I’ll call security and have you removed. I have a business to run.”

Without missing a beat, Stella said, “With us gone, you’ll run it into the ground. I can’t wait for your daddy to hear about your firing us. Somehow, I have a feeling you’ll be next. See you in the unemployment line, Schmuck.”

I shook my head in disgust at him. “I feel sorry for you, because you obviously have some issues that need to be addressed. But you can’t fix yourself by breaking somebody else. That’s not how it works.” I opened the door to leave.

“I really don’t know how she contained herself all this time with you, Hucky Schmucky,” Stella said behind me. “Let me give you some advice before I go. Stick your brain for sale on eBay. You should get a very good price since it has never been used before.”

After making our way to our desks and only taking a few belongings, we literally skipped past all the slack-jawed onlookers, and skedaddled out of that hellhole.

In the parking garage, I placed the last of my things in the back seat of my car, closed the door, then turned to Stella who was parked next to me. “That’s that.”

She walked over and gave me what must have been the tenth hug since we’d both quit our jobs. “This is such a beautiful day.” She inhaled deeply and exhaled peacefully. “Do you smell that? That’s the scintillating scent of freedom. That’s the sweet fragrance of new beginnings.”

I wiggled my nose like a rabbit. “It smells like somebody’s car is leaking oil, actually.”

“I’m serious!” Stella said. “I feel so alive right now. This is the start of a new chapter for us, and we are going to have to celebrate. After that, we need to brainstorm our new boutique ad agency,boss. I’ll be working for you soon. I promise not to be late.”

I shook my head. “I agree, this is going to be amazing, but first things first, I need to get married, or we won’t have any money. I could use your help with the proposal.”

“Of course. Do you know what you want to do?”

“Something different this time—it’s Scotty, not some stranger from the Internet,” I said. “Believe it or not, I was thinking of a bonfire on the beach at sunset, maybe some marshmallows. What do you think?”

Stella grabbed my hands and squeezed them. “I love that. It’s so romantic.”

“Then I’m going to go with it,” I said, pulling out my phone. “I need to go back to the jewelry store to buy a man’s ring. I also have to send Scotty a quick text to let him know we’re still on for our date this evening, since he probably has no clue what’s going on with me.”

“We have to keep our men on their toes,” Stella said.

I did actually feel a little guilty for walking out on him twice. I was planning on making it up to him, but first I had to make sure he would truly be there for the proposal.

Scrolling in my contacts, I tapped on Scotty’s name and sent a text.

Me:Looking forward to our date tonight.

Scotty:Who is this? The runaway bride?

Me:LOL. Okay, I deserve that. I promise to make it up to you.

Scotty:I’m listening.

Me:Meet me on the sand at Pacific Beach, near the main lifeguard station.

Scotty:When?

Me:Seven thirty. Or seven fifteen if you have a romantic bone in your body.

Scotty:All my bones are romantic.

Scotty:Okay, that sounded bad. Please scratch that from the record.

Me:Too late. See you tonight.

An hour after leaving our dead-end jobs, Stella and I sat at a corner table at Harbor Town Pub, drinking beer and snacking on BBQ pork nachos.

“Okay—tell me what can I do to help,” Stella said, taking a sip of her beer.

“Maybe you can get one of the fire pits for me later today before they’re all taken. Tap into yourSurvivorskills and get the fire going for me right before sunset. I know if I tried to get it started, it would be an epic failure, especially with my nerves the way they are. Maybe it would be better if I were sedated, so I didn’t think so much.”