Page 92 of The Backup Groom

Dad whistled his excitement. “Scotty, this one sure is a keeper. She fits right in.”

I chuckled, recording the moment with my phone, loving how they got along so well and how much fun Amber was having. When the song ended, Mom and Amber jumped off the couch while I was still trying to figure out what planet I was on.

Then I thought it would be a suitable moment to check in with her. Not that I was really worried about Amber, but between the brownie and the wine, I was seeing a side of her that was new to me.

I leaned closer and said, “Honey, how are you feeling?”

Her response was a pleasant surprise.

Amber pulled me into her warm embrace. “I’m wonderful, never felt better in my life.” She twirled me around the room, dancing like she hadn’t a care in the world.

My mom chuckled and pulled a cheesecake out of the refrigerator and placed it in the middle of the table. “That was fun.”

We joined them in the kitchen and sat back down.

“It was a blast,” Amber said. “I don’t remember the last time I had so much fun.”

“Anytime,” Mom said, slicing the cheesecake and placing the dessert plates in front of us. “Let’s talk about your wedding day. Do you kids have a date or location picked out yet? Are you thinking of a summer, fall, winter or spring wedding? Indoors or outdoors?”

Amber was so relaxed she wasn’t thinking clearly when she answered. “We don’t have a place or a date yet. It could get a little tricky to find a venue on such short notice, though, since we need to get married ASAP.” She covered her hand over her mouth, realizing her error.

Not good.

My mom and dad froze, both studying Amber, glancing down at her belly.

“You’re pregnant!” they yelled in unison.

ChapterTwenty

Amber

Maybe it was a mistake telling Stella what happened last night at Scotty’s parents’ house while she was driving, but I didn’t want to share the details while I was trying on wedding dresses.

“I can’t believe my best friend is a stoner!” Stella said, taking her eyes off the road again, as she drove mirthfully to the bridal salon. “You learn something new every day!”

“Pay attention to the road. I don’t want to die before I have a chance to marry Scotty.” I pointed to the intersection. “Red light!”

Stella sighed and applied the brakes. “Calm down, sweetie. My reflexes are perfectly fine since I did not partake in the locoweed, unlike some people I know.”

“How was I supposed to know they were real marijuana brownies after seeing the pot garden that wasn’t really a pot garden even though it was?” I asked.

More laughter from her.

“It was all a big misunderstanding,” I said. “Like when they thought I was pregnant and started suggesting baby names.”

Stella wiped tears from her eyes. “Stop. My sides hurt from laughing so much.”

“Who would name a girl Ryanna, anyway?” I asked. “I get it, it’s the female version of Ryan, but it reminds me too much of Rihanna, which makes me think of her song ‘Umbrella.’ A woman shouldn’t have to offer her umbrella to a man. Where’shisumbrella? That’s the question. The man is not marriage material, I’ll tell you that much. And by the way, I’m hungry.”

“Wow—your thoughts are all over the place right now,” Stella said.

I stared at her in a bit of a daze. “Like someone shot them out of a confetti cannon.”

Thankfully, we arrived unscathed to Bridal Row, a wedding-themed strip mall with bridal salons, tuxedo shops, florists, travel agents, and bakeries, all within walking distance of each other. It was one-stop shopping for brides and grooms, which made planning the wedding much easier for me since I was working against the clock.

Stella pulled into the parking lot and found a spot near the front door of the first bridal salon we would visit, Dress Express.

I unfastened my seatbelt. “I’m glad that I can be a source of entertainment for you.”