Page 27 of Saving the CEO

He had one question he desperately wanted Scarlett to answer, but he decided to start off slow. There was no need to rush as he was sure he’d have plenty of opportunities with 32 holes ahead of them. “I want to know why you stayed up so late last night. What did you do that was worth losing sleep over?”

“Oh, that. I have a side job that I mostly do for fun. I needed to meet a deadline today, that’s why I was up late.”

“Interesting. What kind of side job?”

“Only one question per hole! It’s my turn.” Scarlett took her time situating the ball on the turf before giving it a light swing. The ball started off with a steady momentum, then gradually ran out of steam as it traveled along the course. When it stopped just short of the hole, Scarlett groaned. “No! No no no. Don’t stop, you’re almost there! You can do it!”

The sight of a grown woman cheering on a golf ball was one of the most ridiculous yet endearing things Devin had ever witnessed. “I’ve never seen anyone yell at a golf ball before.”

“It just needs a little encouragement. It’s literally at the edge of the hole!”

“Just give it a tap. That’s all it needs to go in.”

“But that won’t be a hole in one and I won’t be able to ask you a question!” With her hands on her hips, she glanced around the course. “Where’s the wind when you need it?”

“And you said I was competitive.” Devin couldn’t stop grinning, which only served to add fuel to Scarlett’s fire. Her cheeks darkened to a rosy pink color that made her look even more beautiful. As much as he enjoyed seeing her pout, he didn’t want to frustrate her longer than necessary. “How about this? You can ask me a question, but I get to ask you another one.”

“I don’t need any special favors, Devin. Just give me a few minutes. I’m sure there will be a gust blowing by soon.”

“You may not need any favors, but I do. I’d like to finish the rest of this course before I really become an old grandpa.”

“Ha ha,” she deadpanned. “All right, we’ll go with your plan. But just so we’re clear, this is not me giving up. I’m moving on so we’ll have enough time to get through the rest of the course, which will give you more time to practice coming up with questions for your real date.”

“I appreciate you looking out for me,” he drawled with obvious sarcasm. “Go on. What’s your question?”

“It’s what I wanted to know before. How did you teach yourself to read music?”

“I didn’t. I learned by listening. My mom was a concert pianist before she got married. I used to listen to her play for hours at a time and I did my best to copy what she did. Sometimes she’d play the left hand while I played the right. It didn’t matter what piece we played as long as we played together.” He ran a hand through his hair, surprised at how much he’d shared. “I haven’t talked about her with anyone in a long time. It feels nice to be able to.”

To his surprise, she stepped closer and placed a hand on his arm. Her sweet floral scent matched the pleasant smile curving her lips. “I’m really glad you shared that with me. Your mom sounds like an amazing person.”

“She was. She was the best.”

“I’m sure she’s proud of the man you’ve become.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“You should really give yourself more credit.” Scarlett gave his arm a squeeze. The gesture was like that of a friend, full of grace. She then nudged him playfully. “All right, what else do you want to ask me?”

Devin’s shoulders relaxed as an unexplainable peace filled him. It was in this instant that his world shifted on its axis. He knew with great clarity that he could fall for this woman, and there would be no turning back. Scarlett was accepting, patient, and kind. She didn’t pry and try to push him to say more. Her emerald-green eyes held a depth of understanding few people their age, or even older, had. She was something else. Could it be that he had found a true match in his matchmaker?

If so, there was no time to waste.

“I want to know what you want.”

She blinked in surprise. “What I want? What do you mean? There’s a lot of things that I’d like. Matching shoes, for one thing. To get a hole in one sometime today. To go home and take a nap later—that would be a bonus.”

“I want to know what you want for your life.”

“Oh.” Her voice grew soft. “I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that before.”

“But you’ve certainly thought about it, haven’t you?”

“I have. That dream I told you about before—getting married and raising a family—that was what I wanted for a long time. But I’ve learned that you don’t always get what you want, and I’ve accepted that. I know I’m still lovable in God’s eyes, and maybe I’ll meet the right guy one day, or maybe I won’t. Whatever happens though, I want to live my life with no regrets and make the most of every day.”

He nodded. “You want a simple but meaningful life.”

“I suppose so. You’re probably thinking that I should dream bigger. All my sisters have done incredible things with their life. It wasn’t for lack of trying on my part; I just don’t have the same talents and gifts as they do. It’s okay. I try not to compare, but I don’t always succeed. Anyway, that was more information than you wanted to know. Should we go on to the next hole?”

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