Page 3 of Saving the CEO

“Oh, that’s a good point. I didn’t think about that.” Bekah furrowed her brows as she brought her glass of water to her lips. Looking thoughtful, she took a long sip. “I don’t think the photo left a bad impression though. Devin started to smile the longer he looked at it. If there’s anything you should know about my brother, it’s that heneversmiles. And when I told him about the bet you have with your sisters, he laughed! I can’t remember the last time I heard him laugh like that.”

Scarlett cringed. “You told him about the bet? Why did you tell him about that?”

“I wanted him to know why you need his help so badly. He’s extremely competitive, so I knew he’d understand if he knew what was at stake.”

Scarlett rubbed her temples and forced herself to breathe. Could the situation get any worse? Not only did Bekah’s brother think she was unprofessional, but he also knew she was desperate, too. He probably assumed she and her sisters were immature for coming up with such a silly punishment. Which, to be honest, they sometimes were, but at least they knew how to have fun. Thankfully, he hadn’t been dissuaded from signing up for her services. That was a big win. And now she was one step closer to winning the bet. From here on out, there was nowhere to go but up. That’s what her Nanna used to say.

A dull ache spread through her chest. Oh, how she missed her grandmother. It’d been a long and lonely year since she went to be with Jesus. Scarlett not only missed her Nanna’s homemade pies but more so her words of wisdom and encouragement. She’d been the one person Scarlett could confide in about her insecurities and fears. And the only person who had never compared her to her sisters or made her feel less beautiful, talented, or accomplished than them.

Without her Nanna around, Scarlett had to work hard at reminding herself she was more than the baby of the family. That she was no longer the little girl who could never keep up with her sisters’ longer and faster strides. This was the year that she vowed would be different. She’d just turned thirty. A new decade was sure to bring with it new adventures. Maybe she’d even start thinking seriously about pursuing her dream career full-time. She just needed to keep putting her trust in God and doing her best. That was another thing her Nanna used to say.

Shaking off her doubts and worries, Scarlett reached over the table and squeezed Bekah’s arm. “Thank you for trying so hard to help me. I really appreciate it.”

Her friend’s blue eyes lit up with relief. “Of course! You’re like the older sister I never had but always wanted.”

“And you’re the younger sister I always prayed for. I’m so glad God brought us together.”

“Me, too. I can’t wait for our next girls’ night in. I just bought a new facial mask that has real rose petals in it. It’s a nice honey color, too, and smells divine.”

“That sounds a lot less lethal than Hulk green,” she replied with a laugh. “I’ll check my calendar and let you know when I’m free.”

“Sure thing! We can do it at my place this time.”

Their server, a young man in a black vest, stopped by to deliver their lunch. Once they had said grace, Scarlett pushed up the sleeves of her pink zip-up hoodie, ready to dig into her meal. The delicious scents of lemon, garlic, and butter wafted up from her bowl of lobster ravioli. Across from her, Bekah took a generous bite of her lasagna.

For a minute, Scarlett let go of her worries and let herself savor the moment. The delicious flavors of her food, the hum of conversations going on in the restaurant, and the busy streets outside their window of downtown Mountain View. Mondays tended to be busy, but since she had the day off, she’d packed her schedule even tighter than usual. Dance class first thing in the morning, then dropping off coffee for her sisters at the office before volunteering at the local animal shelter. This was the first time she’d sat down today.

So much for learning to slow down.

She’d been trying to be more of a Mary than a Martha since her Nanna had passed. If there was one regret she had in life, it was not enjoying the time she’d had with her grandmother when she’d had the chance. She’d always been too preoccupied with something, either school, dating, or work. What she really needed to prioritize now were the relationships in her life.

Starting with the friend she was blessed to be spending time with. Scarlett turned her focus back on Bekah.

“I hope it won’t be too hard for you,” Bekah piped up in between bites, “to find a woman for Devin. I love my brother, but he’s not exactly the most interesting guy.”

“What do you mean?”

“He wears the same outfit every day—a white dress shirt with black slacks and a tie in some shade of blue. He hardly ever goes out for lunch and lives on microwaveable frozen meals at the office. And his idea of fun on the weekends is organizing his old CD collection.”

“Really? You must be exaggerating—oh, you’re not,” Scarlett corrected herself when she spotted Bekah’s pointed look.

“I wish I were. Devin got all the calm, boring genes, and my other brother, Jace, got the fun, exciting ones.”

“Jace is a rock star, is that right?”

“Yes. It’s so strange to think how different they are, considering they’re supposed to be identical twins.”

“That’s amazing when you think about it,” Scarlett mused. “There are billions of people in the world and God made every one of them with such distinct personalities, even two people who share the same DNA. I’m looking forward to meeting Devin and learning more about him.”

“Don’t expect too much. He’s not someone who’s full of surprises.”

“That’s okay. The fact that he’s consistent and predictable will be an advantage in finding him a match. Plenty of women, especially those in their thirties, are attracted to guys like him. They want someone who’s dependable and reliable and done playing the field.”

“That’s Devin all right. Although he never really played the field to begin with.”

“Has he had any long-term relationships?”

“Not that I know of. Jace is the one who hung out with a different girl every week. Sometimes he’d drag Devin to go out with him, but Dev usually came home early. Jace has always been the party animal and Devin the party pooper.” Bekah’s expression became solemn as she set down her fork. “Maybe you should look for someone else to be your client. I don’t want you to go to all the trouble of setting Devin up with different women when it’s not going to work out with any of them.”

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