Page 37 of Saving the CEO

“You’re asking me to marry you?”

“As of now, I’ve asked you twice. I don’t know how else to make it any clearer. I want to make you my wife.”

It dawned on her what the romantic setup on the ice was all about. Devin had arranged this evening at the ice rink to propose to her! She knew he was the kind of man who made things happen, but she’d never expected that to include a marriage proposal on their first date.

“Devin,” she began, keeping her tone gentle, “I’m really touched that you did all this for me. I can’t even begin to tell you how much it means, not just the roses and the candles and the ring, but how much you’ve opened up to me. It’s a privilege and an honor to have you propose to me. But …”

His expression sobered and he closed the ring box. “So, it’s a no.”

“No! I mean, it’s not a no, it’s more of a not yet.” She winced, hating how much she had to be hurting him, especially after she’d claimed to be his safe place. The irony and painfulness of the situation made her throat raw. She couldn’t lie to him though. He deserved an explanation. “This is just too much, too soon, Devin. We’ve only started dating, and my life is kind of up in the air right now with my job situation. I’m not in the right headspace to make a huge decision like this.”

“How much time do you need?”

“How much time?” How did she even answer a question like this? Devin was asking her to put a timeline on a relationship that had only begun. It was like a seed that had been laid in fresh soil and still needed to be given time and room to grow. She didn’t understand how he could bet so much on something that hadn’t proven itself yet. “How are you so sure already? I’m practically a stranger to you. What if I turn out to not be the person you think I am? What if you decide one day that I’m not the one you want to be with, that I’m not good enough for you? What happens then, Devin? You don’t want to be making a decision now that you’ll regret a few months or years down the line. You’d only be wasting your time.”

A heavy silence fell between them as she avoided his gaze. She could only assume that the truth of her words was weighing heavily on Devin’s mind, undoing the impulsiveness that had spurred him to propose. It was too easy to let the haze of hopes and dreams blur reality; she’d made that mistake before.

She finally forced herself to look up. “I’m so sorry, Devin. You and I both need more time.”

With a calmness she didn’t expect, he simply replied, “I can wait.”

CHAPTER19

Devin

For someone who’d been rejected, Devin felt an odd sense of peace. A week had passed since his failed marriage proposal, yet he was more determined than ever to win Scarlett’s trust.

Trust—that’s what it all boiled down to.

He understood why Scarlett had said no. She’d been hurt before and sidelined by the ambitions of her ex. No wonder she didn’t have faith in their future. Devin had asked her to trust him blindly without any concrete evidence of his commitment to her. It wasn’t enough that he’d planned a nice evening out or bought a ring. The real question was if he would stay with her through all the highs and lows of life and if his love for her would ever waver.

The answers were clear to him, and he would do everything in his power to help her see them, too. He would find ways to show Scarlett that he was ready to treasure, honor, and protect her for the rest of his days.

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently as he navigated his car through the noontime rush. Taking deep breaths, he reminded himself of what Scarlett had taught him. It was okay to not have all the answers. It was also okay to ask for help. The peace and comfort that flooded his heart made it easier to utter his next words.

“Would You help me, Lord?”

The words rolled off his tongue in a surprisingly effortless way. Devin had come to accept that making Scarlett his wife was an act out of his control. He could not force her to trust him any more than he could cause the sun to rise. But the One who had brought them together and who held their futures in His hands could help guide them along in this journey.

It was merely a matter of time, but unfortunately, time was the one thing he didn’t have.

The text he’d gotten from his cousin Nick before he left the office replayed in his mind as he reached his destination.

Hey cuz, get married yet? You’ve got two months. Good luck!

He had quickly fired off a message to his grandfather’s lawyer asking to talk over the weekend. Without the wife he needed to inherit Kendall & Sons, he would have to find another way to ensure his family’s company stayed in the right hands.

“Would You help me with this, too, Lord?”

Again, the prayer came from a deep place of need and reliance, one he’d finally allowed himself to tap into after so many years. Scarlett had shown him the strength it took to be vulnerable and the freedom that resulted from letting go. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel alone. More importantly, he no longer wanted to face the world by himself. He was ready to start trusting and asking for help. And he had Scarlett to thank for this miracle.

Now here he was back at Party of Two to show his gratitude by helping to salvage her family business. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and steeled himself for the enthusiastic welcome he was sure was waiting for him on the other side.

As soon as he stepped into the lobby, however, he was met with absolute silence. Both Amber and Capri stopped talking when they spotted him. The disapproving looks they exchanged made Devin’s shoulders tense. Only Emerald offered him a small smile as she walked over to greet him.

“Mr. Kendall, what brings you here today?” She leaned close and added in a soft murmur, “Don’t mind them. Their bark is worse than their bite.”

He nodded in understanding. “Call me Devin. I’m here on behalf of Scarlett and myself to offer a solution to getting your business back on its feet.”

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