Page 4 of Saving the CEO

Scarlett couldn’t help but laugh. She’d never seen her friend so hopeless. “Bekah, have some faith in your brother! Or at least have some faith inme. No one is impossible to match. That’s the beauty of this whole process. It’s discovering what personality types and backgrounds work well together. Once your brother fills out the questionnaire I send him, and I have a chance to interview him, I’ll have a better idea of who to introduce him to. Based on what you’ve already told me, I know what kind of womannotto pair him up with.”

“You do? What kind?”

“Someone who’s like him.”

Bekah’s mouth fell open. “But wouldn’t someone like him understand him and get along well with him?”

“Sure. But there wouldn’t be any tension to keep things interesting.” A wide smile spread across her face. She didn’t have a background in psychology, but she’d figured out long ago how people got along or didn’t get along with each other. As the youngest in her family, she’d witnessed enough arguments and reconciliations to know how people ticked and also what ticked them off. “Being like-minded is good for most friendships and working relationships, but romantic ones need a bit of push and pull to keep the spark alive. Think about it, would you want to date someone exactly like you?”

Bekah pursed her lips as she thought. “I’m not sure. I’ve only gone out with a handful of guys and none of those relationships went anywhere. It’s hard to date when you have two overprotective brothers watching out for you.”

“I know all about that.” She nodded sympathetically. “I have three overprotective sisters, not to mention an overeager mother who likes to get a little too involved in everyone’s business. And they all wonder why I’m still single.”

“Can’t they just find someone for you from the client list? Since you guys already screen every person that signs up, they should be able to find someone they approve of.”

Scarlett’s brows shot up. “No way. My grandmother made that rule very clear from the beginning when she started the business. We’re not allowed to date our clients.”

“Not even if you’re totally compatible?”

“Not even. We’re not in this business to benefit ourselves. It’s all about the client’s needs. Anyway, I would rather meet a guy the old-fashioned way, like through a friend or at the store or on the street. I don’t want to do it through a service. That’s why I’ve avoided online dating completely. I just want it to be organic, you know?”

“I wish it were that easy to meet someone in person. It would make dating so much simpler.”

“And so much more romantic. Just picture it—you see a man from across a crowded room and make eye contact. Then the two of you strike up a conversation and find out all the things you have in common and all the things about him that are different but intriguing. There’s no need to swipe left or right. The connection is just there.”

She glanced around the restaurant as if the act could make her wishful thinking a reality. The effort was for naught when none of the male customers looked her way. It was to be expected when they were either dining with a female companion or eating alone, staring at their phone.

All except for one …

Scarlett inhaled sharply the moment her eyes landed on a tall man walking across the restaurant. He looked to be in his mid-thirties with a short beard that covered an angular jawline. Professionally dressed in a white button-down shirt and black slacks, he strode over with a sense of purpose. The confident way he carried himself made her mouth go dry. When she didn’t think he could be more attractive, he came close enough for her to see his features. Faint lines across his forehead made him appear distinguished. A prominent nose set off a pair of thin lips that curved up into a barely noticeable smile. And sparkling, electric blue eyes that swept up and down her face, making her stomach dip.

When he stopped at their table, Scarlett knew. This was the organic connection she’d hoped to find with a random stranger. She smiled up at him, ready to introduce herself, when Bekah noticed him.

“Hey, what are you doing here?”

The man reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a phone. “You forgot this at my office.”

“I knew it! Thanks, Dev!”

Dev? No, it couldn’t be … Scarlett swallowed hard as she observed their exchange. Her worst fear was confirmed when Bekah looked over and announced, “Scarlett, meet my brother, Devin. Dev, meet your new matchmaker, the incredible Scarlett Hayes.”

That’s when reality sunk like a boulder in Scarlett’s stomach. The man she just fell for at first sight was totally and completely off-limits.

CHAPTER3

Devin

She was the matchmaker who’d be finding him a wife?

Devin took another appraising glance at the woman his sister had dubbed “the incredible Scarlett Hayes.” Incredible, huh? Judging from the lopsided bun on the top of her head and her wrinkle-free complexion, he wasn’t holding his breath. She looked much too young and inexperienced to be in this line of business. Her ringless hand confirmed it, too. What could this woman know about finding a spouse when she herself was still single?

“It’s so good to meet you, Mr. Kendall.” Scarlett jumped up from her seat and offered her hand to him. “I’ve heard a lot about you from Bekah.”

He grunted as her hand disappeared in his. Despite their slender appearance, her fingers gripped his with an impressive strength. At least her handshake meant business even if the rest of her didn’t.

“Sit down, Dev.” His sister pointed to the empty chair beside Scarlett’s. “Have lunch with us.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, ready to take his leave. Rushing over here had already put a kink in his busy schedule for the day. He’d made the effort though so Bekah wouldn’t worry about where she’d misplaced her phone or be unable to reach him. With their brother away on tour again, he was the only one around for his sister when she needed help. “I’m good. You guys enjoy your meal. I need to head back to work.”

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