Page 41 of Saving the CEO

“Go for it. Ask me whatever you want.”

“What made you decide to sign up with a matchmaking service? Were you hoping to get married soon?”

He blinked, surprised by her line of questioning. “Why do you ask?”

“I just wonder why someone as busy as you would be interested in dating. You don’t go out for fun on your own, so why would you want to go out with someone else for fun? It doesn’t make sense why you’d put yourself through this whole experience unless there was a good reason to do so. So, why did you sign up?”

Her green eyes sparkled with fervor, an obvious sign that she wasn’t letting this go. But why did it matter so much to her? And why now? He weighed his words, wondering what Scarlett wanted to hear. “You’re right, I didn’t sign up because I wanted to date. The fact of the matter is, I don’t have time to go out for pleasure. I had hoped the matchmaking process would be straightforward and efficient and require the least amount of effort on my part.”

“But why? You’re still not answering my question, Mr. Kendall.”

“Mr. Kendall?” He frowned. “Why do I feel like I’m being interrogated here?”

“Because I feel like you’re keeping something from me. You keep dodging my questions. Why do you need to get married?”

He realized what was going on. “You heard me talking on the phone, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t on purpose, I promise. The door was open, and I happened to overhear you.”

“It’s fine, but what exactly did you overhear?”

“You said you hadn’t found a wife yet, but you were working on it.” She chewed her lower lip before asking, “What’s going on, Devin? What did you mean when you said you were working on it? Am I some kind of pet project for you? Do you have a bet you’re trying to win?”

“That’s not what’s happening. I can explain.”

“Go on, I’m listening.”

Sighing, he set his mug on the side table, then turned around to face her. This was not the way he’d imagined this evening going. All he’d wanted was to have a peaceful night with Scarlett where they could enjoy each other’s company after a long week apart. He’d wanted to show her how much he believed in her skills and talent as a narrator. The last thing he desired was to open up Pandora’s box, but here they were. He had no choice but to tell her the truth.

“I did sign up for your service so I could find a wife. There’s a stipulation in my grandfather’s will that says his company can only be inherited by an heir who is married. I believe his intentions were good when he wrote it. He had made it clear that he wanted me to take over the business, but he also worried that I worked too much. I assume that’s why he added in that clause. The problem now is that my cousin who has absolutely no interest in the company is threatening to take it over. Since he’s married and I’m not, it will automatically go to him. But you should know that none of this has anything to do with you and me. I want to be with you regardless of this situation, Scarlett. That’s the truth.”

Her complexion paled as she stared up at him. “You’ll lose your CEO position if you don’t have a wife? When do you need to get married by?”

“By the first of January.”

“In two months?!”

“Yes.”

Hurt registered in her eyes. “So that’s why you proposed.”

“No! That was not the reason why. I asked you to marry me because I want to spend the rest of my life with you, not because of some clause. You have to believe me.”

“I want to, but …” Several different emotions flashed across her face like the bolts of a lightning storm. Her voice wavered as she continued, “I-I don’t know what to believe. Put yourself in my shoes. Wouldn’t you be wary of everything that’s happened? You proposed a week after we got together, Devin. I don’t want to question your intentions—”

“Then don’t question them. Trust me, Scarlett.”

In an instant, her shoulders slouched, making her look small and unsure. Her confidence and boldness vanished, and she stopped making eye contact. “I can’t help but wonder if this was your plan all along. Maybe you realized the matches I found for you were too smart to fall for you in such a short amount of time, so you decided to target me instead. You knew I’d been manipulated by my ex before, and you thought you could get to me, too. It all makes sense when you think about it,” she muttered more to herself than to him. “I can’t believe I got fooled again so easily.”

“Scarlett, stop.” He took her mug and set it aside, then grabbed onto her hands. “You’re spiraling, sweetheart. Take a minute to think this through. If I was only invested in finding a wife, I wouldn’t have told you I’d wait for you. I wouldn’t have set up a recording studio for you in my home. I wouldn’t have called my grandfather’s lawyer to ask what other options I have. That’s why I was on the phone for so long. I wanted to know what else I could do because the last thing I want is to pressure you to do something you don’t want to do. I would never let you sacrifice your interests and happiness for me. That’s what my mother did for my father, and it—it broke her.” His voice faltered as his throat grew raw. “I won’t let that happen to you, Scarlett. You have my word.”

Devin didn’t know if what he said was enough. He could only pray that it was, that Scarlett would trust his words and give him a chance to prove them. Bringing her hands to his lips, he placed a soft kiss on each of her palms. He tried to keep his composure, but the ache in his chest made it hard to breathe. He’d never had so much on the line. He could find a way to salvage his family’s company, but whether Scarlett would have him was completely out of his control.

Whatever happened now was in God’s hands. He would need to accept that.

He dropped his gaze to his lap where their hands lay. Scarlet’s slender fingers were laced with his, a symbolic display of how her life had intersected with his. They fit together so effortlessly, he wanted to believe they were meant for each other. But as the silence between them dragged on, Devin could sense she was struggling. He decided to make it easier for her.

Painfully and reluctantly, he pulled his hands away. He raised his head and found her regarding him with tears in her eyes. “I understand why you’d want to break up with me. You don’t have to explain—”

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