Page 47 of Saving the CEO

Scarlett threw her head back and laughed. Oh, how she’d missed their banter. There was no question about it—she’d met her match. She loved that they could have fun together like this. She also loved that Devin was someone she could respect and support and be respected and supported in return. There was no fear of losing herself when she knew Devin wanted the best for her. Because of this security that he offered, Scarlett could easily and readily back down. “Okay, you win. Yes, I will marry you! We can get married before the end of the year and you can keep your job!”

Devin remained silent, his expression unreadable. Scarlett considered it a small victory that she could make him speechless, but when he still hadn’t spoken after several seconds, she grew concerned. “Devin, did you hear me? I said yes.”

He cleared his throat and nodded. His voice resonated with emotion as he replied, “I heard you. Thank you, sweetheart. I’m just overwhelmed by your support. I know this takes a tremendous amount of faith on your part to trust me enough to say yes.”

“You make it easy to, Devin. I do trust you, and I trust the Lord, too. I believe He brought us together so we could help each other learn and grow. It’s all part of His good and perfect plan for us.”

“I couldn’t agree more. You won’t be surprised then when I tell you that God already worked out a solution for us that didn’t require either one of us to propose.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just got off the phone with the Board Chairman. I was up front about our situation, how I had found the woman I want to be my wife, but we need more time before getting married, and as a result, I was ready to give my notice. I then asked if he would consider bringing me onto the board so I could have some say over how Kendall & Sons would be run when my cousin took over. That’s when he told me my grandfather had added a hidden clause to his will for this very scenario. If I decided to forego my job for the sake of love, I would automatically inherit the company.” He shook his head and chuckled. “Grandad really covered all the bases. He thought of everything.”

Scarlett’s eyes filled with tears. As thankful as she was for Devin’s grandfather’s foresight, she was more grateful for Devin’s sacrificial heart. “I can’t believe you were going to give up your job for me. I don’t know what to say.”

He ran the pad of his thumb across her cheek and wiped away a tear. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m the one who should be thanking you. You saved me, Scarlett. You brought hope and faith back into my life. I’m not the same man I used to be, and it’s all because of you. Thank you.”

She smiled through her tears of joy. “I did my job well, didn’t I? I told you I’d find you your perfectly imperfect match.”

“I’d have to disagree with that statement.” Before Scarlett could open her mouth to protest, Devin went on to explain. “Youarethe perfect match for me. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Except for one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“That I could have been the one to see you first tonight.” He tightened his hold on her until they were flush against each other. His voice grew husky with appreciation. “You look incredible, sweetheart. I may like this dress more than your pajamas.”

She laughed. “You like my froggy pajamas? I’ll have to buy you a matching set. It’ll be my engagement gift to you.”

“Speaking of engagement gifts—” Devin reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring box. “Let me give you yours. I’ve been carrying this around with me all week and praying for a chance to give it to you again.”

She held out her left hand and watched with anticipation as Devin slipped the solitaire ring onto her finger. With the darkening night sky as their backdrop, the diamond sparkled like a star. It shone like the hope that was blooming in her heart. There was so much to look forward to in their future together, and she couldn’t wait to get started.

Smiling up at Devin, she laced her fingers with his. “What do you think of an outdoor wedding? I know the weather’s cooling down, but maybe we could rent some heat lamps and pass out hot chocolate.”

“Hold on, you’re not still thinking of getting married before the new year? There’s no need to rush anymore. I’m staying on as CEO.”

“I know. But getting married sooner would be so much more convenient. I could use the recording studio whenever I want to without having to drive over.”

He quirked a brow. “So, you’re marrying me for the studio?”

She pretended to ponder his question. “Not only for the studio. Your kitchen is pretty great, too. I’ve never had two ovens before. It makes baking so much faster.”

“You’re marrying me for the studio and the kitchen?” he asked drolly. “Is that all?”

“Of course not. Marrying you means Bekah and I will be sisters. We’ll get to have girls’ night in together all the time. It’ll be so much fun!”

Devin pursed his lips, clearly unamused by her teasing. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were marrying me for my money and connections. And all this time, I thought you liked me for my hotness.”

Scarlett laughed. The sparkle in his blue eyes lit up his whole face and made her heart happy. She raised herself on her tiptoes and leaned closer until their mouths met. The fresh scent of his aftershave awakened her senses as her lips moved over his, tenderly leaving traces of love with each touch. Devin returned her kisses with an equal amount of passion, softly at first, then with more urgency until he had her back pressed against the car. Her knees weakened as heat rushed through her body, leaving tingles in its wake.

When they finally pulled apart, breathless and flushed, she remarked playfully, “I am definitely marrying you for your hotness.”

He then kissed her again in the same way that she knew he did everything—with his whole heart.

Epilogue

DEVIN

Like Scarlett had envisioned, they held an intimate outdoor wedding the day after Christmas. The ceremony took place at Cowell’s Beach in Santa Cruz, complete with heat lamps and a hot cocoa and coffee bar. With their families and close friends as witnesses, they made their vows to one another as the sun dipped below the horizon. Shortly afterwards, they took the celebration indoors to the neighboring Dream Inn where they ate dinner with a stunning panoramic view of the ocean.

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