Page 48 of Saving the CEO

He and Scarlett shared the long rectangular head table with her parents and their siblings. The mood was lighthearted and jovial and the conversation nonstop. Scarlett’s young cousins were a source of amusement with their antics and questions. Devin found himself loosening up and laughing, two things he had been learning to do more of since Scarlett came into his life.

In the time that they had been together, he rarely brought his work home with him. His evenings were for “living,” as Scarlett called it. Oftentimes they listened to audiobooks, played miniature golf (one of their favorite pastimes), or baked cookies and pies, an activity that Scarlett now did for enjoyment. Devin had also gotten her familiar with the underhood of a car, teaching her how to change its oil and adjust its spark plugs. A couple of weekends had been spent at the zoo and the ice-skating rink as well as trying new things such as cooking classes. They had been sharing their worlds with each other for the past couple of months, and now that they were married, they could officially do so for the rest of their lives.

This wedding reception was only the beginning.

As the evening progressed, Scarlett’s sisters, along with Bekah, worked together to provide plenty of entertainment. There were several speeches and toasts as well as games, the latter of which culminated in a version of the Newlywed Game. To everyone’s surprise, Devin remained in the lead for most of the contest. He knew the answers to every question, including Scarlett’s shoe size and what she wore on their first date. Scarlett, however, won in the end with a “winner takes all” question where she guessed Devin’s favorite pizza topping (mushrooms).

When it came time for the bouquet toss, all the single women gathered on the dance floor, with Emerald and Bekah at the forefront of the group.

“Who should I throw this to?” Scarlett asked Devin as he stood off to the side.

“Anyone but Bekah,” he replied, semi-jokingly. “She’s much too young to be thinking about marriage.”

“I heard that, Dev! I’m a grown woman, for crying out loud.” Bekah stuck her tongue out in protest.

“And you just proved my point,” he countered with a shake of his head. “Enjoy your single life, sis. Relationships aren’t as easy as you think they are.”

“Ahem!Iheard that!” Scarlett shot him a stern look that soon turned into a grin. “Your brother’s right, Bekah. Relationships aren’t easy, but they’re worth it, aren’t they, Dev?”

“You’re absolutely right, sweetheart.” Devin nodded and pretended to catch the kiss Scarlett blew his way. At the same moment, Jace walked past them, his expression one of wide-eyed disbelief. “What’s that look for, Jace?”

“I have no idea who you are anymore, bro! I don’t know how you did it, Scarlett,” Jace exclaimed. “You’ve turned my brother into a big ball of mush.”

“It’s called the power of love. You’ll experience it someday, and then the two of you can be big balls of mush together!”

Jace held his hands up as he backed away. “I’m good, thanks. I’ve got more than enough love from my adoring fans.”

“You’re missing out, brother,” Devin remarked. “The love of a woman who knows you inside and out can change your life.”

“Guys! We’re not getting any younger here!” Emerald called out over the din of high-pitched voices urging Scarlett to throw the bouquet. “Any day now, Red!”

“All right, I’m on it!” Turning her back to the crowd, Scarlett counted down, “Three, two, one,” then tossed the bouquet in the air. Instead of aiming it at the eager group of women, she threw it in the opposite direction. “Heads up, Jace!”

In the blink of an eye, Jace looked over and caught the red roses with one hand. “Seriously?”

Scarlett shrugged with a cheeky smile. “My hand slipped!” She then gave Devin a victorious smile as several of the single ladies rushed over to introduce themselves to Jace.

Devin walked over to his bride and kissed her on the cheek. “Well played, sweetheart. I’m afraid though that our sisters aren’t too happy with your decision to give the bouquet to Jace.”

She winced when she spotted the frowns on Emerald’s and Bekah’s faces. “I think Bekah will forgive me when I tell her I was only trying to keep her big brother off her case. As for Em—oh, look! Who’s that cute guy she’s talking to?”

“Cute guy?” Devin relaxed when he saw the man in question. “That’s my cousin Joe, Nick’s brother.”

“Oh no. I should warn her about him!”

He took ahold of Scarlett’s hand to stop her from running off. Knowing how passionate his wife was, his cousin wouldn’t stand a chance against her. “Joe’s a good guy. He’s not like Nick at all. Emerald will be fine. Besides, he’ll find out soon enough that we’ve got our eyes on him.”

“You bet we do!”

Scarlett’s feisty tone started him chuckling. “Why do I get the feeling that I need to watch my back, too?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got my eyes on you, too, but for different reasons.” She winked.

Later on, as the festivities began to wind down, Jace and his band played covers of popular love songs for those still on the dance floor. Devin cradled Scarlett in his arms as the two of them got lost in their own world in a corner of the ballroom. He rested his chin on the top of her head, breathing in her delicate floral scent and marveling at how well they moved in sync. They may have started out on opposing sides, but they had grown to appreciate and support one another. No one other than Scarlett could bring out the best in him. He was a fortunate man, blessed beyond belief. Who would have imagined that he would be married before year’s end? Certainly not him. But God had better plans than he ever could have put together on his own.

“You’re awfully quiet, Mr. CEO,” Scarlett remarked, pulling back to see him. She looked breathtakingly beautiful with her hair pulled back in a low bun. The pearl and diamond earrings she wore, which once belonged to his mother, suited her well. She tipped her head to one side as she studied him. “What are you thinking about? Let me guess—you can’t wait to wear your new froggy pjs later, am I right?”

“Close.” He grinned. “I was thinking about how nice it is to have someone to share my life with.”

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