"Did you lose your job today?" she asked.
Not exactly the response he'd been looking for.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Adam said-"
"Adam doesn't know everything."
"No, but I thought Sam did."
Donovan shook his head. "Let's go onto my yacht. I'll tell you all about the day if you want."
She followed him onto the yacht. His chef had prepared some hors d'oeuvres and they were set out near the stern.
"My uncle and the board gave me an ultimatum, which you obviously heard about-leave you, or forfeit the chairmanship. I declined their offer and countered with a joint chairmanship.
"Sam and I have really made a difference in the company bottom line, and we decided we both should be at the helm."
"And they didn't go for it," she said.
"Why are you so sure that they said no?"
"Why else would you be trying so hard to hold on to me unless you lost the company? That was your number one priority."
He shook his head, regretting the fact that he'd let her down and made her feel as if she didn't mean as much to him as his job did. He'd wanted his grandfather's respect, had craved a chance to make his mark in the world, but over the short course of his marriage, he had realized that being a husband and father was the one thing that mattered most.
"They took our offer. Sam and I are co-CEOs. I'm telling you how I feel about you because, when I thought I was going to lose everything, I didn't feel devastated."
"You didn't?" she asked.
He shook his head and drew her into his arms. "Instead, I thought about you and Van and the family we were starting, and I looked at my relatives who sit on the board. Even though they also represent the investors in the company, I knew that family was the most important thing.
"That you were the most important thing in my life," he said, leaning down to kiss her. "You and Van.
"I love you, Cassidy Franzone Tolley. And I want to marry you again in front of the world so that everyone knows you are mine."
Cassidy was crying, but she was also smiling-the brightest smile he'd ever seen. "I love you, too, Donovan."
"Will you marry me again?"
"No," she said, and his heart nearly stopped. "I don't need a ceremony in front of the world."
He let out a breath, overwhelmed by his love for this woman. "What do you need?"
"You," she said.