Page 11 of Unwrapped

The next morning,I’m in the kitchen early, mixing up a fresh batch of cookie dough. Baking is my therapy, my way of quieting the noise in my head, and right now, I need it more than ever. I lose myself in the rhythm of the process—the soft scrape of the wooden spoon against the bowl, the scent of brown sugar and butter filling the air.

But just when I’m starting to find my calm, Tessa strolls in, still in her pajamas and dragging her feet.

“Slept over again, I see?”

“Yeaaaaah.” Her answer morphs into a yawn and then a stretch as she reaches for a mug from one of my cabinets. Ever since we committed to opening this business, it feels like any extra second we have is spent traveling between our apartments so it’s not uncommon we just crash at each other’s place.

She leans against the counter with a mischievous grin on her face, cradling a mug of coffee in her hands. “So, I’ve been thinking about the party.”

I narrow my eyes at her, already suspicious. “Oh, have you?”

“Yep.” She takes a sip, her expression annoyingly smug. “And I’ve decided that we’re going.”

I stop mid-stir, turning to face her. “We? Tessa, I thought we agreed that this was a maybe. You know, if we weren’t too busy with the bakery and all.”

Tessa shrugs, unfazed by my protests. “Yeah, well, I decided to change my mind. Think about it, Ivy—Asher’s right, it’s a great chance to network. We could meet potential investors forexpansion opportunities, make connections, and besides, Asher invited us. It’d be rude to say no.”

“Uh-huh, and what happened to he’s just a guy, what does he know? Blah, blah, blah?” I roll my eyes, crossing my arms. “You just want to play matchmaker.”

She grins, not even trying to deny it. “Okay, fine, maybe I do. But come on, you can’t seriously tell me you’re not the least bit curious to see what happens. Who knows? Maybe this is fate giving you a second chance.”

A second chance. The words send a shiver down my spine, and I grip the edge of the counter, trying to steady myself.

“Tessa, it’s not that simple. He’s… he’s Asher Mercer, successful entrepreneur, like I said. We reached out to him for help, not for me to try and redeem myself from high school.”

“You’re Ivy Calloway,” she interrupts, her voice firm. “You’re smart, you’re talented, and you’ve built something amazing with me. Stop acting like you’re still that shy girl from high school. You’re a woman of the world. You’ve been through some things; you know who you are now. And fine, forget fate. Maybe you just need to be fucked?”

“God.” I shake my head at her crassness… but she’s not wrong. “You have such a way with words; maybe I should just say that to him.”

To say that things have been stirring since I saw him would be quite the understatement. More like the faucet’s been turned on full blast and I’m worried I’m about to lose control of it like a fucking fire hose.

“Trust me, that would be the one surefire way to seal the deal with him.” She laughs.

I swallow hard, feeling the familiar tightness in my chest. That same tightness I always get when it comes to the idea of putting myself out there and being vulnerable. “I just… I don’t want to get my hopes up, okay? What if he’s just being nice?What if he doesn’t see me as anything more than a former classmate he’s helping with her business?”

Tessa sets her coffee down, her expression softening as she steps closer. “Look, Ivy, I know you’re scared and I know I’ve made a lot of jokes about you and Asher, but if you really are still interested in him, outside of just physical stuff, then the only way you’re going to know if he wants anything more is to get to know him. Sometimes you’ve got to take a chance, even if it scares the hell out of you. And if it doesn’t work out, well… at least you’ll know, right?”

Her words hang in the air, filling the silence between us, and I let out a shaky breath. Deep down, I know she’s right. I’ve spent so long holding myself back, afraid of what might happen if I let anyone in. But maybe it’s time to stop hiding, to take a risk, even if it means facing the possibility of rejection.

I look at her, seeing the hope in her eyes, and finally, I nod. “Okay. Let’s go to the party.” Tessa’s grin is so wide it almost splits her face. “Oh shit, I don’t have anything to wear.”

“Yes, you do!” she says, “remember that little black dress I convinced you to buy last year?”

I had actually completely forgotten about that dress. I shake my head at the thought of wearing it, “that waswaytoo sexy for a work party.”

“Exactly, they’ll be so dazzled by your beauty they’ll gladly want to invest.”

“But for business purposes like you said.” I point toward her to drive home my seriousness. “And if Asher and I happen to spend time talking about personal things, then so be it.”

“And don’t worry, you’ll see once you put that dress on. It’s going to be amazing.”

I force a smile, but my heart is still pounding, a mix of excitement and dread swirling in my chest. As I watch her buzz around the kitchen, already planning our outfits, I try toconvince myself that this is just another business move, a chance to make connections and grow our dream. But deep down, I know this decision is about more than just the bakery.

It’s about seeing Asher again, about finding out if the spark I felt in his office was real or just a figment of my imagination. And as much as it terrifies me, I can’t shake the feeling that this holiday season might be my chance to finally be that cliché person who says exactly what’s on their mind and in their heart, expecting a miracle.

Chapter 4

Asher

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