Page 17 of Unwrapped

“Well, I’m going to grab a drink,” Tessa says, all but winking at me. “I’ll leave you two to… catch up. Asher, we’ll talk later.”

Before I can protest, she’s gone, disappearing into the crowd with a knowing smile. I feel a rush of both annoyance and gratitude toward her—annoyance because she’s left me alonewith Asher, but gratitude because… maybe I don’t mind being alone with him.

Asher’s gaze follows Tessa for a moment, then returns to me, an apologetic smile tugging at his lips. “I think she planned that.”

“She definitely did,” I reply, managing a small smile of my own. “She’s not exactly subtle.”

He chuckles softly, running a hand through his hair, making it look even more perfectly tousled. “She hasn’t changed much, has she?”

“No,” I say, my smile growing a little, “she hasn’t.”

Asher pauses, studying me with an intensity that makes my heart flutter uncomfortably. “And what about you, Ivy? Have you changed?”

The question catches me off guard, and I’m not entirely sure how to answer it. I shift my weight, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his gaze. “I don’t know. I guess… maybe I’ve grown up a bit. Learned to take more risks.” The last part is more of a thing I intend to do.

“What kind of risks?”

“Well, opening a bakery for one.”

“That’s a big one.”

“What about you, Asher? I imagine you’re not exactly the same guy from high school either.”

He smiles, but there’s a shadow behind it. “Yeah, I guess a lot has changed. Turning a company into an empire will do that to you. Shit.” He shakes his head. “That sounded douchey as hell.”

“No.” I laugh, my hand darting out to touch his arm softly, my eyes immediately looking down to see where my fingertips are resting on him. I almost pull them back but Tessa’s little trick from the other night comes back to me and I let my fingers linger. “I get what you’re saying. It would be silly not to considerhow running a multimillion-dollar company could change you or your perception of the world.”

His eyes struggle to stay focused on mine, dropping just as I pull my hand back, my fingers dragging slowly down his arm and over his wrist as I pull back. “I bet it’s a lot of pressure. Keeping up with the company, making sure everything runs smoothly while also being in the spotlight?”

“Yeah, it can be. But it’s… worth it, I think. I’m not one of those people who wants to pretend that their privileged life is harder than anyone else’s. And it’s nice, every once in a while, to be reminded of where I came from because it is easy to let it all go to your head, get blinded by it all, and lose sight of what’s really important.”

I tilt my head, curiosity bubbling up despite my nerves. “Is that what this party is for? A reminder?” He glances around, understanding I’m referring to the lavish extent to which this place is decorated and the piles and piles of presents with his employees’ names on them.

He shrugs, but there’s a wry smile on his lips. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s just an excuse to throw a fancy party and pretend I know what I’m doing.”

I laugh softly, and the tension between us eases, a little more. “Well, you’re doing a pretty good job of pretending.”

He grins, and for a second, it feels like we’re back in high school, trading easy smiles across a crowded room. But then his expression shifts, turning more serious, more uncertain. He takes a step closer, his voice lowering again. “Ivy, I’ve been thinking about our meeting. About what you said and the bakery.”

My pulse quickens, and I brace myself, unsure of where this is going. “Oh? And what did you think?”

He hesitates, his expression earnest. “I think you and Tessa have something really special. And I want to help you make it happen, if you’ll let me.”

The offer catches me off guard, and for a moment, I can’t speak. “What do you mean? In what capacity?”

“I want to be an investor. I know you’re already working with a lender and we can get my finance people on with them so that it wouldn’t drag things out further or screw up any offers you might have already.”

I blink several times, my mouth still hanging open. “Uh, um, no… no offers yet.”

“With my investment, you and Tessa could keep your cash liquid, really lean into marketing, and let Tessa not be financially cuffed by such a tight budget that you are currently operating under.”

“Thank you, Asher,” I manage, my voice softer than I intended. “I’m not sure what to say— Tessa, I should talk with Tessa though.”

“Of course, absolutely.” We stand there in silence for several seconds.

He holds my gaze, and for a heartbeat, the air between us is charged with something unspoken, something electric. I can feel the heat of him, the way his presence seems to fill the space around us, and I’m suddenly very aware of how close we’re standing. If I reached out, I could touch his chest, feel the warmth of his skin through his shirt. The thought makes my breath hitch.

“Ivy—” he starts, but before he can finish, someone claps him on the shoulder, pulling him away.

---