Page 42 of Unwrapped

There’s a pause, a long, agonizing silence, and I brace myself for the possibility that she might turn me away. But then the door buzzes open, and I push inside, taking the stairs two at a time until I’m standing outside her door, my heart pounding harder than ever.

When she opens the door, she’s wearing an oversized sweater, her hair loose around her shoulders, and the sight of her knocks the air right out of my lungs. She looks tired, her face free from makeup, her eyes red-rimmed, a wariness in them that cuts deeper than I expected.

“Asher,” she says, her voice hesitant, like she’s not sure if this is real or some strange dream, “did you walk here?” She notices the snowy clumps in my hair, the shiver that runs through my body.

I take a deep breath, trying to find the words, but everything I rehearsed on the way here suddenly feels inadequate. So I go with the truth, the raw, unpolished truth that’s been clawing at my chest since the moment she walked out of that party.

“I’m sorry, Ivy,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. “I’m sorry for making you feel like you don’t belong in my life. You have no idea how wrong you are about that. And I don’t know if I can make you believe it, but I have to try.”

She blinks, clearly taken aback, and she wraps her arms around herself, like she’s trying to hold back the uncertainty that flashes across her face. “Asher, I… I don’t even know whatto say. This is all… it’s so much. Maybe we should keep things professional. You have this whole world, this life that I can’t be a part of. I’m not?—”

“Stop,” I cut in, my voice sharper than I intended, but I can’t stand to hear her doubt herself again. “Stop saying you don’t belong. Because you do. You belong with me, Ivy. And if I have to tear down everything I’ve built just to prove that to you, I will.”

She shakes her head, looking down at the floor, her shoulders trembling. “You don’t mean that. You don’t know what you’re asking for, Asher. I’ve seen the way people look at you, the way they expect you to be. And I don’t want to change you. I don’t want you to have to tear anything down to be with me. That’s not fair to you.”

I step closer, closing the distance between us, desperate to make her understand. “You don’t have to change me, Ivy. You already have. You’ve made me see that I’ve been hiding behind this… this image for so long, I forgot who I was underneath. But when I’m with you, I feel like I don’t have to be that guy anymore. I feel like I can just be me. And I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to lose you.”

She lifts her gaze to meet mine, and for a moment, I see the cracks in her armor—the fear, the hope, the uncertainty. “Why, Asher?” she whispers, her voice trembling. “Why would you risk everything for this?”

I reach out, taking her hands in mine, feeling the chill of her fingers seep into my skin. “Because you’re worth it, Ivy. Because you make me want to be better. And because… I think… I know I’m falling for you. I don’t know how else to say it, baby, and I’m sorry if it’s too soon or too much, but I love you. I’m so madly in love with you, Ivy.”

Her breath catches, and for a second, I think I see something soften in her expression. But then she pulls back, shaking her head, her eyes filling with tears. “You don’t know what you’resaying. You’ve built this whole life, this perfect image, and I’m just going to ruin it with my insecurities and my too sensitive feelings.”

“Maybe I want it ruined,” I say, my voice breaking. “Maybe I want to tear it all down if it means I can have something real. If it means I can have you. We can rebuild our life—together.”

She stares at me, her lips parting in a silent gasp, and I see the struggle in her eyes, the way she’s fighting to hold on to the walls she’s built around herself. But I also see the cracks, the places where hope is starting to seep through.

“I’m scared, Asher,” she whispers, her voice barely more than a breath. “I’m scared that you’ll wake up one day and realize this was all a mistake. That you’ll go back to being the guy everyone else wants you to be, and I’ll be the one who’s left behind.”

I reach out, cupping her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me. “I’m scared too, Ivy. But I’d rather be scared with you than spend another minute pretending I don’t care. I’d rather take the risk than spend the rest of my life wondering what could have been.”

Her eyes shine with unshed tears, and she bites her lip like she’s trying to hold back the words she’s too afraid to say. But then she lets out a shaky breath, her shoulders sagging as if a great weight has lifted. “Okay,” she says, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Okay. Let’s try.”

The words are simple, but they feel like the start of something, like the first breath after being underwater for too long. I pull her into my arms, holding her tight as she buries her face in my chest, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

And as we stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms while the snow falls softly outside, I realize that this—being here with her, holding on to something real—is worth more than anything I’ve ever built.

Chapter 13

Ivy

The sunlight streaming through my apartment windows is soft and golden, casting a warm glow over the small Christmas tree in the corner. The tree’s twinkling white lights and a few carefully wrapped presents beneath it set the perfect festive atmosphere. The scent of fresh coffee mingles with the lingering sweetness of gingerbread, making the morning feel magical and calm.

I’m curled up on the couch next to Asher, his arm draped around my shoulders, pulling me close. My head rests on his chest, and I can hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, making me feel more at peace than I have in a long time. It’s Christmas morning, but instead of the usual rush of the holiday, it feels like time has slowed down just for us.

“I never thought I’d end up spending Christmas morning like this,” I say softly, my voice still drowsy. “It’s… nice.”

Asher presses a kiss to the top of my head, his lips warm and gentle against my hair. “Yeah. It really is.”

I tilt my head back to look up at him, and the sleepy smile on his face makes my heart swell. There’s a quiet intimacy in this moment, the kind that makes me feel like I’m exactly where I’mmeant to be. It’s strange to think how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time.

“You know,” I begin, biting my lip, “we haven’t really talked about how and when we’ll tell our families… about us.” I’m nervous as I ask, unsure of how he feels about making things official beyond just the two of us.

Asher’s smile widens a bit, but his eyes stay warm. “I’ve been thinking about that, too.”

I wait for him to continue, my fingers absentmindedly playing with the fabric of his shirt. “So, when do you think we should tell them?” I ask, trying to sound casual, though my heart is racing a little at the thought.

He doesn’t hesitate. “How about today?”

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