Page 46 of Unwrapped

The rest of the introductions follow seamlessly—aunts, uncles, and a few cousins, all welcoming me into their world with open arms. The Mercer family is charming and down-to-earth, and despite my initial anxiety, I find myself relaxing. By the time we sit down for dinner, I feel like I’m not just meeting Asher’s family, but becoming a part of it.

Throughout the evening, Asher stays close, always checking on me, his hand brushing mine under the table or his arm draped over my shoulders. Every touch, every glance reminds me that this—us—isn’t temporary. It’s something real, something lasting.

As dinner winds down and the plates are cleared, the conversation shifts to lighthearted stories, laughter filling the room. I find myself laughing along, enjoying the banter and the playful teasing that comes with being in a family that knows each other so well.

At one point, Asher’s father raises his glass for a toast, and as everyone lifts their glasses, Asher turns to me with that same loving, intense gaze that always manages to steal my breath away.

“Merry Christmas, Ivy,” he whispers, clinking his glass against mine.

I smile up at him, my heart swelling with affection. “Merry Christmas, Asher.”

The warmth between us is palpable, and as the evening continues, I can’t help but think about how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time. This Christmas has been unlike any other, not just because of the festivities or the gatherings, but because of him—because of the way he’s woven himself into my life so completely, so unexpectedly.

As the night winds down and people begin to say their goodbyes, I realize something I hadn’t fully grasped before: I’m not just a guest in Asher’s life—I’m a part of it now. And he’s a part of mine.

When we finally step outside into the cold night air, Asher pulls me close, his arm wrapped around my shoulders as we walk back to the car.

“How are you feeling?” he asks softly, his breath visible in the crisp air.

I smile, leaning into him. “I feel… happy. Really happy.”

He presses a kiss to the top of my head. “I’m glad. This is just the beginning, you know. Us, our families… this is our life now.”

I look up at him, the man who has changed everything for me in the most beautiful way possible. “I know,” I whisper, my heart full, “and I can’t wait for all the Christmases to come.”

He smiles down at me, his eyes filled with the same love and promise that I’ve come to cherish. “Neither can I.”

I remember his mother's words from earlier and can't hold back my curiosity any longer.

"Asher?" I say softly as we walk toward the car, our footsteps crunching in the snow. "Can I ask you something?"

He pulls me closer against the cold. "Of course."

"Earlier, when your mom hugged me, she whispered that she was glad you found me again. What did she mean by that?"

Asher slows his pace, and I feel him take a deep breath. In the glow of the Christmas lights, his expression is tender but almost shy—something I rarely see from him. A flash of pink even darkens his cheeks.

"Remember how I said I regretted not choosing you sooner?" He stops walking entirely, turning to face me. "Back in high school, I had the biggest crush on you. I used to talk about you all the time at home—how smart you were in AP Literature, how your laugh would carry down the hallway, how you always helped other students with their work. But I never had the courage to really talk to you then. I was... intimidated, believe it or not."

My mouth falls open slightly. "You were intimidated by me?"

He laughs softly, reaching up to brush a snowflake from my cheek. "You were this bright, beautiful force of nature. Everyone loved you, and I was just... me. I relied on my looks and my status as a football star and Mr. Nice Guy.” He rolls his eyes at himself. “My mom used to tell me to just ask you out, but I never did. When we reconnected, she knew exactly who you were the moment I mentioned your name. She's been hoping for this for longer than you know.”

I feel tears pricking at my eyes, touched by this revelation. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I was waiting for the right moment," he says, pulling me close. "And somehow, standing here in the snow on Christmas night, it feels pretty right.”

I bite my lip, thinking about my earlier conversation with Zane. "Did... did Zane know about your crush back then too?"

Ashers laugh rumbles through his chest. "Oh god, yes. He used to tease me mercilessly about it. Every time you walked by in the hallway, he'd elbow me or make these ridiculous faces. Heprobably knew about it even before I told him—he's always been able to read me like a book."

"That explains some things," I say softly, thinking about Zane's protective nature.

"What do you mean?" Asher asks, curiosity clear in his voice.

I snuggle closer to him, breathing in the crisp winter air. "He's just... really protective of you. He wants the best for you, and he made sure I knew that. I think maybe he remembered how much you cared back then, and he wanted to make sure I understood what this means to you now."

Asher's arms tighten around me, and I feel him press a kiss to my temple. "That sounds like Zane. Always looking out for his little brother." He pauses, then adds softly, "But he doesn't need to worry. What we have... it's everything I dreamed about back then, and so much more than I could have imagined."

---