Page 7 of Unwrapped

“Well, you’ve got my attention,” I say, leaning forward. “I think you two might have more than just a shot at this. I think you’re going to be wildly successful.”

Her eyes widen slightly, like she wasn’t expecting that, and I find myself wondering how many times she’s been underestimated. Probably a lot, considering how many people overlooked her back in high school. I feel a flicker of guilt,remembering how I never made an effort to know her better back then, always too wrapped up in my own world.

Ivy shifts in her seat, glancing out the window before turning her gaze back to me. “It’s still hard to believe sometimes. Tessa and I used to joke about opening a bakery when we were up until three a.m. decorating cookies in our cramped college apartment. Now we’re actually doing it.”

I nod, my curiosity getting the better of me. “You two have always been close, haven’t you? I remember you being pretty inseparable back in high school.”

She smiles softly, a wistful look crossing her face. “Yeah, she’s… she’s been my best friend since we were kids. Honestly, I don’t think I would’ve made it through high school without her dragging me to all those games.” She blushes, her eyes drifting from mine briefly. “And a few parties.” She glances at me, a touch of amusement in her eyes. “I think you were at most of those, weren’t you?”

I chuckle, rubbing the back of my neck. “Yeah, I guess I was. It’s kind of embarrassing to think about now, but back then, it felt like the most important thing in the world. Football, prom, being the life of the party.”

There’s a pause, a moment where something unspoken hangs between us. She’s watching me carefully, like she’s trying to decide if she should say what’s really on her mind.

“You seemed… happy,” she says finally, a softness in her voice. “Confident. Like you had everything figured out.”

I let out a low laugh, shaking my head. “You’d be surprised. Turns out, playing a part and actually knowing what you’re doing are two different things.”

She blinks, clearly surprised by my honesty, and for a second, the distance between us feels smaller. She opens her mouth, like she’s about to say something, but then she catches herself, looking down at her hands instead.

I realize suddenly that I don’t want her to feel like she has to hold back. Not with me. “You know, our company is throwing a holiday party in a few days,” I say, trying to keep my tone casual even though my heart is pounding a little too fast. “You and Tessa should come. It’d be a good chance to network, meet some potential investors, maybe even show off a few of your cookies. I know I’d love to taste them.”

She hesitates, her pink cheeks glowing again and I can see the wariness in her eyes, the way she’s weighing her options. I hold my breath, wondering if I’ve pushed too far, if I’ve misread her completely. But then she nods, offering me a tentative smile.

“I’ll talk to Tessa. Thanks for the invite, Asher.”

I nod, feeling a strange sense of relief, but also… something more. Something I don’t want to name yet. As she stands and gathers her things, I can’t help but watch her, wondering what she’s thinking, if she’s as surprised as I am by this unexpected connection.

She reaches for the door, hesitating for a moment before glancing back at me. There’s a question in her eyes, one she doesn’t quite ask, and I find myself wishing she would. But then she just nods again, a little awkwardly, and slips out of the room.

As the door clicks shut behind her, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My mind is spinning, filled with thoughts of Ivy Calloway—how she’s different now, but still has that quiet intensity that used to draw my attention even when I pretended not to notice.

And for the first time in years, I find myself wondering if maybe the guy who peaked in high school could have a second chance to prove himself. Maybe this holiday season has more surprises in store than I thought.

I glance at my watch, remembering a meeting across town I’m most likely going to be late to now that I spent so much time with Ivy. Something I don’t regret in the slightest. I grabmy jacket, sliding it on and walking straight to my office door, yanking it open in a hurry.

“Oh,” Ivy gasps, a startled expression on her face which I’m sure is mirrored on my own. I had expected her to be gone by now, at least in the elevator and not still standing outside my office door. She blushes, like I’ve caught her doing something she shouldn’t be doing. “I—I couldn’t find my phone,” she finally says, holding it up after finding it in her bag.

“Ivy, sorry.” I apologize, watching that flush creep back up her neck. “I just remember I have to head out, hope you don’t mind if I join on the elevator ride down?”

“Of course not,” she shakes her head, walking next to me as we make our way toward the elevator. I hit the button and the doors slide open, both of us stepping inside in silence.

*Writing as a romance author*

The numbers tick down with excruciating slowness as the elevator descends from my office. Ivy stands exactly twenty-three inches away from me - not that I'm counting - and the small space is thick with something that feels dangerously close to attraction.

I'm too aware of her. The subtle vanilla scent of her perfume. The way she keeps tucking her hair behind her ear. The flash of skin where her blouse gapes slightly at her collarbone.

Fuck.

"So," I break the silence, desperate to think about anything except how soft her lips look. "The projections you showed me for the bakery's first quarter-"

The elevator lurches. Ivy stumbles forward with a small gasp, and instinct takes over. I catch her around the waist, steadying her against me just as the lights flicker and dim to the emergency setting.

"You okay?" My voice comes out rougher than intended. She's warm in my arms, her hands pressed against my chest, and I swear I can feel her heart racing - or maybe that's mine.

"I'm fine." She doesn't pull away. "Just... startled."

The emergency lights cast everything in a soft red glow, turning the moment dreamlike. In the mirrored walls, I can see us from every angle - how perfectly she fits against me, how her dark hair contrasts with my white dress shirt where her head nearly rests on my shoulder.

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