Page 9 of Unwrapped

I shrug, trying to keep my expression neutral as I hang up my coat. “It was fine. We went over the business plan. He gave us some feedback.”

Tessa arches an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing at her lips. “Just fine? What’d he say?”

“I took detailed notes,” I say, pulling my notebook from my bag. I tug my hat off, running my hands through my hair to untangle the wet clumps of snow still hanging on. “He pretty much said we’re doing everything right, but we should reevaluate our cost analysis.”

“What?” She grabs the notebook from me and flips through the papers. “Which pricing was off? Did he say specifically?”

“No.” I shrug. “Why?”

“Because he’s wrong. I ran the numbers a hundred times at least and I used actual cost metrics based on our business over the last five years.”

“Okay,” I say, holding up my hands at her defensiveness. “Any chance you could be wrong? He is the wildly successful entrepreneur and multimillionaire, remember?”

“No.” She’s already back on her laptop, eyebrows knit together, tapping furiously.

“Anyway, I’m sure we can go over it with the lender, but umm, yeah, that’s it.” My gaze nervously flicks away from hers when her eyes shoot up over the laptop to look at me.

Shit. Why do I always have to give myself away?

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, that’s it. I think he mentioned that we could reach out at any time for other questions.” She narrows her gaze at me. “What?”

“Really? That’s it? Because you look like you’ve seen a ghost—or, you know, a guy you’ve been secretly crushing on for a decade, and now you’re acting weird.”

“I’m not being weird—I just,” I attempt to protest, to come up with a lie on the fly, but it’s no use. I’m a shit liar and I know my face is lobster-red right now. “He asked us to his company holiday party. He said we could go over things further there.”

“You were going to hold out on me?” She squeals, hopping up from her seat. “Or wait, did he inviteyouto the holiday party to ‘discuss things further’ or did he inviteus?”

I feel my cheeks heat up, and I busy myself rearranging the cookies cooling on the counter. “It wasn’t like that. He invitedusto their holiday party… said it would be a good networking opportunity. And I didn’t agree that we’d go because it’s something you and I need to discuss and agree on—if we have time with everything else going on.”

“Oh, I bet he did,” Tessa says, standing up and crossing the room to join me by the counter. “Did he look at you with those smoldering eyes of his and flash that signature smile? The one that’s supposed to make everyone fall at his feet?”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “Stop it, Tess. He was just being polite. It’s not a big deal. And he was completely professional.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. And I’m Santa’s little helper,” she says with a teasing wink, nudging me with her elbow. “Come on, Ivy. You’ve got to admit, it’s kind of exciting. Seeing him again, after all this time… Maybe there’s a little spark?”

I bite my lip, hesitating as I reach for a cookie. “It’s just… he’s different now. I’ll admit, he’s still charming and all, but there’s something else. Like he’s… I don’t know… grown-up.” I glance at Tessa, wondering if I’m making any sense.

“You mean intimidating.”

“Yes,” I say emphatically, “very intimidating.”

“Is that why you never went for him in school?”

I sigh, not wanting to relive those days. Not because I didn’t have a great time but because it just reminds me how little I believed in myself back then… or hell, even now.

“And what if I did ask him out now? If he’s single, that is, what if he still only sees me as Tessa’s shy friend? The weird, quiet girl who was always third-wheeling with you.”

Tessa’s teasing grin fades, replaced by a more thoughtful expression. “Is that what you think of yourself, Ivy?”

My shoulders sag a little and I know whatever she’s about to say to me is right, that my perceptions of myself are merely a reflection of my insecurity. I know all these things, yet I still find myself sabotaging my own attempt at finding happiness.

“Not really, I don’t think. I know us, our friendship has always been real. I know you didn’t take me around out of obligation. I think it’s just easier to believe those things than believe in myself.”

She slips an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a side hug.

“You’re not the same girl you were back then, Ivy. You’re stronger now. You’re a badass baker with a business plan that’s going to knock the bank’s socks off. Me and you are going to launch this bakery and within a year, we’re going to be so damn busy there’s gonna be lines around the block on the weekends. And besides, who cares what Asher Mercer thinks? This is about us and our bakery.”

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