Chapter 10
TEN
MARISSA
“Hey, Grazing Table.” An unmistakable voice sounded behind her.
Marissa clenched her jaw tight and forced her teeth together.
“Another meat cute, like M-E-A-T cute, get it?” William Graff strolled to her with a casual confidence that must come automatically with having a huge trust fund. His expensive ski jacket and black leather gloves made him look like he belonged at a swanky après ski soirée, not at Drake Park.
How did he know the definition of a meet-cute?
“I hear we’re teammates. Lucky me.” William held out his fist for her to bump, flashing her a cheeky grin.
She laced her fingers together and pressed her hands into her solar plexus for courage. “Is this some kind of a joke? Why are you competing? I heard you talking about Passport to the Holidays at your parents’ party. You were making fun of it.”
“No, I wasn’t.” He shook his head, sounding earnest.
“Uh, yeah, you were.” Marissa wrapped her arms around her body like protective armor and dug her boots deeper into the snow.
William wrinkled his nose, tapping a long slender finger on the stubble on his chin. “I don’t remember that.”
“I do, and I want to be clear right now, right from the start, that I am deadly serious about winning this thing. If it’s a big joke to you, whatever. I don’t care, but I’m not going to let you get in my way.” She didn’t like the shrill sound of her voice or the shaky feeling in her knees.
“Easy, easy, partner.” He lifted his hands in the air in mock surrender, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips.
“Deadly, huh? What’s your plan? Are we going to poison the hot chocolate stations?
Take out the competition? And here I thought you were a rising culinary star, Grazing Table.
Little did I know you had such cunning.”
Marissa rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m serious. I want to win this cash. No, I need to win this cash. I’ve already tried to switch teams, and since I can’t, we’re going to have either to find a way to work together or else you need to get out of my way.”
“Ouch.” William twisted his thumb into his chest, wincing and pretending to stumble backwards. “Daggers to the heart. I’m not used to being the enemy, and I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve the title, but I can assure you that I’m here to win, too.”
“Why?” Marissa locked eyes with him.
William returned her accusatory gaze with another playful smirk. “Let’s just say I have my reasons.”
Marissa doubted that his reasons for participating in Passport to the Holidays were good, but as she watched teams scatter, she knew she had to focus. If she was going to win this thing, she needed a partner, and for the moment, William Graff was her only choice.