Marissa clenched her jaw so tight she thought she might crack a tooth.
Parker didn’t wait for her to answer. “Wills is out of your league. You get that, right? He tends to do this. He likes to adopt pet projects—people he can save to make his do-gooder heart feel better. It’s the same with his teaching. It won’t last.”
Marissa inhaled through her nose. It took every ounce of self-control not to reach across the counter and slap her. Marissa had never slapped anyone but there was a first time for everything.
A pet project?
That’s what she was to William?
“I’m not sure why you’re telling me this,” she replied evenly through a smile.
“Because I can see you have a crush on him. I understand. He’s tall, dark, handsome, and the richest bachelor in Bend, but I would hate for you to have your heart broken.” She tried topat Marissa’s hand, but Marissa yanked it away. “We’re sort of intended for each other. Our families have known one another since we were young. You might say he and I are destined.”
“Great. Good for you. There’s no need to worry. William and I are teammates. Nothing more.” Marissa stood up. She didn’t have to take this kind of abuse.
William returned from the bathroom at that moment, his gaze drifting from Marissa to Parker. “Hey, did I miss anything?”
“Nope. Nothing at all. Just some girl talk.” Parker shot Marissa a conspiratorial smile. “I’ll be seeing you at the gala later, yes?”
“I don’t know.” William hesitated and glanced at Marissa again. “It depends on how long it takes us to figure out the next clue. We’re on a tight timeline.”
“I can’t imagine a scavenger hunt for kids and families could take that long. Be there,” Parker demanded. “It’s going to be the talk of the town, and William Graff must make an appearance. Everyone expects it.”
Tension had built in the tasting room. It was so palpable that Marissa could almost grasp it in her hand. She wanted to disappear. Whatever was going on between William and Parker was none of her business. Ever since she was young, she had been able to pick up on emotions, to read the room. Her mom had claimed it was Marissa’s superpower. It didn’t always feel that way to her, like now. She wanted to slink to the floor to avoid being in the middle of the stiff conversation.
William returned his phone to his pocket. “Thanks for the input and the wine, Parker.”
“Don’t bail on the gala, Wills,” Parker warned as William headed for the exit.
“The wine was delish,” Marissa agreed, following William.
“Oh, that reminds me, I’d still like to discuss your catering services,” Parker said. “We love to support the small businesscommunity and give locals a leg up. This could be a very lucrative opportunity for you. You’d be catering to a very posh crowd. These are the best of the best in Bend.”
“Thanks,” Marissa replied through clenched teeth as they headed out into the cold. There was no chance she was taking a gig with Parker. She’d rather drag herself back to her old job and beg on her hands and knees.
“I’m sorry about her,” William said, walking with her to her car.
“Sorry about what,Wills?” Marissa mimicked Parker’s affected tone.
He flinched. “Please don’t call me that. I hate it.”
“You do?” Marissa was genuinely surprised.
“Look, Parker and I have—uh—well…” He trailed off. “Anyway, it’s complicated, but she’s not as snobby as she comes off sometimes.”
“Would it have been easier if we had spoken in her nativefrançais?” Marissa butchered an attempt at a French accent.
William cracked up. “It is hard if you spent a week in France three months ago. The challenge is real.”
“I don’t get it.” Marissa felt a touch of relief that at least he wasn’t completely oblivious to how obnoxious Parker was. “Why do you hang out with her?”
He changed the subject as a form of a reply. “Do you think we should go out to the fairgrounds? The float staging and setup are there. Maybe that’s what Parker meant by not needing help here.”
“Sure.” Marissa unlocked her car. “I’ll follow you.”
“Sounds good.” William gave her a salute and got into his car.
Marissa was more confused than ever. The interaction between him and Parker had gone from flirty to icy, but there was more between. She was sure of it, and she was equally sure that she wasn’t going to be his pet project. The sooner they couldfinish Passport to the Holidays and go their separate ways, the better.
