“Nobody can even get a grip!” I yelped as slush exploded at my feet. My sneakers skidded on the wet platform, dumping me on my backside with a thud that sent ice up my spine.
“You’re pulling it wrong,” Grant barked over the wind.
“How does one pull wrong?” I snapped, scrambling upright as the garland went taut. “You pull. That’s it!”
Another snowball burst against my side, icy water seeping through my shirt. I flinched, then jolted as Grant shifted behind me. A snowball meant for my head bashed into his shoulder instead.
I blinked. The next shot hit him square in the back, his sizable frame blocking me from the frozen shrapnel.
For a heartbeat, everything slowed, and the world narrowed to my private snow globe of protection. Ice pummeled the glass, but none of it reached me.
Why did he do that?
Because he wants to win, you fool! He’s a three-time Snow and Sun team champion. Focus.
I let out a growl and pulled with everything I had. Nancy shrieked as her feet shot from under her, plunging her into the pool with a cannonball splash.
Triumph sparked right before Mr. Mistletoe dug in his heels and yanked so hard my grip tore loose. Grant cursed, trying to catch me, and suddenly we were the ones flying off the platform.
We hit the water together in a tangle of limbs. The shock stole the breath from my lungs, icy bubbles fizzing past my ears. I surfaced, sputtering, hair plastered to my face.
Nancy was treading water nearby, her victorious cackle competing with the cheering crowd. It was official. She was off my Christmas card list this year.
Mr. Mistletoe pumped his fist into the air as Sage’s voice boomed through the bullhorn.
“Team Mistletoe wins!”
Grant shoved wet hair out of his face. Water streamed down his jaw, and his polo clung to his skin.
I stabbed a finger at him. “You distracted me.”
“Me?” He swiped his arm through the water, sending a wave of frozen cubes in my direction. “I saved your—”
“Out of the pool before you turn into ice sculptures, and we have to stick you near the shrimp!” Sage crowed. “Winners, take your victory lap. Losers, hit the cocoa station and dry off.”
I climbed out, sneakers squelching against the cement. Goosebumps raced across my skin as the wind cut through my drenched clothes.
Nobody was surprised that our first challenge had been an epic failure. Staged whispers followed us as we slogged toward the warming tent, and Joan from HR shook her head like she planned to add this failure to communicate to our ever-growing file. Grant trailed behind me, dripping water everywhere. He shot Joan a playful grin as he passed.
“Hope there’s more where that came from,” he quipped, then turned his head toward me with a wink. “We’ll get ’em next time. Won’t we partner?”
Joan actually laughed and scribbled something onto a clipboard.Fantastic.We lost team points, but Grant was clearly racking up bonus points with HR and making me look like the grumpy sidekick.
I grabbed a towel and watched as another team took their turn. The snowballs flew fast and furious, and the round was over in seconds. Much quicker than ours. Then again, nobody tried to play the hero.
“It was all for show,” I muttered. “Everything with Grant is an act.”
A masculine hand shoved a cardboard cup of steaming cocoa under my nose, a peace offering, complete with bobbing marshmallows. I looked up. It wasn’t Grant. A seed of disappointment bloomed inside my chest.
Mr. Mistletoe gave me a sheepish smile. “Sorry about all that. I got caught up in the challenge.”
“It’s fine…” I hesitated, accepting the cup and staring into the marshmallows as if they might rearrange and spell the man’s name.
“Tom,” he said. “I work in logistics, Snowbelt division.”
“Valerie,” I offered, lifting my cup in a half-salute before thinking better of it. With my glitch lurking, the universe might mistake this for a meet-cute and force me to splatter cocoa down Tom’s polo.
“Everyone knows who you are.” Tom grinned, angling his head closer. I braced for impact, but the universe left him unscathed. “And Grant, too. Especially now that the board’s letting him roll out Matt’s miraclecold case team.”
