“What came up?” If Paige or Jayla had tried to sneak in an extra scene to film on Thanks-fucking-giving Day, Cat was going to murder someone.

“I don’t know exactly what it is, but you and I have been invited to the fire station.”

“The fire station?” Cat repeated. She scrubbed a hand over her face. God, she was tired. She wanted a shower, a nap, and coffee, and then an entire vat of gravy. But if Merry’s firefighters wanted her there, she would be. Part of the success of her shows was that Cat made sure those towns knew they were important to her. She wasn’t just in town to smile for the cameras and then hide in her trailer. She had their backs. She wanted good things for them. That’s why people talked to her, opened up, shared things they wouldn’t necessarily share. It made for good TV and good karma.

“Okay. To the fire station. Want a ride?”

--------

Cat frowned at the cars lining the street outside Merry’s brick fire station. Half of the building was the oversized garage for the two trucks and ambulance that served the community. The other half was a two-story structure that housed the fire hall where community breakfasts and food drives were held. It was the heart of the community.

Cat wondered if they should add a food drive to the show. Maybe for the Christmas Eve park reveal? Merry giving back, paying it forward.

She was so lost in thought that it took her a full second to realize what she was seeing when Drake opened the glass door for her.

The fire hall with its ugly drop ceilings and even uglier wood paneling was filled with folding tables and chairs, all occupied by production staff, contractors, and Merry residents.

“Surprise!”

Cat clapped a hand over her mouth.

“You didn’t think we’d let you skip Thanksgiving, did you?” Noah asked, appearing at her side. He wore charcoal gray trousers and a navy pullover that hugged a chest more defined than a desk jockey nerd’s had any right to be.

“You did this?” she asked. The scent of turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy were thick enough to fog the windows from the inside.

“Merry did this,” Noah corrected her. “One more surprise, a little speech, and then you can attack that stuffing,” he promised.

“Another surprise?” Cat parroted.

Noah pointed over her shoulder. There at the corner table were her parents, Gannon, Paige, Gabby in a highchair, and beside her—

“Nonni!” Cat flung herself at the tiny woman. Her grandmother’s cloud of white hair smelled just as it always had. Shalimar and baby powder.

Nonni’s strong fingers dug into Cat’s shoulders, pulling her closer. “You didn’t think I’d miss a family Thanksgiving, did you?” she chided Cat.