She arched an eyebrow at him as she hit send and enjoyed watching him fumble through his pockets for his phone. When he managed to free it from his coat pocket, Cat swore she saw steam coming off his head.

Noah: You’re killing me. I’m handing Sara over to Mel at eight.

Cat felt the slow burn of anticipation ignite.

Cat: Maybe I’ll sneak into your bedroom after curfew?

He looked up at her, heat in his gaze, and Cat grinned wickedly. She winked at him and then waved to the rest of the crowd. Usually reveal crowds were full of strangers, but not in Merry. Rubin and Elizabeth Turnbar held up a sign thanking the show for “cleaning up Merry.” It had their dry-cleaning logo on it. Elroy Leakhart, the school principal was trying to keep twenty-five high school seniors in line, nervously mopping at his forehead with a handkerchief. Freddy and Frieda Fawkes made a rare appearance together with Sadie, chief of emergency services, who finally looked as if she was getting regular sleep.

Cat and Drake shuffled over to Paige and the production team. “You all ready to make people happy?” Cat quipped. It was the question she always asked before the reveal on her own show.

Her team put down their energy drinks and coffees and put their hands in.

“One, two, three, Hais!”

The crowd, already primed for excitement, cheered.

Cat and Drake took their places on the Hais’ new front porch.

“Cue the limo,” Paige called into her headset.

--------

“I still say she cried first,” Drake insisted.

Cat laughed and threw a companionable arm around her co-star. “It’s hard to stay dry-eyed when a twelve-year-old is sobbing over her brand-new treehouse.”

“You did, you heartless monster,” Drake said, accepting the bottle of water Henry handed him.

Henry gave Cat a bottle of water and slapped a twenty into her hand. “Remind me never to bet against you again,” he grumbled.

Cat smugly tucked the twenty into her back pocket. “When are you boys going to learn that I know everything?”

Still muttering, they walked off, leaving her to bask in the victory of not only a win but a really good day of filming. The Hais were home again. Jasper’s boss had popped in to announce that Jasper’s job would once again be full-time. And April had freaking loved the treehouse. The kid had been speechless, her Scrabble-winning vocabulary deserting her as she clamored up the ladder sobbing.

It had been an excellent day. And it would get even more excellent if she could spend the night naked with Noah.

“Hey, Cat!”

The voice of the daughter of the man she’d just been fantasizing about doing filthy things to jarred her awake.

“Hi, Sar. Did you see the treehouse?” Cat asked, slinging an arm around Sara’s shoulders.