Cat set the photo back in its place and flashed him her most winning smile. “I think I should be asking you that.”

His eyes narrowed and a deep line appeared between his brows.

She walked around his desk and extended her hand. “Cat King.”

“Fuck.” He muttered the oath and sidestepped her to dump his messenger bag on the desk.

“It’s lovely to meet you, too,” Cat said.

“Look Cat or whatever ‘I’m so sexy’ name you go by for work, why don’t you just do us both a favor and sashay on out of here. I’ve got work to do and none of that involves letting a camera crew victimize my town.”

“No one is looking to victimize anyone,” Cat argued, hands landing on her hips. “I’m offering you help. Financial and otherwise. Can your town afford to skip Christmas this year?”

“What Merry can and can’t afford is none of your business.”

“Well that’s just bullshit,” Cat shot back. “I have friends who live here. Friends who could use a hand putting their lives back together again, and I’m not going to walk away from that.”

“Then send them a damn gift card and leave me the hell out of it.”

“I have the resources to get this entire town back on its feet and ready for Christmas. To walk away from that is irresponsible and downright idiotic.”

“Being a reality TV star, I’d think that would be your life’s mantra.”

Cat’s eyebrows winged up. So, Mr. Manager wanted to play dirty. Good. She didn’t mind getting dirty.

“You’re really willing to pass up the opportunity to rebuild and still host your Christmas Festival just because you don’t like me? Is that really in the best interest of your town?”

“I don’t like what you stand for. Profiting off the misfortune of others? Selling a front row seat to it and then disappearing as soon as the cameras are off? Yeah,” he scoffed. “You shouldn’t be lecturing me on the best interests of others.”

“You’re behaving like an ass right now.”

He came around the desk to stand toe-to-toe with her. “Frankly, I don’t care. My town is wading out of the worst natural disaster it’s ever seen. I’m on the phone twenty-four hours a day with insurance companies and the state and concerned citizens who can’t even drink the water yet, let alone go home and start to rebuild. You’ll excuse me if I don’t jump at the chance to add to the circus. We’re a family in Merry, and you and your reality show don’t belong.”

Cat didn’t back down. She never did. At five-foot-nine, she could be just as imposing as the tall jackass in front of her.