The park was a hive of activity. Landscaping crews were blowing in mulch to beds revitalized with new evergreens. A crew of cleaners was pressure washing the salvaged benches and trash receptacles. A tree surgeon was in the process of examining the remaining pines and hemlocks for damage.

They’d lost enough trees, buried enough sidewalks in mud, that North Pole Park seemed a foreign landscape to him. The river, calm again, had returned to its banks beyond the park and sparkled icily in the morning light, giving no hint to the destruction it was capable of.

It made him think of Cat. Beautiful, fun to look at, but danger lurked beneath the surface.

Noah spotted the small village of production tents and pop-ups and headed in that direction. Picking his way over cables and boxes and leftover storm debris, Noah headed toward the voices. It sounded like a meeting was in progress.

He poked his head around the corner and spotted a handful of crew huddled together under a two-sided pop-up, clutching coffees and papers.

“Let’s talk ratings.” Paige’s voice cut through the murmurings around her. She was sitting on the ground, leaning against Cat, who looked as if she were asleep. Cat’s back rested on the skinny leg of the tent. Her long, denim clad legs were stretched out straight in front of her, a cup of something steamed between her knees. Her eyes were closed. Another woman in a powder blue beanie leaned against her opposite side.

Everyone was yawning. Must not be morning people, Noah decided. Cat seemed like the type who would lounge about in bed until noon every day if given the chance.

Cat cracked open one eye. “Must you with the numbers? I’m too tired to comprehend.”

Paige kicked her good-naturedly in the foot and rattled off a series of stats.

Cat’s eyes were closed again. “I told you,” she said smugly. “I told you this was going to strike a chord with a lot of people.”

“Yeah, a lot of people who wanted to get on camera next to Cat and Mr. I Make Preteen Girls Giggle,” Noah muttered under his breath.

“I’m very pleased with the numbers, and I have a feeling they’re only going to go up from here. We could be looking at a big finale.”

“Color me shocked.” Clearly Cat was gifted in sarcasm.

“I’m not the one who was arguing with you,” Paige pointed out.

“No, that judgmental lout of a city manager was. But he’s not here for me to be snarky to, so you’ll have to do.”

Noah decided to let Cat shove her foot further down her throat before alerting her to his presence.

“What is it with the war between you two?” the woman next to Cat demanded, shifting her head to rest on Cat’s shoulder.