“Okay, I thought that would be a lot harder,” Paige admitted.

Cat gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I’ve got enough shit to do without worrying about verbally sparring with you or running into you in dark alleys for a... fight.”

Noah was smart enough that he could tease apart that coded message.

It’s not like he wanted last night to happen again—even though it was all he’d thought about in the last eleven hours since it happened. What he did want is to know what Cat thought about it.

But the bleary-eyed stare she leveled at him wasn’t giving him any clues.

“Right. So, no more fighting in alleys or otherwise?” Noah ventured.

Cat nodded. “Because it’s a very, very bad idea.”

“Terrible,” Noah agreed. “From now on we’ll be strictly professional.” Now why was it as soon as the words left his mouth, Noah pictured Cat panting as she attacked his belt buckle, her lips swollen by an assault from his own mouth?

His expression must have given away a hint of where his mind had wandered because Cat’s eyes widened, and she gave him a subtle shake of her head. Never again, she mouthed.

Subject closed.

“Uh, okay. Well. I’m pleasantly surprised and confused,” Paige cut in. “So, uh. We’re going to go now and demolish a large portion of your town.”

“Good. Great.” Noah felt his head bobbing as if he had no control over it. “Let me know if there’s anything you… uh… need.”

“We won’t need anything,” Cat promised. “Let’s go sledge hammer some crap.”

“Actually, we do,” Paige countered. “Noah, since you’re the town figurehead. We really could use you on camera when we go through the park storage. Maybe give us some backstories on some of the ruined pieces. It’ll give our designers some ideas on what items need replaced and which ones we should try to salvage.”

“On camera?” Noah absolutely hated the idea. Standing next to Cat pretending not to think of the insane mistake they’d nearly made the night before for a national audience? Pass.

“I don’t think—”

“It would be you and Drake, and I was thinking Sara might also like to be part of the scene. She’s sweet and smart, and I think an audience would really connect with a kid whose known nothing but Merry’s Christmases,” Paige put in.

Sara would murder him on the spot if she ever found out he passed up a chance for her to be on TV with Drake Mackenrowe. Shit.

“Um. I guess so,” Noah said reluctantly. “Just Drake?” he clarified.

Cat rolled her eyes, then winced.

“Cat’s shooting the demo at Reggie’s at the same time,” Paige told him.