Page 42 of The Christmas Fix
Noah didn’t like that that particular sentiment struck a big, fat chord with him.
When was the last time he’d cut loose, had a little fun?He couldn’t remember the last date he’d been on. The last time he’d laughed really hard. Hell, the last hangover he’d suffered through. He couldn’t recall anything other than working, nagging Sara about her homework, and sitting down with a good book in recent months, maybe years.
“The point is man, you’re way wrong about Cat. You can’t go around treating her like some gold-digging ratings skank,” Drake said, signaling for another round.
“I know gold-digging ratings skanks,” Henry announced. “And Cat is not one of them.”
“Ah. Good ol’ Meeghan Traxx.” Drake shuddered. “How is our favorite shrewish psychopath?”
“I wouldn’t know, thankfully,” Henry said primly. “Meeghan is my former employer,” he explained to Noah.
“Meeghan?”
Henry took a fortifying gulp of his drink. “She is the meanest, most vapid, selfish, monstrous ‘person’—and I use that term very loosely—on the planet. You look at Cat like she’s a Meeghan. Meeghan is the kind of person who will do anything to get what she wants. She’s had more plastic surgery than all seasons ofBotchedcombined. The BOTOX she gets every month is a serious danger to the rest of us mere mortals because her face is so frozen we can’t tell when she’s about to freak out and get out of her way. She’s a hell hound.”
Drake shook his head. “In just one shining example of the kind of person Traxx is, she tried to ruin Cat’s sister-in-law’s career because Meeghan wanted Gannon for herself. She showed up on the set of their show during filming after he and Paige started dating and kissed him on camera like they were together. Then she went after Paige on a red carpet on camera. Her nails are like talons, man.”
“She sharpens them that way on purpose. She likes to dig them into her assistants.” Henry held up his wrist. She drew blood my first week on the job. Thankfully, she made the fatal error of going ballistic on me in public. Cat’s agent just happened to be in the restaurant, knew that Cat would enjoy a chance to stick it to the harpy asshole, and texted her. The next day Cat offered me a job and doubled my salary. I walked out of Meeghan’s penthouse with both middle fingers flying. She threw a Baccarat vase at me. I will owe Catalina King until I go to the grave.”
“You realize that you both sound like you’re in love with her,” Noah pointed out.
They shrugged again not overly perturbed by the observation. “I think most people are half in love with her. She’s pretty fucking awesome,” Drake said.
“You’d have to be more than a bit daft to not love her,” Henry agreed.
“And you want me to join Team Cat?”
“You don’t have to love her like the rest of us. We’d just appreciate it if you’d appreciate her a bit more,” Henry told him.
“Did you know she donated her entire salary back to the budget? Didn’t you wonder how you were getting an entire landscaping revamp in the park?” Drake asked. “Even with sponsorships, that shit ain’t cheap, my friend.”
“I’m sure she’s still getting something out of it,” Noah said stubbornly. “I mean, her family’s company is getting paid to be here.”
“No, the crew is getting paid through Kings Construction—despite their resistance. But the company is getting nothing,” Henry insisted.
“Why would she do that?”
“She cares, man,” Drake said, lifting his beer.
“Did you know that her pet project that she’s got in the works is a trade school for women to learn not just a job but how to run a business?” Henry added. “She’s ready to start looking for a physical location, but she put it on hold for Merry.”
“A trade school?” Noah asked.
“Sure. Electric, HVAC, plumbing, contracting. Accounting, payroll, marketing. And then a small business incubator with resources for women who want to start their own businesses,” Drake said. “We talked about it last night. She’s passionate as hell about it, and I couldn’t help but get excited.”
Last night? Noah wondered if not dating included hooking up with a non-ex.
“That’s a hell of an idea,” Noah admitted, brushing the thought aside. Cat could hook up with whomever she chose. It was none of his business.
“She’s full of them,” Henry nodded. “Did you know she showed up here the morning after the storm so she could convince the network to do the special here instead of some done-to-death neighbor-versus-neighbor decorating contest?”
“Cat washere?”
“She got worried when she couldn’t get through to the Hais. Came up here with a field producer and shot footage for ten hours so the network couldn’t say no. Rumor has it she even spent some time on a rescue boat.”
Noah was shaking his head. “That can’t be true.”
Drake grinned. “Face it, man. She’s not the person you thought she was.”
