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She hurried towards him, her sneakers slapping loudly on the marble tiles, as she glanced nervously at the couple of other businessmen and one smartly dressed family eating breakfast nearby.

Now that she was getting closer, he could see the dark circles beneath her eyes and the stains on her t-shirt; he’d seen crumpled napkins that were more put together. Hannah gave him an awkward, grimacing smile. ‘Hi, sorry for this.’ She gestured at her body. ‘I should have realised this place was fancy.’

Caleb suspected there was more to it than simple forgetfulness, but he’d wait until she was settled before prying further. ‘I don’t think they care as long as one of us is staying here. Look at what I’m wearing.’ He pointed to his long denim shorts and t-shirt.

Unfortunately, Hannah seemed more depressed when she took in his clean, casual clothes. ‘At least you’re not wearing the same clothes you were in thirty hours ago.’ She sighed, and they both took their seats.

‘Something happen?’ He took a sip of his orange juice and beckoned for the waiter to come over.

Hannah sighed heavily again, picking up the menu, her eyes widening a little before she snapped it firmly shut with a shrug. ‘Flatmate drama. Nothing serious.’

The waiter joined them.

‘Just an orange juice for me, please,’ she said, her lips pinched as she placed the menu on the table. By the way she unconsciously hugged her stomach afterwards, he could tell she was either hungry or sick.

‘Give me five. I’m still deciding,’ Caleb said, knowing full well what he wanted but wanting to check on Hannah first. When the waiter walked away, he opened her menu and pushed it back towards her. ‘I don’t want to eat alone, so order something – even if it’s small, like the fruit platter. It’s on me anyway, a thank you for the sleeping pills, jet lag tips, and coming over here so quickly.’

She blushed but, to his relief, picked up the menu. ‘Okay then, thanks.’

‘So, what happened with the flatmate?’

She waved a hand in the air as if it were nothing, but there was definite anger in the purse of her lips. ‘You don’t want to know.’

‘I do.’

Hannah blinked, and for a moment he didn’t think she would answer. But then she said, ‘I recently moved into a flat with two twenty-one-year-olds. It’s a two-bed, but Becky and Lindsey told me they needed to save money for travelling, and that’s why they’d decided to share a room.’

‘Okay, I can see why that’s not ideal.’ He tilted his head thoughtfully, trying to imagine the scenario. Perhaps Hannah had slept in her clothes and then the bathroom wasn’t free in time to shower?

Hannah nodded, a flush of anger rising higher with every word that followed. ‘What wasn’t ideal was coming home from a long flight to find Becky post-coitus in my bed with a guy called Noah.’

‘Ouch! That sucks.’ Caleb laughed, and Hannah scowled at him.

‘Apparently, according to Becky, as I have the only double bed, its fair game to shag strange men on it whenever I’m not home. Hell, maybe Lindsey does too. My bed’s probably seen more action than I have!’ Hannah seemed to realise what she’d said because she cleared her throat uncomfortably.

Caleb took another sip of his orange juice. What on earth could he say to that?

‘Anyway,’ she added more quietly, ‘I didn’t have a bed to sleep in. And before you say it, there’s no way I was going to sleep in Becky’s bed.’

‘I wasn’t going to suggest it,’ he said sincerely, although his mouth twitched, desperate to smile. She was very cute when she was angry.

‘Her disgusting bed hasn’t had the sheets changed in weeks,’ she growled. ‘The only person who bothers to do any cleaning or shopping is old Muggins here! And I’ve not been there for the past three weeks, so it looks like a bomb’s hit it. All I could do was wait and hope you were an early riser.’ Hannah blinked, as if realising that she’d been ranting, and she took a deep breath before releasing it with a miserable sigh. ‘I’m going to have to search for a new place, and that’s almost impossible in Sydney. I’m trapped! Unless I ask my aunt if I can move back in with her for a bit, but that feels like a step backwards.’ She stopped speaking. ‘Sorry, I’m rambling – it’s the jet lag. Basically, it means I’m free for the job, if I haven’t already talked myself out of it. Do I need to do an interview with anyone? I have copies of my visa, CV, and Ahpra nursing registration with me if you need to see them.’ A sudden thought seemed to strike her hard, and her expression quickly changed to horror. ‘Oh God! I don’t have to do an interview today, do I?’

‘Nah, you’re good.’ He preferred this jet-lagged Hannah, not because she was tired, but because she seemed more open to talking to him than she had on the plane.

She tilted her head, her brow wrinkled. ‘This is legit, right? I mean, I can’t afford to be messed around. If it’s not going to happen, I’d rather know now. That way I can sort out some agency work.’

She didn’t trust him. This fact stung and he wasn’t sure why.

‘It’s happening. I just need to okay it with Jackson first – he’s the stunt co-ordinator. But I doubt there will be any issues; he won’t say no to me.’ Why was he bragging? Truth be told, Jackson was so fresh in this business he usually did everything Caleb suggested anyway. ‘And we can send any paperwork the studio needs by email before we get there.’

She didn’t seem reassured, and asked briskly, ‘When can you confirm it in writing? I’m not agreeing to anything without a contract.’

He shrugged. ‘When Jackson gets back to me.’

She gently massaged her temples. ‘And when will that be?’

‘Today probably.’ He wasn’t deliberately being an asshole. Jackson could be sketchy when it came to answering his emails and calls. But when he did, Caleb was confident he’d agree. Lucas Richards was essential to production, and that meant that Caleb, by default, as his contracted double, was also essential to the production’s success. But explaining all of that would have sounded as if he were bragging again. Changing the subject, he asked, ‘What’s your flat lease say? Like, how much notice do you have to give?’