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She shifted in her seat and sipped her orange juice. ‘I’m not sure.’

Amusement bubbled up inside his chest. ‘You don’t know what your lease says? You really should check things in writing, you know.’

‘Haha,’ she said dryly, and then added, ‘It’s a sublet.’

‘Without the landlord’s permission?’

‘I wouldn’t be surprised,’ she grumbled. ‘Now that I think about it, the whole set-up was a bit dodgy from the start. No paperwork. Becky constantly asking me to put my night shifts on the calendar when she never showed any interest in anything else I did… I should have known they were using me. I guess I was so grateful to find somewhere that was affordable and close to the hospital, I ignored the red flags. Getting a decent rental in Sydney is like fighting in the Hunger Games. But you’re right, I should’ve done my due diligence.’

‘Hey, it’s a good thing. Means you could leave today if you wanted to and they couldn’t do shit about it.’

‘It’s not that easy.’ She sighed as the waiter returned to their table with their meals. They’d both ordered the eggs Benedict.

‘Why not? Do you want to sleep in that bed tonight?’

‘She said she’d wash the sheets…’

Hannah’s reluctant wince told him everything he needed to know.

‘Good of her,’ Caleb joked and he was rewarded by Hannah’s light-hearted chuckle.

‘To be honest, I’d love to move out today. Leave them a fuck you note and walk out. But it’s not practical. All my stuff is there – including a couple of bits of furniture – and I know it’s cheap stuff, but I kind of begrudge leaving it with them.’ Her smile had dropped again as she spoke, and he was desperate to bring it back.

‘A storage locker would still be cheaper than paying your rent, right? I’ve got to pick up my rental car anyway. Why don’t we finish breakfast, and then I can help you move your stuff? If you’ve got any power tools, I can take your furniture apart, which will make moving everything easier. I’ve hired a big SUV, so it should move a couple of bits of furniture easy enough.’

‘I can’t ask you to do that!’ she cried.

‘Why? I’m killing time here before I meet up with the rest of the crew.’

That wasn’t entirely true. Jackson should have started rehearsals already with the stunt team, but Lucas hadn’t arrived yet, so they could work around Caleb’s absence at a push. ‘I might as well do something useful while I’m here, and it sounds like you could do with a hand.’

‘Then you should be enjoying Sydney. Not helping me move out of my shitty flat! It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’d be a crime not to explore it while you have the chance.’

He sat still and used the lingering silence as a weapon – the same way he did with directors when they tried to push Lucas to do his own stunts and ignored Caleb’s advice – before delivering his final convincing blow. ‘The accommodation is provided for the cast and crew for two months minimum on this job – and it always overruns. So, you’d be wasting two months’ worth of rent money and allowing that girl to sleep in your bed for a bargain price. If I were you, I’d take me up on my offer and move out today. You said you had family here, an aunt, right? Couldn’t she keep hold of your stuff until you finish this job?’

‘Yeah, but—’

‘Perfect!’ he declared, focusing his attention on his breakfast. In his mind, it was a done deal.

Two perfectly poached eggs and thick-cut ham were sitting on fluffy muffins smothered in rich hollandaise sauce. Pomegranate seeds and pretty, edible flowers were also scattered around the plate for fancy decoration. Delicious food was the only vice he allowed himself, and he picked up his knife and fork eagerly.

‘Why are you doing this?’ she asked, and for a moment he’d forgotten she’d still been arguing with him. Disbelief creased her brow, and despite the tired face and clothes, she was as appetising as the plate of food in front of him – although in a very different way. He wanted to make everything right for her, and take care of her. It was a strange feeling.

He blinked, trying to focus on her question. Why was he doing this?

There were so many reasons, all so complicated and entangled that he couldn’t begin to explain it.

‘We really need a nurse,’ he said, and at her continued uncompromising stare, he added, ‘Do you know how much a production like this costs per day? Hundreds of thousands of dollars. And if we don’t have all the right checks in place, we can hold up production and cost the studio millions. Believe me, you’re doing us a big favour by joining so last minute. It’s in the production’s and my best interests to make working with us as easy as possible for you.’

She still didn’t seem to believe him, but his phone pinged beside him and a quick glance at the notification caused the tightness in his neck and shoulders to immediately relax.

‘That’s Jackson,’ he said. ‘He’s emailed over a contract for you. We’ll get the hotel to print it off and then you can sign it. Be sure to read it first.’

She shook her head at his teasing, but he could tell she was a little more comfortable about the whole thing now she knew the stunt co-ordinator agreed with him. ‘Fine, but I insist you do some sightseeing while you’re here. It’d be a shame to come all this way and not see any of the city.’

‘Cool.’ He pierced the poached egg with his knife, the sunshine yolk pouring out thickly and proving it was perfectly cooked. The mess it created to the pretty ring of decorations was oddly satisfying. ‘You can show me the sights. That can be your thank you to me.’

‘For the job? I thought I was helping you out?’