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Kirra gave a non-committal grunt but didn’t seem completely opposed to the idea as she gave the name of the agency. ‘Thinking of staying in the Queensland longer then?’

‘Maybe.’

‘You’d have to get your own place, though.’ She tapped the address details on Hannah’s personal contact form. ‘They don’t normally offer a fancy hotel suite for medics. Sounds like a Lucas Richards freebie,’ said Kirra dryly – Hannah had told her about her living situation when she’d been asking about transport options.

‘Yeah, I don’t think I’d have got that if it wasn’t for Caleb.’

‘You two together?’ Kirra asked with a raised brow.

Hannah wasn’t sure whether to tell the truth or not.

Well, Kirra, I’m currently considering shagging him senseless, but need to work out if I’m laid back enough to cope with a casual fling first.

Would admitting that to her new, albeit blunt, manager be a good idea? Probably not. What if there was a no-mixing policy between departments? At the very least, she imagined relationships between those ‘below’ and those ‘above’ the line would get the rumour mill churning. Did she really want to mess up this fantastic opportunity on day one?

‘God, no!’ Hannah laughed, a little too loudly.

Kirra blinked as if Hannah had sneezed into her face unexpectedly.

Hannah shrugged, trying to tone down her overeager denial. ‘We went to school together – when his family lived in London. We’re just friends.’

Kirra nodded, as if that explained something. ‘I see. He’s a foolish boy.’

Hannah wasn’t sure what to make of that comment, and so she smiled awkwardly. ‘But he’s got a good heart.’

Kirra nodded. ‘He needs to trust it more.’ She slapped her thighs, making Hannah jump. ‘Now, before the talent arrives, we need to make sure we have everything in place for filming, both in the studio and on location. That means a full inventory check, complete risk assessments – including stunt risk assessments, which are very different because there’s always a risk with stunts.’ Kirra frowned, as if she’d caught whiff of a bad smell. Hannah suspected Jackson was the cause. ‘Plus, general health and wellbeing checks on all cast and crew. Minor injuries on set, heat stroke, hypothermia – we can get both on a desert or water shoot.’ She waved her hand dismissively. ‘And, you should also know general production etiquette.’ She began to tick off her next words of advice with a forceful point of her fingers. ‘Number one. Don’t speak to the talent unless they speak directly to you. I know it seems silly, but some of them are method actors, and I had one nurse dismissed on the spot for asking for an autograph. So, don’t do it.’

Hannah nodded.

‘Two. Be on time. But also, be prepared for a lot of sitting around, especially on location. This job is a lot of doing nothing – especially when it’s going well. Three. Don’t piss off other departments, if you can help it. Stay in your lane and try not to be an inconvenience to production. Delays cost money. Four. Prevention is better than cure. Which is why we do extensive risk assessments and always have more than we need on set. Finally. Always check the daily call sheet. It can change at the last minute so never make presumptions. Check, and then check again. All good?’

‘Yep.’

‘Good.’

‘Also, if Lucas Richards is insisting on having his own medic at all location shoots, it may as well be you, especially as you have a connection with Caleb. Is that alright by you? It will mean some long shifts, and overtime is anything over twelve hours. But like I said, it’s a lot of sitting around, and catering feeds us well – so it ain’t all bad. You good with that?’ Kirra asked the last question shrewdly, as if she were testing Hannah’s mettle.

‘Sure. Honestly, it sounds easy compared to back-to-back A&E shifts.’

Kirra made a grumble of agreement. ‘In some ways, it is. But it’s not for everyone.’

Their conversation continued like that for a long time, Kirra pointing out all the details, perks and pitfalls of the job, Hannah listening carefully, grateful for the honesty.

At lunchtime, Caleb texted her to say that he would be heading back to the hotel to train, but he would come and pick her up if she let him know what time she was likely to finish.

Hannah was quick to reassure him that she could make her own way home and not to worry about dinner either, as she would sort herself out with that too. Kirra had told her about a regular shuttle bus the studio put on to take runners and crew to key areas, including Surfers Paradise. After he’d sorted out so much for her, she’d decided that she really needed to stand on her own two feet. She didn’t want to fall into her earlier trap of relying too much on other people.

Granted, she couldn’t say she’d started well, but she was determined to do better. Beginning today!

Caleb texted back with the transport and logistics contact email, and links to local transport bus timetables – in case the shuttles for cast and crew weren’t running yet.

Hannah wasn’t sure whether to be irritated by his mothering of her or flattered that he cared. She decided to reply with a short yet firm, I’ll sort it out, don’t worry.

In the afternoon, Kirra showed her around the studios, pointing out all the important areas and all the studios they would be working in – that had been fun. The sets were magnificent; there was a rainforest set, the interior of an opulent Aztec-vibe vampire palace, and even a set built in and around one of the huge water tanks that they would use for a river scene.

‘Directors tend to forget how long the actors are in the water, so you need to be mindful of the clock and follow procedure when it comes to politely reminding them of time and safety. At the end of the day, it’s their call; we can only advise and help if it all goes to shit.’

‘What if it’s a question of an actor’s safety?’