for you to tour the property and come up with the kind of spiel you’d do. They’re concerned that as so much of the set was dismantled, there may not be enough there to build a tour around.’
Ellie rolled her eyes.
‘I know.’ Bridie chuckled near hysterically. ‘Our film buffs would do anything just to see a blade of grass that might have been on screen. All you have to do is take a camera, think about the fans and we’ll work on it when you get back.’
‘You’re not coming with me?’ Ellie’s hands went clammy with that mix of fear and excitement.
‘It’s the height of the season and our bookings have almost trebled. I’m taking your tour this weekend because you’re the best asset to scope this new opportunity. And I’m trusting you with this because I don’t want you head-hunted by another tour company and it’s only a matter of time before they start calling you,’ Bridie said, suddenly looking completely sober and intent. ‘I know it’s early days, but I know how much you love this and we both know how good you are. This is getting so big, so quick, I need someone like you heading it with me.’
Ellie had all but begged Bridie to give her this job when she’d hit the wall so hard at the location company. But it turned out it was the best thing she’d ever done because she loved it more than any other job—even the one where she’d got to fetch the twenty dollars a bottle water for that mega Hollywood star. It was hard work, but it was fun. And now? She couldn’t believe she had this opportunity. ‘Seriously?’
‘Absolutely.’ Bridie nodded, her smile returning.
‘Okay, then, when am I going?’
Less than twenty-four hours later Ellie stepped off the plane at Queenstown airport dressed in her favourite-fitting jeans, white shirt, boots and her hair swished into a high ponytail. A man waited at the rail with her name scrawled on his board. He smiled and took her backpack.
‘Ted Coulson, I’m driving you up there,’ he introduced himself amiably. ‘You’ll need to save your questions for the boss, though. I only manage the deer farm business, not the lodge.’
‘Okay.’ She smiled, happy to feast her eyes on the amazing scenery for now anyway—the questions could come later. The snow-covered, spiky line of mountains was majestic and breathtaking. She could think of at least ten projects that had filmed in those Alps. She listed a few into her notebook and checked her watch to time the trip from airport to the station. But it wasn’t too long before they left the main road and roared along a shingle one. Time disappeared as she breathed in the view—the mountains, the endless sky, the tussocky rolling land. Oh, yeah, no wonder the place was a popular choice for cinematographers—untouched beauty as far as the eye could see. Majestic.
But she blinked as the lodge came into view. ‘Oh, wow.’
She knew there were several luxury properties around here, but this had to be one of the best. Man-made majesty this time.
‘Something, isn’t it?’ Ted said dryly.
She breathed deep, trying to quell the nerves suddenly twanging just beneath her skin. ‘It certainly is.’ And she really, really didn’t want to stuff this up.
Ted took the truck right up to the side of the house where there was a wide, covered porch, so passengers could alight unruffled by inclement weather. He was out of the car and opening her door before she’d managed to stop staring at the magnificence of the massive wooden door of the building. Yeah, just the door had her amazed.
She stepped out of the car, feeling like a pixie who’d mistakenly entered a giant’s lair. She turned on the spot, checking out the view the house had of the surrounding mountains. This was out of her league. As Ted drove away—apparently in a hurry to get back to his deer—she heard that massive door swinging open and she turned, her biggest smile switched on. She wanted to make the best first impression ever.
Only her mouth gummed.
He had that ‘Lucky’ tee shirt on again. Those flattering blue jeans again. He had that smile again. The same chocolate ganache eyes—glossy, deep brown. And amused.
‘Ellie Summers.’ He held out his hand to shake hers, that smile full on his face.
‘You were the mystery shopper?’
He just grinned more.
‘You watched like five minutes.’
‘I saw all I needed to. It’s obvious you have a gift.’
‘Don’t try to flatter me.’
‘Why would I when I already know that won’t work with you? I’m merely stating a fact.’
She avoided looking him in the eye because she knew if she did she was going to laugh and she refused to let him away with it that easily. ‘I’m not going to give you what you want.’
‘How do you know what I want?’
‘I can see it in your eyes.’
‘You’re not looking at my eyes.’
She closed her own, knowing her skin was sizzling—aliens in outer space would be able to see the glow from her cheeks. She was both disappointed and excited—a zillion thoughts ran through her head in a nanosecond. This couldn’t be his place—and if it was, had he brought her here under false pretences?
‘You don’t own this lodge,’ she asserted. ‘It belongs to an Argentinian guitarist.’
‘Andreas sold it to my company last year and I truly do want to open it up for tours,’ he said calmly, apparently able to read her mind.
‘But you asked for me.’ Not her boss or the other more experienced employees.
‘Because you’re the best guide. Inventive, best when you’re improvising rather than sticking to a script someone else has written. So I want you to write the script. You’re good at creating the fun scenarios.’
The fun scenarios? ‘And that’s all you want from me?’ Now she was blushing more because she’d made a massive fool of herself in assuming...
‘Oh, no,’ he said as calmly as ever. ‘I also want to have wild animal sex with you for hours until neither of us can move. But perhaps it isn’t very politically correct of me to admit that.’ A flash of that wide, wicked smile.
She choked. ‘Not really.’
‘Better to be honest though, isn’t it?’ Complete charm now.
‘Um.’ Speechless, she just stared at him. It was kind of flattering to think that the beneficiary of her one attempt at seduction had enjoyed it so much he wanted another. Except he’d probably be disappointed in any replay—why mess with the memory? And more importantly, she had her job to think of. ‘You don’t think mixing business with...this...is a bad idea?’
‘I’m capable of not letting my personal life interfere with my professional.’ He lifted his shoulders and let them drop easily. ‘Are you?’
‘Oh, you’re just Mr Perfect, aren’t you?’
‘I’m
