Now, for some reason, Bridie looked even more excited. ‘No, because I’m sending you on a reconnaissance mission.’
‘A what?’
Bridie looked about to burst. ‘You know Arche?’
Of course she knew Arche. The multimillion-dollar dystopian fantasy duo had been filmed almost exclusively in New Zealand. It was one of her favourite film series; she’d listed it first in her tour-guide bio on the company website. There was one stop on her usual tour that had a twenty-second scene in the second film; she always stopped there and re-enacted it for the tourists. Inevitably there was at least one Arche-freak on the bus who loved it as much as she did.
‘We might be granted access to it.’ Bridie looked about to burst.
‘What?’ No one had been able to get into that set. The lower central South Island station where most of the action had been filmed was now one of those exclusive resort things for super-wealthy people. Some ancient South American rock star had opened it up for his equally famous and loaded buddies. Absolutely the kind of place she’d want to avoid—those kinds of exclusive retreat places made her think about not-so-distant mortifying events.
‘They’re thinking of allowing one tour operator in. And they want one of our reps to check it out.’
‘And you want me to go?’ Ellie gaped.
Bridie nodded furiously. ‘By special request. They had a mystery shopper on all our tours and you’re the guide who impressed them—so much so they want you to go check out the place and come up with some ideas for what you’d cover on a tour there.’ Bridie jumped up from her seat and zipped around the office like a centipede on speed.
‘But that’s crazy,’ Ellie screeched, collapsing into the nearest chair as her legs went woolly. ‘I’m the newest recruit. You can’t possibly trust me to do this.’
‘It’s not crazy. You’re the one who knows those two films backwards—you can quote whole chunks of the dialogue, I heard you do it with one of those Brits the other day. You might be the newest recruit, but you’re the best, most dedicated guide we’ve got.’
‘But I can’t represent you, I can’t do the whole sales thing.’ While she’d worked heaps on contracts at the location company, Ellie didn’t have the experience to even think of it here.
‘Don’t worry about that. I’ll be covering all access and contract arrangements. All they’re offering at the moment is the opportunity 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