AFTER TWO WEEKS of feeling the sun on his skin, and not having to bother with a razor, Ben Matthews had cut himself shaving. His uniform had felt unfamiliar and a little too crisp when he’d put it on this morning, but it was good to be back in a routine. The thing about holidays was that they gave him far too much time to think, and he was ready to get back to work now.
‘Good holiday?’ The fire station commander smiled across his desk, and Ben nodded.
‘Has anything been happening here that I should know about?’
‘I imagine you’ve already read the station reports?’ Ben nodded in response. ‘The only other thing is our visitor this morning.’
‘Yes?’ As the watch manager, Ben always liked to have a little warning if an inspection was taking place, but he had no concerns. It was a matter of both principle and pride that he and his crew were constantly ready for anything.
‘She’s a photographer. This is just a preliminary visit, she’ll be back again in a month to take photographs over Christmas. It’s partly her own project, to widen her portfolio, but we have an option to use any of the photographs she takes in our publicity campaigns and there’s also going to be a calendar, which we’ll be issuing at the end of next year.’
This all seemed very rushed. Ben wished he’d known about it when it had been in the planning stage, rather than being presented with a fait accompli. ‘And this has all been agreed?’
‘There wasn’t much time to set it up. Ms Walsh specifically requested that she take the photographs over Christmas to add authenticity to the calendar shots. She’s hoping to include some off-duty moments.’
Ben frowned. The only calendar he’d seen that had featured firefighters had involved underwear and Santa hats. And that was just the men...
‘This is going to be...done sensitively, I imagine?’
‘Of course. It’s a bit of fun but there’s a serious message, too. We want to raise public awareness about what we do, as well as raise money.’
‘Right.’ Ben was all for the serious message. Just as long as this photographer understood that too. ‘The crew knows about this?’
‘Yes, they’re all for it. Ms Walsh came in last week with her portfolio and showed us some of her work. I thought it was excellent, and there was some disappointment amongst the other crews when she chose to shadow Blue Watch.’
This photographer seemed to be calling all the shots. Not with his crew...
‘And you’ve given her a free hand?’
The station commander smiled. ‘I haven’t imposed any restrictions on her, if that’s what you mean. I know I can count on you to ensure the smooth running of the operation.’
‘In that case...’ Ben needed to get back to his crew. Now. Before this photographer started to think she did have a free hand and anyone persuaded anyone else that taking their shirts off was a good idea. ‘I’ll be getting on if there’s nothing else.’
‘No, nothing else.’ The station commander picked up a file from his desk, and Ben rose, heading for the door.
* * *
Ben opened the door of the ready room and found it empty. Of course it was. Gleaming red and chrome was sure to appeal as the backdrop for the calendar photographs. Walking downstairs into the garage, he heard voices and laughter.
‘No, I don’t think that’s going to work.’ A woman’s voice, clear and brimming with humour. ‘I’m after something a bit more spontaneous...’
‘Spontaneous, my eye.’ Ben muttered the words to himself, marching through the narrow gap between the two fire engines and almost bumping into a woman who was standing by the front one of them.
At least she was good at getting out of the way. That was exactly the kind of aptitude she’d need. Ben caught a trace of her scent before she stepped quickly to one side and he came face to face with Eve and Pete, in full protective gear, standing beside the chrome fender, both with fixed smiles on their faces. That looked absolutely fine to him but, then, he wasn’t in the business of art photography.
‘Okay...let’s break it up.’ It seemed that the rest of the crew had decided that the taking of a few photographs required them to stand around watching. ‘Give us a minute, will you?’
‘Good to see you back, boss.’ Eve grinned at him, taking her helmet off and unbuttoning her jacket. Ben heard the click of a camera shutter beside him and turned to the woman standing next to him as the crew dispersed quickly.
‘Hi. I’m Callie Walsh.’ She was holding the camera loosely in one hand, the other stretched out towards him. ‘You must be Ben Matthews.’
‘Yes.’ Ben shook her hand briskly, omitting to say that he was pleased to meet her. ‘The station commander told me you’d be here.’
She nodded, looking up at him. She had green eyes, the kind that seemed wholly dedicated to making a man stare into them, and the prettiest face he’d seen in a long while. The softness stopped there. Her short, corn-blonde hair was streaked with highlights and slicked back from her face. Spray-on jeans, a fitted leather jacket with more zips than seemed entirely necessary, and a look of determination on her face gave the overall impression of a woman who knew how to steamroller her way over pretty much anything.
Instinctively, Ben stepped back, leaning against the chrome on the front of the fire engine. When she raised her camera, pointing the bulky lens in his direction, he frowned.
‘Before you take any more photographs, I think there are a few ground rules we need to have in place.’
‘Of course.’ Her face was impassive, and Ben wondered what she was thinking. That didn’t matter. It didn’t matter what he thought either. What mattered was the well-being and effectiveness of his crew.
‘This is a working fire station...’
‘I understand that. I know how to keep out of the way.’
That had only been his first concern. There were many more. ‘As Watch Manager I’m responsible for the safety of everyone connected with Blue Watch...’ His gaze drifted to the high heels of her boots. What she was wearing didn’t come close to practical, if she was reckoning on venturing anywhere other than the ready room.
She seemed to read his thoughts. ‘I’m hoping to just get everyone used to the idea of me being here today. I won’t be accompanying you to any calls...’
‘You won’t be doing anything, at any time, unless I allow it.’
Perhaps he should qualify that. She could do whatever she liked, as long as she didn’t mess with him or his crew. Callie was