Page 20 of Meet Me Under the Northern Lights

CHLOE’S APARTMENT, REYKJAVIK

‘Kat, wake up,’ Chloe loud-whispered, giving her friend’s arm a bit of a shake.

It was the following morning and Chloe had got little sleep for two reasons.

One because Kat snored like a lawnmower and the second because she’d gone online researching the south coast trip and, after extensive looking and checking and thinking about it, she’d booked them on it. Today. In an hour’s time.

Kat inhaled like she had woken from a Sleeping Beauty style sleep of years, rising up, eyes wide in shock. ‘Is it Christmas?’

‘No,’ Chloe said, with a laugh. ‘You’re in Iceland, remember.’

Kat inhaled again. ‘Oh, thank God, because I haven’t ordered a meat hamper yet.’ She yawned then. ‘What time is it?’

‘It’s almost seven,’ Chloe said, opening the blind at the window.

‘Is that all?’ Kat said, flopping back down onto her pillows.

‘But, we have to be at the bus station in forty minutes.’

‘What?’ Kat exclaimed, sitting up again.

‘I booked us on a trip. The south coast tour. I think it’s something Sinclairz Chairs would enjoy. I just need to find out if there’s enough to keep everyone entertained or, if there’s not, how we could build in more bespoke activities.’

‘Could one of the bespoke activities be napping?’ Kat asked, yawning again.

‘I know it’s early, but I’ve had no response from Michelle to my last two emails and I don’t want to chase her up in case something’s wrong. So I’m just getting on with things and if it’s not right, or she needs me to do something more specific, she can let me know.’

‘Oh, she will,’ Kat said. ‘She will tell you it’s absolutely not what she wanted and you’ll have to do things all over again. Like that event for the dog groomers. “Tiny dalmatians on the napkins, Chloe. Not bones. What were you thinking?”’

Sometimes Kat knowing and remembering the specifics of what they’d talked about was a curse not a blessing. But Chloe was well aware of her boss’s exacting nature. Michelle could be harsh but she always sought perfection and that was something Chloe admired about her.

‘Well,’ Chloe said. ‘I would rather have something she can pick apart than do nothing and wait for instructions. That’s what a potential partner does, right? Uses her initiative.’

‘Yes,’ Kat agreed. ‘I just wish it was initiative that started after seven in the morning.’

‘Sorry.’

‘But, I am your wing-woman for all things so I will arise and shower quickly and perform whatever bespoke activity I need to to help you with your mission and to help keep my mind off the fact I’m going to have to spend a week playing Trivial Pursuit, eating Jacob’s biscuits for cheese selection and pretending I like re-runs of The Two Ronnies . ’

‘Then today will feel like a breeze,’ Chloe said, smiling.

‘An icy one? Because I need to know if I need to take two hats.’

Chloe’s phone started ringing then.

‘I’m getting in the shower right now,’ Kat said, finally pulling back the covers. ‘So if that’s Michelle with an alternative plan then whatever we end up doing at least I’ll be clean.’

Chloe picked up her phone from where it was charging on the small table.

It was Gunnar. And her heart immediately picked up pace.

She had called him last night. Convinced herself it was only because it might be easier to book the trip with him than the company website.

But he hadn’t answered and she hadn’t left a voice message.

Just a trail of a missed call he was obviously now responding to.

‘Hello,’ Chloe said.

‘Hello, Chloe. Is everything OK with the apartment? I am sorry I did not see your call last night I?—’

‘Everything’s fine,’ Chloe broke in. He sounded so concerned she almost regretted not leaving a voicemail. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have called you so late. It was… I was wanting to book onto the south coast tour today.’

‘Oh, OK.’ His relief was audible.

‘But I managed to book on the website. I think. I mean I have a booking number but not a confirmation email so…’

‘It is OK,’ Gunnar replied. ‘I know you, krúttio mitt . I will save you the best seat.’

She smiled. ‘Actually it’s two seats.’

‘One for you and one for the huldufólk ?’

‘No, my friend has arrived from England.’ She gasped then. ‘Sorry, that’s OK, isn’t it? To have someone else staying in the apartment. I just assumed it would be OK. I should have asked. But, she’s, you know, trustworthy too.’

‘You worry too much. Relax now. You are about to travel for hours on a coach with little leg room.’

‘But heating, right? The website said the coaches have heating.’

‘Yes,’ Gunnar answered. ‘And bags for vomit. You know this.’

‘I was trying to forget.’

He laughed. That warm, bubbling, sexy sound… She cleared her throat. ‘So, I will see you soon. It leaves at 8a.m., right?’

‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘And the door closes at seven fifty-nine.’

‘O-K.’

‘I am just joking,’ he said. ‘You have until eight-oh-one.’

She laughed. ‘Well, in that case, I had better finish packing my bag for the day.’

‘Bring snacks,’ Gunnar told her.

‘What kind?’

‘I hear the driver of the south coast tour likes liquorice.’

Chloe laughed again. ‘OK. Bye, Olga.’

‘ Bless, krúttio mitt .’