Page 37 of Meet Me Under the Northern Lights

INSIDE THE HOTEL, REYKJAVIK

She had to remain mute or her cover would be blown, but Chloe hadn’t envisaged exactly how hard it was going to be to run this meeting through Gunnar almost like she was Whoopi Goldberg’s medium character in Ghost .

While Gunnar ordered drinks – paid for by Sinclairz Chairs platinum card that Kirstin had flipped out like it was an all-access pass to everywhere – Chloe hammered at her laptop keyboard writing questions for Gunnar to ask which were all the things she had intended to brief him on in the time they were supposed to have before Kirstin had arrived…

‘Two Baileys hot coffee lattes and an Americano.’

The waiter arranged the drinks on the table and Chloe took hers straight away.

She needed that shot of creamy alcohol to inject confidence into her gut.

The hotel vibe was perfect though – with its glitzy Christmas tree in the bar area they were sitting in and ‘big band’ festive tunes playing – it was exactly the tone Chloe had envisaged for a glorious Sinclairz Chairs celebration weekend.

Taking a much-needed sip of her drink, Chloe then pushed the laptop screen towards Gunnar.

She watched him lean in to read it.

‘So… how long have you been working with Sinclairz Chairs?’ he asked Kirstin.

He looked at Chloe who nodded.

‘Oh, for just over six months now,’ Kirstin answered.

‘You left the company you were working for before?’ Gunnar asked her.

‘You knew I was looking for something better. That I wanted to travel.’

‘Yes,’ Gunnar said. ‘I just did not know that you were so interested in top-of-the-range chairs.’

He had remembered what exactly Sinclairz Chairs did.

But he was going off piste with the questions now.

Just how did they know each other? The initial meet outside had been slightly awkward, like a greeting with someone you didn’t particularly like but had to endure or seeing someone you had more than liked at one time before everything changed… She continued to observe.

‘I’m in marketing, Gunnar. It’s my job to sell anything for whoever I decide to work for whether they are selling something I’m passionate about or not.’

‘I remember you said you were passionate about sustainability, so I’m not sure how that fits with the carbon footprint of business air travel. Iceland for one day?’

That question was definitely not on Chloe’s list and it sounded like Gunnar was trying to rile Kirstin. That was not what she needed at all.

‘I am sure Chloe can tell you that Sinclairz Chairs offset all their carbon emissions and are on course to becoming one of the leading companies in supporting green energy.’

‘And does that include flying their best workers and special guests out here to enjoy a weekend of wasting money they could be using to save the planet?’

Chloe slapped a hand to Gunnar’s arm and shook her head. What the hell was he saying! This was her job! Her big chance to prove her worth to Michelle!

‘You have to live life, Gunnar!’ Kirstin exclaimed. ‘I actually remember that being a problem for you when we were dating.’

‘I know how to live a life, Kirstin. I just don’t want my enjoyment to cut short anyone else’s. You know… vulnerable ocean life, irreplaceable flora and fauna, that kind of thing.’

They had dated. And they were using her meeting to thrash this out. This was a nightmare! And what were the chances of the person she was meeting being the ex of the very guy she had asked for help. She could almost hear the huldufólk laughing and she couldn’t let it continue.

‘You’re actually insane, you know this? You’re making it sound like Sinclairz Chairs are going to slay turtles in front of a live audience and drink their blood.’

‘I think that is the second stop on the tour after defecating into the natural springs.’

‘Stop!’ Chloe roared, getting to her feet. ‘Please, both of you, just stop!’ She swallowed, surprised at her own outburst.

The Christmas music seemed to quieten, the bar person stopped polishing glasses and looked their way and the two tables of customers who were nearest seemed distracted from their dinner-eating.

And now Chloe’s throat truly did hurt, as did her brain because it was working hard wondering how to salvage this situation as quickly as possible.

Perhaps there was only one thing for it. Honesty.

‘Sorry,’ Chloe said, to the customers. Then: ‘I am so sorry, Kirstin. I didn’t realise that you knew Gunnar or that there is obviously some kind of communication difficulty between you.’

‘Which is not your fault, Chloe,’ Kirstin said. ‘However, I am now wondering about your communication difficulty. That laryngitis has been cured by a sip of Baileys coffee?’

Chloe sighed. ‘OK, let me be straight with you.’ She sat down again, lowered her voice. ‘I don’t have laryngitis.’

‘Oh really,’ Kirstin said, sounding unsurprised.

‘And I don’t speak Icelandic either.’ She sighed.

‘I know my boss, Michelle, told you I did and she didn’t lie, she thinks I do speak Icelandic, so the lie is on me.

’ She took a breath. ‘And that’s why Gunnar is here, but he’s apparently talking and arguing with you in English so, if you don’t mind, perhaps we could continue this discussion in my native tongue rather than yours, and make it about the Sinclairz Chairs anniversary event, not whatever Gunnar turned it into. If that’s OK with you.’

Chloe picked up her latte cup and took a large swig before putting the cup back down on the table. She hoped it wasn’t too late, that her lie and whatever performance Gunnar had put on wasn’t going to have scuppered the whole thing.

‘OK,’ Kirstin said, finally. ‘But I only have perhaps thirty more minutes so we should not waste any more time.’

‘Fine by me,’ Chloe said, tapping some keys on her laptop.

‘And it is definitely fine with me,’ Gunnar said nodding. He picked up his Americano and headed towards the bar.

‘So, Chloe,’ Kirstin said. ‘Let us start again, yes?’

‘Yes,’ Chloe said, a sigh of relief leaving her. She held out her hand. ‘I’m Chloe and I am really excited to be planning out this event for Sinclairz Chairs. Honestly, it’s an honour.’

Kirstin shook her hand. ‘It is very nice to meet you. Or, as we say in Icelandic, gaman ae hitta tig .’

‘Yes,’ Chloe answered. ‘A phrase I am completely unfamiliar with. Let’s get started. I have made a short PowerPoint.’