‘I know you were looking forward to seeing Ned Nokes. I want that for you.’
Leifur guffawed into the engine. ‘You got me.’
They were both exhausted when they got back to Astrid’s,even though they hadn’t been out much longer than a normal day in the end. Astrid defrosted some soup and warmed some bread in the oven.
‘Sorry, I haven’t got anything else in. You’ll have to fill up on bread,’ she said.
‘It’s delicious, thank you.’
They ate in comfortable silence, then Leifur said, ‘I won’t stay tonight.’
They hadn’t discussed the fact that he hadn’t stayed since she had told him about the job. Tonight felt like any other night when they’d got in from work, so she guessed that’s why he’d said it, because he needed her to know that despite what had happened that afternoon, things had changed between them.
‘Okay. But you know you could.’
‘I know.’
Maybe this afternoon had been the last time. And if it was, that would be okay. It had been a goodbye of sorts and made her realise that her decision had been made. Of course, she had already decided. She’d be flying to New York on Tuesday for the flight to Central America, and she’d emailed Jonas yesterday to ask if she could leave, but it hadn’t stopped her from ruminating on the whole thing, going over and over it. Until this afternoon. Now, she felt more peaceful about it. Perhaps because she knew Leifur loved her, and that was something she didn’t have to leave behind. She could take that with her because that was hers forever, even if his heart couldn’t be.
They called for Sol on their way out, as they’d arranged. Thor was already at the bar.
‘He’s saved us a table,’ Sol said when they got there. The place was heaving, and they made their way through the people standing around the bar area, those who hadn’t got a table, to the front where there were tables and chairs allfacing the stage.
‘Hey!’ Gudrun waved from a table at the far side.
‘We’ll just go and say hello,’ Astrid said to Sol, who was heading in Thor’s direction anyway.
‘I’ll get the drinks,’ said Sol. ‘Our table is the one next to Gudrun’s.’
Leifur followed Astrid over to where Gudrun and Olafur were sitting with the rest of their friends.
‘That’s Ned over there,’ said Gudrun, nodding to the side of the stage where Brun was holding a guitar and saying something about it to Ned.
‘He looks different in real life,’ said Astrid.
‘I think it’s just that he lets himself relax here,’ said Gudrun.
‘I didn’t know he wore glasses,’ said Astrid.
‘Those are for me,’ said a woman over Gudrun’s shoulder.
‘This is Anna, Ned’s partner. Anna, this is my sister Astrid and her friend Leifur.’
‘Great to meet you both,’ said Anna. ‘Are you joining us?’
‘No, but we’re on the table next to you.’
‘Thor and Sol live downstairs from Astrid,’ Gudrun explained. ‘So they’ve got the VIP treatment tonight.’
‘How is it being back in Reykjavik?’ Anna asked Astrid.
‘I’ve loved it, but I’m leaving for a new job on Tuesday.’
‘Just a flying visit, then.’
‘Yes, in the end.’ Although it had been so much more than that. It was life-changing in the sense that she’d fallen in love for the first time ever, taken on the challenge of working with guests and found she loved it, and connected with her sister properly.
‘I love it here but mainly because I don’t live here all the time,’ said Anna. ‘I can’t cope with the winters, but I guess that’s not why you’re leaving since you must be used to them.’
