The camera turned around and there was Michelle in a hospital bed, already somehow surrounded by lush blooms of flowers and cards, not a scrap of make-up on her face but looking as radiant as Chloe had ever seen her despite having just gone through a labour.
Michelle took a deep breath, eyes alive. ‘We got the Sinclairz Chairs job.’
Chloe squealed and punched the air. ‘Yes!’
Her yell drew attention from some people who were now leaving the school hall and coming out into the parking area, children still in costume.
‘Did you doubt it, Chloe? Really? I mean, I know I wanted you back in the UK to do it but, what was I thinking, pitching it from Iceland, at the very heart of where Lincoln’s wanting to take his team to celebrate the anniversary. It was perfect.’
Chloe smiled. It had been perfect. She had gone back with Gunnar to all the places she had put in the itinerary and filmed video clips describing everything she had written about so Sinclairz could see first-hand the beauty of the country and have a taste of the activities she had suggested. She had ended the pitch with a short live stream from the Sun Voyager statue near the water, the lights twinkling, the snow on the ground, a group of people singing traditional folk songs.
‘Another success for the team,’ Michelle said. ‘And here’s to many more of them.’
‘I will definitely raise a glass to that and to the arrival of little Henry.’
‘Chloe, there is one more thing I wanted to ask.’
Chloe’s stomach dropped. Here came the test. Michelle had just given birth. She might feel on top of the world and be enthused about their new green-lit project but any second now she was going to realise exactly how much work there was to do and she was going to need every bit of help she could get. Chloe knew the ‘one more thing I wanted to ask’ was going to be ‘when are you coming back’.
She pre-empted. ‘I… don’t know yet.’
‘You don’t know yet? What does that mean?’ Michelle asked.
‘Michelle, you shouldn’t be thinking about this yet.’
‘Of course I should be thinking about it! It’s important!’
‘I know it is, but we have Helene to cover the physical admin side of things and co-ordinate with the hosts, and I told you, I am going to make working remotely work. It’s my priority to ensure that service levels don’t slip and prove that freedom and flexibility can actually bring greater reliability.’
‘Chloe, what the hell are you talking about?’
‘The business,’ Chloe said. ‘Our empire.’
‘Chloe,’ Michelle said. ‘I’ve given birth half a day ago. I know I’m the ultimate workaholic but even I draw the line somewhere.’
‘Oh?’
‘This isn’t about work. I’m asking you if you will be Henry’s godmother.’
70
THE SECRET LAGOON
The weather outside was frightful, but the secret thermal spa was more than delightful and as Chloe wrapped her naked form around Gunnar’s she let her mind ease and her thoughts drift as he held her close and delivered sensual kisses to her neck.
‘You are OK,krúttio mitt?’ Gunnar asked her, hands on her waist.
‘I am more than OK,’ she answered, her fingers toying with the hair at his nape. ‘I’m in a hot secret lagoon with a hot man.’
‘Escaping an overexcited old woman and an overtired ten-year-old who ate a whole bucket of chicken to himself.’
‘Our family,’ Chloe stated, smiling.
‘Our family,’ Gunnar agreed.
‘Is there room for one more, do you think?’
‘You want to tell me something?’
