‘No?’
‘It is a weather phenomenon. Nothing about the weather is guaranteed and here it is no different.’
Chloe took her phone from her pocket and spoke into it. ‘We need to consider the weather carefully when we are planning the itinerary. Clear skies.’ She looked at Gunnar. ‘Clear skies, right?’
‘Clear skies are best,’ he said, speaking into the phone like he thought he was on a live call. ‘But you can still see with light cloud cover and sometimes it makes for a unique experience. Who am I speaking to?’
Chloe laughed. ‘Just my phone. I’m making voice notes to send to my boss about this trip and all the other things I’m going to be doing here to put together ideas for an event next Christmas time.’
‘Your job is to make events for other people to enjoy?’
She nodded. ‘Yes. And usually I’m far more organised than this, but research needed to be done at this time of year because the event is next December so…’
‘Here you are.’
‘Yes, here I am.’
And then, engines engaged, the boat crept forward into the inky sea and everyone ‘oohed’ in anticipation of what was to come.
‘Thank you again for the apartment,’ Chloe said as the vessel moved away from those waterside lights.
‘It is OK?’ he asked.
‘Oh, it’s more than OK, it’s wonderful. Have you never been inside?’
‘The friend of my friend, I do not know him.’
‘Well, it’s perfect. Cosy yet spacious and the shower is insanely good. If I hadn’t had to rush to get here for this trip I would have spent a lot longer in there.’
‘I did not hear that.’
‘What?’
‘Water is very important in Iceland. We look after it the way it has always looked after us.’
And now she felt like she’d suggested flying around the world and back again for fun in a private jet.
‘Sorry,’ Gunnar said. ‘I should be telling you that Iceland is all about indulgence. For your luxury event you are organising.’
‘No,’ Chloe said straight away. ‘I mean, yes, I am organising a luxury event, but our client needs to be mindful of those kinds of ecological impacts.’ She mused for a second. ‘Maybe that’s exactly what I could build into it. Prove that luxury doesn’t have to cost the Earth.’
‘Turn on your voice recorder,’ Gunnar urged.
She pressed the icon on her phone screen and he leaned forward towards it.
‘Luxury does not have to cost the Earth,’ he said.
‘Making sure that whatever we do with the event we can carbon offset. It should be a treat for the staff and, of course, a celebration, but something to give back to Iceland and the planet in general,’ Chloe said.
‘Sshh!’
Chloe whipped her head around and was face to face with a slightly cross-looking woman and realised she had been talking over the start of the commentary. ‘Sorry.’
‘Come.’
Gunnar had taken her arm and was leading her over to the other side of the craft. He ducked under a roped off area and pulled her under too.
‘Is this the VIP section?’ Chloe asked as they arrived on a lower level that seemed to be one slim metal plank fixed to the side of the boat, no cover, just more ropes and misty portholes, a hopefully sturdy metal barrier separating them from the sea.
