‘Kendrick?’
‘Kat.’
‘Lamar?’
‘Stop it.’
‘OK, OK.’ Kat inhaled again and spread her arms wide. ‘Wow, I’m in Iceland!’
‘Yes, you are,’ Chloe said, smiling. ‘Let’s go and get a coffee.’
17
DÜRÜM, REYKJAVIK
Coffee hadn’t been enough and, in the name of research, as well as the cold, Chloe and Kat had bundled into a cosy café on a street calledLaugavegurand ordered fish and chips.
‘It’s a bit British, isn’t it? To have fish and chips. I feel like a travel fraud and I’ve only been in the country a few hours,’ Kat said, steaming crispy batter on her fork.
‘Actually no,’ Chloe replied. ‘Fish and chips is one of the things to have here and this is so good!’
‘Good enough for Sinclairz Chairs?’ Kat asked, pushing a forkful of battered, flaky white deliciousness into her mouth.
‘Not sure about that,’ Chloe said. ‘In fact I’m not 100 per cent sure what Sinclairz Chairs are looking for apart from this location.’
She’d asked Michelle, in two emails now, if she could have a vague idea what Sinclairz Chairs were looking for. Ultimate luxury? More traditional? A mix of the two? Or completely different itineraries – one more relaxed: spa/lagoon, cocktails – the other higher intensity experiences: dog sledding, glacier walks. Right now she was hedging her bets and looking into getting as many ideas as she could to put together entirely differing proposals if she had to.
‘Michelle a bit light on the details?’ Kat asked her. ‘All “go, go, go” and then “wait, what are we actually doing”?’
Chloe felt her shoulders tighten, almost defensively. ‘I wouldn’t put it quite like that. She does have a lot on her mind at the moment.’
‘Or rather a lot in her uterus.’
‘Kat!’
‘Well, I don’t think you see how much she relies on you to make her business run like clockwork.’
‘That’s my job,’ Chloe reminded her.
‘I know. But I also know from experience how people in a position of power can use others’ expertise to bolster themselves without giving credit where credit is due.’
‘Michelle appreciates my diligence. She’s always telling me that.’
‘But does she tell anyone else? No,’ Kat answered for herself. ‘Because if she did there’s no doubt in my mind that you would be headhunted for another bigger, more esteemed company. You know that, right?’
‘I think you underestimate how well thought of Celebratey is. Lincoln Sinclair wouldn’t just give this opportunity to anybody.’
‘But you’re still pitching. It’s still a bit of a competition.’
‘I know.’
‘And you should also know that it’s you who has shaped that company since you joined it.’
‘Well, I’ve done what I can and?—’
‘And Michelle can’t do without you and it’s time she realised that.’
‘I know, which is why I’m going to mention buying in to the business and maybe becoming a partner. As soon as the baby is born. Well, you know, not as soon as the baby’s born because that would be a bit rude and?—’
