‘You will take him on your tour?’ Hildur asked.
‘There is no other choice.’ Gunnar’s hope was the boy would open up on his coach like he had used to open up in his truck.
‘And you will introduce Magnús to Chloe?’ Hildur asked. ‘Who will also be on the tour.’
Gunnar had not thought about that. And he was not about to start thinking about it now.
‘Just be ready to leave in fifteen minutes,’ he said, following the same path Magnús had taken to avoid awkward conversation.
22
REYKJAVIK BUS STATION, REYKJAVIK
‘So, this coach has heating, right?’
Kat clapped her gloved hands together as she jigged up and down on the spot outside the transportation hub where coaches and minibuses with numbers in the window sat in lines waiting in anticipation. A bit like them.
‘Yes,’ Chloe said. ‘But we can wait inside if it’s too cold.’ She checked her watch. It was almost five minutes to eight and there was no sign of anything happening with coach number six. Had she read the board wrong?
‘No, it’s fine. You said it was leaving dead on eight o’clock, right? So I won’t have time to turn into a frozen sculpture.’
If, in fact, the coach was going to depart on time. Just as Chloe was mulling over that thought, a truck sped into the parking area. A vehicle she recognised. It wheel-spinned to a halt with screeching brakes.
‘God!’ Kat exclaimed. ‘I know I rushed around the apartment getting ready in a frenzy but tell me I wasn’t giving that desperate for this trip.’ She laughed. ‘I hope the coach driver doesn’t drive like that.’
Chloe couldn’t help but smile as she watched Gunnar get out of the truck. ‘Thatisthe coach driver.’
‘What?’ Kat exclaimed, eyes on the tall figure emerging in front of them. ‘Wait… that is your Gunnar?’
Chloe shivered. ‘He’s not my anything.’
‘Yet,’ Kat said. ‘Because, Chloe, he’s sooo fine!’
‘Sshh!’ Chloe said as Gunnar began walking towards their position. She swallowed as she checked him out anew. She knew he was attractive. But now, as she observed him, there were other attributes she hadn’t given him full credit for. He was tall and athletic-looking. And his hair wasn’t yet under a hat. It was loose, wavy, dirty-blond. Sexy.
‘If you don’t want him I might have to unbutton my coat as soon as we get on board. Glad I bought that new push-up bra now.’
‘Don’t do that,’ Chloe found herself blurting out.
Kat grinned. ‘Ah! So you do like him!’
‘No,’ Chloe protested.
‘OK,’ Kat said. ‘That wasn’t at all convincing. But, who is the kid? His?’
It was only then that Chloe noticed there was someone walking behind Gunnar. A boy. He was about ten or eleven. Blond hair shorter than Gunnar’s but still long enough to flop into his face. He was wearing jeans, a black puffer jacket and a very glum expression. Was this Gunnar’s son? Was he married? With someone? Suddenly she was feeling caught off-guard somehow. Except, he had never said he was single. Why would he? They had shared a few conversations and he’d helped clean a stain off her coat. And she wasn’t looking for anyone…
But then he waved a hand in greeting and she found herself waving back.
‘Aww, cute,’ Kat remarked. ‘Now introduce us!’
Why was Chloe feeling suddenly nervous? She internally shook herself. She was a soon-to-be partner of a successful event-planning company. She was a business woman with the world at her feet.
‘Good morning,krúttio mitt,’ Gunnar greeted.
‘Halló,’ Chloe answered.
‘You are here on time,’ Gunnar continued.
