‘It’s so powerful,’ Kat continued. ‘Like how Christian Grey makes Anastasia Steele feel when she’s whimpering in a corner.’
Chloe was not going to use that line in her event pitch. ‘It’s amazing,’ she agreed.
‘I’m going to get a bit closer,’ Kat said. ‘Send help if I’m not back in ten minutes in case I get sucked into it.’ She laughed. ‘NoFifty Shadespun intended there.’
Chloe snapped some photos of her friend stomping forward, facing off with the elements and then she jumped as she realised someone was standing next to her. Gunnar.
‘Your friend will get very wet,’ he commented.
‘Yes,’ Chloe agreed.
‘She does not care?’
‘She’s a bit crazy.’
‘Like you,’ Gunnar said. ‘With your breaking the rules of the coach and standing in the middle of the aisle when the vehicle is in motion.’
‘Is that the Icelandic way to say thank you for saving your arse?’
‘My arse is grateful to you,krúttio mitt.’ He bowed. ‘Thehuldufólkare also very happy about the wonderful story you painted with words.’
‘Good,’ Chloe said. ‘I am hoping this means I will be Icelandically blessed. Perhaps awarded an honorary pass from being cursed for doubting their existence at first.’
‘I am certain this will be the case,’ he agreed.
‘So, I’m going to ask quietly, in front of nobody else and not on loud speaker… what is going on with your friend’s son? Did he really hit a girl?’
Gunnar looked over his shoulder and ensured he could see where Magnús was standing, far enough away, looking not at the waterfall but at his phone. He turned back to Chloe. ‘No. He did not.’
‘That’s good,’ Chloe said. ‘Less for your friend to sort out with the situation. You must be quite close that you know all this is going on with their family.’
Gunnar nodded. ‘His father, a close friend, as I think I said. Do you not have close friends you help out?’
‘Yes,’ Chloe said. ‘That crazy woman hellbent on getting as close to that torrent of water as she can without being waterboarded by it.’
‘So you understand,’ Gunnar said. ‘How important friends are. That they are as important as close family.’
‘More important sometimes,’ Chloe agreed.
‘You have family, Chloe? Parents?’
‘No,’ she answered. ‘My parents died. My mother when I was five. My father when I was twenty.’
‘And you have no brothers or sisters?’
‘No. How about you?’
‘The same.’
‘Which parts?’
‘All of them. Except my father died first. When I was six. And my mother when I was eighteen. My father had no time to teach me anything. My mother, who had been sick her entire life, taught me everything because she knew I would need it.’
Chloe sighed. ‘I don’t think I’ve met anyone as independent as I had to be before.’
He stuck out his hand. ‘It is nice to meet you, independentkrúttio mitt.’
‘You too,’ Chloe answered.
