Twenty-Nine
We stood still, staring up at the sky until our necks got sore, then one by one, people made their way back to the igloos, cold and keen for dessert. Henrik brought in a slab of chocolate brownie and a bowl of forest berries to share, with a much-needed pot of hot coffee.
‘I’ll leave you all to enjoy. I’ve got to get ready for the show,’ he said, mysteriously.
‘There’s a show, as well?’ Will asked, biting into his brownie.
‘The Firefly Forest finale,’ I said sadly. ‘Is it a crying workshop?’
Henrik laughed. ‘Maybe. Depends how it goes.’ We didn’t have to wait long to find out. We’d barely finished our coffees when the folk music started, and Tore launched into a song.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, for one night only, may I present to you theNilsen family band.’
Everyone whooped and cheered.
‘All the way from Firefly farmhouse we have the man, the legend – can you believe he’s really here? – it’s Henriiik Nilsen on the hardanger fiddle!’ We screamed. ‘By coincidence, he also hails from Firefly farmhouse, with lungs like a blue whale, playing on the bukkehorn tonight we have none other than Jonaaas Nilsen!’ We all cheered. ‘And finally, we are delighted to announce our lead singer tonight, singing all your favourites, you’ll know him as the king of the swingers – the Firefly folk legend himself – it’s meee, Toreee Nilsen!’ We went wild withapplause as Tore swung his microphone around, then caught it with a thrust of his hips.
Henrik got the beat going with his fiddle and everyone clapped along. I loved watching him get into it – he really was the poster boy for clean living. Fit, muscly, musical, real. As well as kind and thoughtful. But first and foremost, he was fit, and the fiddle showed his arms off to perfection. Henrik was the closest I was going to get to a rock star this evening and I suddenly felt full of fizz. Light and energetic – high on life. The rhythm was powerful and tribal and had us all up dancing straight away. By the time Tore started singing, we were really going for it, spinning each other round and letting ourselves go. Aurora was shining down on us in all her colourful glory and the fire was burning bright. It was nothing short of magical.
‘And now for an a cappella number to finish,’ Tore said, humming the first few bars of A-ha’s ‘Take on Me’. I barely recognised his slow, haunting version of the normally upbeat song as Henrik walked towards me and held out his hand.
‘Hei,’ he whispered into my hair.
‘Nice work on the hardanger,’ I said, sinking into his chest. There was no point resisting when we only had a few hours left together.
‘It’s quite easy for me. I have quick fingers and strong arms.’
I laughed. ‘They must come in useful. And a great sense of rhythm.’
‘That too.’ He held on to me tight, one arm pulling me in and the other brushing the curls out of my eyes. ‘You’re going home?’
I nodded, but my heart felt sad.
‘For real this time? You said it before then stayed.’
‘For real. I’ve got to go back to work.’
Henrik nodded, slowly turning us round. Tore’s song choice couldn’t have been more spot on.You’re shyin’ away. I’ll be comin’ for you anyway. Henrik sang the words into my ear as heheld me, and I emptied my mind of all other thoughts. I wanted nothing more than this. To be dancing here together, his arms around me as the cold air mixed with the warmth from the fire and the Northern Lights shone down. There would never be a more perfect moment.
Tore finished singing and everyone clapped, but Henrik and I carried our slow dance on, staying close and connected as we danced to our own song. I didn’t want it to ever stop.
‘Shall I walk you back?’ he asked eventually, and I nodded into his chest. We couldn’t stay here all night, and the others had already started disappearing back to their cabins. It was empty and quiet. ‘I can carry you if you like?’
‘Is this how you keep your arms in such good shape? Carrying women around?’
‘The service isn’t open to everyone,’ he said softly. ‘Just you, in fact.’
I smiled up at him. ‘Go on then. One last time.’ My heart felt full as he leant forward, pausing to stare into my eyes, and kissed me. Slow and sensual, hitting all my hotspots at once and making me tremble. An owl hooted in the distance, and Henrik picked me up and wrapped my legs around his back.
‘I’m “holding on”,’ I said, smiling into his hair.
‘Good,’ he said. ‘Don’t let go.’
‘How fast can you get us back?’ I whispered. He gave me a look then started to run, his head down, tunnelling through the trees like a newborn rhino. I held on tight until we got to the other side of the forest, laughing as the wind whipped at my face.
‘It’ll be faster if we both run,’ he said breathlessly, putting me down. ‘I’ll race you.’ He disappeared down the pathway, all legs and arms, leaving me swaying on the spot, lusty and woozy. His taxi light was on, and it was up to me to flag him down and get in. Thank God the cabins were so remote. We could make as much noise as we liked. I couldn’t wait to get him back in mytiny double bed. Suddenly its size was a good thing: we’d have to stay close together to fit in. And once we were in, we were staying in. I was not checking out until I absolutely had to. Not until my Louis Vuittons were being lobbed onto the boat by Lars.
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