‘Sorry,’ he whispered, the smallest of smiles on his lips.
‘It's okay … Logan,’ breathed Ellie letting his name linger on her lips.
She could see him rubbing his hand, a look of wonder on his face.
‘Did you feel …?’
She rubbed her own hand. ‘Yes, I did.’
They continued to stare, neither of them moving and Ellie could feel her hand tingling. The doors began their relentless sweep together and as Ellie and Logan remained motionless, Laura’s hand swooped inside the lift grabbing Ellie and jerking her out forcibly moments before the doors closed with a final creak.
‘Bye Logan,’ Ellie managed over her shoulder. ‘Bye!’ and then he was gone, leaving her rubbing the back of her hand in awe and already composing the email to Fliss describing the moment they had met and a connection had been well and truly made.
Laura clutched her head and groaned. ‘Oh my God, what a disaster!’
‘Wasn't that wonderful?’ sighed Ellie.
Laura stared. ‘Wonderful? Are you mad? That was the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen! Why on earth didn't you speak to him? What is it about that man that makes you lose all power of communication?’
Lifting her hand, Ellie stared at her fingers in wonder. ‘Chemistry,’ she said.
‘Chemistry? That makes you unable to say hello to someone?’
‘Fliss said that if I spoke to him, got him to look me in the eye, I would see if there was any chemistry between us.’
‘Well you didn't speak to him, did you? I was the one having the conversation!’
‘And she was right. There was chemistry, there is chemistry. I could feel it, we both did.’
‘Really?’ Laura shook her head. ‘All I could see was two people who couldn't manage a sentence between them.’
‘He touched me,’ breathed Ellie.
Laura’s eyebrows shot up. ‘In the lift? Just now? That’s a bit blatant, isn't it? You should report him! I’m surprised, he doesn't seem the type but it goes to show how careful you have to be…’
‘No, he touched my hand.’ Ellie lifted her hand so Laura could see her fingers. ‘He touched my hand and there was electricity.’
They both stared at Ellie's fingers. Even Ellie had to admit they looked quite ordinary, no sign of the interaction with Logan visible.
‘Could it have been the lift?’ asked Laura as she obligingly inspected the proffered hand. ‘Maybe it shorted out or something and …’
‘It was chemistry. It was Logan. Fliss was right, it’s meant to be.’
‘Or it could just be static. Maybe he’s wearing a cheap acrylic jumper or some plastic shoes that were sending out a lot of electricity and it's not actually meant to be. Maybe he shocks lots of people because of his cheap clothes?’
At Ellie’s glare, she shrugged. ‘Just saying. You have no idea what he’s like, how can you be so sure he’s ‘the one’. After all, you thought Carl was ‘the one’ for a while.’
Ellie didn't want to talk about Carl. Maybe she should run the scenario by Fliss, make sure she had done the right thing but she would rather just concentrate on progressing things with Logan. The sight of Mr Goodfellow bearing down on the office prompted them both to scamper back to their desks where Ellie, her gaze still fixed on her pulsing fingers, made a half-hearted attempt to get on top of her ever-growing pile of tasks. But her mind wasn’t really on the job. She couldn’t stop thinking about Logan’s eyes, which she had discovered were like liquid pools of silver-grey and in which she was certain she’d detected a glimmer of interest. He had stamped on her foot and then given her an electric shock and it was undoubtedly one of the most exciting 30 seconds in Ellie’s life. The chemistry between the two of them was undeniable, this could turn into a 20-year marriage just like the Carmichael’s.
Ellie frowned. She was still uncertain as to whether she was meant to respond to Fliss with advice. Having Googled agony aunts the previous evening, she hadn't come up with any evidence suggesting that the communication was intended to be two way. Was Fliss really asking for Ellie’s help or had she simply been thinking out loud? What could Ellie possibly say that Fliss wouldn't already know? Or was that a thing in the world of agony aunts, mused Ellie. Perhaps they wanted opinions from someone with absolutely no experience. And still uncertain what she could say to an agony aunt who had suddenly realised she was unhappy, Ellie sighed and