company!’ said Laura breezily. ‘Much appreciated.’
‘I wondered if I’d be seeing you on Friday?’ blurted Logan as Ellie turned to leave, his cheeks immediately filling with colour.
‘Friday?’
‘At The Flying Horse. I wondered if you were planning on going, this Friday.’
Laura was struggling to contain her grin but Ellie looked serious, shaking her head.
‘Actually no. We weren’t planning on going this week.’
Laura’s head spun in Ellie’s direction. ‘We weren’t?’
‘No,’ Ellie said firmly. She wasn’t prepared to spend the night watching Logan and Harriet.
‘Oh, I see. So, where are you thinking of going?’
‘Yes Ellie,’ said Laura crossly. ‘Where are we going on Friday night?’
Ellie shrugged her shoulders. ‘I don’t know,’ she confessed. ‘Probably the Leaning Wagon.’
‘No! Really? What a coincidence, that’s where I was thinking of going this week!’
Surprised, Ellie opened her mouth to answer. But her only comment was a muffled yelp as Laura stood heavily on her foot.
‘Ow ….’
‘That is a coincidence!’ interrupted Laura happily. ‘Maybe we’ll see you there, Friday, around 5:30?’ and with a determined tug, she dragged Ellie away before she could forget the pain in her foot and argue.
Chapter 31
The following morning Ellie paused outside the main door and peered into the lobby wondering if Logan would be there. For once no-one was waiting by the lift and the area was empty but as she opened the door to step inside, she caught sight of an inky head emerging from the staircase and shooting across the lobby.
‘Good morning Ellie.’
‘Good morning Logan.’
They both smiled, then looked quickly away, Logan’s eyes turning anxiously in the direction of the main doors and as the lift arrived, he almost pushed Ellie inside and immediately pressed the button to close the doors.
There was a strained silence and Ellie watched him look up at the red numbers above the doors. Level 1 was already showing.
‘I was wondering what kind of films you liked to watch?’ he asked hurriedly.
‘Me?’ Caught off guard, Ellie had been admiring the slight suggestion of a dimple in his chin, she tried to concentrate. ‘Oh, all sorts. I like … er ….’ She was trying to remember the name of a film that wasn’t a romance. Or was honesty the best policy, now that nothing was going to happen between them. ‘I don't like war films,’ she blurted out as level 2 flashed above their heads. ‘Films like Black Hawk Down,’ although maybe she should watch it one day and see what all the fuss was about.
She half expected him to look disappointed but he just nodded. ‘Understandable. You like … romance?’
Ellie tilted her chin, refusing to be embarrassed. ‘Yes, I do.’
‘Me too, sometimes.’
‘You do?’
‘Sometimes. Apparently Top Gun is a romance and I enjoyed that.’
Level three flashed.
‘Hobbies?’ asked Logan
‘Sorry?’
‘Do you have any hobbies?’
‘Hobbies?’
‘Yes. What do you like to do on a weekend?’
Level 4 flashed as Ellie searched for an answer. Did she have any hobbies? Could reading one romance book after another and watching Pride and Prejudice and Pretty Woman repetitively be classed as a hobby, or was it more of an addiction? And as for the weekends, well since she and Carl had broken up she had spent most of her weekends thinking about Logan and wondering what they would do if they were together. Was he the type to suggest a long walk by the river followed by a lazy Sunday Brunch? Or was he more energetic, would it be cycling helmets on and Dales here we come?
‘Ellie?’
She had been thinking for some time and Logan was beginning to look anxious.
‘Oh, I … I don't know...’
‘Well what are you doing this weekend?’ he asked desperately.
‘I … er … I ….’
Level 5 flashed and the doors started their ritualistic slow parting to a gasp of relief from Ellie.
‘Sorry … I have to go,’ and she leapt out into the emerging space, hearing a faint ‘Bye Ellie,’ from the lift
‘Logan in the lift again eh?’ twinkled Laura. ‘Surprising how that’s happened two mornings in a row.’
‘Coincidence,’ offered Ellie.
‘Actually, I've been talking to a few of the accounts lot and it turns out Harriet is in a right strop about something. I’m wondering if Logan has stopped seeing her. You know, having decided that you’re the girl for him.’
‘Except I’m not the girl for him, am I? Because he didn't stick around to hear my side of the story the night he saw Carl and me together. Instead, he asked Harriet out.’
‘But what if he made a mistake and he’s regretting it? What if he really wants you?’