the next meeting between Ellie and Logan had to be a little more normal.
‘I'm sure he thinks we’re both lunatics,’ she'd grumbled as Ellie gazed dreamily at her fingers. ‘He might even report us to HR. It looked like we were trying to stalk him, all very creepy,’ she’d complained, giving Ellie a cross glance. ‘And stop rubbing your fingers! It was a bit of static not Cupid’s arrow!’
But Ellie knew better. It was a sign, a big elemental sign that something was meant to be between herself and Logan and she couldn’t wait to find out what it was.
‘I’d better start practising,’ giggled Ellie. ‘Using his name and smiling. I wonder when I'll see him next.’
‘Right now,’ said Laura casually. ‘He’s about to walk into the office. Here’s your chance. Head up, smile in place and just say, perfectly naturally, ‘Hello Logan.’ Even you should be able to do that Ellie. Ellie?’
Puzzled, Laura looked over at her friend’s empty desk. Logan was walking in their direction his arms full of folders and a slightly nervous look on his face.
‘Ellie, where are you?’ whispered Laura furiously. ‘He’s coming over. He's coming to our desk. He’s here. Where are you? Oh, hello Logan.’
Swivelling her chair around to block the view of her friend’s desk and the figure she’d just spotted hiding beneath it, Laura jumped up to greet Logan by throwing her arms around him and turning him slightly sideways so he had no chance of seeing the crouching Ellie.
The hug wasn't entirely successful due to the volume of files Logan was carrying and as Laura’s sleeve became tangled in a paperclip that was peeping out, they were obliged to step even closer to detangle her, a move that left a blush on his cheeks.
‘Sorry,’ beamed Laura, pushing him back a few steps so he was well away from Ellie’s desk. ‘Can I help you with anything?’
‘I er, I've brought these files down for you. It's the contracts that you and er… you and er…’
‘Ellie,’ prompted Laura.
‘Yes, that you and… er, Ellie were working on. We’ve finished the analysis and I was asked to return them and let you know that we’re having a meeting this afternoon to discuss the findings.’
Laura rolled her eyes. As part of the administration team, she and Ellie were often dragged into meetings on the off chance that someone from another team may have a question to ask. They never did and the meetings usually dragged on interminably as they discussed matters that were of absolutely no interest to either of them.
‘Another meeting,’ she groaned. ‘I hate those meetings.’
Logan nodded sympathetically, leaning forward to drop the files on Laura’s desk and stepping back again quickly.
‘Right okay, well I’ll go …’
‘But I'll tell you who loves them!’
‘Er, loves them? Loves the …?’
‘The meetings. Ellie!’
‘Ellie?’
‘Yes, Ellie. She loves those meetings.’
Logan’s eyebrows raised. ‘Does she?’
‘Oh absolutely. But then Ellie’s got that kind of brain. She’s really into figures and statistics and er… well you know, all that kind of stuff.’
‘Really?’ Logan’s eyebrows had reached their limit. ‘I hadn't realised …’
‘Not many people do. She hides her light under her bush does our Ellie, I mean bushel,’ she added hastily at Logan's expression.
‘Fancy. Well, I must go …’
‘So she’ll be really happy that we’re having a meeting,’ continued Laura, leaping in front of Logan to block his escape. ‘It will be a chance for her to use her mind, dissect the er … you know, the stuff that needs dissecting. Because she's got the same kind of brain as you.’
‘Indeed.’ Logan nodded politely and turned to go the long way around past Ellie’s desk only to have his arm grabbed by Laura who pulled him firmly away.
‘Must be nice to know that someone in the meeting will be interested,’ she said, tugging him closer so he wouldn’t discover the still hiding figure.
Flinching at her touch but seeing an opportunity for escape, he manoeuvred his body around the corner of her desk, ignoring the sharp edge which was now pressing into his thigh.
‘Yes, lovely. I need to be off …’
‘You’ll be in the meeting and you’ll know that while everybody else might be bored silly and wish you’d shut up, Ellie will be watching you like a hawk and listening to everything you say!’
‘Thanks, great to know.’
His long legs finally managed to clear the desk and with a little tug, he was free of Laura’s grip, almost falling into the waste bin in his haste before he shot off at great