lot of us here tonight isn't there? There’s barely room to stand.’ Stepping closer she tossed her head so blonde hair drifted onto his shoulder.
‘Oh look! There’s a table free over there,’ she nodded her head in the direction of an empty table at one side of the room. ‘Shall we grab it?’ she asked, fluttering her lashes coquettishly.
‘Bloody Harriet from accounts,’ whispered Laura behind Ellie. ‘Right cow! If she’s got her sights on Logan, we’re in trouble. She won't be struggling for things to say to him.’
‘Logan?’ The breathy voice sounded a little more strident now. ‘Logan, shall we go sit at that table?’
‘You need to do something, don't let her take Logan anywhere! You won’t get him back!’ Laura said urgently in Ellie’s ear.
‘Logan, let’s sit down somewhere we can talk.’ The breathiness had returned as she tugged his arm giggling softly. ‘Come on.’
Logan’s eyes finally left Ellie’s, the arm that had been around her shoulders slid away and the room seemed suddenly chilly.
‘Excellent idea Harriet.’ Laura shoved Ellie in the direction of the empty table at the side of the room. ‘Come on everybody, let’s sit down!’
There was a short scuffle as Laura stood in front of Harriet who brought her elbow up to land viciously in Laura’s ribs making her double over and gasp and giving Harriet the vital seconds she needed to sidestep Ellie and plant herself on the chair next to Logan, a victorious grin on her face.
A furious Laura dragged two chairs opposite them and shoved Ellie into the one facing Logan, their knees almost touching beneath the table and their eyes on a collision course. Setting his pint down on the table, Logan gave her a shy smile.
His mouth opened and Ellie thought he was about to say something to her.
‘I watched the film you mentioned,’ said Harriet in the breathy little voice, leaning against him so she could speak softly into his ear. Ellie noticed Laura’s knuckles whiten. ‘It was really interesting.’
Ellie wondered if it was Black Hawk Down. A few more people joined them at the table, relieving the pressure at the bar and Ellie was vaguely aware of someone pulling up a chair and sitting on her other side.
‘Did you like it?’ asked Logan, his attention suddenly back on Harriet.
Ellie leaned forward, she wanted to hear Harriet’s reply.
‘Do you like films?’ asked the figure next to her. Ellie tutted, she hadn't been able to catch Harriet answer but she was giggling again and had her hand firmly back on Logan’s sleeve.
‘Sometimes,’ she answered over her shoulder. She watched Logan lean closer to Harriet so he could hear her better,
‘My name’s Jeff.’
Ellie was trying to eavesdrop. Why was Harriet using that silly little girl voice and half whispering? It was impossible to work out what she was saying.
‘I work with Logan.’
Laura was clearly having the same problem. ‘Speak up Harriet,’ she yelled across the table making everybody jump. ‘We can't hear you.’
‘You're Ellie, aren't you?’
Harriet glared, her lips thinning. ‘We were having a private conversation actually,’ she snapped and Logan's cheeks went pink as everyone looked at him.
‘We were just talking about films we’d seen,’ supplied Logan hastily as Laura kept her eyes fixed beadily on Harriet.
‘Logan’s mentioned you.’
At last, he had Ellie’s attention and she turned back to Jeff’s slightly receding hairline and developing beer belly.
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. Something about you being interested in what we do upstairs.’
Oh God, another conversation about SAS.
‘Right,’ she murmured.
‘Not many people think statistical analysis is interesting,’ continued Jeff thoughtfully. ‘It's nice to meet someone who realises how fascinating it is.’
‘What else did Logan say?’
‘What about?’
‘About me! Did he say anything else about me?’
It sounded desperate but Ellie needed all the help she could get and as a work colleague, maybe Jeff could give her some valuable insight into Logan.
‘No.’
Or maybe not.
Losing interest, Ellie returned to watching Harriet and Logan. She needed to have a conversation with him. If Fliss knew that right now she was sitting in a pub with Logan only feet away, she would tell Ellie to make sure she spoke to him, initiated contact, made him look into her eyes.
‘How’s the football going Logan?’ asked Harriet.
Damn, thought Ellie. Exactly the question she should have asked.
Jeff snorted. ‘Bloody awful,’ he answered. ‘We haven't won in weeks.’
Ignoring him, Harriet kept her eyes pinned on Logan.
‘We’re having a bad spell,’ he admitted with a grimace. ‘That’s all.’
‘You interested in football Ellie?’ It was Jeff again. Was it Ellie's imagination or had his chair moved ever