Eleanor smiled uncomfortably.
‘I’d say staying in touch is a bit of an overstatement.’ Finlaughed nervously. ‘Eleanor is basically on babysitting duty while I’m over from America visiting my mum.’
‘Well, I wouldn’t say that,’ Eleanor replied bashfully.
‘I would.’ He paused. ‘And I’m very grateful.’
Eleanor looked up at Fin and felt a flutter of affection ripple over her.
‘Fantastic babysitting skills,’ Marcus said loudly, ‘that’s always good to know. We might have to rope you in when this one’s born.’ He guffawed.
Eleanor tore her eyes away from Fin’s and was about to object kindly when a voice boomed across the kitchen.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, if you’d like to take your seats … dinner is served,’ Sal announced.
Eleanor didn’t need a seating plan to know who she’d be sitting next to.
‘Fin, you’re here beside me,’ Sal drawled, reaching for Fin’s hand and pulling him round the opposite side of the table. ‘Eleanor, you and Ben arehere.’ She gestured to the two seats directly in front of them.
‘What a surprise,’ Ben whispered, so only Eleanor could hear.
‘Subtlety isn’t her strong point,’ she replied, trying to avoid any eye contact.
‘Not in the slightest!’ He pulled out her chair and Eleanor quickly sat down, catching Fin’s eye. He seemed to be intrigued by the scene.
Eleanor shifted self-consciously in her seat. If she’d known Ben was going to be here, she might have made more of an effort. She reached for a stray curl and wrapped it round her finger, twirling it anxiously.
‘I’m glad to see the curls are still with us,’ Ben remarked quietly, pulling his chair in closer to hers.
‘They are persistent little things,’ she joked, unravelling the coiled piece of hair and letting it spring back into position. ‘How have you been?’
‘Fine, not much to report my end. Just been sitting patiently by my phone waiting for this girl to call me.’ He sighed apathetically.
Eleanor choked a little on her wine. ‘I’m sorry for not replying. It’s really rude of me and I shouldn’t have ignored you like that.’
‘It’s fine. I was teasing.’ He smiled warmly. ‘How long is your friend staying for?’ He nodded across the table to Fin.
‘Not sure actually. He hasn’t said. Maybe a few weeks.’ Eleanor poured herself another glass of wine hastily. ‘His mum isn’t well. He’s here visiting her.’
‘That’s a shame. I’m sorry to hear that,’ Ben stated solemnly. ‘But please don’t tell me that means we can’t get date number two in for a few weeks? By the way, this’ – he gestured at the surrounding guests – ‘doesn’t count as a date.’
Eleanor felt a rush of electricity snake up her body. ‘No, no. I’ll be around.’
‘That’s good. Although, I will need you to reply to my texts if we are ever going to meet without Sal orchestrating fake dinner parties as a ruse.’ His deep blue eyes twinkled at her.
‘Yeah, she really has gone to a lot of effort to bring us together, hasn’t she?’ Eleanor smiled wryly. ‘Although I hope there is actually food, I’m so hungry.’
‘Sal, when are you going to feed us, I’m ravenous,’ Ben called out across the table.
‘OK, Benny boy, calm down. You seemed pretty preoccupied when I last checked.’ Sal smirked. Eleanor felt Fin’s eyes on her and her entire body tensed.
‘I can eat and flirt at the same time, you know?’ Ben replied, making everyone around the table laugh.
‘That’s a talent if ever I saw one,’ Fin chimed in.
‘I can teach you if you like?’ Ben joked.
‘Thank you, but I’m actually taking a hiatus from women for the time being.’
