I love how tuned in your Jim is to Pam's disappointment. It's very sweet. You're totally right btw, it's eerie how closely our headcanons aligned on this one!

*By morning all he’d come up with was to cover the beam on the underside of her mouse to keep it from working, hoping she’d call him over for help before she flipped it over to investigate why. The cause of its malfunction would be the small note he’d have taped there that would read, From the minute I met you I knew we clicked. Marry me, Pam.*

OMG okay that's cute but not enough. Good instincts, Jim.

*He knew before then he was in love but it was in that moment that he could taste eternity with her, know their souls would be tied to each other forevermore. It was there in the sky, in her touch, in the way she looked away from the horizon and into his eyes, the gold of the heavens reflected in hers. There were few words spoken that morning, but there didn’t need to be. *

Wow, this is beautiful!

*“Jim, I’ll be honest. I was upset. It was super romantic sitting watching fireworks with you, real ones this time and it had me thinking how symbolic the moment would be if only you would have...”

Jim looked down at his plate. It was exactly the reason he’d paid Phyllis to get those fireworks. He’d had a whole speech prepared about all the moments they’d shared right there in the office that led them to that instance. Freakin’ Andy.*

Freakin' Andy is right. The parallels between what that proposal would have been and their first "date" are too much for my heart to handle. Although I can't complain because the real proposal is my all time fave Jam moment ever, so...

Excited to see what's next!

Author's Response:

You went on a reading binge - but I'm so glad - thanks for all the great review, starting with this one.

 Yes, I often feel like we see things very similarly when I read your stuff...reaffirming and fun to have that similar viewpoint.

I thought so too, save it for a Dwight prank - although they (Jim and Dwight) take a bit longer to click.

Awwh thanks. Yeah I was deep in my Gold story stage around this time - I tend to let my stories bleed into one another. 

Freaking ANDY -yeah it would have been...but yeah I enjoyed the proposal at the gas station as well.

Thanks again - ever so much. 

“As the sun painted the sky with metallic specs of copper and fire and cast its radiance over the landscape in the distance, he felt something shift within him. He knew before then he was in love but it was in that moment that he could taste eternity with her, know their souls would be tied to each other forevermore.”

Absolutely beautiful, Max. I loved that description but I also love how you filled in the blanks of post- that non-proposal. Absolutely fits with canon and it feels so natural. Poor Beth though, she must have been really thrown!

Author's Response:

You know the reference that was from - and I almost thought I wouldn't be able to describe it differently than I had before - especially within this story, which I felt was a little more lighthearted than the original. I'm really pleased you felt it too.

Yeah, we knew they must have discussed waiting and I had to imagine not only that but Pam must have just about figured it out, that he had been on the verge of asking. But I also felt after that she would be expecting it even more which would lesson the magic and element of surprise. Hard as it might of been for her to tell him to wait - I figured she might.

I really wanted to share the few other ways I thought were fun, if a bit corny, but isn't that Jim? But because this is a canon-complaint story I had to present them as more ways he didn't get to propose.

Poor Beth, I think more than it being about the win she was excited to see her favorite couple get engaged in her presence and as we know now she won't. 

Thanks for your review - always makes my day...and your story recommendation  - I enjoyed that one too and felt very in tune with that writer.