“Hey Big Tuna, you’re single right?”

Jim looked up from his FreeCell game, “Yeah.”

I mean, I think I am.

Andy craned his neck to the side, gesturing toward the break room.

“Pretty hot huh?”

I really don’t want to talk to you right now, especially about her.

He nodded.

“She’s completely crazy.” Andy warned, “Steer clear, Big Tuna.  Head for open waters.”

Kristy?  Crazy?  I don’t think so.  Maybe a bit crazy for putting up with me, but I wouldn’t say completely.

He waited for Andy to turn around then quickly composed an e-mail.

Hey,

Just meet me at home tonight.  These cameras can get pretty out of control.

I’ll get dinner.

And please remind me to ask you what the hell you did to Andy.

-Jim

I'm not really a people person.

I guess I just give off that air of welcoming. I'm that girl that the strangers on the subway all want to tell their life stories to. And it's not like I'm terrible and don't listen, I just don't really want to listen. Really guy on the corner, I'm excited that you're starting your new job after cleaning up from getting out of jail. It's awesome, really but I have plenty of my own problems thank you.

I have no clue how I ended up in Stamford, Connecticut doing customer service for a failing paper company.

It's probably because despite being so annoyed by my job I also have this desire to keep everyone around me happy and would never tell anyone how just how unhappy I am.

It was a Monday in May when I was listening to my messages. Of course not one of them was even slightly friendly...I was going to have a fantastic day I could tell. While the owner of Jameson Yacht club was complaining about his order being late an instant message from Josh popped onto my screen, "Meeting 10 o'clock. Conference room."

I saved the message and put on my happiest face before going across the office to the conference room. I sat down in my normal corner seat. It was a little behind where Josh usually stood so I could get away with not paying attention because he couldn't really see me back there. Karen came in and sat in front of me, Hannah next to her. The rest of the office slowly filed in.

Josh walked in and my eyes went straight to the floor. Something about Josh Porter rubs me the wrong way. Sure, he’s handsome and in great shape. He’s a respectful and intelligent boss, but something is just off with him. Just as I was reminding myself to schedule a pedicure Josh began, “Good morning everyone. I just called you all in here because I wanted to introduce our newest addition and your new regional manager. This is Jim Halpert, he is here from Scranton. Let’s reassure him that he made the right choice.”

Josh forced a laugh and a few people chuckled quietly. I looked up at this Jim guy and I immediately felt sad. He was standing next to Josh, his hands buried deep in his pockets. His eyes were fixed on the floor a forced, tight-lipped smile stuck on his face. Josh dismissed us and everyone quickly filed out, rushing past Jim without any acknowledgement. I felt bad for the guy, I mean we’ve all heard a lot of things about Scranton. I had a feeling he’d been hoping this would be an improvement. So though I’m still not sure why, I waited for everyone to leave and I went right up to him.

I smiled my prettiest smile, “Welcome to Stamford, Jim”

He kept his hands in his pockets and looked somewhere behind my head before meekly saying, “Thanks”

I stood there a moment longer, I quickly realized that he looked exactly like I felt everyday that I came to work. It always bothered me that no matter how unhappy I was I still just smiled. Why did it make me so crazy that he was doing what I wanted to, just show how he felt. But he wouldn’t smile.

----

I was walking to my car on the way out that night, one of the last ones out of the building. I’d gotten caught up talking to a customer.

I hadn’t even noticed Jim Halpert trying to get my attention.

“I’m sorry, did you just ask me something?”

He looked embarrassed, but different than that morning in the conference room. “Yeah, I was wondering if you know any good Italian places around here.” He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, the beginning of a real smile on his lips.

“Do you have a hot date?” I laughed.

His face went completely serious, “Not yet.”

I couldn’t help it when a loud, embarrassing guffaw escaped my lips. “Wow”

I felt better when he laughed too, but his hands went right back into his pockets. “Yeah that was terrible, I’m sorry”

I was flattered, honest. I just hadn’t been out on a date in years. And I was far from ready to go on one now.

But there was something intriguing about Jim Halpert and I just couldn’t say no. “Tell you what,” I said, “I’ll go get some Italian with you, but we have to change it from a ‘hot date’ to…”

“A friendly work dinner?” he finished.

“Yeah, something like that.” I smiled. I held out my hand, “I’m Kristy by the way.”

He took my hand and we started walking toward the parking lot, “You are something else Jim Halpert, asking a girl out before you know her name.”

“I never bother with names.” He deadpanned.

Yeah, he was definitely something else.