He had past the point of being able to focus on work, so he tried to distract himself with a game of FreeCell on his computer. He was just about to win his first game when Michael emerged from his office. He moped over to Jim’s desk with a sullen expression plastered on his face.

“Hey Michael… what’s wrong?” He asked, looking at quizzically, but she just shrugged, clearly not knowing the source of Michael’s problem.

“Um, I would really appreciate it if you would come out to lunch with me. Talk about some guy stuff. I’d like your opinion on some things.”

“My opinion?” Jim asked calmly, yet his mind was racing to come up with any and every excuse to get out of going to lunch which would result in him missing lunch with Pam. The very lunch he had been looking forward too for the last two hours, twenty-four minutes, and seventeen seconds.

Michael leaned in “Yeah... me and my lady friend had a fight and I need some guy talk.”

“You mean Jan? And usually, it’s called girl talk because guys don’t really do the whole talk thing when situations go badly.” He prayed Michael would buy that, to his office to ponder why girls could have girl talk, but guys couldn’t have guy talk.

“Michael, I’d be glad to go with you and help you through any feminine problems you may be having.”

“Lower your voice Dwight, geez. You think I want this to be public knowledge? And I don’t have feminine problems… I have problems with the feminine species!”

Jim looked at his boss with a raised eyebrow “Sex?”

“That’s what she said.” Michael laughed.

“No, you said feminine species, I think you meant feminine sex… men and women are the same species... you know what. Nevermind. Michael I would love to help you with your problem but I actually already have lunch plans, so I can’t.”

“Can I go?” Dwight asked.  

Jim looked over at Pam, who was intently watching the conversation between the three men. She hoped that Jim would be able to get out of it. She had plans. Plans that took a lot of courage to put into motion, one could say these plans were years in the making. Yes, she had plans for Jim during lunch, and now Michael was going to ruin it, dashing her preparations and potentially putting her courage on the backburner.

“Jim, this is not a question. I am having a very serious crisis which needs to be resolved ASAP. Your attendance is not up for negotiation… and as my friend I would expect you to be happy to help. I’ve always been available when ever you’ve have some…feminine problems. Plus you can’t tell me you don’t want to get out of this sweatbox for a few hours.” He said, indiscreetly nodding his head in Pam’s direction.

Pam’s eyes locked with Jim’s, they both knew Jim had been defeated and even if he continued to fight Michael against going to lunch with him, they both knew in the end… he’d lose. She gave him a smile that let him know she wasn’t mad. Dissapointed… yes, but not mad.

“Ok great… Jim let’s have an EDT in about twenty minutes!” Michael chirped.

“I think I should come along too… I have a girlfriend and can offer valuable information on the weaker sex.” Dwight interjected.

“Yeah, sure whatever Dwight.” Michael said as he walked back into his office.

Jim faintly heard Dwight’s “yesss!” as he walked over to the reception desk.

“I am so sorry.” Jim said immediately to Pam, before she could say anything. Just looking at her made him even more angry at Michael for ruining his non-date lunch with Pam. She was wearing pink today, he loved the way she looked in pink. Granted, he loved the way she looked in general, but she just seemed to sparkle even more in his eyes when she wore that color.

She looked up at him with a disappointed half smile on her face. “It’s ok, I know how irresistible a lunch date with Michael can be.”

“Believe me… he is not the one who is irresistible.” Jim noticed how his comment made Pam blush and look down at her desk. “What if promise to make it up to you?”

“Make it up to me?” Pam repeated, her interest very piqued.  

“Yes. Can you stay later tonight? Not too much later, just until like 5:30?”

Pam tried to read his thoughts, but had not idea what he was thinking. It didn’t stop her heartbeat from racing. She didn’t know whether it was the heat or the exciting fact that Jim also had plans that made her skin tingle. “Yeah sure. Am I allowed to know what you have in store for 5:30 tonight?”

“Nope, it’s a surprise.” Jim said with a grin. “You’re just going to have to sweat it out.”

“Ha ha.” She mocked, but mentally applauded his talent for pun.

He drummed his fingers on the reception desk one last time before turning around and heading back to his seat. He wasn’t going to let Michael’s feminine problems ruin his plans with Pam.