Chapter Nine

"Candlelight. Nice touch." Pam giggles as she moves to sit in the chair Jim has pulled out for her.

He regards the tiny votive candle on the scarred wooden table of the dark but cozy pub they're in. "Of course there's candlelight. I just want to make sure you get the full 'Jim Halpert Experience'." He says as he takes a seat across from her.

She blanches a bit as she stares at him. "Please don't ever say that again." She says as if she's completely disgusted.

He realizes how cheesy that just sounded and starts to laugh. "OK."

"I mean…NEVER." She keeps her gaze even as she smiles back at him.

They are tucked in the corner of a real locals place, not far where Pam's parents live. A snarly waitress comes over to greet them but in seconds Jim charms her enough to elicit a smile. Pam sits back in her chair, impressed but not at all surprised. She wonders how much trouble he's been able to wiggle out of just by giving someone that smile.

Stop staring at his mouth Pam. You told him you wanted this to go slow. That was just yesterday - might I remind you.

"So is this the kind of date you'd have taken me on in Scranton?" Pam asks as she picks at the label on the neck of her beer bottle.

She looks amazing…honestly. He wonders if it's just because she's with him now or if there's been a huge change in her since she'd called off the wedding. She seems livelier, less uptight. And if she decides to keep adding to this new wardrobe she's been sporting lately he will not complain.

Years of stuffy button down shirts and sweaters and suddenly she's wearing floral print dresses in soft cotton. His hands itch to reach out and touch the strap of her dress, to see if it's as soft as her shoulder.

Finally focusing on her question, he looks around the bar and says with a smile. "Yeah. Pretty much."

They had stared out with a movie. As they sat in the dark together it was so natural, like they'd been with each other for years. Their hands brushed each time they'd go to take a handful of popcorn. His arm felt perfectly at home resting across the back of her chair and she sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder halfway through.

It was the single best first date of her life.

And even though this was technically only the second first date she'd ever had, she was pretty sure that it would never be matched.

"Thank you for coming all the way out here. You have so far to drive tomorrow and I know you're probably still exhausted from your trip." She said then, looking over at him apologetically.

Are you kidding? I'd have travelled cross country for this. "It's not a problem. It was nice to see your mom again."

"She adores you." Pam said with a smile. It leaves her face as she sighs heavily. "The jury's still out on my dad though. He and Roy got along really well."

"It's OK." Jim shrugs.

She opens her mouth to apologize again and he reaches for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's OK." He repeats.

"So what time are you leaving tomorrow? Are you all packed?" She asks as she pulls her hand from his and moves to take a sip of her beer.

She visibly relaxes and smiles as the waitress puts a plate down in front of her. They begin to eat in silence when finally Jim says softly. "Pam. We need to talk about that. I'm not at all interested in leaving you any time soon."

"It's better this way." She protests.

"For who?" Jim replies. He hadn't meant to bring if up like this but it was the one thing weighing most heavily on his mind. "Being two hours away from you is torture enough. If I go to Stamford it'll be close to five."

"It's OK. It won't be for long." Her eyes sparkle as she tells him. "I got a new apartment."

He so surprised, he nearly chokes as he swallows. "You did?"

"I did." She grins widely. "And it's all mine." She adds proudly. "I move in about three weeks from now. So the drive will be a lot easier once that happens."

Three weeks. Three weeks. A lot can change in three weeks.

He grins back at her. This is something he never thought he'd see. Slightly courageous, independent Pam. He loved that she was taking chances, taking one with him in particular. If she was willing to move out on her own - who was he to chicken out on a chance for something better himself?

As he's thinking all this her foot collides with his under the table. He's not sure if she's done it on purpose so he pretends it didn't happen.

He watches her closely and he observes, not for the first time, that she eats so slowly. She cuts little pieces and takes tiny bites. Her fingers are so delicate…

He gets so caught up in watching her he doesn't take a bite of his own dinner for a good five minutes.

Finally she realizes he's been staring at her. "What?" She says softly.

"Nothing." He says with a shrug.

"Don't give me nothing. You're staring at me." She replies.

"So?"

"So. It's making me self conscious and your dinner is getting cold." She says as she puts down her fork.

It can get cold. I don't care. I'm sitting across a table from you and you're not wearing Roy's ring. I've dreamed of this. Do you have any idea how long I've dreamed of this?

He thinks all these things but what he says, with a face full of innocence is, "What?"

"I'm not taking another bite until you do." She says defiantly.

Jim shakes his head at her and deliberately spears a fry with his fork bringing it to his mouth and chewing slowly.

She mimics him and does the same.

For the next few minutes they continue eating exactly that way until finally Pam bursts into laughter. She's too full to eat another bite and Jim has finished his own dinner and is now starting to take food off of her plate.

"Oh my God. You'd have done that until you'd eaten everything wouldn't you?"

He lifts his beer and takes a long sip. "Here's something you should learn and learn well. Never challenge me Beesly. You'll lose. Every time."

"I beg to differ. I'm scrappy. I can give you a run for your money." Pam narrows her eyes at him. "As a matter of fact - I believe - when I challenged you to poker - I was victorious."

The same thoughts fill both their heads. Poker...bluffing...I'm in love with you...I can't...office...kissing.

Will they ever be able to talk of card games again without the scenes of that night flying through their minds?

He tries to reply, but her foot brushes against his leg again and he's distracted. And this time he's decided he needs to say something.

Jim shifts his chair so he's now sitting beside her. "Excuse me." He leans close and whispers in her ear. "I need to ask you a question. Are you playing footsie with me?"

"Not intentionally." Pam smiles back at him. "It's actually your fault."

"My fault?" He doesn't see how it could be.

"Well. You're very tall." She says simply, biting back a laugh.

"True." He nods in acknowledgement.

She scrunches her nose at him. "Almost…freakishly so." She can see he can't believe she's said such a thing. She places a hand on his arm, her voice full of sympathy. "Oh, Jim - I'm sorry. Is that the first time someone's cared enough to tell you?"

He blinks in surprise. "That - is the first time someone has called me freakishly anything…let alone tall."

"All this time - and they've kept this from you." She sighs and gives him a smile. "If your friends won't tell you the truth, Jim - are they really your friends?"

"I guess I'm lucky I've got a friend like you." He says softly, his eyes locking with hers.

When he looks at her that way she can feel it to the soles of her feet. Her skin flushes and she hopes he can't see it in the candlelight.

"I guess so." She finally manages.

They sit there for another half hour, alternatively laughing and teasing each other, huddled over coffee and tea.

Neither one of them wants to admit that he's leaving tomorrow.

Jim tries to stifle a yawn, the jet lag finally catching up to him. He doesn't want to go. He keeps trying to figure out a way to tell her he's simply not going to.

"Are you sure you'll be okay to drive?" She asks her voice full of concern.

I'll be thinking of you. I'll be thinking of this. It'll be plenty enough to keep me awake.

Yeah. I'm sure." He says as he takes her hand in his and leads her from the table and towards the door.

She can already feel him driving off, even as she sits in the car with him.

Three weeks, Pam. Three weeks. It'll all be better in three weeks.

He walks her to the door and it feels like a scene from the movie they'd just watched. She stands there gazing up at him waiting patiently for what comes at the end of a great first date like this one.

"I had a great time, Jim. Thank you." She whispers.

He can read her mind and though it pains him he smiles and says, "My pleasure."

She keeps staring at him. Involuntarily, her tongue darts out and she wets her lips and he's dying…simply dying. He's sure of it.

He takes a step closer, his arm circling her waist and she sways into him, her hands running up his chest and coming to rest on his shoulders.

"There's something else you should know about me, Beesly." He says softly as he brings his lips a breath away from hers.

"Um…right. Sure…whatever." She begins to babble as her fingers clutch the fabric of his shirt.

He shifts slightly and presses a kiss to her forehead. "I don't put out on the first date." He murmurs against her skin.

He laughs and lets her go, shoving his hands in his pockets and hopping down the steps of the porch.

"Jim…" She nearly groans as she watches him walk off.

"I've got a long drive ahead of me." He calls out over his shoulder. "I've got to get going."

"Jim…" She stares after him, her voice and her eyes pleading.

"Tough. You said you wanted slow. That's what you're getting." He says still laughing loudly as he climbs into his car and drives off.

She stands there in shock for a few long minutes, unable to believe that he's not going to come back.

When she finally realizes he's gone she makes her way inside, leaning her back against the door as it closes with a click.

Three weeks, is all she can think.