“Hi, Karen. Good morning.”
“Oh, Hi, Pam. I was just thinking about you.”
“Oh?”
“Well…I wondered if you wanted to go out after work tonight, you know, sort of a Girl’s Night Out? You can pick the place, I don’t know the area that well yet.”
Pam forced her smile not to fade. She was not feeling at all enthusiastic about spending time with Jim’s new girlfriend. It wasn’t Karen herself, Pam liked Karen and really did want to get to know her better. It would be nice to have a good girlfriend in the office. But why did she have to also be Jim’s girlfriend?
She hoped she hadn’t paused too long. Karen was looking at her expectantly.
“Oh, yeah. Okay. That would be good.”
Another pause.
“I’m sorry,” Pam added quickly, “It’s just…I was trying to think if I had a class tonight or anything. No…Yes…that would be really good.”
Way to hide your feelings, Pam, Pam thought as she walked back to her desk. Then she realized she had forgotten to bring her teapot back to her desk. She sighed. Get a grip.
Before she could collect herself, the door opened. Someone else had arrived at work. Pam looked up, and her heart did a little flutter when she saw it was Jim. Stop it. You have to stop doing that. He works here. He comes in that door every day. He’s seeing Karen.
Pam looked down at her desk in confusion.
Jim closed the door and looked towards Pam’s desk. As he always did. She didn’t seem to notice him, so he took the few seconds he had to look at her. There was a flush to her cheeks. She’s so beautiful. Does she have no idea what she does to me? Just sitting there at her desk, and I can hardly breathe for seeing her.
Jim wanted to stop at her desk and say something that would make her smile at him. He loved her smile, especially when her whole face lit up. She rarely gave him that smile anymore. She said I misinterpreted things. I guess she’s being more careful around me now, so I don’t get my hopes up again.
He bit his lip and walked by her desk to his own without a word.
Karen emerged from the kitchen with a cup of coffee as he was turning on his PC. Jim saw her out of the corner of his eye. One down, one to go. How the Hell did I get myself into this situation? he thought for the thousandth time that day.
“Hey, Jim, do you think you could show me how you do your weekly call sheets here? I know they are different than we did in Stamford.” Karen approached Jim’s desk and stood a little farther away than usual. She regarded him with what she hoped was a bland, professional expression.
I can do this, she thought. I can back off a little, and show him how well I can handle this thing. I’ll be the best I can be and maybe he will change his mind.
“Yeah, sure, Karen. They are a little different.” Jim took Karen’s lead and adopted a completely professional manner. Wow. She’s not going to make a scene. She’s not going to play games. This really is one terrific woman. I can’t believe I’m not in to her.
Pam watched this exchange out of the corner of her eye, while printing Michael’s weekly schedule for him. Oh my God. They are being all polite to each other. Pam’s breath caught in her throat. I promised myself I would tell him how I felt if they ever broke up. Oh my God why did I have to promise myself that? Pam mentally shook herself. Just because they are being polite does NOT mean they are not still going out.
Her eyes strayed over to look directly at Jim and Karen. Jim had his back to Pam, and she couldn’t help taking in his strong frame and noticing how his still damp hair curled up on the ends above his shirt collar. She looked him completely up and down, and then licked her lips unconsciously.
Karen glanced up just in time to catch Pam licking her lips. Oh my God, she is totally drinking him in! Not that I blame her or anything. But Oh my God! She looked away quickly, so as not to catch Pam’s eye.
