Jim had refused to leave the painting in the car. He set it up in the booth next to him at the diner, something that made Pam both embarrassed and strangely proud. She had to admit that it was nice having someone around who really believed in her. She just couldn't say it out loud.

Jim grabbed a menu from behind the ketchup bottle. "So, what's good here?"

"Everything," Pam replied. "I usually go with the macaroni and cheese dinner. Very comforting."

"Sounds good to me," Jim said. "And, oh, look at that. Apparently this place has the number one milkshake in all of America. Lofty."

"Their menu has very high self-esteem," Pam agreed.

When the waitress came around, Jim ordered two macaroni and cheese dinners and two milkshakes.

"So, Maddie's birthday is tomorrow," Jim said. "I assume it's a formal affair."

"Strictly coat and tie," Pam agreed, smiling. "We'll have to get you a ball gown."

Jim laughed. "I see how it is. Wow. You know, you better be careful. She clearly loves me, so I would hate for you to be uninvited."

"James Halpert, are you threatening me?"

"I'm just saying, maybe you might want to be a little nicer to me," Jim said and grinned.

Pam took both his hands in hers. She looked him in the eye and spoke with mock seriousness. "I don't want to upset you, Jim. I lo - I don't want you ruining my friendship with Maddie."

Jim fought the impulse to kiss her hand. Instead, he took a breath and carefully slid his hands away from hers. He knew that whatever he said next had the possibility to bury him, so he played it cool.

"Too bad she's so clearly in love with me," he said, hoping his tone was light. "I may have found the woman I want to marry. Will it be awkward for you to be Maddie's bridesmaid?"

Pam exhaled. "Insanely so."

"Then you can be my best man," he said. "I wanna keep you close, Beesly."

She smiled and traced the pattern on the placemat with her index finger. She stared down at the table, storm clouds and ocean currents churning in her eyes. She wanted to bring up what they had talked about at the beach, wanted to ask how he had ever forgiven her. She wasn't sure that she had even forgiven herself. It was a slippery slope.

Before she could decide if she wanted to bring it up again, the waitress came to the table to serve their food. After agreeing that the milkshakes were indeed number one in the nation, they ate in silence for a few minutes.

Pam stabbed at her macaroni and cheese. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"You can ask as many as you want," he replied.

It wasn't like the last time she had said that. This time it wasn't the cameras stopping her from saying what she wanted to - it was herself. She bit her bottom lip then asked, "How's your food?"

"Cheesy and delicious," he said. "Probably the best mac 'n' cheese my taste buds have ever seen."

"Good, good."

"So, that was really your question?"

She couldn't look him in the eye, so she stared down at her food. "Yeah. Why? What'd you think I was gonna ask?"

"No, nothing," he said. He added quietly, "I wasn't expecting anything more from you."

"Sorry," she said quietly. She covered her dish with her napkin and stood up. "Excuse me."

After she walked away from the booth, Jim shook his head and set his fork down. It had come out a little harsh, he knew that, but he couldn't explain what he had meant. He couldn't explain that it wasn't her fault that he was always expecting so much from her. It wasn't fair. She was married now and they would probably spend the rest of their lives talking in doublespeak.

When Pam returned, she asked, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah."