Chapter Twenty-Five: Saturday Evening

Pam had just been asked out on a date. Her first date since high school. Her first date with Jim.

This far she'd planned. He'd asked and she'd said yes. Now they were still looking at each other not quite sure what to do. Shouldn't they be arranging a time and day to go out? She opened her mouth to say something funny to break the tension when Jim suddenly burst into movement with a resolute expression on his face.

"I'll be back in an hour." He took his car keys out of his pocket and head for the front door.

"What? Why? Where are you going?" She rushed to the door to cut off his exit before she got her answers.

"I'm taking you out but I need to shower and change so I'll be back in an hour." He said plainly but let both his hands trail down her bare arms. She shivered a little, she wasn't sure now if she wanted him to leave at all and just invite him into her new shower right now. She refocused; she wanted this phase to last, to savour it, she didn't want to rush it now.

"You're taking me out tonight?" She asked with a little bit of disbelief but in reality, this was exactly what she should have anticipated.

"I've waited a long time for this Pam; I don't want to wait a second longer." He spoke slowly and the romantic look in his eye made Pam understand what a swoon was for the first time. That thought made her giggle in her head; the suddenness of events was making her mind jump about from thought to thought like she was giddy.

"Ok, let's do this. Where are we going?"

"Uh... haven't gotten that far yet. Don't dress up too much but it's not like I'm taking you to Wendy's or something."

"I definitely wouldn't put out for Wendy's."

"What about Red Lobster?"

"Oh yeah, totally hot for lobster."

"Noted Beesly." He gently pulled her close and placed a barely there kiss on her lips. "See you in an hour my beautiful Pam."

With those words he was gone. There was no time to think. Pam ran to her bathroom, she had one hour to prepare for the most important night of her new life. She was humming to herself as she got the water to the right temperature and dug out her favourite expensive sandalwood body wash she'd gotten from Penny for her birthday. Being so organised meant she knew exactly where it was, along with everything else she needed.

While she was preparing and toeing off her shoes she realised the song she was humming was their song, Breathless.

...*...

Jim turned on the engine of his car and sped home. It wasn't until he was half way there that he'd realised exactly what he'd done.

He'd asked Pam out on their first date.

After years of dreaming about it they were finally going start a proper, full-on relationship. And he'd given himself less than sixty minutes to plan a perfect and unforgettable first date. Of course he'd imagined their first date hundreds of times, whisking her away to a secret champagne picnic, dinner in New York City, even cooking all her favourite dishes by himself. All of these options required advanced preparation and planning and there was no time.

This had to be a date they could tell their kids about one day and a boring seafood meal at Coopers wasn't going to cut it. He couldn't take her there anyway after she joked about putting out for lobster. He felt his breathing speed up slightly as he panicked, this had to be perfect and all he had was Scranton and a Saturday night where all the good places would be booked up, especially on a mild night like this. And it was Scranton.

Usually he'd call Mark to brainstorm but he was currently on a date with Isobel. Although Mark did beat him to a date, it wasn't by much after all. Jim didn't have the heart to interrupt though he was considering it, he couldn't mess his chance with Pam. He considered calling Ollie but his idea of a good date was one that was cheap, supposedly because he didn't want a gold digger, in truth he was just a bit tight with cash and didn't like fancy food. A more realistic option was Nick; he'd have some sensible ideas and he and Sandra had date night every other week.

Jim dialled as he drove, he was almost home but he had no time to go round and see him.

"Hey Nick, it's Jim."

"Hey Jimmy, how are you?"

"I have a date with Pam." There was no time for pleasantries.

"That's great news! When is it?"

"Less than an hour. I literally just asked her out and it seemed like a good idea to take her out that second, you know, be spontaneous, but I'm completely blanking on what to do now, it's gotta be special and I haven't planned anything."

"Ok, I get where you're coming from, you rung anywhere for reservations yet?"

"No, I'm driving back from her new place now."

"Well there's The Elm Tree."

"Too upmarket and I'd have to book months in advance."

"Coopers?"

"No." He didn't want to explain his reasoning for turning that option down so bluntly.

"Well, what does she like?"

"Uh, Thai food, she makes her own green curries." He remembered that it was one of the first meals she'd cooked for herself after Roy moved out and she'd been experimenting with other
dishes too.

"Well there's a good place out at Carbondale, Green Dragon."

"Can you text me their number, I'm really tight for time." Jim pulled into his driveway, already anticipating his shower that would be nowhere near as long and luxurious as he wanted it to be.

"Sure, I'm online now. Have you thought about extras? I'm guessing you want to make this special."

"I've got a few possibilities, it's a bit late for flowers but I've got a present I bought just after she broke up with Roy and I thought about giving her... well, there's another option but I might hold back on that for now." Jim thought about something he'd kept in his sock drawer since Christmas but it still felt too soon, at least too soon for Pam. Jim let himself into his
house, bounded up the stairs two at a time and almost tripped over Mark's jeans and t-shirt which had been shed in the hallway. He must had come home to shower and change in a rush before his date too.

"Come round when you're ready, I'll sort out the flower thing for you and I'll book you a table for two at the Green Dragon and I'll text you directions." Said Nick warmly, Jim could hear his wife's voice in the background but he couldn't discern what she was saying.

"Thanks man, you're the best I totally, totally owe you a huge favour. Look, I've gotta shower now, been moving furniture all day."

"I've got everything in hand, see you soon."

Jim hung up, shed his clothes on top of Mark's and strode into the bathroom.

...*...

Pam stood in front two open suitcases wrapped in nothing but a towel. She hadn't had time to unpack her clothes yet. She hadn't unpacked anything yet. Ninety percent of it was her usual boring stuff that she was growing to hate; she wondered why she'd even bother to pack it at all, she should have left it behind. It was the ten percent she was assessing, the clothes she'd bought with the girls. Tops, trousers, skirts, dresses, jeans and shoes, a little bit of everything but without an idea where they were going she didn't know what to choose. Not that she'd have much of a clue if she did know where they were going. She took out all the new pieces and laid them on the bed and discarded her old going out clothes to the floor.

She picked up her phone and dialled out in need of help. With Penny out with Danny and Isobel on a date, as well as being in the dog house, she was left with one option.

"Kelly?" Pam could hear loud music in the background.

"Pam! How was moving day? I'm so sorry I couldn't help but Ryan's cousin was getting married and I got to wear my totally awesome and so Angelina Jolie Greek style ivory dress with these totally awesome gold sandals like I was some Greek goddess and Ryan is totally Brad Pitt in Troy-"

"Kelly! Jim asked me out!" She held the phone away from her ear until the screaming stopped. Pam had to butt in, time was running out and she still had to do her hair. "I need your advice on what to wear."

"Where is he taking you?"

"I don't know."

"Right." It was strange to hear Kelly deep in thought, but she got that about clothing, it was a challenge to her, a puzzle to solve. "Ok, you need to be perfect dressy casual, like Kate Beckingsale in New York at an art gallery in the spring with some totally hot guy who's younger than her."

Pam had no idea what that really meant and how that helped her. "So, what about that purple dress?"

"Pam that's totally Kate Hudson at a premier in LA, are you even listening?" Kelly was sounding more and more like a valley girl each day. An exasperated valley girl.

"Just tell me what to wear Kelly, he'll be here in forty minutes and I need you to focus."

"Those dark blue bootleg skinny jeans and that deep red satin v-neck top with the matching necklace with those totally Louboutin black high heels. That'll be totally hot."

"Isn't that top a little... busty?"

"It's a date isn't it? It's not like he doesn't look, I've been watching him in the conference room, his eyes are totally undressing you."

"Kelly!" She scolded but secretly she liked that he had looked.

"Just go for it Pam. What are you going to wear underneath?"

"Just my normal underwear, it's not like he's going to see it."

"That's not the point Pam, if you're wearing sexy goddess underwear you'll feel more like a sexy goddess and be more confident and more attractive. No one feels sexy in big cotton panties. Remember what we taught you?"

"Well I guess I've got some of that stuff you ordered."

"You kept them?" She squealed with delight causing Pam to hold the phone away from her ear once again. "Oh my god, you should wear that black g-string, vpl will just totally kill the look and no way can you go without-"

"Eww."

"Just go for it Pam, send me a pic when you're dressed, I've just got to totally dance to this song. Oh, Ryan says hi! Good luck Pam!"

Kelly promptly hung up and Pam set to work. She had thirty five minutes to dress, do her hair and put on makeup before Jim was here. At least with such a short time scale she didn't have days to wind herself up and freak out. She held the g-string in her hand for a moment. Kelly was right; she'd feel a damn sight sexier in this than the plain ones she was planning on. New Pam feared nothing. At least that's what she kept telling herself.

"You can do this, Pam. They're just lacy pants, they won't eat you."

...*...

Jim checked himself out in the mirror for the twentieth time in his twentieth shirt. He'd even tried to call Kelly, of all people, for advice but her cell phone was busy. He smoothed down his shirt. He'd gone for black considering he'd sweat through his white shirt with the blue stripe in a matter of seconds.

"Calm down Halpert, you can do this, it's not like you haven't been on a date before and you've been on loads of fake-dates with Pam. You. Can. Do. This."

He looked for a semi-smart pair of shoes and slipped them on. They looked good with his dark blue jeans. They were a bit baggier than he remembered, he must have lost weight recently, he turned to make sure his ass still looked good in them; they were after all his stable date-wear.

"Not bad." He said to his reflection before definitely deciding to take Danny up on the offer of boxing lessons, he was getting a bit skinny rather than just lean. He'd been skipping basketball to hang out with Pam too which wasn't helping. Maybe while Pam was at her art classes he could box or workout. It felt nice to think about planning his life in sync with hers.

One quick glance at his watch told him he was close to running late and he still needed to see Nick. He opened his sock drawer and grabbed the small jewellery box. He'd wanted to buy a present for the start of their relationship and now he'd finally get to give it to her. The other item, an envelope, he left behind. It could wait for now.

He grabbed his new leather jacket he'd bought for the spring and dashed down stairs. Locking up behind him he hopped the fence to Nick's, grateful the grass was dry and didn't mess up his shoes. The door opened before he could knock. Nick stood with his wife Sandra and a beautiful bouquet of flowers in hand.

"Wow, Nick, those are amazing." Jim had no idea what the flowers were, they all looked exotic, colourful and unfamiliar. Pinks, oranges, greens and purples all wrapped and prepared. It was certainly extravagantly eye-catching.

"You're booked in at eight at the Green Dragon, I also added in a few extras so just roll with those and remember you can always take a cab home if you drink too much. No drink driving" Nick spoke quickly like he was preparing Jim for military action.

"Yes dad." Jim said obediently.

"The directions I've texted, they are fairly simple so you shouldn't have a problem; you look good by the way."

"Handsome." Added Sandra with an Irish lilt and a teasingly lustful look. "Just like my Nicky did on our first date."

"Thanks Sandra, god, I've never been this nervous before a date before." Jim wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans.

"It a good sign, at least this means something to you. How long before you've got to go?"

Jim glanced at his watch. "Five minutes ago."

"She'll be grateful for the extra time. Give her a text to let her know you're on your way, she can do her finishing touches." Sandra straightened his collar for him; it was like having surrogate parents. At least Sandra and Nick were a little bit more laid back than his parents.

"Thanks so much for your help, seriously, you're both amazing. I'll let you know how it goes." Jim turned at a jog and got into his car to a chorus of good lucks from his neighbours. A few deep breaths and he was finally ready to go.

...*...

Pam paced her new living room. She was surrounded by boxes that she should be unpacking and flat-pack she should be assembling, possibly with Jim's help, but instead, she was trying to stretch out her impossibly tight jeans and balance in her too high shoes. They were gorgeous though, inch high platforms in patent black. You could only see a hint of them but they looked like she meant business, first date business. She'd never owned anything like them before but she'd wanted to.

She'd sent Kelly a picture of the final look and was instructed to do darker eyes but Kelly was impressed with her hair. Isobel had taught her how to turn her frizz into smooth curls with a straightening iron; it was a look Jim won't have seen before so she was excited to see his reaction. Her curls settled happily on her satin covered shoulders, the puff sleeves slightly hidden. The dark red top plunged a little lower than she usually went for but it was still nothing compared to Kelly's everyday work clothes. The fluttery edges kept her look feminine and Pam-like.

A little extra make-up, but nowhere near as much as Kelly wanted and she was ready. Jim had text that he was on his way so she figured she had about five more minutes to not have a panic attack or jump out the window.

She had no idea what was in store for her. She kinda predicted that maybe they'd go somewhere like a bar and have a steak or something, Roy liked dates like that, no muss, no fuss. But Jim wasn't Roy. And why was she eventhinking about Roy now? She told herself off and focused on Jim. She had no regrets about taking this step, she'd barely been able to keep her hands off him all day in those paint stained jeans, she just wanted to call Jim hers. Jim at least would think about what she'd like to do.

Pam returned to her bedroom for one last look in her full length mirror. She turned to see how her ass looked in her tight jeans.

"Not bad." She said to herself, hoping Jim would think the same, she loved the thought of Jim checking her out, it made her feel so good inside, so confident. She adjusted her underwear, for all its sexiness they weren't the most comfortable pair in the world.

She jumped and almost fell out of her shoes when she heard a knock at the door. "This is it." The distance from her bedroom to the front door felt like miles in her shoes but she got there and placed a trembling hand on the door knob.

I could have jumped straight to the date but I just had to write the build up and it was fun. I've got The Date all planned out and I'm really happy with how it's going to go, I've just got to write it. It's going to be a long one and dialogue heavy so I'll need a few days to get it right.

Advance warning that the rating will probably be bumped for the next chapter so adjust your search for M rated if you don't have this on story alert already. Can't leave Jim at first base forever!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, thanks for all the amazing feedback from the last chapter, I really made you guys wait for Pam. It'll be worth it, promise.