While Tyler was out shopping for power snacks for their soon to be very long work day, Grace was talking about her own appetite.

“I mean, you have to admit,” Grace continued her justification of lusting after Tyler. “It’s been slim pickings around here lately. We finally have someone who’s good looking, intelligent, and does what I ask him to. Can you blame me for...being curious?”

“You don’t even know him,” Katie said gently. Of course Tyler was good looking, and intelligent--and kind, and fun, and so much more, but Katie couldn’t tell Grace why or how she knew.

“So I’ll get to know him!” Grace replied, cheerfully. “Maybe over drinks.”

Katie knew where this was headed--she had seen this disaster one too many times before. 

There was Max from Michigan, two intern cycles ago, who Grace said was just her “friend,” but who also mysteriously would arrive at the same time as Grace and sometimes wear the same suit two days in a row. Max stopped coming in just one month from the end of his internship, right around the time Grace gave herself bangs.

There was Aaron from Accounting, who didn’t work on this floor, but always had an excuse to stop by Grace’s desk to hand-deliver expense reports and lingered just a bit longer than normal. After Aaron and Grace spent a long weekend “going over figures,” Grace realized he wasn’t the prime number she thought he was. Aaron quit the following Monday and provided his own replacement meant to punish her--a French retiree prone to suspenders and muttering curses under his breath.

There was even Becca the Barista, who worked at the coffee shop next door to the office building--and who would greet Grace every morning with her regular order (cappuccino, extra foam, extra hot). Becca would send up a delivery order, even when Grace would try to skip breakfast. Becca was persistent--until Katie saw them arguing one morning outside work and Grace declared shortly after that she didn’t drink coffee anymore.

Katie knew the truth because she knew Grace better than Grace knew herself. Every time, Grace broke all of their hearts before they could break hers. Katie couldn’t let that happen to Tyler. She wasn’t jealous, she was just...cautious. For everyone’s sake. Or at least that’s what she was telling herself.

“Grace,” Katie started, “maybe it’s time to stop swimming in the office pool. It just seems to end...not great for anyone.” 

“How else am I supposed to meet people?” Grace protested.

“Um, I don’t know, online dating, like normal people?” Katie shot back.

“Just because it worked for you and Jack doesn’t mean it works for everyone,” Grace continued. “I’ve tried it, and my winning personality doesn’t come through on a tiny screen. Not all of us are geniuses who can write up the perfect profile like you.”

“I’ll help you!” Katie said, optimistically. “We can make a girls night out of it. And we haven’t had just you and me time in so long--”

Grace stopped her with a wave of her hand. “Totally, we need a fun night out! But I’ll take my chances with new guy. There’s something about him--” 

“You just like him because he’s a shiny new toy,” Katie said, starting to get animated.

“Maybe. So what? Why are you so interested in who I date all of a sudden? You’ve never been judgy before.” Grace looked hurt.

Katie felt bad. “I’m not being judgy, I’m just being protective,” she said.

“Of me, or of him?” Grace was starting to get defensive. 

And then, Tyler re-entered, his arms full of junk food.

“Ok, so the deli was depressingly limited in selection, but here we go--we’ve got diet coke, we’ve got gummi worms, we’ve got some fruit and nuts to pretend we’re being healthy, and of course, some peanut butter filled pretzels,” Tyler pointed at his bounty as he laid it all out across Katie’s desk.

How did he remember those pretzels were my favorite? Katie thought, as she snatched the bag.

“I like those too,” he said to her, smiling.

“You can have one,” Katie said, smiling back.

“Nice!” Grace said, offering her hand for a high five, which Tyler returned. Grace continued, “I didn’t expect such a diverse selection from someone new at office snacks.” 

“Well, with age comes wisdom,” replied Tyler.

“Yeah, now that you mention it--for a new intern, you’re pretty old. What have you been doing since college? Is this a career change? Did you get tired of just coasting on charm and good looks?” Grace teased him, not knowing the darker truth.

Would Tyler be honest? That he had a late start in the workforce because he lost years of his life to physical therapy from a horrible accident? Would Katie have to pretend she didn’t know?

Katie’s grip on the bag of pretzels tightened with her anxiety, popping it and spilling tiny pretzels everywhere.

Katie dropped to her knees, picking up pretzel bits. “Sorry, guys,” she said, and added with a small laugh, “I guess I don’t know my own strength! All that zumba, you know?” She was mortified, but also grateful to have interrupted Grace’s line of questioning.

Tyler started to help. “So much for my favorite snack,” Katie said sadly. 

“You know, I just had a feeling you might like these,” Tyler said, pulling another bag from the plastic bag sitting on the desk. “Good thing I got extra.”

“I like a man who comes prepared,” Grace chimed in.

“Alright--now that we’re stocked up, let’s get to work.” Katie hoped she could keep things professional for as long as possible--for all of their sakes.