Page 42 of The Office Games

“Did you find whatever you were looking for?” he asks.

“Not really.”

“Well, I’ll help you find it after we finally handle our business.”

“What business?”

He doesn’t answer me. Instead, he lifts a champagne glass and taps his spoon against the glass.

“Attention, everyone!” He calls out. “Attention!”

I swallow as the crowd falls silent and notice family members and friends moving to surround us.

“Wait,” I whisper to Georgia. “Did you have something to do with whatever this is?”

“With Cameron?” She shoots me a pointed look. “Please…”

“I won’t take up too much of your day, I swear,” Cameron addresses everyone. “First, I’d like to thank you all for joining me here at this beautiful estate for an event that Taryn and I hoped wouldneverhappen.”

Everyone laughs, except me.

I grab a champagne glass and down the alcohol in one gulp. Then I grab another.

“As you know, Taryn and I became friends during our senior year of high school, and I was assigned to help her catch up on all her math projects, along with a former friend of mine. The more time we spent together, it was clear that she was a great personwho I truly admired and like, but time wasn’t on our side. She was set to study business in Seattle, while I was committed to school in Atlanta. Then…”

As he speaks, I can’t help focusing on seven of his words:Along with a former friend of mine…

He’s always made it seem like it was just us two against the world back then like we were practically inseparable, and I accepted his recollections as my own.

I suddenly recall two of the strangest memory ornaments on my tree at home, those that aren’t written like the rest. Cameron often chalked the words to “someone with bad grammar” or “someone trying to get inside your head.”

I miss when it was you and me in study hall before the third wheel came along and rolled you away with him…

If you ever remember how close we were and you're single, call me. You were always special to me.

“What was your old friend’s name?” I interrupt Cameron’s spiel.

“Uh, our high school was massive babe. I don’t remember.” He kisses my forehead before addressing the crowd again. “Anyway, to stay in touch, me and Taryn talked on the phone at least once a month and during our senior year of college, we agreed that….”

“Because the last time I lost a girl to a friend, I promised I would never forgive it again…”

The timelines adjust and bend in my mind. Suddenly, fragmented memories slowly stitch into a short, hazy montage: Me, James, and Cameron hanging out after school, James driving me home and kissing the hell out me, James letting me cry on his shoulder, James glaring at me when I see him on my first day at Magnolia Marketing for no reason.

Or, so I thought.

It can’t be…

“Taryn Stone, I’m happy to have you as a long-time friend, and I promise to cherish you as my best friend and number one woman for the rest of my life.”

He gets down on one knee, clasping my hand.

“Will you please marry me?”

“I…” I pause, and more memories play, this time even faster. “I can’t.”

He furrows his brow. “What did you say?”

“I can’t.” I shake my head. “I can’t marry you.No.”

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