Susie peered over the edge of her cubicle, surveying the rest of the office with narrowed eyes. Somewhere out there was the culprit, and there wasn’t a chance of her getting any work done until she figured out who it was.
“Are you coming for lunch?” Marta stood at the edge of her desk, watching her with obvious curiosity. “Or are you too busy doing… whatever it is you’re doing? Because Ben is already down there keeping our table.”
“I’m coming.” Susie stepped down from the footrest she was standing on. “But you and Ben have to help me figure something out.”
The canteen was packed, but Ben had kept their usual table as promised. Susie slid her tray onto it and started unpacking her usual chicken salad sandwich – only to find something unusual inside it.
“There’s another one!” She waved the mysterious post it note at her friends.
“Another one?” Marta frowned. “How many post it notes have you been finding in your lunches?”
“None. But they’ve been on my computer monitor, on my mug in the kitchenette, inside a file I was working on… everywhere! All week. They’re driving me insane!”
“What does it say?” Ben asked, already halfway through his burger.
“This one?” Susie looked down at the note. “’Bon Appetit.’ And three kisses. They always have three kisses. And they’re always just, well, nice things. Like: hope your day is magical. Or, I love your yellow dress. It’s like whoever is sending them is just kind of trying to brighten my day.”
“That’s sweet.” Marta had a gooey look on her face. “And so romantic.”
“It would be sweeter if I knew who was sending them.”
“Well, it has to be someone who knows you eat the same boring sandwich, every single day.” Ben gestured to her chicken salad.
“You’re right.” And that limited the field somewhat. “And someone who has access to my desk and knows what I’m working on, and that the Bagpuss mug is mine.”
“Plus, it’s definitely male handwriting. I can always tell. It’s like my really lame superpower. So, how many people could that be?” Marta asked.
Susie tilted her head to the side and considered. “Well, everyone on my team.”
“Including hot new guy?” Marta bounced a little in her chair with excitement.
“Including Greg, yes.” Who was, admittedly, very hot, and had been smiling at her as she made her cup of coffee in her Bagpuss mug that morning…
“Who else?” Ben asked.
“Oh! Supply closet guy,” Marta said, and Susie winced. “He was watching you for weeks after that thing at the Christmas party.”
“It’s not him,” Susie said. “At least, I really hope it’s not him.”
“So, someone on your team then,” Marta summarized. “Guess you’ll just have to keep an eye out. See if you can catch your post-it note lover in the act.”
Susie spent the afternoon watching the guys on her team, keeping a sharp eye out for any squares of bright yellow paper.
Nothing.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re not doing a whole lot of work today?” Greg leant against the kitchen counter, as Susie made her third cup of coffee since lunch.
“I might be a little… distracted,” Susie admitted, scanning his hands for post its. Nothing. Damn.
“Anything I can help with?” Greg asked.
Susie looked at him – at his gorgeous face, bright blue eyes, perfect hair. It could be him. Couldn’t it? “What are your feelings about stationery?”
Behind her, she heard a muffled laugh as Ben grabbed something from the fridge.
“Stationery?” Greg gave her a puzzled frown. “I don’t understand.”
Susie shook her head. “Never mind. Stupid question.”
“Okay…” Backing away slowly, Greg headed back to his desk.
“Smooth,” Ben said, as he followed.
Susie sighed. She was never going to figure this out. Or if she did, it would turn out to be Supply Closet Guy, and that was just bad.
She reached into the fridge and pulled out the milk, then stared at the bright pink, heart shaped Post-it note on the front of the carton.
Is it really so hard to figure out that I like you? xxx
Holding it to her chest, Susie turned round slowly. There, right by her desk, with a pad of pink Post-its in his hand, stood Ben.
Her Ben. Friend Ben. Drinks after work Ben. Bought her expensive coffee when she had a bad day Ben. Knew her favourite sandwich and coffee and mug and everything else Ben.
Of course it was Ben. How had she missed that? He hadn’t even been surprised when she found the note in her sandwich.
Biting her lip, Susie walked across the office and took the Post-its from Ben. Then she scribbled on the top one and stuck it to his chest.
He peeled it off and read it. 8pm tonight. Drinks?
Ben grinned. “It’s a date.”
- Text Copyright © 2018 by Sophie Pembroke