Croissants and Civility

Mia plopped down onto her desk, already feeling exhausted just from starting her day.

"What happened to you?" Sarah asked from across the desk, her eyes wide with concern.

"Andrew happened. It's bad enough I have to see him here at work, but guess what, he's apparently my neighbor too. Ugh," Mia groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"No way! What are the chances?" Sarah squealed, a mixture of shock and amusement in her voice.

"Apparently the chances are very high because I just spent my morning with the guy in close proximity," Mia muttered, peeking out from between her fingers.

"Did he try anything? Like, did he pull any of his old tricks?" Sarah's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Mia sighed, leaning back in her chair. "He was... silent. Like he didn't talk to me the whole time we were in the cafe. Didn't even try to go to my table. It got awkward though, we almost got run over by a biker, and he had to pull me aside. Then, of course, he had to make a smug comment about it."

Sarah laughed. "Oh, classic Andrew. Still the knight in shining armor with a dash of arrogance."

Mia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, I'd rather he didn't help me if it meant that I have to deal with his gloating."

As she said this, the memory of his touch sent an unwelcome shiver down her spine. She pushed it away, determined to focus on work.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Sarah suggested, her tone optimistic. "I mean, if you have to work together, maybe you can find some common ground. Or at least a way to coexist without wanting to strangle each other."

Mia snorted. "Coexisting without violence is the goal, yes. But finding common ground? I'm not holding my breath."

Just then, Andrew walked by, giving Mia a quick nod. She forced a tight smile in return, feeling her heart rate pick up. She hated that he could still affect her like this.

"See? He's being civil," Sarah whispered, nudging Mia's foot under the desk.

"Yeah, yeah," Mia muttered, turning her attention to her computer screen. "Let's see how long that lasts."

She tried to dive into her work, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Andrew. It was maddening. She had worked so hard to build her career, to create a life that didn't involve him. And now, here he was, complicating everything.

An hour later, she found herself in the break room, staring at the coffee machine. She needed a distraction, something to clear her head. As she poured herself another cup, Andrew walked in.

"Hey, Mia," he said, his voice smooth as ever. "How's your morning going?"

She glanced at him, noting the genuine curiosity in his eyes. "It's been... interesting."

"Interesting good or interesting bad?" he asked, leaning against the counter.

She took a sip of her coffee, buying herself a moment to think. "A bit of both, I guess."

He nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Well, if you ever need a change of scenery, there's a great new place that just opened up near by. They have the best croissants."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're not bribing me with pastries now, are you?"

He chuckled. "Just offering a friendly suggestion."

Before she could respond, Claire popped her head in. "Mia, Mr. Thompson wants to see you in his office."

Mia nodded, giving Andrew a quick, polite smile before following Claire out.