The Secret Crush of Floor 22

Behind the scenes

That night, James “accidentally” got locked in the office after hours. Maggie “coincidentally” came back for her forgotten phone.

Things escalated in the break room. Maggie reached for the last donut just as Jimmy did. Their hands brushed. The room froze. Even the microwave seemed to hold its breath.

CEO’s Voice (just illusions): “Are you two… flirting on company time?”
Maggie (grabbing the donut): “No, sir. Just aggressively negotiating carbs.”

Chapter 1: The Elevator Incident

Margaret, popularly know as “Maggie” Wamore, had just turned 50, fabulous, full-bodied, and—though she’d never admit it—completely unaware of the effect she had on the men (and some women) in her office. She worked in accounting at Harrington & Makachia, a firm so dull that even the office plants seemed to yawn.

One Day: Then came The Incident.

One Tuesday morning, Maggie stepped into the elevator, balancing her coffee, her tablet, and her dignity. The doors were about to close when a hand shot through—followed by the rest of Jimmy Kalua, the 32-year-old IT guy with a penchant for bad puns and baggy sweaters.

“Going up?” he grinned.

Maggie arched an eyebrow. “Unless the laws of physics have changed, yes.”

The elevator lurched. Then—darkness. A power outage!

“Ah,” Jimmy said. “The universe really wants us to bond.”

Maggie sighed. “Or it’s punishing me for stealing Donna’s yogurt last week.”

Chapter 2: The Unlikely Spark

Trapped for 45 minutes, they talked. Jimmy confessed his love for 80s power ballads. Maggie admitted she secretly watched The Bachelor (“For the sociological study,” she insisted). By the time the lights flickered back on, something dangerous had happened—they’d clicked.

Over the next weeks, office interactions became charged with playful banter.

Jimmy: “Need help with your printer?”
Maggie: “Only if you promise not to serenade it with Careless Whisper again.”

But then—the scandal.

At the company holiday party, after one too many spiked eggnogs, they disappeared into a supply closet. The next morning, Donna from HR found them tangled in extension cords and regret.

Chapter 3: The Office Conspiracy

Rumors spread faster than a Wi-Fi signal.

Donna: “I knew that toner stain on Maggie’s blouse wasn’t from printing!”

The CEO, a man who believed romance was a spreadsheet error, called them in.

CEO: “This is highly unprofessional.”
Maggie: “So is your tie, but we don’t judge.”

They were given a choice: end it or face The Corporate Guillotine (a.k.a. termination).

Chapter 4: The Grand Gesture (and Mild Stalking)

Jimmy wasn’t giving up. He hacked the office announcement system (ethically questionable) and played their song—Total Eclipse of the Heart—while standing on his desk with a boombox.

Maggie, torn between swooning and calling security, finally cracked.

“Fine! But if we’re doing this, we’re doing it right.”

Epilogue: The Not-So-Secret Ending

They quit. Started a consulting firm. And, in a twist no one saw coming, became that couple—the ones who finish each other’s sentences and occasionally get caught making out in parking garages.

Maggie: “We’re adults. We should behave responsibly.”
James: [Pulls her into a copy room] “Says who?”

And so, between spreadsheets and stolen kisses, they proved that love—like a malfunctioning printer—might jam sometimes, but it’s always worth the hassle.

 

The Secret Crush of Floor 22 – Part 2

Chapter 5: The Mysterious Book

The next morning, Maggie sat in her office, legs apart, sipping her usual black coffee (no sugar, “just like my patience,” she often joked). But instead of crunching numbers, she was reading a book—a rare sight that sent whispers rippling through the office like a corporate game of Telephone.

 

Donna (peeking in): “Since when does Maggie read anything besides tax codes?”
Gabriel (from Sales): “Maybe it’s Fifty Shades of Spreadsheets?”

The book in question? Love in the Time of Coffee Breaks—a cheesy romance novel Jimmy had “accidentally” left on her desk with a sticky note: “For research purposes. Hypothetically. Maybe.”

Maggie smirked, flipping a page. Then—BAM—the door swung open.

James (leaning against the frame): “So… is the protagonist hot, or…?”
Maggie (not looking up): “Tall, dark, and annoyingly persistent. Remind you of anyone?”

 

TO BE CONTINUED…? (Or just the beginning…?) 😉