Peggy walked into the SSR office, ready for the day, preparing herself to deal with her idiot coworkers. Even though she loved her job, the men she worked with could be pigs.
The morning started off as usual, she was told to fetch coffee, she rolled her eyes. She was sitting at her desk doing paperwork when one Jack Thompson walked up to her.
"Morning Marge. I see you're getting a headstart on the morning paperwork," he leaned casually against her desk.
"Thompson," she greeted.
He leaned close to her ear, "You know you can call me Jack Love,"
She scoffed, "Okay then, Jack. What do you want?"
"I wanted to see if you're busy tonight," he crossed his arms over his chest as he sat on top of the desk next to hers.
"And why the sudden interest in my Friday night plans?" she asked, still not looking up from her papers. She was going to have fun with him.
"Is it a crime that I want to know where my Agents are going to be?" he smirked,
"When you start treating me like an Agent, then I'll answer that question. I seem to be the glorified coffeemaker here." Peggy had him believing she was not interested.
Inwardly, Jack was screaming, "Can you not see that I'm trying to flirt???? Gosh Peggy!"
"Well, I'd like you to know that your coffee isn't that superb Darling,"
Peggy rolled her eyes, "Oh really? I don't see you offering to make it. I highly doubt you could make it better than I can."
"Okay, how about this?" he paused, "I take you out for dinner and a cup of coffee tonight, and you can see how to make a good caffeine fix."
"Okay then," she jotted a couple of things down on a piece of paper and handed it to him, "Pick me up from this address and 6 o'clock sharp, don't be late."
"I guess I'll see you later," he stood up and walked out of the office. He may or may not have given himself a fist bump when he was outside.
Peggy chuckled to herself, "Boys. So immature." She had him right where she wanted him.
.....
That evening, Peggy got dressed in something simple, but pretty. She had to admit, she was happy to be going out with Jack. He could be a moron sometimes, but there was something about him that drew her in. Maybe it was because of the time she saw him weak and vulnerable when they went to Russia. Or maybe his blonde hair and blue eyes that made him look like Steve. Whatever it was, she wanted to explore it more.
Jack stood in front of his mirror and fixed his shirt. He was nervous to be going on a date with Peggy, even if it wasn't really a date. He had miraculously got her to agree to have dinner and a cup off coffee with him. Now he just had to make it work, and not screw it up!
He stood outside her door with sweaty palms. Usually he didn't get this nervous before a date, if this was even a date. But Peggy was different, she was special, and her spirit was untameable. She was something else. The way her brown locks fell down her back, and how she chewed her lip when she was thinking. Oh, her luscious lips, coated with red lipstick, they seemed so kissable.
He knocked gingerly on the door and waited for her to come answer it. It opened in less than two minutes.
"It's nice to know you're prompt Mister Thompson," Peggy told him,
"A gentleman should always be prompt Marge," he smiled at her.
She raised an eyebrow, this wasn't the Jack Thompson she was used to. "Should we get going?" she asked,
"Yes, we should, I have a car waiting outside," he offered her his arm to take.
Peggy had to admit, she quite liked this Jack Thompson.
The pair walked into a simple coffee shop close to Peggy's boarding house.
"They have the best in the city," Jack told her as he led her to a table,
Little did he know that she came here almost every day, "I don't doubt that."
When they were settled, none other than Angie came to serve them. Her eyes widened when she saw who she was serving. Peggy had finally got herself a date! Good for her!
"What can I get you to drink?" she avoided asking Peggy if she wanted her usual,
"We'll both have a cup of coffee thank you," Jack ordered for them,
"And would you like some pie with that?" Angie asked,
"I'll have some apple crumble please," she acted as if she was reading her best friend's nametag, "Angie? That's a pretty name."
Angie had to stop herself from laughing, so instead smiled to herself as she was jotting down their order, "Thanks,"
"What'll you have?" she looked at Jack.
"I'll have the same thank you."
Angie walked to the kitchen to fix their order, "Good for you English," she whispered to herself.
Peggy and Jack sat across from each other at the table, neither of them knowing what to say. Eventually the awkward silence became too much to bear,
"It's a nice place isn't it?" Jack asked,
"It is," I come here every day, Peggy stopped herself from saying.
Angie walked up to the table and set down their coffee and pie, "I hope you enjoy it, I got the best in the house for ya."
"Thank you," the pair answered at the same time, which made them laugh,
"Just call me if you'd like anything else," Angie smiled at them as she walked off.
Both Peggy and Jack tucked into their food, and coffee of course.
"This is some good pie," Thompson said,
"Yes, it is quite," Peggy replied as she polished off the rest of it.
The pair of them ended up getting along quite well, which was unexpected to say the least. They chatted lightheartedly and laughed, and Jack couldn't help but think her laugh was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard. He hoped to hear much more of it.
After several lengthy conversations, Peggy needed to go to the loo, so she politely excused herself.
"Now if you'll excuse me for a minute, I need to go and use the bathroom."
Angie saw her friend heading to the bathroom and followed her in. She found her looking at herself in the mirror, fixing her lipstick.
"He's cute English," she wiggled her eyebrows,
"Thank you Angie, but I don't think it will go anywhere," Peggy told her,
"And why not Peg? You deserve a win," Angie put a hand on her shoulder, "Oh wait, he's one of those idiot coworkers of yours isn't he?"
"Yes he is," Peggy laughed, "But that isn't why."
"What's wrong then?"
"I just feel-" Peggy's voice cracked a little, "I just feel like I'm broken, and I've lost so many people, and everyone close to me seems to die. I don't want that to happen to him."
Angie's eyebrows knit together in concern, she didn't want her best friend to hurt, "Hey, listen to me," she propped herself up against the sink, "You aren't going to lose him, don't be a pessimist Peg, have some faith in yourself. Bad karma doesn't follow you, and you need to stop thinking it does. After all, if it doesn't work out, I can get us a bottle of schnapps and a pie, and we'll be all set." Angie brought her finger up to Peggy's eye to wipe the tear away, "Now let's get you cleaned up."
After a few minutes, Peggy reemerged from the bathroom, looking much happier than she had when she had gone in.
"I'm terribly sorry I took so long," she apologized as she sat down,
"It's absolutely fine," he told her.
After a few more minutes, they decided they would head home, it was already 9 o'clock at night, and Peggy needed to be back at the hostel.
Jack took out his wallet to pay for the coffee and pie, and Peggy nodded approvingly and Angie gave her a thumbs up when she saw how much he tipped.
The pair were walking home and Peggy's arm was wrapped around Jack's, it felt nice.
"I told you they had the best coffee. So now you know how to make a good cup," he joked,
She chuckled, "Okay, I have something to confess," she paused,
He looked worried for a second,
"Yes?"
"I go there almost every day, Angie, the waitress, is my best friend. I have had their coffee since I moved to New York," she looked a little guilty, but he laughed.
"That's alright. You actually make delicious coffee, I just needed an excuse to take you out," he admitted.
She smiled at him, "You could have just asked."
He raised his hands, "I can't help it if I get a little flustered in front of a beautiful woman."
"Well," she took a step towards him, and held her face inches from his, "We'll just have to wait and see where this goes."
And with that, she walked off into her home.
Jack stood there, awestruck.
Peggy laughed as she looked at him from out of her window, she had him whipped!