Rachel and Tom have been co-workers for some time. They have shared some good times together and have gotten along really well through the years. During meetings, they often sit next to each other, and will also try to outdo each other with snide private one-liners as the speakers present.
They are also, no surprise, two of the most gifted employees in the place. Everyone knows whenever there is important work to be done or a crisis that needs to be avoided, they are surely the ones to call.
And so, the time arose when an important conference came up. The company needed two of their best and brightest to come through and present their latest breakthrough. Everyone including the new guys knew who to send.
The next day, Rachel and Tom were on a flight to their destination. All the way there, both of them acted like kids in high school making wisecracks and one-uping each other. They loved it. If they had to be on a work trip, at least they were together.
As they checked in to the hotel, there was a battle for who got the bed and who got the couch.
"Tom, I'm going to win this because I'm smarter and better looking than you."
"Rachel, have you seen a mirror lately?"
"Oooh! Wow, that's so mean!"
"Ooooh, we're going to play coy now... Ok, look. You already know you're gorgeous, so stop it."
"So I get the bed then?"
"Damn it, I fell right in that didn't I?"
"Yep."
Rachel's smile and clever eyes pierced Tom's heart. He was going to let her win anyway.
That evening they spent a huge portion of time going over their presentation. They had to nail this. They thought of possible questions that might get them hung up and came up with good answers for them. They planned out their jokes to break up the monotony.
They thought of their potential targets that they would make eye contact with during specific data points. They had this thing nailed down. And they were exhausted. Off to bed they went.
That morning, the presentation couldn't have gone better. Everything they rehearsed went according to plan. There was no surprise. This was the expectation. And they delivered.
They got messages from their boss that they received a lot of positive feedback. They were ordered to have a good dinner at the company's expense. Whatever they wanted, they could have it.
"Tom!! Let's get seafood!"
"That sounds great! I hear there's a place down the block we can take a taxi to. Let's do that!"
And off they went.
At dinner, they wound down from their stressful, but successful day. A couple of drinks in and a pound of crab legs later, they were really starting to simmer down.
"Rachel, thank you for what you do. You've been really awesome all of these years."
Rachel began to blush.
"Thank you Tom. You're honestly a great guy. Jennifer is so lucky to have you."
Tom sank in his chair.
"Oh... Yeah, well evidently I'm not that lucky. She decided that Greg from HR was a better deal."
"Are you fucking kidding me right now!?"
"I wish I was. I just don't get it. He's such a dick."
"Oh Tom! I'm so sorry!"