Office Life: a Jane Porter x Milo Thatch Modern AU

Chapter 1: Good Girl (Milo's POV)

I remember the first day I saw Jane...
Now until that moment I was a very logical person... And actually I still am, so naturally I didn't believe in love at first sight...
Until I met her.

It was completely by accident.

I was at the local coffee shop/bookstore that was connected to a bakery, drinking my usual double shot expresso, working at a newspaper office in Washington DC you need all the energy you can get, when a flash of yellow flew towards me out of the corner of my eye as I was about to leave, before I knew it we had smacked into each other.
Books all over the floor, a mint mocha frappe all over my pants.
"OH!!! Oh my god I'm so so sorry!!!" I was irritated at first, thinking it was one of the mean girls that came in in the mornings on their way to work at the TV station next door to the coffee shop, they always picked on me, but the timid voice took me aback.
That was definitely not one of the mean girls.
They wouldn't have the decency to apologize as a matter of fact they'd probably do it deliberately.
I looked up and saw the most beautiful greenish blue eyes I'd ever seen. I blinked as my heartbeat quickened.
She was wearing a long sleeved yellow blouse with white lace at the end of her sleeves, and a black skirt, and boots on her what had to be the tiniest cutest little feet in existence.
I bent down and picked up her books and handed them to her without a word, stunned.
"I uhh... I'm really sorry mister..."
"Milo..." I interrupted then cleared my throat
"Milo J. Thatch. And its no problem really, I can get em cleaned, just gotta make a quick stop at my apartment, work is just down the street anyways so I should have time."
"Oh! I'm Jane, Jane Porter! I just moved to town, I'm going to a job interview!"
"That's great! I hope you do well!"I said excitedly, maybe she would come here more often.

"Thank you! Now I really must hurry if I'm gonna make it on time! Don't worry though! I can pay for the cleaners for your pants!"
"That's not necessary I-"

"Bye bye now!!!" And that quickly she was gone.
I sighed patheticly...
As if a girl as pretty as her would look my way.
I shook my head and headed towards my apartment next door.
____________________________________

The day was... Interesting to say the least...

Clayton, one of the heads of the office, said his girlfriend might be getting a job at our office soon.

The office was abuzz with gossip and curiosity.

But eventually it was time to go home.

What I didn't expect was music coming from the apartment across from mine, which had been vacant for a year.

Love me like you do was playing.

A lady had apparently moved in.

I smiled, and decided that night to bring her a housewarming gift. It was the neighborly thing to do.

So I found my grandpa's blackberry cobbler recipe he got from his older sister, he didn't bake but he raised me after my parents died and we visited her every summer, and she'd make this for us, particularly for me because she knew it was my favorite.
So when she died she left grandpa her old recipe book that she and their mom made, so the family recipes wouldn't be lost.
And when he died he passed it to me.

So I made her blackberry cobbler, and bought a carton of butter pecan ice cream to serve with it, and I marched right over to the door across the way and knocked on the door.

I heard some shuffling in the front room behind the door, and the door opened and my jaw dropped.

"Its you..." I whispered.

Because there was Jane, hair not in a tight bun anymore but more loose, messy looking. She was also wearing a white ribbed tank top and a red skirt, and Retro looking glasses.

She smiled hugely.

"Hi I guess we're neighbors now huh?"

____________________________________

I blinked, shocked.
"I uhh... I... Uhh... Uhhhh..." I stammered.
Her top was almost completely see through.
"What...?" She asked innocently.
She really had no idea how pretty she was, inside and out.

Then she noticed how translucent her top was and flushed pink, rushing to her bathroom to change shirts.
"I'm so sorry Milo I-"

She remembered my name... Wow.

"No it's okay... I shouldn't have just come over unannounced,but I wanted to give you this as a welcome to the building gift..."

It was then she noticed the casserole dish and the carton of ice cream.

She pointed at the cobbler.
"What's that?"

I smiled,
"Cobbler."

"Oh! I've never tried it! What kind?"

"Blackberry... Wait! You've never had cobbler?"
Jane giggled.
"I'm from England... We have fancy things like mini petit four cakes and Italian tiramisu and French macarons."

"Well there's a first time for everything... And by the way... I've never had a real French Macaron... Ironic considering there's a French style bakery around the corner... And a nice Italian place... In case you're interested..."
"I would... But I don't think my boyfriend would approve..."

Oh... I should have known.
"Oh OK. I understand completely."

"But I would love to try some of your cobbler!" She said smiling hugely.

"Excellent choice Mademoiselle! Its an old secret family recipe!" I teased, with a goofy french accent.

"Why thank you good sir!" She teased back.

I scooped some cobbler out and put a scoop of butter pecan ice cream on top.

"See if you can guess what the secret ingredient is! Hurry and eat it while its still hot though!"

"Mmm... The butter pecan ice cream is a nice touch!"

"Yes! I always said butter pecan gives a nice texture to any dessert it's served with! You should try it with my great aunt's caramel apple pie!"
She looked impressed,
"You have a lot of baking knowledge huh?" She teased,
"Nah, I have an old book of family recipes... was given to me by my grandpa... he got it from his sister..."
Her eyes lit up enthusiastically.
"Oh neat! What about your parents?"

I frowned,
"I don't really remember them... they died when I was five..."
She stilled, frowning sadly,
"Oh... I'm so sorry I-"
"No it's fine, you didn't know... but yeah my grandpa raised me..."
Jane frowned,
"Yeah... well...me and my boyfriend are kinda a new thing... I haven't... well... dated anyone in a while..."
I frowned,
"It's okay... you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to..."
"No it's fine... the last guy I dated...John...he and I went to high school together... he became a firefighter... and we were gonna get married... but he went in to save a young boy in a fire... and he didn't come back out..."

Oh.
Oh no...
"I'm so sorry..." I said, not sure what else to say because I was so awkward.

"No it's okay... it's been three years...he'd have wanted me to move on... to be happy... and now me and his cousin are dating so... I guess it turned out okay..."

I smiled weakly, hugging her gently,
"You deserve happiness... you're such a kind person..."
Then we heard a knock at the door.
"Oh that must be him now! Coming darling!!!"
I did not expect to see my boss when she opened the door.
"Clayton?!?" I gasped,
"Milo what the hell are you doing in here with my girlfriend?!?"