Gina had always believed that small talk was society’s most exhausting invention. It lurked in elevators, checkout lines, and worst of all—shared office kitchens. So when the new guy from IT smiled at her over the humming microwave and asked, “How’s your day going?” she responded with the enthusiasm of a woman trapped in a polite hostage situation.
“Fine,” she said, watching her coffee swirl in the mug like it might become a portal out of the conversation.
But Sam didn’t seem to take the hint. Or maybe he was immune to awkwardness entirely, the kind of person who could strike up a conversation with a cactus and get it to open up about its day.
Over the next few weeks, Gina learned that Sam was one of those low-key social ninjas. Never pushy, always just on the right side of funny. He made people laugh in the elevator without making anyone wish they could disappear into the floor.
Still, she kept her walls up. She had a life outside the office—friends who knew her coffee order, her Spotify shame-listens, the exact flavor of silence she needed on a bad day. She didn’t need more people.
Then came the printer incident.
Gina, who prided herself on being tech-savvy enough to set up IKEA furniture without crying, had been at war with the third-floor printer for fifteen minutes. The thing had developed a personality: it whirred, clicked, and spat out half-printed documents like it was cursing her in Morse code.
She was halfway through composing a passive-aggressive email to IT when Sam walked by.
“Printer’s throwing a tantrum?” he asked, already leaning in.
“It’s possessed,” Gina muttered. “By the ghost of outdated firmware.”
In under a minute, he had it humming like a content cat. She didn’t want to be grateful, but she was.
“Thanks,” she said.
“No problem,” he replied, grinning. “But now you owe me a favor.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What kind of favor?”
He shrugged. “Say hi in the kitchen next time. Maybe even ask me how my day is going.”
She laughed—genuinely, this time—and something shifted.
From that moment, a slow, quiet friendship began. Not the loud kind with constant texts and emoji explosions. It was more like a well-made playlist—thoughtful, unexpected, and just right for the background of life. They shared lunch tables, traded dry jokes, swapped books with sarcastic notes in the margins.
Weeks passed. The world kept spinning with its usual chaos—late buses, lukewarm lattes, deadlines that showed up uninvited. But there was something comforting in having one person in the building who noticed when your day was slightly off and knew not to ask about it.
One Thursday evening, after an especially long meeting that could’ve been an email, Gina invited Sam over for dinner. She didn’t think much of it until they were sitting at her kitchen table, laughing about a typo in the team memo that had referred to “customer furstration.”
As they ate—the rice warm, the chicken buttery with garlic and lemon—Gina realized something: she’d let someone new into her life, and the world hadn’t collapsed. It hadn’t even cracked. In fact, it was better.
Sam took another bite, paused, and said, “Okay, this is dangerously good. Did you make this?”
“Don’t act so surprised,” Gina replied, smirking. “I’m capable of things.”
He raised his fork like a toast. “To capable people—and malfunctioning printers, the great matchmakers of our time.”
They clinked forks, laughed, and ate, the kitchen filling with that rare kind of quiet where everything feels exactly as it should be.
Garlic Butter Chicken with Rice
Serves: 2
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (plus extra wedges for serving)
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
- 1 cup uncooked rice (white, jasmine, or basmati)
- 2 cups water or broth (for rice)
Instructions:
- Cook the Rice
In a saucepan, combine 1 cup rice and 2 cups water or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15–18 minutes. Turn off heat and let it rest. - Prepare the Chicken
Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Season with salt and pepper. - Sear the Chicken
Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside. - Make the Garlic Butter Sauce
In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter and the minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes (if using) and lemon juice. Stir well. - Combine
Return the chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic butter sauce. Let it cook for another 1–2 minutes to soak up flavor. - Serve
Fluff the rice and divide between plates. Top with the garlic butter chicken and drizzle any extra sauce over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Optional Add-ins:
- Add steamed broccoli, spinach, or sautéed zucchini to make it a full meal.
- Stir in a bit of cream or grated Parmesan to the sauce for a richer variation.
