Regina was running late. The alarm on her phone had failed to wake her and Henry had called asking when she was coming home. She couldn't refuse a call from her little prince, even if he babbled on, taking another 10 minutes of her morning.
She was in Boston for a couple days for buisness so she'd left him with her best friends, Katherine and David Nolan. When she adopted Henry all those years ago, they agreed to be there for her anytime she needed them and they had been, without fault. For that she'd been grateful.
Regina curses under her breath at the time displayed her phone. If this line didn't move she was gonna miss her meeting with Govenor Jenkins. She heard the guy was a real hardass but then again he'd never went toe to toe with Regina Mills.
Finally, she thought as the line moved along.
"Welcome to The Chipped Mug, what can I get for you?" The voice asks through the speaker. She needed her caffeine fix or Mr. Jenkins really would be meeting a monster.
"Hi, I just need a large hot coffee, splash of milk, one sugar" Regina recites her order, pulling out her credit card so she had it ready in-hand.
"Sure thing, can I get you anything else?" The voice asks.
"No, thank you" Regina answered drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. She was in a rush here.
"We have donuts. We're running a special" It offers again playfully. What was with this lady? If she'd wanted donuts, she would have asked for them.
"No, the coffee is all" She says. When she doesn't hear anything else for a moment she tries again "The coffee is-"
"$3.10 is your total, pull around" cuts her off and it irks her. Grumbling she whips the car around the short corner before stopping at the order window.
While waiting for someone to come to the window with her coffee, she checks the time on her phone again. She had literally 5 minutes to be there. Huffing, she looks up just as the small window slides open. Her breath catches in her throat at the woman she assumes had taken her order going by the headset on her right ear.
Flowing blonde waves tousle about a handsome face and bright green eyes sparkle adding fascination to the cheeky smile the pale pink lips wear.
"Beautiful" The blonde speaking shatters her captivation. Her grin seems to widen when Regina's face pinches in confusion.
"Excuse me?" She asks not sure if she heard correctly.
The barista laughs, handing the cup of coffee to her "The car, it's gorgeous" She says as Regina nods slowly in understanding, holding out her credit card to pay. "Although, its beauty really pales in comparison to its owner" She continues taking her form of payment with a wink.
Regina swallows thickly as her cheeks flush. Was this woman really flirting with her? She busies herself with the coffee, placing it in the cupholder to hide her flustered state.
"Alright Regina, you're all set" the woman calls her attention once more and proceeds to fluster her more.
"How do you know my name?"
The blonde chuckles and answers by shaking Regina's credit card before handing it back to her making Regina redden all over again. She needed to get out of here.
"Your name fits you, as well. Seems like everything about you is beautiful"
Regina had heard a million lines, she was no stranger to receiving compliments but she couldn't help but be flattered by the beautiful woman with the playful smile. She, however, would not be reduced to a shy bumbling idiot for anyone. "Do you flirt with all the women this way?" She asks taking her card from the soft hand that awakens goosebumps along her skin when they brush just slightly.
She smirks "You sure you don't want any donuts?" the woman asks ignoring her question.
And her aggitation was back. What was with this lady and her damn donuts? "No" Regina grumbles.
"Ok" She snickers. "Oh wait, don't forget your sleeve. The coffee is really hot." She says turning slightly to grab one but oddly digs one out of her apron instead. "Here you go Regina"
Regina eyes the woman curiously before taking the item "Thank you" She recieves a wink and another beaming smile before the blonde begins taking another order.
Regina lets her car crawl forward; moving away from the window to a small curbs ahead so she doesn't hold up the line. She stops just shortly to put the sleeve on the cup remembering she was running short on time in her strange encounter with the goregous barista.
Fitting it on just right, she sees distinct markings on the plain brown cardboard and turns the sleeve around 'wanna be my girlfriend?' was scribbled down along with a number.
Regina only realizes she's smiling like an idiot when her phone blares loudly, startling her. So now the damn thing wants to work! Disarming the alarm, she lets another smile steal her face while finding her thumbs at work storing the number into her phone. She then starts a text…
*What's your name donut girl?*
*Emma* came quickly as if she'd been expecting her text.
Regina smiles, *Well Emma, maybe I'll have those donuts afterall*
*So, does that mean yes?*
*It means, you'll have to buy me donuts first*
*Will you be hungry by 7?*
*Starved*
She grins placing her phone into the counsel, excitment filling her at the thought of an unexpected date tonight. In turn her stomach grumbles. She looks down at it comically, she really should have gotten those donuts. She laughs before speeding away to the meeting.