Finally back to writing this verse! Thanks for being patient with me. I still have a few prompts to catch up with. The name of Regina's dog is courtesy of rumpelstiltskin-wait, who got to name her as part of her win for my 500-follower giveaway.
This is just kind of fluffy. Mostly.
Part 10 - Girlfriend and Boyfriend
Belle smiled as the delivery man handed her a single red rose, which she added to the other five that were carefully arranged in a vase on her desk. Ariel, one of the girls who worked in the children's department, couldn't help but notice.
"So – who are these from anyway?" Ariel asked as she approached Belle's desk, speaking in a very loud manner.
"Ariel, shhh. It's a library, you're supposed to be quiet." Belle scolded.
"Oh, sorry, that's right." Ariel whispered. She turned to walk away, then moved back to Belle's desk. "So who are they from?" she asked again, this time in a whisper.
"Just – someone." Belle replied, and she stood up and walked over to a book cart, which she began to push toward some stacks. Ariel followed her.
"Well, I know it has to be someone, unless you're sending them to yourself. You're not, are you?" Ariel asked, and Belle rolled her eyes.
"Of course I'm not." Belle whispered as she began to shelve the books on the cart. "Isn't there a reading program with the kids tonight that you need to get ready for?"
"Not for another hour." Ariel said quietly. "Is it that one cute guy that comes in here that you're always talking to? What's his name? Will?" Belle stopped shelving the books and sighed.
"It is NOT Will, and I'm not always talking to him, he's always talking to ME. Always complaining about his girlfriend, I finally told him the other day that he either needs to break up with her or marry her. I don't know why so many people come to me for advice on every silly little thing."
"Well, you are pretty smart, Belle. Okay – so if it's not Will, and it's not you then who is it?" Ariel asked, then she made a face. "Oh god, you're not back with Gaston again, are you?"
"No!" Belle shouted, and several people looked up at her and shushed her. Flustered, Belle headed back toward her desk. Ariel followed her. "Ariel – what do you want?"
"Come on Belle, nothing exciting ever happens here, and obviously someone is interested in you. Who is it?" Belle sighed.
"If I tell you, you cannot tell a soul, we haven't gone public yet." Belle said. Ariel's eyes widened.
"Oh my god, is he married? It's not that cute veterinarian Dr. Nolan, is it?"
"Of course not!" Belle shouted, then looked down, embarrassed, as several library patrons glared at her. "It's Ronan Gold." Belle finally stated in a soft voice.
"Who?" Ariel asked.
"Ronan Gold. He owns the shop across the street."
"Mr. Gold? THE Mr. Gold? Isn't he kind of -"
"Kind of what?" Belle asked.
"I don't know. Not – nice. At least that's what I've heard." Ariel said. "He has a nice shop though. I like looking in the window. I've never gone inside, I'm afraid I'll break something." Belle chuckled to herself as she recalled the first time she was in his shop and she ended up breaking an antique teacup.
"He's – well, his dog and my dog met at the dog park and they get on very well. And as it turns out – so do we. I think." Belle said.
"So are you – his girlfriend?" Ariel asked. "I mean – he keeps sending you flowers, that's kind of a boyfriend-y thing to do."
"I suppose it is." Belle agreed, and she started to think about Gold. Ever since the night they kissed, Belle couldn't stop thinking about him. They spent a good part of the weekend together, along with his son Bae, and then Gold had to take his son back to Boston. He told her he needed to remain in town for the week for business meetings. She offered to watch Stewart, but he said that he was able to arrange for a pet sitter in Boston and was taking the dog with him. Throughout the week they had been exchanging texts. Every day a single red rose was sent to her, with the message "see you Sunday –R" attached to it. Ariel was right. Definitely a boyfriend-y thing to do. They'd need to talk about that once he returned.
Stewart bounded into the dog park and darted toward Sophie as he and Gold entered. The two dogs greeted one another with a series of barks and sniffs, then ran off to play. Belle, who was sitting on bench, looked up at him and smiled. Part of her wanted to run over to Gold in the same manner that Stewart did to Sophie – minus the barking and sniffing, of course. However, she was nervous about seeming too forward, which was ironic given the fact that she was the one driving this relationship up until this point. Was it a relationship? Why did he have to be so mysterious and cryptic? Why couldn't he just be a normal man?
"Hey." Gold said as he sat down on the bench next to Belle.
"Hey." she replied quietly. "You're back."
"I am." Gold said.
"Was it a good trip?" Belle asked.
"It was – profitable." Gold answered.
"Thank you for the flowers. You didn't have to keep sending them every day." Belle said.
"You didn't like them?" Gold asked.
"No. I mean yes, I loved them but – never mind. They're lovely. Thank you." Belle said.
"You're very welcome." Gold said, and he placed his hand on her knee. They were just about to move in to kiss when Belle's cell phone rang. Belle looked at the number.
"Oh, I have to take this, its work related, I'm sorry." Belle said, and she answered her phone and stood up, walking toward a corner in the park as Stewart and Sophie continued to play. Gold's eyes darted between watching Belle and watching the dogs for several minutes as Belle continued her phone call. Belle started to walk the perimeter of the park with her phone, and Sophie ran over to her several times, then ran back to Stewart. As Belle continued to talk on the phone, her back to the park entrance, she didn't notice the dark haired woman who was carrying a very well-coiffed and ribbon-decorated Pomeranian in her arms. Regina Mills took one look at Sophie romping through the park and marched over to Belle.
"Excuse me – is that your dog?" Regina asked in a snippy tone.
"Just a moment." Belle said into the phone, and she turned around and gasped. "Mayor Mills. Yes, that's – my dog." Belle returned to her phone conversation, which she ended quickly, then turned to Regina. "Is there a problem?"
"Obviously there's a problem. This is the small dog section. Your dog is anything but small. He belongs in the large dog section, and I'd appreciated it if you'd take him there." Regina stated.
"HE is a SHE, her name is Sophie, and she doesn't like playing with large dogs. I've never had a problem before." Belle said, and she smiled at Regina's dog. "What's her name?"
"Cynthia." Regina said, practically snarling at Belle.
"Well, why don't you put her down, I'm sure that she and Sophie will get on just fine. Won't you, Cynthia?" Belle said, cooing at the dog. She reached out to pet the little Pomeranian, and Cynthia growled and snapped at her, causing Belle to gasp and take a step back. Gold had been observing the entire exchange, and after the little dog snapped at Belle, he stood up and made his way over to the two women.
"What's going on here?" Gold asked. Stewart and Sophie both charged over to the trio, and Cynthia yapped and snarled as both dogs moved closer. Regina began to pet her, and she calmed down a bit but continued to growl softly. "Mayor Mills. Like mother, like dog, I see. When did you get her?"
"She was a gift from Leopold. He thought she would be good company for me after he – well, you know." Regina said.
"I am very sorry about your husband, Mayor Mills. He was a good man, and good mayor." Belle said.
"And you're still here with your giant dog – even after I asked you to leave." Regina said. "I'm not letting my Cynthia down as long as that beast is here."
"From what I see, there's only one dog in this park that's a beast – and it's certainly not Sophie." Gold said. "If you have a problem with my girlfriend, you have a problem with me."
"Your girlfriend?" Regina asked, her eyes widening. She looked at Belle and sneered a bit. "Since when?"
"I – I meant – my dog's girlfriend. Sophie is – Stewart's girlfriend." Gold said. Regina looked at both Stewart and Sophie, then she eyed Belle and Gold, and made a face.
"Well – what an interesting pairing. I think I'll be going. Oh, and – next time Cynthia and I come here – I recommend that you leave." Regina said to Belle.
"You don't get to give Belle orders, dearie." Gold told her.
"We'll see." Regina said, and she walked off with Cynthia in her arms.
"I can't wait till the next election, so we can be rid of her. You do know that she got her dying husband to sign something appointing her as interim mayor after he passed, right? As if the title were passed down like some sort of monarchy." Gold said. Stewart sat at his feet and started to bark. "You don't want to go already, do you?"
"I think I know what he wants." Belle said, and she simply moved in and kissed Gold on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. Stewart and Sophie stared up at them happily. "He was waiting for you to do that. So was I. I missed you."
"So, do you um – want to come over for dinner tomorrow? With Sophie, of course." Gold asked nervously.
"You know what I'd like, Ronan? I'd like us to go out. On a date." Belle said.
"Out? You mean – for dinner?" Gold asked.
"Dinner, a movie, whatever you'd like. Just – out. You know – like a normal boyfriend and girlfriend would do." Belle said.
"I already told you, I meant the dogs, it was a slip of the tongue." Gold said. Belle pulled him into a kiss once again, this time slipping her tongue into his mouth. He did the same.
"THAT was a slip of the tongue. This is a relationship. I have been waiting all week for you to come back, Ronan, so that we could talk about this, thinking this time would be different, what with the kisses and the nice weekend we had with Bae and the dogs and the flowers and texts all week. I know you want to take this slowly Ronan, but if this is going to go anywhere we have to keep moving forward. So – dinner date tomorrow or not?" Belle asked.
"Okay." Gold conceded.
"Finally." Belle said, and she kissed him on the cheek. "Boyfriend." Gold blushed a bit and gave her a kiss on the cheek back. Stewart barked happily and Sophie's tail wagged at a rapid pace.
"This is all your fault. Sneaky little matchmakers." Gold complained to the dogs.
"You want to come over for tea?" Belle asked.
"I'd like that very much." Gold said, and they left the park together.