A/N: In the Cufflinks!verse. A little prequel in honor of the Rumbelle Anniversary.
"It's time you were initiated, Miss French."
Mr. Gold tossed his chopsticks into the white takeout box, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, and Belle's heart did another summersault.
Her new boss was unfairly handsome. Dark eyes, brown hair streaked with grey that lapped at his collar, and she'd never seen a man wear a suit quite so well. Despite her nervousness, or maybe because of it, she was finding it difficult not to stare. His was not a classically beautiful face, but intelligent energy surrounded him, a strength that made him more appealing than the most perfect description of any hero in any of the hundreds of novel she'd read.
Even the little flake of cabbage now resting on his chin couldn't detract from his arresting good looks.
Regina pointed at Gold with one of her chopsticks and snorted. "You've got food on your face, Gold."
It was Friday, the end of Belle's second week at Regal Marketing Company, and the three of them were working late over Chinese takeout to prepare for the grand opening of a new medical facility scheduled for Monday morning. Over the past several days she had met and worked with dozens of colleagues and clients but this was her first opportunity to work closely with Mr. Gold, the firm's senior partner and the man company president Regina Mills called her right hand.
Working at the conference room table across from him—the full measure of his attention fixed on her ideas and words—had her poor organs performing a gymnastics routine all evening long.
Gold scowled at Regina and flicked at his chin with a paper napkin, giving Belle a chance to gulp down the mouthful of lo mein she was chewing. "Initiated, Mr. Gold?"
"Indeed." He leaned forward and folded his hands on the table. "Into the history of how our elevator got its name."
"The Dinosaur?" Regina rolled her eyes. "You're not seriously going to tell that story?"
"Whatever do you mean, Madam President?" Gold steepled his fingers beneath his chin, clearly enjoying Regina's pique. "I tell this one to all the new hires."
Regina slanted a disbelieving look in his direction.
That sexy little smirk of Gold's was spreading into a full-fledged smile. There was a flash of white teeth and Belle was thankful to be seated because her knees chose that moment to buckle. Get a grip, French.
Regina fixed Gold with a cold glare and Belle shivered at the abrupt drop in temperature. They were done working, dinner was over, and she didn't want to be caught in the middle of a disagreement with two people she liked and respected. She swiveled her chair toward the conference room door. "Maybe I could hear about it next week?"
According to one of her new work friends, Ruby Lucas, Gold and Regina's disagreements were legendary. They weren't above shouting insults at each other from across the office and if Regina wasn't threatening to fire Gold, he was threatening to quit. Today, while she and Belle grabbed salads at the café across the street, Ruby had confided that one time Gold and Regina had started a food fight, and Gold had gone home with one of his pricey three-piece custom suits smeared with strawberry jam. The story had been amusing, if somewhat alarming, but Ruby had been quick with reassurances: their thunderous arguments blew over as soon as they ended.
Jealousy had made the back of Belle's neck prickle. "Are they lovers?" she'd asked, picking at her lettuce.
"Good God, no. More like siblings." Ruby had winked as she popped a cucumber slice into her mouth. "Regina's dating Emma Swan and Gold? Well, he doesn't date anybody."
Mr. Gold was single. Belle hadn't wanted to examine the relief she felt at that particular pronouncement too closely then, as she didn't want Ruby to guess she had the hots for their boss.
Back in the present, she was eager to head home for the weekend before another food fight broke out and she wound up with Kung Pao chicken on her new blue blouse. "See you Monday," she chirped, rising from her chair.
"Please stay where you are, Miss French."
Belle plopped back down, volleying her attention between Gold and Regina. At least if a fight broke out, she would be available to referee.
"This is so typical of you, Gold. Only interested in socializing when it's at my expense." With the grace of a basketball player, Regina tossed her takeout boxes into the trash can.
"Are you going to pout about it, Your Majesty?"
"How about I fire you instead?" Regina hissed the threat through clenched teeth, but the undercurrent of fondness in her tone belied the harshness of her words.
The corner of his mouth twitched. "Try me."
"Oh, go ahead." Regina sighed in longsuffering defeat.
Gold made a show of clearing his throat and turned to Belle. "It was the first day we rented the office. Space was at a premium in town and this place was the best we could do. We were down on the third floor then, in a space a quarter the size of this one."
Belle nodded. These days, Regal Marketing Company occupied the entire seventh floor, but eight years ago it had been a startup and Gold and had been Regina's only employee.
"We toured the building, but we didn't try the elevator and the building manager forgot to tell us it was slow. It was a Saturday, moving day, and we were riding up with a load of files. The elevator was taking its sweet time, opening on every floor even though no one else was in the building."
Belle couldn't help but smile at the way Gold leaned forward, his eyes flashing like tiny torches as he spoke. She'd been observing him for the last two weeks. Most of the time he hid away in his office, pretending to be quiet and unaffected, but this was another side of him—one that enjoyed an audience.
"Regina started ranting about the elevator being broken, claiming we were going to be stuck for hours. Next thing I knew, she made a grab for my cane and smashed in the emergency button."
"I didn't smash it," Regina interrupted.
"You broke the panel, dearie. And dented the top of my cane." Laughter rumbled low in his chest and Belle smothered a giggle.
"You should have seen her, Miss French. She was banging on the walls, demanding a refund on the lease. Five minutes later, Sheriff Humbert arrived with a volunteer fire department resembling the Seven Dwarves and calmly explained that this elevator is temperamental and has been since this building was built at the turn of the twentieth century."
"Sue me for not wanting to be stuck in an elevator with the likes of you and your little flip phone." Regina crossed her arms over her chest. "Ten years later, I think you're still talking on the same one, aren't you Gold?"
"Why mess with what works?" Gold retorted. "I found the pace of the elevator quite charming, which is exactly what I told the sheriff. 'From one dinosaur to another,' is what Regina told the rescue crew, and the name stuck. And that's why we call our elevator The Dinosaur ." His story finished, he pushed back his chair with a triumphant smile and sipped his coffee.
Belle was charmed. She wanted to break out into spontaneous applause, but she thought that reaction might be a bit of a giveaway. "And you tell this to everyone who comes to work here?" she asked.
Regina opened her mouth and closed it abruptly.
"It's actually a really good example of the way you complement each other's leadership," Belle rushed to add. She hoped she didn't sound like a kiss ass, but the affection between Regina and Gold was obvious. Gold was worth millions from investments both local and abroad. He didn't need this job. He cared about Regina and the company.
"And by that you mean one of us panics and the other has no pulse?" Regina asked.
They all laughed. "It's all about balance," Belle said.
Miss French had long since packed up and gone home when Regina stood in his office doorway, watching him. She'd been boring holes into the top of his head for a good five minutes.
"What is it this time, Regina?" he asked without looking up. "Baseball game? Roller skating party? Whatever little office adventure you're planning, the answer is no."
"You've never told anyone that elevator story before," she said softly. "You like her."
"Who?"
"Belle." She huffed. "Don't play games with me, Gold. I've known you too long."
He flushed, resisting the urge to loosen his collar. He had no idea what had possessed him to tell that ridiculous story, let alone claim it as some sort of initiation ritual. There was something about Belle, though. She demanded his attention, like a burst of sunshine, a breath of fresh air, and a double rainbow, all bundled into one tiny yet lovely package. She brought vivacity and energy into the office with her clever ideas and her positive outlook on life. He supposed he had wanted to impress her, if he was being honest.
But Regina didn't need to know all his inner thoughts.
"Go home to your girlfriend," he said, waving her away.
"Fine. I'll leave you to your paperwork." She pushed away from the door. "But for the record?"
"Yes?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"I think she likes you, too."
A rush of heat coursed through him at her words and he realized for the first time since high school, he had a bit of a crush. It wouldn't go anywhere, of course, but the thought of the charming, lovely, Miss French liking him warmed him for the rest of the evening.
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