As ever, my thanks go to Kates89, Xninafun and resident-of-storybrooke for all of their help with this story. It would not be what it is without them.


Emma was almost late for work on Saturday. She'd spent the previous night at a bar with Ruby, and some of their other friends. For the first time in her life, she had consumed one too many drinks that night, in an attempt to try and forget the lunch date she had arranged for the following day.

Thankfully, she hadn't quite consumed enough to spill her biggest secret to the entire bar. But it was enough to leave her groaning as she pulled herself from her bed, at six am.

"Good morning," Gloria chirped, as Emma made her way through the front door.

"Hey Gloria. How's your week been?" she asked politely, as she hung up her coat and bag in the small office at the back of the shop, before grabbing a clean apron.

"Oh, nothing exciting," the older woman replied. "Things here have been fairly quiet too. How about yours?"

"Good. It's been good. I um… I think I have a lunch date this afternoon," Emma blurted suddenly. She hadn't been intending to tell anyone about it. But the doubts and fears had been building inside of her ever since she had replied to Jones's email, to accept his kind offer.

And Emma needed someone to talk to about them.

She had been working at the small coffee shop ever since she'd moved to New York. During that time, Betty and Gloria had become the closest people she'd ever had to family figures, in her life. Emma knew, deep down, that if there were anybody she could turn to for advice, that wouldn't judge her for what she was about to reveal, it would be the two of them.

"Oh? With that handsome man that comes in here every few days?" Gloria asked. Her eyes were already twinkling with excitement, and Emma loved her a little more for that.

"Yeah," she admitted quietly. "But um… I'm not sure I should go."

"Why on earth not?" Gloria demanded, as she finished faffing around with the muffins in the cabinet, and turned to give Emma her full attention. She looked every inch the disapproving gran, with the way she had her fist propped on her hip.

"He's my professor," Emma whispered. "Well, at least, he was. One time. Does one time count? I mean, it's not like he's grading my work. I'm not blowing him for better grades, or anything. He just… he's so intelligent, you know? And he likes the same things I do. We can geek out together over politics, and law… and he doesn't find me strange, or frigid, like others have. But he's also older than me. And I know that creeps some people out. I think it's fifteen years? But if that doesn't bother him or me, then it shouldn't bother them, right? And I could be reading far too much into this. This might not even be a date at all. He probably doesn't even find me attractive. He might just genuinely be trying to be nice to me, you know? Or maybe he's only interested in sex? Maybe that's his kink? Young college girls, so he can play the naughty professor role? Either way, I don't know if I should go."

"Oh, Sweetheart," Gloria sighed. She took hold of Emma's elbow and gently guided her down into the nearest seat, before parking herself in the chair opposite. "How long have you been holding all of that in?"

"A while," Emma admitted, with a rueful chuckle. "We started emailing each other after his lecture. He delivered this wonderful address on ethics, and when I spoke to him at the end of it, he offered to send me some pieces he'd drawn inspiration from. We've been talking every day since then."

"Then I think that rules out the just wanting sex issue," Gloria snorted. "A man who is only interested in sex won't go to that much trouble for it, Sweetheart. Especially not one who looks like he does. He could probably pick any random woman off the street, who would happily help him satisfy those needs. Lord knows if I were not happily married to my Albert, I would."

"Thanks…. I think?" Emma tried to shove aside the mental images Gloria's last few words had brought to mind, to focus on the reassurances she'd offered instead.

She was a little ashamed to admit that the thought of Jones using her for easy sex had definitely crossed her mind. And Emma hated herself for that. When she'd finally found a stable place at high school, she had met a guy there, that she thought she could trust. Neal had built a relationship with her that had left Emma believing that he truly loved her, and that she was in love with him. Until she'd found out that he was only using her for sex, when he couldn't get it from any of the girls in the cheerleading squad.

It was one of the most humiliating moments of her life, and she'd sworn never to let a guy play her that way again.

Emma didn't get those kinds of douchebag vibes from Jones. But she knew that most of their interactions had been text based, and not in person. Jones was a smart guy, with far more dating experience than she had. So, if he was playing her, Emma suspected that he would be far better at it than Neal ever was.

"As for being your professor… I don't think one lecture qualifies for that status," Gloria continued. "Like you said, he has no influence over your grades, and he doesn't hold a position of power over you. You could date any number of people in the world who may have, at one point in time, delivered a lecture at your school. I doubt that kind of thing comes up often in conversation, before people agree to a first date. So, I think you're fine there."

The older woman stood as she watched a customer approach the counter. But instead of walking away, she reached over to squeeze Emma's shoulder gently. "Whether or not this is a date, I honestly couldn't say. But what I can say is… that young man always finds a way to slip you in to conversation when he's in here. And I'm not the only one who has noticed it. So, if it's not a date… I don't think you'll have to wait too much longer until he's asking you out on one."

Gloria left Emma alone for a few moments to consider her words, before the young girl finally pulled herself together, to get started on the rest of the day's preparations.


As the clock ticked ever closer to the time she normally took her lunch break, Emma's stomach began to churn. She was grateful that Gloria had found a number of things to keep her busy with, because it helped to keep her mind off her date with Jones.

A little.

The doubts still found their way to creep in, making her freeze for a second as another worry hit her. But Emma found that focusing on her work helped push them aside.

Until Gloria came to fetch her roughly an hour before her break time.

"Go and wash up a little," she instructed, as she poked her head around the door to the kitchen. Emma was confused by the instruction, so the older woman rolled her eyes good-naturedly, as she elaborated, "Your lunch date is here."

"Oh shit, he is?" Emma worried, looking down at the flour she was covered in. She sent up a quick prayer of thanks to any God listening that she'd thought to pack a change of clothes that morning. "He's early."

"He's eager," Gloria teased. "Clean up a little and then get off for your lunch. I won't tell Betty if you don't."

Emma gave the other woman a quick kiss to the cheek, as she pulled off her apron and grabbed her bag, to head for the employee bathroom.


I honestly cannot thank you guys enough for the wonderful response to this story.

The next chapter is the start of Emma and Jones's date. Possibly. Emma's still not sure if it is one.

Thanks for reading.