Chapter 3: The Charade Begins

Regina stood in the lobby of Fantastical Finds, trying not to pace as she anxiously checked her watch. The holiday lighting ceremony started at seven and Robin had agreed to meet her at her office at six-thirty. He still had ten more minutes while she needed to be less anxious. Leopold might not pick up on it but she knew Victoria Belfrey would. Regina didn't want to give her a reason to go poking around, thereby giving her a chance to expose Regina's deception.

"You should really talk to Archie about your anxiety," Zelena said. "Maybe he or Dr. Whale could prescribe you Xanax or something."

"I don't need Xanax. I need this deal to be done," she snapped back.

Her sister hummed in response, gently smacking her black leather gloves against her hand. She wore a black cape coat over her black pant suit, the green scarf wrapped around her neck the only splash of color she wore as even her cloche-style hat was black. It pushed her red hair, which she had straightened, flat against her face and neck.

"When's he supposed to get here?" she then asked Regina.

Regina checked her watch. "In five minutes."

"I can't wait to meet him," Zelena said, smirking. "You've been acting absolutely smitten since picking him to be your fake fiancé."

Ignoring the fire burning in her cheeks, Regina protested: "I have not."

Zelena gave her a pointed look and she knew she was busted, though she would never admit it out loud. She probably was a little smitten with Robin Locksley. There had been something about his headshot that had intrigued her but it paled in comparison to meeting him in person. She had correctly guessed he had lighter colored hair—a dark blond that could almost be considered brown and matched the scruff that had set him apart from the others on her desk—which had been thicker on top but cut close on the sides. There had also been a smattering of gray hairs at his temples, giving him a more distinguished look and that he had experienced life, unlike too-fresh-faced Percy le Gros. His bright blue eyes held a warmth that made her feel comfortable around him and spoke of a kindness she didn't often encounter in people. When he smiled, he revealed two dimples that had made her weak and she wanted to kill Belle for not warning her he was British. The accent combined with his good looks made her wish she wasn't just pretending to be in a relationship with him.

Robin hadn't then been intimidated by her and had interacted with her as an equal. He also didn't make her feel like a fool over her actions and her lie, treating it as seriously as she was. She also felt he appreciated how concerned she was about their children, that they connected as single parents. Or perhaps she was just projecting her hopes onto him. Regina wasn't quite sure and did look forward to spending some more time with him so she could get to know him better, even if she doubted they would see each other after the New Year.

"Oh, you have it bad," Zelena said, disrupting Regina's thoughts about Robin.

She blinked before frowning. "I do not have it bad."

"You can't bluff with me, Regina. I know you too well. You can keep your face and voice as neutral as possible but your eyes always give you away," Zelena replied, pointing at Regina's eyes. "They are the windows to the soul and yours have no blinds or curtains."

Regina batted away her sister's hand. "Of course I'm thinking about Robin. I have a lot riding on this."

"That's not what your eyes are saying…"

Zelena was saved a tongue lashing by the arrival of her husband, Chad. He stepped off the elevator, pulling his coat over his lanky frame. His light brown hair looked freshly styled, brushed to one side, and he had trimmed his own beard. Grinning, he gave Zelena a quick kiss. "Sorry I'm late. Our meeting in marketing ran longer than expected and I wanted to freshen up," he explained.

"No worries. Regina's fake fiancé isn't here yet either," Zelena said, smirking as she focused on her.

"Oh, yes. I can't wait to meet…Robin, right?" Chad asked, looking at her for confirmation.

She nodded, glancing at the door. Her heart sped up as she saw Robin hurrying toward the door, holding the hand of a young boy who was no older than four…maybe five at the most. Robin pulled open the door and let his son walk in first.

"He's right here," she said, taking a deep breath as she forced a smile on her face. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied, slightly breathless. "Traffic is crazy since they have Main Street blocked off. We had to park a few blocks away and walk here."

She grimaced, feeling foolish. "I should've gotten you a parking pass so you could park in our lot. I'm sorry."

"That's okay," he assured her. He then gently pushed his son forward. "Regina, I'd like you to meet my son, Roland."

"Pleased to meet you," she said, crouching down to shake his hand. Her smile became more genuine as she studied the little boy. He wore a large orange jacket and a gray beanie that covered his hair. Judging from his tan skin tone and brown eyes, she figured he had dark hair like hers. He didn't resemble his father except when he smiled, revealing dimples identical to Robin's.

He shook her hand. "Hi! Papa says he's helping you with a special project."

She let out a little laugh at how he worded that as it was the same thing she had told Henry. Regina nodded. "Yeah. Thank you for sharing him with me."

"You're welcome," he said. "I'm a good sharer. At least that's what Miss Ashley, my teacher at preschool, says."

She stood, introducing Zelena and Chad to Robin and Roland. Looking at Robin, she asked: "Is it okay if Roland stays out here with them? I just want to talk to you in private for a few moments."

He nodded, kneeling to look his son in the eyes. "Regina and I will be right back. You be good for Zelena and Chad, okay?"

"Okay, Papa," he said, hugging Robin. The show of affection melted her heart and she knew that she made the right choice. She could definitely pretend to be attracted to such a great father.

Robin stood and nodded at her. She led him to the room right behind security's station, the one they used for breaks. The night guards were busy and had said it was okay for her to use the room for a little bit.

She closed the door behind her and faced Robin. "Thank you again for doing this."

"You're welcome," he said, sticking his hands in his jacket's pocket. "But let's not pretend I'm doing this out of the kindness of my heart. The money you're paying is going to go a long way, especially when it comes to Roland."

"I'm sure you're going to spoil that boy. I know I would. All he would have to do is flash those dimples and I'd cave," she admitted with a soft smile.

He chuckled before biting his lip, his dimples noticeable. "So dimples are your kryptonite? Good to know."

Something in her stomach fluttered and she took a deep breath, trying to distract herself. "You like superheroes? Because Henry loves them. Harry Potter too."

"Henry-your son, right?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "I'm sorry you couldn't meet him before the lighting but it was easier for him to come with my parents and my niece."

He nodded before taking a deep breath. "Anything else I need to know?"

"You remember our cover story?" she asked, thinking of the story they had worked on after he called her on Saturday afternoon to accept her offer.

"Yes," he replied. "I'll be able to convince Leopold."

She nodded before taking a step closer. "There is one other thing you need to know. There's another person vying to buy his company. Her name is Victoria Belfrey and she's bound to be here as well."

Robin took a deep breath. "So we also need to convince her. Or at least not make her suspicious."

"Pretty much," Regina replied, relieved that he understood.

He nodded. "Okay. Then let's go do this. Umm…I know you'll be wearing gloves, but do you have a ring?"

"Yes!" She reached into her coat pocket, glad he had reminded her about it. Regina pulled out a small black box. "I called in a favor from a jeweler friend of mine."

"May I?" Robin took the box from her, opening it to reveal a simple square cut diamond set on a platinum band. He took it out of the box and slid it on her ring finger, making her heart speed up even though it was a fake engagement.

He smiled as he looked up at her. "There. We're officially fake engaged."

She pulled her hand back, briefly admiring how the diamond caught the light before pulling on her gloves. "Well, we better head out there or we'll miss all the fun."

"And we wouldn't want that," he replied, winking at her. Her heart skipped a beat and she wondered if she was going to survive their fake engagement as she followed him out into the lobby to meet back up with Zelena, Chad and Roland.

People packed Main Street, making it difficult to navigate. Robin picked up Roland, feeling better carrying his son rather than risking them getting separated in the crowd. They stuck close to Regina, who held onto his arm so she didn't lose them. Roland looked at everything with wide eyes before turning back to him. "Papa, there are so many people here!"

Robin chuckled. "Yes, there are. So we all need to stay together."

"Do you see Mother and Daddy?" Zelena asked Regina. She and Chad were behind them.

Regina craned her neck, looking over the crowd. She frowned. "No. Can you call them? See if they can tell you where they are with Henry and Margot?"

"Do you see Leopold? Or Victoria?" Robin asked her, ready to play the part of her adoring fiancé.

She shook her head. "Maybe we won't run into them."

"Maybe," he agreed. However, she had said that Leopold had specifically mentioned this event. That told him one thing. "But we both know he's going to track you down to talk to you before this event is over."

Regina sighed. "You're right."

Zelena fell into step beside her sister, holding her phone in her hand. "Mother says they've found a spot by Archie's office."

"That's not too much further," Chad added, leaning forward. He pointed straight ahead. "I think there's pocket we can weave through to get there."

Regina's grip on Robin's arm tightened and they headed into the pocket. He held onto Roland tighter as they navigated around other families who had claimed their spot to view the lighting. Many greeted the Mills' sisters as well as Chad and it became clear to Robin that they were employees of Fantastical Finds. They seemed to respect the three, which spoke volumes about the Mills family as employers. His esteem for them rose even more.

He already respected Regina greatly, though. Robin had done some research about her and her family before and after accepting her proposal, wanting to know more about them. Working in one of Storybrooke's only grocery stores helped with that and many of his customers were willing to talk to him about the family. He learned that Regina's mother, Cora, was a shrewd businesswoman who had had the drive and backbone to build a company from the ground up. She had fought many battles to help put Fantastical Finds on the map and had gotten a reputation as ruthless in the boardroom. Yet it was clear everyone he spoke to admired her and even respected her for that just as much as they did for her charity work, which was her main focus now that she was retired.

Regina's father, Henry, was probably a bit more respected than his beloved wife. It probably was due to the fact that his focus had always been on their employees, making sure Fantastical Finds was a company that people wanted to work for. Their starting wages were always well above minimum wage and they offered very attractive benefits, even to part time staff. Robin could understand why the company might be struggling and he was glad that Regina was trying to find a way to solve their problems without having to sacrifice any of their employees' perks. He knew her father had taught her that and probably advised her even though he was retired now as well. From what Robin understood, Henry was focused on spending time with his family and being a wonderful grandfather to Regina's son and Zelena's daughter.

People spoke highly of Zelena and Chad. No one accused them of getting their positions due to nepotism, saying that each had earned their job through hard work and dedication. The same was true of Regina, who people said was a good combination of her parents—she cared about her employees but could be just as ruthless as her mother when it came to business deals. Robin certainly was impressed.

What impressed him even more, though, was that everyone who spoke to him about Regina also talked about how wonderful a mother she was. They talked about how devoted she was to her son, who they all agreed was her number priority in life. She didn't have a nanny as her parents helped take care of Henry and she wanted to be a hands-on parent. Regina made sure to attend every school meeting, every recital, every school pageant, every art festival and every spelling bee Henry participated in. She made sure to get home in time to help him with his homework and had made it clear that weekends were for the two of them to spend quality time together.

It also amazed him how much the people of Storybrooke loved to gossip if he was able to learn all of that in a weekend. He wondered what they said about him when he wasn't around.

"Mom! Aunt Zelena! Uncle Chad! Over here!" A young boy in a navy coat jumped up and down, waving at them. His red and white scarf bounced against his chest with his every move as did some strands of his brown hair.

Robin smiled, leaning down to address Regina. "I'm guessing that's Henry."

"Yes," she said, frowning. "Though I don't know why he's not wearing his hat."

"It's probably a phase," Chad said. "You know—something like it's cool to not wear hats and catch pneumonia."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Well, we're going to put a stop to that. It's always cool to wear hats. Right, Roland?"

He nodded, placing his hands on his own hat. Roland then frowned as he turned to look at Robin. "You're not wearing a hat, Papa!"

"I'm not," he acknowledged, "but I really should. My ears are frozen!"

Roland gasped and clapped his hands over his father's ears. "I'll warm them up for you, Papa!"

"Thank you," Robin said, knowing his voice was a bit louder since everything was muffled by Roland's hands.

"Mommy! Daddy!" A young girl wearing a pink coat darted past Henry. She jumped into Chad's waiting arms. Her white scarf was wrapped around her neck and matched the fluffy earmuffs she wore, the band resting against her blonde pigtails. She smiled at him, kissing his cheek. "Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, sweetheart. Are you ready to see the lights?" Chad asked her. As she nodded, Robin scoured his memory and recalled her name was Margot, Regina's niece who was about a year older than Roland.

Henry hugged Regina, pressing his head to her chest. "Hi, Mom. I was worried you'd miss it."

"Never," she told him, dropping a kiss to his hair. A small but beautiful smile graced her face and Robin felt his heart skip a beat.

This is just a business arrangement. Once the deal is done, you'll go your separate ways. Don't make a mess of this with emotions, he told himself.

She pulled away from Henry as Roland's hands fell away from Robin's ears. The boy was fixated on all the new people around them, especially Henry. He waved at them. "Hi, I'm Roland."

"Hi, Roland. I'm Henry," the old boy said. He then looked up at Robin. "Are you the one helping my mom out?"

Robin nodded, holding out his hand. "Robin Locksley, at your service."

"Cool," Henry replied, shaking his hand.

An older couple joined them and Robin knew that they were Regina's parents. She looked a lot like her mother though she did have her father's darker skin and eyes. They greeted their daughters and Chad first before turning to Robin. Henry Sr. held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And you," Robin said, shaking the man's hand. He then shook Cora's. "You as well, Mrs. Mills."

"You can call me Cora," she insisted with a smile, though it lacked some warmth. He probably shouldn't have been surprised—he was just there to help Regina secure a deal, not as her real boyfriend.

Any other stilted conversation they may have had to endure was put off when Margot pointed ahead to where Mayor Spencer stood at the podium with his wife. Several high school students stood behind him, all trying to stay warm as he welcomed everyone to the annual lighting event. He introduced the students as the local choir, explaining they would sing before Main Street would be lit up.

Regina stepped up to his side, her arm still wrapped around Henry as she held her son close. Leaning down, Robin asked: "Do you see Leopold?"

"No," she said, frowning. "It doesn't mean he's not here. We need to be vigilant."

Henry grinned up at her. "You just sounded like Mad-Eye Moody there. CONSTANT VIGILIANCE!"

"Just watch the lights," she told him in a deadpan. He continued to grin as he looked ahead while Robin fought the urge to chuckle, recalling her comment about Henry loving the Harry Potter books.

The choir finished singing and Mayor Spencer stepped up to the giant switch set up for the event. An aide held his microphone for him as he addressed the crowd. "Let's all countdown together. Five…four…three…two…"

"ONE!" everyone shouted as he pressed the switch. Lights flickered on, illuminating the storefronts and shining in the darkness. White lights were wrapped around the trees that lined the sidewalk while most stores went with multicolored lights. Some had wreaths and decorations, like snowmen and Santas, but all were appropriately festive.

Roland clapped as did Margot. Henry's smile grew bigger as Regina hugged him again. "It looks beautiful. I always love Christmas," she said.

"Christmas is the best," Roland agreed, resting his head on Robin's shoulder. He started to rub his son's back as he kissed his forehead.

"Is it time for cookies?" Margot asked, bouncing in Chad's arms as his smiled at her.

Henry pulled away from his mother and Roland sat up straighter. Both looked at their parents with wide eyes. "Is it?" Roland asked, breathless.

Robin met Regina's eyes and gave her a slight nod. She then exchanged glances with Zelena and Chad before smiling. "You know what? I think it is."

All three children cheered and the small group headed toward Granny's Diner, where all the cookies and hot chocolate were set up. He noticed a few tables set up with products on them as people looked for the perfect Christmas gift. Zelena pointed to one table. "I'm going to go look over there. I got some cute stocking stuffers there last year and I'm hoping to strike gold again."

"Okay, darling," Cora said. "Just meet us at Granny's."

They entered the courtyard at the diner and Roland squirmed in his arms. "Put me down, Papa."

"What do you say?" Robin asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"Please," Roland replied, clasping his hands together. He gave Robin his best doe eyes.

Chuckling, Robin kissed his cheek and set him down on his feet. He took his son's hand. "Come on, let's go check out what Granny has this year."

"Hold that thought," Regina said, placing her hand on his arm. "Leopold Blanchard is coming this way."

He followed her eyeline to spot an older man approaching them. The man wore a black coat and a matching fedora, a hunger in his eyes as they locked on Regina. Robin got an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach and wondered if her lie about having a fiancé wasn't just to make a deal. Still, he forced a smile on his face as he prepared to act his heart out.

"Regina! I'm so glad to see you here," he said, stopping in front of her. He leaned forward to give her a hug, giving her a lingering kiss on her cheek.

Something flared up inside Robin and he wrapped his arm around her, giving Leopold an insincere smile. "So you're Leopold Blanchard. My fiancée has told me so much about you."

Leopold's smile dimmed a bit and his eyes narrowed as he studied Robin. Before he could say anything, a tall woman with short ombre hair approached them with a tall man and three girls in tow. "Leopold! So good to see you!" she exclaimed.

Regina tugged on Robin's sleeve. "That's Victoria Belfrey," she whispered through clenched teeth as she maintained her smile.

The competition, he remembered. He watched as she introduced her family. There was her husband Marcus, whose dark hair, dark eyes and tan skin reminded Robin of Regina. She then introduced each girl—the youngest, Ivy, who favored her father's coloring and her eldest, Anastasia, who favored Victoria with her light brown hair and hazel eyes. Both appeared to be young and Robin figured they were close in age to Roland and Margot. Then there was Ella, who was clearly the oldest of the three—probably around Henry's age—and was introduced as her stepdaughter. She had long dark hair and brown eyes, though her skin was darker than the others and reminded him of Marian.

"Don't you have a child, Regina?" Victoria then asked after each girl greeted Leopold.

"I do," she said as Henry pressed himself against her. She smiled proudly as she said: "This is my Henry. Henry, this is Mrs. Belfrey and Mr. Blanchard."

"Nice to meet you," Henry said, shaking Leopold's hand.

Robin smiled at the scene when he felt something tug on his pant legs. He looked down to see Roland clutching at him, watching the newcomers with curiosity in his eyes. Robin rubbed his hand over his son's covered hair and hoped none of them noticed him.

"And who is this?" Leopold asked, making Robin grit his teeth. It seemed Roland was to be pulled into this charade after all.

However, he knew he could control just how much of a role his son had and who had access to him. "This is my son, Roland."

"I'm sorry, and you are?" Victoria asked, almost sneering.

Leopold turned to her. "This is Regina's fiancé…I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name."

"Robin Locksley," he replied, shaking the man's hand. He held his gaze, hoping Leopold would stop staring at Regina like she was a piece of meat.

Victoria frowned as she looked at Regina. "You didn't mention a fiancé at our meeting."

"That's because they only recently got engaged," Leopold said, sounding almost bitter about it. "She was still getting used to it."

"And I was just listing family members who worked for us," Regina added. "Robin doesn't."

"Where do you work then?" Leopold asked, almost has suspicious as Victoria.

Robin forced himself to keep smiling, worried they weren't succeeding in fooling anyone. "Lionheart Foods."

Leopold's eyes widened and he looked impressed. "That's a very good company."

"Yes, it is," Robin replied, deciding he didn't need to clarify that he was pretty much just a stock boy. He would let Leopold and Victoria think whatever they wanted.

Roland tugged on his coat. "Papa, are we going to get cookies now?"

"Henry, why don't you take Roland over to the cookies?" Regina suggested, letting go of her son.

"Can we go too?" Ivy Belfrey asked her father, looking up at him with her wide brown eyes.

Marcus smiled at her. "Why don't you all go together and we'll join you soon?"

"You stay with Henry, okay?" Robin told Roland. The younger boy nodded before taking Henry's hand and walking over with the Belfrey girls over to the cookies.

Victoria focused on Leopold. "Is your daughter here tonight?"

He shook his head sadly. "It was too cold for the baby. But I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for all of you to meet."

"I can't wait," Regina said. She almost sounded sincere to Robin but something still sounded off to him, though he doubted the older man realized it.

Leopold smiled and Robin believed it was one of the first genuine ones he saw on the man. It was clear he loved his daughter and her new child very much. "Well, I won't keep you from your families. Enjoy the rest of the night."

He walked away, leaving Victoria and Regina to stare at each other while Marcus and Robin stood by awkwardly. Robin tried not to shift as he lost feeling in his face, the cold biting at his nose and ears.

Victoria broke the silence first. "Well, I guess congratulations are in order. When's the big day?"

"Thank you," Regina said, her voice just as insincere as Victoria's. Robin wrapped his arm around her again as she continued: "We just got engaged so we haven't set a date yet."

"We'll probably do that after the New Year when everything's not so crazy," he added.

Victoria nodded, her eyes narrowed. She looked like she wanted to ask them more questions, to almost interrogate them, but Marcus took her arm. "Come on, dear, let's leave Robin and Regina alone. Don't you want to spend time with the girls?"

"I do," she said. She smiled at Regina, like a tiger about to hunt its prey. "I hope to see more of you and your…fiancé, Regina."

"I hope to see you too, Victoria," Regina added, smiling as well. She was not going to let herself be intimidated by the other woman at all. Robin was proud of her.

Marcus guided Victoria away from them as Robin rubbed Regina's back. "You okay?" he asked.

She took a deep breath. "She's suspicious."

"I think she'd be suspicious even if we were really engaged," he told her, believing that was just the type of woman Victoria was. "Don't worry about her. It's Leopold we need to convince."

"You're right. And I think we made some progress on that," she said.

He nodded, deciding not to challenge her. Besides, it was likely Leopold was suspicious of Robin because he was jealous and not because he suspected they were faking it. If Robin managed to get the man to back off Regina before their charade ended, he would also consider it a win.

But that was a concern for another day. Robin took her hand and smiled at her. "We've passed our first test. Let's celebrate with cookies, hot chocolate and our boys. Okay?"

"That sounds great." She leaned against him and they headed over to where Henry and Roland stood with the rest of her family. He felt confident that it was a good start and he believed they would be able to pull it off.

And while they did that, he was going to enjoy his time with Regina Mills.