Chapter 7: The Party

Regina surveyed the room, pleased with how it everything turned out. All the tables were set up and covered in festive tablecloths. Different types of food sat over sternos on a few of them and all the partygoers helped themselves to whatever they wanted. Others were loaded with the presents she and her family would hand out to celebrate the holidays with those in their company. Festive decorations covered the room—from glittery snowflakes hanging from the ceiling to artificial trees lit up around the room and snowmen taped to the walls. A DJ was set up in one corner of the room, playing Christmas songs as all the employees and their families mingled together on the dancefloor or congregated around the makeshift bar. Laughter and conversations filled the room, mixing with the music.

Everything was perfect.

Robin approached her with glasses in both hands. He wore a dark green sweater over a white button-down shirt paired with black pants. When he had asked how he should dress, she had been tempted to tell him to wear the suit he wore to their dinner with Leopold but resisted that urge. Their party was a more casual affair and he looked like he fit right in.

"A drink for the lady?" he asked, holding out a glass of red wine. She took it and clinked it against his glass of whiskey before they took sips of their drinks.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she relaxed against him as he said: "This is a great party, Regina. Everyone is really enjoying themselves."

"Good," she said. "That's the whole point. They work so hard during the year that it's only right they get at least one night to relax and have fun together."

"I wish Lionheart Foods had the same idea," he said, giving her a squeeze. "We just have a lunch choked down during breaks with a Happy Holidays banner in the breakroom."

Regina frowned, surprised Richard Lionheart would be so stingy when it came to his employees. "That doesn't seem right."

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Right now, it's all about your party and impressing Leopold Blanchard so he sells his company to you."

She nodded. "Thank you."

"Is he here yet?" Robin asked, looking around.

"No," she replied, "but I didn't expect him to come for the start. He probably won't stay for the full thing either."

"Then relax, Regina. You deserve to have fun too after all the hard work you've done," he told her.

She wished she could relax and have some fun but she was too nervous. Perhaps inviting Leopold hadn't been the right decision after all. She was just a bundle of nerves, unable to enjoy herself like she usually did. All she kept waiting for was for Leopold to show up so that they could continue their charade and hopefully end everything once and for all.

Regina drained her wine glass. The alcohol did little to numb her and she briefly wondered if she should have something stronger. She put that thought out of her mind, knowing she needed all her senses and couldn't present herself to Leopold inebriated.

She was startled when her wine glass was taken from her hand and she felt as if she had just woken up from a dream. Regina watched as Robin set it aside with his empty glass. He turned to her and held out his hand. "Come on. Let's dance."

"What?" she asked, surprised.

"You can't just stand around waiting for him," Robin told her, taking her hand. "Have some fun. Dance with me."

Recalling their first dance at the restaurant, Regina couldn't say no to his request. She let him escort her to the dance floor as a slow song came on. He pulled her close to her as they swayed in time to the music. In his arms, she was able to forget about Leopold for a little while and just enjoy being with him.

The music picked up with a jazzy beat and Robin took a step back, grinning at her. "You up for a little swing?"

"Do you know how to swing?" she asked, laughing. "Because I don't."

"They don't teach it at Ivy League colleges?" he teased her as she shook her head. He then assured her: "I don't know it either. But I have learned the whole trick is to look confident while doing it and people will think you know what you're doing."

She smiled, nodding. "That's how it works in business sometimes as well."

"Good! Then you should absolutely nail this," he told her. He began to swing with her and she laughed, trying to match his steps with her own.

Robin spun her around and she was glad she chose the red dress instead of her usual black pantsuit. The taffeta skirt billowed around her as she twirled back into his arms. She clutched his arm tighter as they continued to dance in time to the music with everyone else attempting to swing dance as well. Regina felt more confident than she had been in years and more connected with her employees. She wished had been willing to look a little foolish in front of them before this—it seemed people were looking at her with even more respect, not less.

They danced together for a few more songs before the music started to sound more like what would be played in the clubs. Younger employees poured onto the dance floor to enjoy themselves as many of the older ones decided to get more food or drink. Robin guided Regina off the floor, offering to get her some more wine.

"I'm actually in the mood for eggnog," she admitted. "And a big Christmas cookie."

"That sounds absolutely delicious," David said, his voice startling them. Her heart sped up when she found Leopold standing behind them with his daughter and her husband.

Regina schooled her expression into a polite smile and cheerily greeted them. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to watch you two cut a rug out there," David replied, pointing between her and Robin. "You two looked amazing."

"Did you take lessons?" Mary Margaret asked them.

Regina shook her head as Robin wrapped his arm around her. She did the same, smiling up at him. "We just winged it. It's all about looking confident while doing it."

He grinned at her as Leopold said: "That's the secret to everything."

"Yes, it is," she agreed, looking at the family. "Can I get you anything?"

"Those cookies sound really good," David said, looking sheepish as his wife elbowed him.

Regina and Robin laughed. "We can head over to the dessert table," she told them.

"Not right away," Leopold replied. He pointed up. "Someone got caught under the mistletoe."

They looked up and Regina's heart skipped a beat when she saw the green plant hanging over her. She wondered who put it up as they never put it up, not wanting employees to get caught in an embarrassing situation. Like the one she found herself in now.

She looked down, finding an expectant smile on Leopold's face. It creeped her out a bit that he looked so excited to see her kiss her "fiancé" but she knew she couldn't back down. Forcing a smile to her face, she looked up at Robin. "Well?"

"I think we can't buck tradition," he agreed, smiling back as his eyes dropped to her lips. She realized this was happening—she was finally going to kiss Robin.

She just wished they didn't' have an audience for it.

His warm lips pressed against hers and she closed her eyes, relishing the moment. She grasped his sweater, trying to pull him closer as their lips moved against each other. Robin held her close, his body heat and pine scent washing over her. Her head began to spin a bit and she wished it would never stop. She began to wonder what it would be like to let him kiss her elsewhere and to take her to bed.

What would it be like for them to love each other completely?

Catcalls and whistles interrupted their kiss, reminding them that they had an audience. She broke the kiss, licking her lips as she tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear as turned back to Leopold and his family. Mary Margaret was staring at the ground with pink cheeks as David pointedly looked away, a smirk on his face. Only Leopold met their eyes, his smile dimmed. She didn't know if it was because he didn't get the thrilled he hoped for or because he realized he didn't like watching her kiss someone else. Maybe it was both.

She cleared her throat. "Right. Let's go get those cookies."

The small group headed toward the dessert table as she told Leopold and Nolans about past holiday parties. Employees waved at her and some thanked her for another great party as they gathered up sleepy children to head home. She thanked them for all their work and for coming before making sure to give them their gifts before they left.

"Your employees have great respect for you," Leopold said as David helped himself to the cookies.

"That's because Regina is a great leader," Robin said proudly. "She's made this a great place to work and earned their loyalty."

Leopold studied him. "Well, you're certainly proud of her."

"Of course I am," Robin replied. He took her hand and kissed it, looking at her with so much love and adoration, she almost believed this wasn't an act herself. "She's worked hard to get where she is and she continues to work hard. You couldn't put your employees and company into better hands."

The older man fell silent, considering his words as Regina's heart pounded in her chest. She wasn't sure if it was because of what Robin had said and the emotions in his eyes, feelings she had for him as well though she didn't want to tell him, or because this could be it. Leopold could decide now to sell his company to her and she wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

"Is that a photobooth?" Mary Margaret asked, her green eyes widening as she pointed to a far corner.

Regina glanced over the large rectangular booth people were coming out of, admiring their pictures. Her father had gotten it on a whim one year when she was younger and everyone loved it. The photobooth may have gotten some upgrades over the year, but it was a staple of the holiday party. She had pictures from it stretching back years, watching as she grew up and now as Henry grew.

"Yes, it is," she said, turning back to Mary Margaret. "Do you want to get your picture taken?"

Mary Margaret looked up at her husband, who chuckled. David tossed his empty plate away and took her hand. "Come on."

As they head toward the photobooth, Leopold smiled at Regina and Robin. "Have you two gotten your pictures yet?"

"Oh," she said, flustered. She had been too nervous waiting for Leopold to do much else until Robin got her to dance. "No, not yet."

"You two should go as well. Maybe grab those adorable children of yours too?" Leopold suggested, though he had a way of making it sound more like a demand. And she knew she had to give in or she wouldn't be able to make the deal.

She gave Robin's hand a squeeze and smiled at him. "What do you say?"

"I think it's a great idea, sweetheart," he replied, making her heart skip a beat at the term of endearment.

They headed toward the photobooth, arriving just as David and Mary Margaret climbed out. As he deposited the props they used in the box next to the entrance, she got their strip of photos. They admired them together and she kissed him, the two clearly happy and in love. It was a lovely sight.

"Your turn," David told them, holding open the curtain for them as Mary Margaret smiled at them.

Robin and Regina thanked them, climbing into the booth. "Do you want to get the children?" she asked.

"Not yet," he said. "Let's just take some of us, okay?"

She nodded, leaning forward to press the button. "It will take five pictures. One will be digital that will be put up on a website we can all go to in order to see them. The other four will print outside for us to take."

"Sounds like a plan," he said, wrapping her arm around them as the screen counted down to one. They posed like that for the first two pictures before he pulled her onto his lap for the third. She pressed her forehead to his for the fourth and then he kissed her again for the fifth. It was quick but it made her stomach do flips all the same.

They climbed out and she got their pictures, her heart skipping a beat when she saw how good they turned out. She and Robin almost seemed like they were in love with each other. For that moment, she decided to pretend that he cared for her the same way she cared for him.

"Where did Leopold go?" Robin asked.

She looked up, frowning when she realized he was nowhere to be found. Nor did she see Mary Margaret and David. "I don't know. Maybe they went to talk with my parents? Or with Zelena and Chad? Let's go check."

Holding onto their photos, Regina wove through the crowd as Robin followed her. She tried to spot her family when Tink raced up to her, panic in her eyes. "We have a situation in the lobby. Victoria Belfrey is here," she said.

"What?" Regina tried to stay calm even as she thought she was going to throw up. "Go get Zelena and Chad. I'll go talk with her."

She hurried away from Tink, feeling Robin right behind her. Regina was glad he was there. Her gut was telling her that things were about to go very wrong and she was going to need all the support she could get.

Entering the lobby, her heart sank when she saw Victoria talking with Leopold. She held a portfolio in her hand and Regina's heart beat wildly in her chest as she approached the two with a fake smile on her face. "Victoria, this is a surprise," she said.

"I was just saying the same thing," Leopold said, smiling. "It's great you invited her, Regina."

Regina paused, wondering if she should go with it or clarify that Victoria was crashing her party. Staring at Victoria's serious expression, there was a gleam in her eyes that Regina didn't like. She decided, then, to go for the truth. "I didn't."

His face fell and he looked at Victoria, confused. "Then why are you here?"

"I apologize for coming uninvited but I received some information that I felt I need to share right away," she said, glancing over at Robin and Regina. It made her stomach turn, knowing what happened. Victoria had found them out.

Victoria opened her portfolio and pulled out some papers. "Regina isn't really engaged. Robin is just someone she is paying to pause as her fiancé to fool you into thinking she's a family-oriented person."

"She is family-oriented," Robin insisted. "Her son is her whole world. She is also very close with her parents as well as her sister and her family."

"Family is everything to my sister and me," Zelena added, joining them in the lobby. She crossed her arms and scowled at Victoria. "Who invited you?"

"She invited herself," Robin replied, annoyed.

Victoria, though, didn't seem fazed as she handed the papers she held to Leopold. "You'll see those are checks she's paid to Robin. Quite a good amount, if you ask me. Certainly more than he earns as a stock boy."

Regina felt her cheeks flush at the utter disdain Victoria put into her voice when she mentioned Robin's job. "It's good, honest, hard work."

Leopold frowned, looking up at Robin. "I thought you work at Lionheart Foods?"

"I do," he said calmly. "I'm a stock boy there. I make sure the shelves are constantly stocked and I help people find what they need."

"Oh. I just thought you had an upper management position. It seems like that would be more fitting for someone like Regina," Leopold said, looking over the checks. "Did…Did you really pay him to be your fiancé, Regina?"

Regina wanted to deny it. She knew Robin would play along, as would Zelena and Chad. There was a chance to bluff her way out of this and she figured she could do it until Victoria started talking again.

"I also spoke to a lot of people in town," she continued, "and none of them had ever seen Regina and Robin together until this month. They didn't know either were dating let alone engaged. And I also spoke to a jeweler in town who confirmed the ring on Regina's finger is a loaner she is going to return after the New Year. You know, after the deal would mostly likely be done."

"We're private people," Robin said, trying to keep up the charade. "And that is a loaner until we can find the right ring for Regina. She needed something to show Leopold."

Victoria applauded. "Bravo. I admire you for keeping up the charade until the very end, Robin. Of course, this is probably a cakewalk for you, being an ex-felon and former drug addict."

The blood in Regina's vein froze as she realized the extent that Victoria had gone to research them. She knew then that she had to stop this for Robin's sake, especially as she believed his past was in the past. He didn't deserve whatever Victoria was going to do to him.

She reached out and placed her hand on Robin's hand, though she looked at Leopold. "Victoria is right. I have been paying Robin to pose as my fiancé in order to help us close the deal to buy your company."

Leopold's cheeks turned red and a hard look came to his eyes. "I see. So none of it was real?"

"The relationship wasn't, no," she said, "but almost all our answers were real."

"Like meeting through mutual friends? I know you reached out to agencies for models. Tell me, Robin, who is your agent?" Victoria asked him.

Robin's voice was tense as he said: "I don't have an agent. I'm not a model."

"His friend Belle is married to our former CFO and my mentor, Edgard Gold," Regina explained.

Leopold, though, looked at her with suspicion. "What about the boy? Is he really his son? Or did you hire a model for that too?"

"Roland is mine," Robin said, almost growling. "He takes after his mother. And before you ask, yes, she is really dead."

"Was she a drug addict too?" Victoria asked, almost taunting him.

Chad lunged forward to hold Robin back as he tried to swing at her. Regina put herself between him and Victoria. "That's enough," she said firmly.

She then turned to Leopold. "I'm sorry I lied to you but I'm sure you understand doing anything to close a deal. Victoria may be smug now but I'm sure she'd have done the same thing in my place."

'Never!" Victoria gasped, clutching her chest as she stared at Regina indignantly. "How dare you!"

"This is all very distressing and frankly, Regina, this makes me question everything. I think it's best if I leave," Leopold said, anger and disappointment in his voice. He turned to Victoria. "Can I walk you to your car? We have a lot to discuss."

"Yes, I suppose we do." Victoria gave Regina a smug smile before leaving with Leopold.

Regina's felt as if her whole world was shattering. She had lost the deal to buy Blanchard Electronics. It was likely that a good number of the people in the next room over wouldn't be there next Christmas and there was a chance Fantastical Finds wouldn't be there next Christmas. And it was all her fault.

"Regina, it's going to be okay," Zelena tried to assure her, wrapping her arm around her. "We'll figure something out."

She tried to nod, tried to believe her sister's words but everything seemed so hopeless. Regina turned to Robin, who stared at her with a haunted look in his eyes and a frown on his face. He hadn't deserved to have his past thrown in his face like that or for Marian's memory to be disrespected so. Tears filled her eyes as she said: "Robin, about what Victoria said…"

He shook his head. "It's probably best if I go home. It's past Roland's bedtime."

"Okay," she said softly. "Good night, Robin."

She wanted to hug him but figured that wouldn't be welcome. Instead, she watched as he returned into the room to get his son. Regina took a deep breath, realizing she couldn't go back in there. She couldn't face all those people knowing she had let them down.

"I'm going to go home too," she told Zelena. "Can you bring Henry home? He should at least have fun."

"We can do that," Chad told her, gently pulling Zelena away. "Are you sure you're okay to drive yourself?"

Regina nodded. "Thanks for asking. I'll talk to you both tomorrow."

She walked away before she could run into Robin and Roland again. Regina wouldn't blame him if he never wanted to see her again. If she were in his shoes, she'd probably feel the same way. Someone up there had a very sick sense of humor to finally send her a man she could open herself up to and possibly love for the first time since Daniel during this fiasco. Or maybe it was a sign that she just wasn't meant for romantic love.

This was definitely the worst Christmas ever.