Alright. Starting to heat up a little. Hope you like this one.
Regina took a deep breath, settled herself in a tall chair at the kitchen island, and tapped her fingers nervously against her wine glass. She was visibly anxious, and Emma thought that was completely charming. She reached out and curled a hand around Regina's bicep gently.
"Hey, it's ok. I'm not going to bite. I promise."
The brunette smiled gratefully at her.
"Well, it's just that I'm not sure how much David told you or how much you really want to hear."
"He told me how the two of you met and became close friends at school. He shared a bit about your tragic loss. Which, God, Regina, I'm so sorry. That must have been positively horrible for you."
Regina met her eyes and nodded solemnly, waiting for Emma to continue.
"Then he told me that he had reached out to you to see if you might be able to help me get into NECA and possibly get a scholarship and that you were a huge advocate for me at that time and even afterward. And that's basically it. I really have no idea why you helped me, but I can't possibly thank you enough. And I'm sorry about this morning because clearly you didn't deserve that."
Regina looked at her thoughtfully.
"Did you know that I had met you twice before David reached out to me. Do you remember that?"
"No. Where? When?"
"I came to visit David at Louie's a few times when I just needed to get away for a few days. I sat at the bar both times I came in, but you brought my food and chatted with me for a bit."
Emma's eyes widened almost comically, suddenly perfectly recalling their interactions.
"Holy crap. Yes. I remember."
"The first time, I'm afraid I had a bit too much to drink, and I may have over shared some of my tale of woe with you after your shift, and even though you needed to take a city bus home in the cold and still had school work to do, you stayed and listened. Do you remember that at all?"
"Yes. I remember—how could I have forgotten that?"
Regina shrugged, wanting her to know it was ok.
"The second time we met, I sat very close to a table you were waiting on. It was an older gentleman and his wife. It was clear you had waited on them many times before, and the couple was clearly very fond of you."
Emma nodded, but her face flushed and her eyes cast down.
"Mr. Farmer. That guy was at total perv."
"Indeed. When his wife got up to go to the bathroom, he propositioned you. He insinuated he could give you quite a bit of money in return for services and discretion. You were polite but turned him down. But he slipped a wad of hundred dollar bills into your apron anyway. And when the man left, do you remember what you did?"
"I think I gave it away to someone."
"You very discreetly handed it to the 15-year-old bus boy and thanked him for being such a big helper that night. Emma, I was blown away. I was raised around a lot of very wealthy people, and no one I have ever met would have done that, especially given how hard you were working to save money at the time."
Emma hid her face in her hands, but Emma pried them away.
"Oh man, Regina. I had no idea you saw that. That's not exactly something I would have wanted you—or anyone—to see."
"Well I did see it. And it almost single-handedly restored my faith in people. So when David told me about you and what you were capable of in the kitchen, I wanted to help you for so many reasons. Besides your enormous talent and incredible culinary instincts, which clearly David was very prescient about, you possess gifts that I'm not even sure you're aware of, Emma."
Emma sucked in a breath, overwhelmed by what she was hearing from this woman who held so much stature, beauty, and poise.
"I've made so many mistakes in my life, but helping you earn a chance to realize those gifts, I'd make that choice again a thousand times over."
Emma's throat felt tight, and her eyes burned. She wanted to say something, but her voice wouldn't come. So she stepped toward Regina, pulled her down from her chair, and wrapped her arms around her. Regina was surprised, and at first her body was rigid, but Emma wouldn't let go, burying her face in the brunette's shirt, and she began to relax into the embrace. As Regina tightened her grip around her, Emma began to cry, her shoulders shaking.
Regina rubbed her hands soothingly across Emma's back and began a comforting refrain.
"Shh, Emma. It's ok. Please don't cry."
After a few minutes, the quaking shoulders relaxed, and Emma pulled back minutely to look at Regina's face. Her tear-stained cheeks and wide green eyes tugged at Regina's heart.
"Thank you," she said hoarsely. "I wish I could repay you somehow."
"Enough of that, dear. You would have done the same thing in my shoes. I am certain. Lets put that behind us. Besides, I may have been a bit harsher in some of my reviews than was warranted. Perhaps overcompensating for a conflict of interest a bit… But I genuinely care about you, and I'd very much like to get to know you, so lets put all the gratitude aside so we can start fresh."
Regina pulled back and held out a hand. Emma took it, and when their hands met, her pulse began to quicken.
"Hello. I'm Regina Mills. Pleasure to meet you."
"Hi. I'm Emma Swan. The pleasure is mine."
The two women drank their wine, and Regina helped Emma make omelets, chopping arugula and whisking the eggs. Emma told her all about her experience at the culinary academy, and they laughed about some of the weirder professors they had both encountered there. They talked about David, and his new girlfriend, Mary Margaret, who Regina said was "a bit too Snow White" for her taste, but that she had a feeling it was going to last.
"Seriously? This coming from the Evil Queen? That's a little harsh," Emma said as she flipped an omelette.
"Touche. But I caught her talking to a squirrel in their back yard, so I call it like I see it."
Emma nearly spit out the wine she was drinking and doubled over in laughter. And then Regina began to laugh, until the two of them were in hysterics.
"Shit, I'm going to burn our food, and then you'll have to write another review about how I can't even cook an omelette."
"Nope. No more of that. I'm officially retired from writing Emma Swan reviews."
"Thank god. I don't think my heart could take another one. Or my staff. I think they were going to kill me this week."
Emma plated their food and set Regina's in front of her on the island and sat down opposite her with her own dinner.
"Regina, this may be too soon or too forward to ask you… But why did you stop pursuing becoming a head chef yourself?"
A shadow fell over Regina's face, and Emma instantly regretted asking the question.
"You know what? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have… that was too personal."
"No, it isn't. I mean it is, and in fact the only person I've ever talked to about it is David. But for some reason I can't explain I feel like I could tell you anything. Is that crazy?"
"Not crazy at all."
They looked at each other, and Emma found herself getting lost in brown eyes. She had to admit to herself that what she was feeling was not just affection for a woman who had gone out of her way to help her. It was an intense attraction. There was a chemistry between that buzzed and crackled, a feeling Emma had truly never experienced. And it was making her head swim.
Emma forced her eyes away and scooped a forkful of eggs into her mouth.
"Mmmm. We did good," Emma said, moaning a bit into the air. Regina just watched her, transfixed, and Emma wished she knew what was happening in her head, whether she was feeling anything remotely close. Regina took a bite, and nodded her agreement.
"Delicious. You make a mean omelette, Emma."
"Well, considering limited resources. I should really go grocery shopping once in a blue moon. It was a little stark in there."
"You work too hard. You have since you were a teenager. I know opening a restaurant is tough and time consuming, but you should make time for fun too. You are a young, beautiful woman. When's the last time you went out on a date?"
"Oh God. Uh, I can't even remember. I dated a guy named Neil in college, but that really went nowhere. And for a hot minute in Portland I was dating a woman named Elsa, but she turned out to be a bit of an ice queen if you know what I mean."
Regina chuckled.
"I do know what you mean. So, if you don't mind me getting personal… Are you bisexual? What's the story there?"
Emma's eyebrows shot up, and Regina just smirked at her.
"Weirdly, I've never given it that much thought. I think in my heart I probably prefer women, but I've been attracted to both men and women. I'm definitely not straight, if that's what you're asking."
Regina eyed her closely with a look that Emma couldn't read.
"I guess what I'm asking is if you'd consider going on a date with me."
At that moment, Emma was sure all the blood from her body had found its way to her face, and she tugged nervously at her hair. She looked up at Regina, who was looking at her, both nervous and bemused.
"Yes, I, um… Yes, Regina, I'd love to go on a date with you. I wasn't sure, you know, if you were feeling what I was—"
Regina surged in across the island, swallowing the rest of Emma's sentence with her full lips. She just let their lips gently touch, just kissing her softly to convey her feelings on the matter. Then she pulled back to look at her.
"I was. I am," Regina said, quirking her mouth into a sideways smile. "I'm not usually this forward. In fact, I haven't really dated anyone seriously since Henry was born. I can't explain what this is between us, but it's like the temperature in the room rises a few degrees every time you're near me."
Emma smiled, relieved.
"Yes, and my palms get all sweaty," she admitted, holding up her hands for proof. "I'm glad you were forward. I think it would have taken at least another bottle for me to ask you out. And maybe not even then."
"Do I scare you, Emma?"
"Well, have you seen you, Regina? You can be a little intimidating. You're almost too beautiful to believe, you're always perfectly put together, you're one of the most respected food critics in our part of the world, and you add this little wrinkle tonight… Yes, I'd say so, just slightly terrifying."
Regina walked around the island, coming to a stop in front of the blonde. She pulled her in for another kiss, firmer this time.
"I don't want you to be nervous around me. But we can work on that. It's been quite a day."
"You're not kidding. I don't know, though. It's hard for me to imagine being in a room with you now or 10 years from now where my heart doesn't beat a little faster. It's… Well, it's kind of crazy, actually."
Regina smiled broadly.
"I think it's time for me to go before I'm tempted to see just how fast I can make your heart go. Will you walk me out?"
Emma blushed at her shyly, feeling suddenly giddy. Regina laced their hands together and led the way to the front door. Emma grabbed her coat out of the closet and held it open for Regina.
"When will I see you?" Emma asked quietly.
"Well, I know you have quite a demanding schedule, and you need to be at the restaurant on the weekends, so how about Wednesday night?"
"That sounds perfect. What should we do?"
"I know I'm a little out of practice, but I asked you out, so why don't you let me plan the date, and I'll let you know what kind of attire and what time? Sound ok, Emma?"
"That sounds amazing, Regina. I honestly can't wait."
She bundled up the brunette and tugged on her collar to bring her closer. Emma kissed her soundly on the lips, chaste but sweet, and then drew her arms around her for a warm hug, locking her hands to her elbows and breathing her in.
"It's chilly out there," she said into her neck. "Stay warm, ok?"
Regina shivered and nuzzled her nose into the crook of her neck.
"I have a feeling I will," Regina said.
She reluctantly pulled away and gave Emma one last smile before disappearing through the door. Emma closed it, letting her body fall against it, the heat rising through her. She felt like a teenager—drunk with the feeling of having made a connection of this magnitude. She didn't know why, but she just had a feeling that this was a game changer. This woman—in a short period of time—had invaded her mind and heart in the best possible way. She couldn't wait for the next words out of her mouth, the next kiss, the next touch.
Her nerve endings were on fire—Emma felt more alive leaning against that door than she had felt at any other moment in her life.
She reached back and grabbed her phone from her pocket and tapped her best friend's name.
"Rubes? Are you sitting down? You're not going to fucking believe the day I just had."