Emma let out a frustrated sigh and balled up the drawing she was working on. She tossed it into the garbage can where it was knocked out by the dozen or so other balled up pieces of paper.

Ruby put her pencil down and turned to her, "What is your problem?"

"I need a couple flowers." Emma whined.

"Sooo go get some?"

"From where?"

"You could go next door." Emma snorted. "Or you can go a few blocks down and get them there. You did threaten to do that."

"You know that was an empty threat, the woman who owns that one is too nice and she wears too much blue. It freaks me out."

"So we've got too nice and too mean? Alright Goldilocks, you gotta pick one, because I don't think you'll find one that's just right." Ruby paused and then added, "You could also look online, like most people do."

Emma scowled, "I like having something in hand as a reference, you know that." She sighed and stood up, "I'm going next door. If I'm not back in 10..."

"I'll send a search party."

Emma took a deep breath before entering the flower shop. There was nobody at the register so she assumed that Regina and Kathryn were both in the back. Emma made a beeline for the carnations and was picking one out when she heard a voice behind her that made her tense up.

"I thought you were going to take your business elsewhere and encourage others to do the same. If I remember correctly you, 'carry weight in this town.'"

Emma turned around and almost bumped right into Regina, who was standing very close to her, close enough for Emma to smell her perfume. "And if I remember correctly, you wanted paying customers. You're not going to scare me off that easily, Regina."

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

Emma held up the pink carnation she had in her hand, "Nope, came for this and one of those asters that I was going to pick up the other day. If you excuse me, I'd like to go get my flower?" Emma was still stuck in between the table and Regina and Regina still didn't seem to notice how close she was standing to Emma. Emma did notice and it was becoming problematic. Regina may be a bit rude and judgmental, but she was still extremely attractive.

"Apologies, I'll be at the register when you're ready." Regina stepped back and walked over to the register.

Emma went over to the asters and picked out a blue one. She brought it up to the register and Regina rang her up. "Your total is $8.00."

"For two flowers?!"

Regina nodded, "Yes. Now will that be cash, credit, or check?"

Emma sighed and pulled out her wallet, "Cash." She paid Regina, took her flowers, and walked out.

When Emma walked into the tattoo shop, Ruby and Lacey gave her a once over.

"You alright there?" Ruby asked. "Lace and I were about to storm into the shop and rescue you."

Emma was running her interaction with Regina over in her head and didn't hear Ruby right away, "What? Oh... I'm fine. We were both civil and I even paid for the flowers. Can't remember the last time I did that."

Lacey laughed, "It was that time you forgot to put that rose in water and then forgot to give it back to Dad at the end of the night."

Emma glared, "Thank you, Lacey..."

"You're welcome! By the way, your appointment, those two sisters, rescheduled for a couple weeks from now."

Emma groaned, "I was really hoping they'd come in this week."

"Were ya planning on taking my advice?" Ruby asked with a wink.

Emma turned slightly pink, "No, I just know we have a light week and the younger one looks like she might be a screamer." Emma realized the double entendre as it was coming out and before Ruby could say anything, Emma looked at her and added, "Don't. I know how it came out. Just don't." Lacey and Ruby started to laugh and Emma just pointed over to her station, "I'm just gonna work on this design..."

At the end of the day, Emma took the flowers back next door.

"I'd like to return these," she told Kathryn, who was manning the register. Emma didn't see Regina out on the floor.

Kathryn gave her a 'you're joking' look. "Emma, we don't do returns. Why do you want to return them anyway? Don't you usually end up coming back for the same flowers several times? Why not just keep these?"

"Because I'm trying to make a point."

Kathryn smiled, "Alright then. Do you have a receipt?"

Emma looked at her confused, "I didn't get one."

"Well then how do I know you paid? How do I know you're not just making all of this up?"

"Can I just give them back then?"

"If you want, but I don't see the point."

"You don't have to." Emma sat the flowers down on the counter, "Thanks, Kathryn. Have a good night."

"See ya."

Shortly after Emma left, Regina came out of the office. She saw the flowers on the counter and recognized them as the ones Emma purchased earlier that day. "What are these doing here?"

"Emma came by to return them."

"We don't do returns."

"I know that. I told her that. She wanted to do it anyway." Kathryn noticed a hint of a smile on Regina's face. "She's not terrible, you know."

Two days later, on Friday, Emma returned to the flower shop and had another civil interaction with Regina. Regina even let them post their ad for the weekend piercing special. When Emma spoke to Regina, she thought about asking her what her problem was those first couple of times they talked and what it was that changed her mind about tattoo artists. Fear of the answer and of ruining whatever detente or nice equilibrium they had going for them stopped her from asking. Emma was hoping that Regina would let her start borrowing flowers as long as she returned them same day. Buying flowers was going to add up soon.