"Why the long face?" Graham asked, much too chipper as he strode into the bullpen on Monday morning. He carried two cups of fresh coffee and handed one off to Ruby as he perched on the edge of her desk. "You look like you lost something."
Ruby shook her head. "Nah, just trying to figure something out, is all," she said.
"Oh? What is it? Maybe I can help."
Ruby thought about that for a moment, and then looked up at Graham. "You know my date with Regina the other night?" she asked.
Graham nodded. "How'd that go, anyway?"
"Not so great."
"Uh-oh."
"Well, it started off great. I cooked for her, she came over, we had wine and we talked," Ruby explained, and Graham was grinning from ear to ear like a damned fool, until Ruby dropped the bomb on him, "and then the kissed me. I kissed her back and she completely freaked out and left."
"Whoa. Ouch," Graham said, frowning.
"Yeah. Trust me, I felt the same way. Much worse, probably."
"So, what happened? Why'd she freak out?"
"I don't know. She spouted off some crap about it being inappropriate because of our jobs and her status or some shit and I just-I don't buy it, you know. She was way too into that kiss and she could have very easily bent the rules to go further, but she wouldn't."
"So, you think it's something else?"
"Yeah. Maybe. I don't know. I think she's into me, but maybe she's scared or something."
"She does have a reputation to uphold," Graham supplied.
Ruby nodded. "It still fucking sucks though. I was doing so well, you know. Dinner was great. The conversation was even better. She was actually opening up to me a little. I managed not to make a complete ass of myself. I didn't say or do anything weird or stupid, and then she had to go and kiss me. She kissed me! And now everything is screwed up. Again."
Ruby let out a noise that was equal parts frustration and annoyance and pinched the bridge of her nose to ward off the onset of a headache. Graham took a sip of his coffee, waited a moment, then spoke.
"So, what are you going to do now?" he inquired.
"What do you think?" Ruby shot back.
"You're going after her?"
"You're damn right I am. I'm sure as hell not going to just... I'm not letting this go. There was something there, I'm telling you. I felt it, and I think maybe she did too, so no. I'm not letting this go. I can't."
Graham sighed and shook his head. "Damn, you must really have it bad," he said, reaching out to pat Ruby's shoulder sympathetically.
He made his way over to his desk just as Emma came into the room. The sheriff hung up her coat and immediately set about doling out the orders for the day, and Ruby had pretty much mentally checked out by the time Emma dismissed them to do their jobs.
She'd have to wing it for the most part, but that was something she'd always been good at.