Monday morning came too soon. Belle had spent her Sunday editing her novel and helping Ruby plan her wedding. Ruby already had a whole pinterest board dedicated to the occasion.
Belle arrive before Mr. Gold, to a frigid office. Pulling off her coat, she upped the thermostat and settled behind her desk. Mr. Gold arrived moments later, looking annoyed that she arrived before him.
"It's sweltering in here," he snapped, and turned the thermostat down.
Belle huffed as he slammed the door to his office, and prepared the tea things. She pulled on her coat and went to deliver the drink.
"Good morning Mr. Gold," she said.
"What's so good about it?"
"You know? I'm not sure, considering it's like an ice box in here," she snapped.
"Oh it that why you're wearing that horrendous coat? I thought you enjoyed hurting my eyes," he said sipping his tea.
"It keeps me warm, even when I must sit with the most cold-hearted man in New York," Belle said, chin tilted defiantly.
"Well, turn up the heat if you're going to be so sensitive about it," he growled.
"I am not being sensitive, it truly cold in here! It was 40 degrees Fahrenheit when I arrived!"
"I feel fine," Gold said, "It's only frail women like you that always insist it's too cold. It's weak."
"Weak?! My apologizes for having a smaller body mass than you, but being cold is not a sign of weakness!" she cried.
"You are dismissed," he sneered, "Get out of my sight, I'm tied of looking at that awful coat."
Belle collected the tea things with a clatter and walked out, shedding her coat and turning the heat up before he could change his mind.
Lunch could not come soon enough, but soon Belle was walking across the street with Emma Swan in search of ice cream.
"So, how are you liking the job?" Emma asked as she pushed open the door to the ice cream parlor, Frozen.
"Hi Emma!" a nearly white haired young woman said from behind the counter.
"Hi Elsa!" Emma returned.
"Uhg, Gold's a positive ass!" Belle exclaimed and dropped into a booth.
"That good, hun?"
"That man! He- he- He just so condescending! And smug! And his eyes!" Belle cried with evident frustration.
"His... eyes?" Emma probed, raising an eyebrow.
"He's always watching me! It's like he can see into my soul or something. I feel so small,"
"Ice cream will help," Emma said.
She walked up to the counter and Belle begrudgingly joined her.
"What do you recommend, Elsa?" Emma asked, leaning on the counter.
"Well the triple berry is excellent, but the peanut butter and jelly is super fresh- I just made it this morning- and it's really good!"
"I guess I'll have some of the peanut butter and jelly, what do you want Belle?" Emma turned to her friend.
"Umm, Rum and raisin looks good, I have a scoop of that," she said, pointing.
It wasn't until they were sitting back in the booth that Belle realized the irony or her choice.
"Aw, damn," she groaned, "He's even in my subconscious!"
"What are you talking about?" Emma asked.
"Rum and raisin!" Belle said, holding up her ice cream, "His name is Rumold!"
"Gold's name is Rumold? That's weird," said the blonde, eating her ice cream, "Heh heh, That's good to know, though. For all anyone knew his first name was like Rumpelstiltskin or something."
"Anyway," Emma continued, "Jefferson has this weird idea that you two are like, soulmates or something."
"WHAT?!" Belle exclaimed, startling Elsa behind the counter.
"How- how could he think that? We are nothing alike! I would never ever fall in love with someone as smug and cruel and horrid as- uhg! Never mind if he's intelligent and handsome and so gentle- I do not like Rumold Gold!" Belle sputtered.
Elsa behind the counter snorted, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."
Emma looked a bit surprised by Belle's outburst, "Um, yeah. Sorry I brought it up, I didn't mean to hit a nerve."
Belle glared at her ice cream like it had offended her.
Back at the headquarters of Gold Books, down in the basement where IT lived, Emma paid Jefferson a visit. She handed him a container of Black Tea Ice Cream and a spoon.
"Here," she said.
"So," Jefferson probed, "How'd it go."
"I casually mentioned that you think Belle and Gold would be soulmates and she flipped out," Emma said, "Did you know his first name is Rumold? Who names their kid Rumold?"
"You told her I thought they were soulmates?! What possessed you to do that? But more importantly, how did she flip out? What did she say?"
"She said he was smug, cruel, and horrid. She also mentioned that he was intelligent, handsome, and so gentle, what ever that means," Emma said, stealing Jefferson's spoon to taste his ice cream, "Hey this isn't bad, Elsa knows what she's doing."
"Well, they did sleep together," he said idly, playing with his hat.
"WHAT? THEY WHAT?"
"Yes, yes, it was before she started working here, don't worry. Now she obviously likes him and he her, so they just need a little push."
"What do you mean they slept together?!"
"I mean they had sex, what other way is there? Now there are three fool proof ways to get two people to fall in love. One, have them pretend to be dating. Two, have them meet in a coffee shop, preferably if one of them is a Batista- do you think Gold can make coffee? And three, lock them in a closet, bonus points if it's cold and they have to share body heat," Jefferson explained to a very confused and disturbed Emma Swan.
"What are you reading?" she asked.
"Please Swan, this is fanfiction 101. Now, how are we going to get them in a coffee shop?"
"I... don't think the coffee shop plan is going to work. You'll have better luck locking them in a cold closet."
"Or..." he trailed off a raised an eyebrow.
"Or what? What are planning?"
Tuesday morning Jefferson was in Gold's office the minute he had finished his tea.
"What do you want Madden?" Rumold snapped.
"So you know how you asked me to find a suitable lady to go to the Mayor's Christmas Ball with you?: Jefferson said grinning, "Well I found her. How would you like to go to the ball with a young woman who is beautiful, intelligent, and well-read? She's about yay high, and well spoken. Brown hair, blue eyes, the most killer legs you've ever seen?"
"You said you found the perfect girl when you set me up with Zelena Greene," Gold pointed out, "But the woman you're describing does sound desirable. Go on."
"Zelena was a mistake. That's the last time I set you up with a relation of Regina's," Jefferson apologized, "But this girl I found is perfect."
"Well, who is she?" Gold spread his hands waiting for the answer.
"Belle French."
"No."
"Come on! You could pay her overtime! She already knows your a bastard so she wouldn't run away screaming like- what was her name?"
"Ella," he snapped, "And she didn't run away screaming."
"It's a good idea, you have to admit. She's beautiful and smart enough not to say something to embarrass you, just ask her?" Jefferson pleaded.
"Why are you so insistent on her and I?"
"Grace needs a godmother to go with her godfather," Jefferson said cheekily, "So you'll ask her?"
Gold groaned, "yes, yes, I'll ask if she wants overtime, but that is all it's about. Grace will have to live life with only a godfather. Send Miss French in when you leave."
Jefferson practically skipped out of the office, and Belle walked in, looking concerned.
"What's wrong with Mr. Madden?" she asked.
"Nevermind him. Would you be interested in picking up some over time?" Gold asked her.
"What kind of over time?"
"The paid kind."
"Well, yes."
"You've seen the invitation for the Mayor's Christmas Ball, I presume?"
"Yes Mr. Gold."
"I require a date to the Ball. Some one that will not embarrass me. That would be you."
"What? I-"
"You've already agreed and it would be simply business. We can discuss the details later, but it is this Saturday night. I will have a dress sent to you. Understood?"
"I- Yes, Mr. Gold, I understand," she said.
"You're dismissed," he replied, waving her away.