Chapter 6

"Who knew planning a wedding could be so complicated?" Robin asked, leaning back in his desk chair the following morning. He looked over at Tuck, who was curled up on his cat condo. "Good thing I'm not planning on getting married any time soon."

Tuck blinked in response but Robin's mind filled in a conversation as he sighed. "I know, this is technically my wedding. But I have no intention of being the groom. I'm not getting rushed down the aisle.

"Especially as I still don't have a good read on Regina," Robin said, picking up a couple magazines he had found with Regina on the cover. Each cover was about the demise of her latest relationship, which all three magazines agreed was due to her flighty nature when it came to romances. They all believed Regina was either too particular or unwilling to settle down, preferring to jump from man to man.

That certainly wasn't promising if he did choose to pursue a relationship with her.

Which was still a major unanswered question.

"I do believe she was genuine as Milady," he told Tuck, talking through his thoughts on her. "On the other, I've seen how she treats service people. Namely, me. I was just another employee to her and she never really showed me much respect. That says a lot about a person. Do I chance that she's more Milady than Regina? Or do I have too much to lose?"

Tuck just meowed.

Robin sighed. "You're a good confidant, Tuck, but maybe I need to talk with a human about this."

It was moments like this where he missed his parents even more. He wished he could call his father or mother for advice or to at least talking things out with them. Robin believed they would be able to help him or at least try, like other parents.

He considered talking with Uncle Richard before deciding against it. While Uncle Richard was often understanding and supportive, he was still also Keith's father and would likely be disappointed that Robin had deceived Keith as well as taken an opportunity from him. The last thing Robin ever wanted to do was disappoint his only parent figure and the one who held a lot of power over Robin's life and business. So it seemed his best bet would be John, who had been his friend for many years and took things more seriously than Will. But he would still have to wait to talk as his friend was off on a short vacation before things got even crazier.

"Well, I guess I'm not going to come up with my answers now," Robin said, standing as he stretched. "Let's go get some breakfast."

Tuck jumped from the cat condo, following Robin as he headed to the kitchen. Keith sat at the island, drinking some coffee. He looked up as Robin entered, sneering when he saw Tuck. "Do you have to bring that into the kitchen?"

"You know Tuck is always welcome here," Uncle Richard said, coming into the kitchen. He picked up Tuck, scratching under his neck. "Besides, I'm pretty sure Tuck is cleaner than you."

Keith made a face at his father but said nothing else as Robin filled Tuck's bowl. Uncle Richard put the cat down with his bowl so Tuck could enjoy his breakfast while Robin prepared his own. He motioned to the Keurig. "Can I make you some coffee?"

"Thanks, but I'll have to pass," Uncle Richard said. "I have a breakfast meeting with someone who is interested in one of the holdings I'm trying to sell."

"I hope it goes well, then," Robin replied, popping one of his favorite coffee pods into the machine before heading to the refrigerator for some eggs.

Uncle Richard smiled. "Me too. And while I'm doing that, what are you two doing?"

Robin glanced at Keith, who suddenly became fascinated with his bowl of cereal. Sighing, Robin said: "Continuing planning Regina Mills' wedding. We don't have much time."

"Yes, that's supposed to be Christmas Eve, right?" Uncle Richard asked before shaking his head. "All that rush and they don't even know the groom."

"Well, we're going to proceed as if he will show up," Robin said, wishing he could tell his uncle his problem. But with Keith still boring a hole in the counter with his eyes, it was a risk he couldn't take.

Uncle Richard nodded. "Sounds good. Well, good luck today and I'll talk to you tonight."

Once he left, Keith looked up at Robin. "You can handle the Mills' wedding right thing today, right?"

"Yes," Robin said, mostly relieved but a little annoyed. "You can just show up at the last minute and claim all the credit as usual. Don't worry."

Keith didn't react to that at all. Instead, he asked: "Do you have the suit I ordered for the masquerade? I want to return it and see if I can get my money back."

"Tink said no returns, all sales are final," Robin told his cousin.

"They always say that," Keith said smugly. "But if you argue the right points, they always cave and take it back."

Robin remembered how Tink seemed to understand his cousin but decided not to fight Keith on it. He would have to deal with her himself, Robin decided. So he nodded. "Fine. If you come to my room, I can get it for you."

Keith made a face. "Can't you just bring it out to me?"

"Sure," Robin said, sighing as he knew it would not be worth it to fight with this cousin. "I'll be right out."

Tuck followed him as he walked back to his apartment. As his beloved cat curled up on the cat condo again, Robin opened his closet and pulled out the suit. He had placed it back in the plastic bag Tink had given him and hoped Keith wouldn't realized it had been worn as he returned to the kitchen.

"Here you go," Robin said, handing Keith the suit. "Good luck."

Keith took it, studying the suit with narrowed eyes. Panic filled Robin, who sipped his coffee in hopes of calming his nerves. There was no way that Keith would figure out that Robin had worn that suit and that he was the one Regina Mills was looking for. No pictures were allowed at the party and from what Robin could tell, that rule was followed. There was no proof of anything.

"Ugh," Keith said at last. "I can't believe that woman thought this would be something I would wear. I'm never doing business with her again."

Relief swept through Robin as he shrugged. "Whatever. I doubt Tink will be devastated."

"She should be," Keith said, standing. "I could bring in a lot of good business. Now I'll be able to send them elsewhere. You know I have a lot of sway in Storybrooke."

"Of course," Robin replied, humoring his cousin as he finished his coffee. "I need to get ready to meet with Regina. Do you need anything else?"

Keith shook his head, standing. "Good luck with Regina. Try not to screw this up for us, okay?"

"Yes, Keith," Robin said, rolling his eyes. He picked up Tuck and carried his cat back to his apartment, eager to put some distance between him and his cousin. Once again, Robin would do all the work and then Keith could come to take all the credit.

Business as usual.

"I just have to get through this year," he told Tuck. "Then he'll give me the business and we can just go back to being relatives, not business partners."

Tuck yawned before leaping from his arms. Robin sighed as his cat returned to his bed, certain he had bored his cat. Or maybe even as a cat, Tuck knew a truth Robin had been ignoring since agreeing to this plan – that there was no guarantee that Keith would follow through on his promise and not come up with some other excuse to keep Robin prisoner.

"I really hope he finds a rich woman to marry," Robin said out loud. "Then he can really be out of my hair."

For now, he pushed thoughts of Keith from his mind and got ready to focus on the wedding he was planning and if he was going to tell the bride that he was her groom. He needed to see how Regina acted today and then he was certain he had his answer.

It was time.

"Mrs. Mills, there's a gentleman waiting for you in your office," Astrid said, standing at her desk as Cora passed. She always looked ready to faint and seemed to constantly be trembling, her eyes fixated on the ground. Cora couldn't recall a single moment where her assistant ever looked her in the eyes.

She loved it.

"A gentleman?" Cora asked, confused. "Did he say why?"

Astrid nodded. "It's about the masquerade and the man who captured your daughter's attention."

"Many men have tried to claim to be that man and none seem to be him," Cora said, hoping she wasn't about to chase down another false lead. "What makes you think this gentleman might be the real deal?"

"The suit," Astrid said. "It matches the stocking."

While there were many times Astrid was barely competent, this time she had done a good job. Triumph filled Cora as she rushed past her assistant, eager to meet the man who had captured Regina's attention and would hopefully marry her so her inheritance would finally be hers.

She stepped into the office and saw a man about Regina's age standing there. He had light brown hair and bright blue eyes, reminding her of someone though Cora couldn't place who at the moment. But that didn't matter. All she cared about was the dark blue suit draped over his arm – the one that matched the stocking found in her daughter's study.

"So, you're the one who fascinated my daughter," Cora said, closing the door behind her before approaching the man.

"I was supposed to be," the man replied. "But I received rather subpar treatment at a spa and tainted ingredients led to a rather awful allergic reaction that kept me from attending your daughter's party. This, though, was supposed to be my suit and mask but it was stolen."

That intrigued Cora and she crossed her arms, studying him. "Do you know who stole it?"

"I do," he said. "It was my cousin, Robin Locksley."

"Robin Lock…the person planning my daughter's wedding?" she asked, realizing why the man looked familiar as anger filled her. If he was the man who had caught Regina's eye, why hadn't he said something? Why would he just sit there and plan a wedding as if he wasn't the groom?

He nodded. "Yes, one and the same. I believe when I was unable to go, my cousin stole my suit and used the invitation Regina gave me personally in order to attend the party. And I guess he ended up wooing Regina whether he knew it at the time or not."

"Why hasn't he said anything?" Cora asked, sitting down though she was still seething. "What game is he playing?"

"My cousin doesn't play games," the man replied, sitting down as he laid the suit down in the chair next to him. "Robin is too…noble? Naïve? I don't know. But he just doesn't play games."

That intrigued her and her anger started to dissipate as she leaned back in her chair. "That still doesn't answer my first question – why hasn't he said anything?"

He shrugged. "Not sure. Honestly, there are times when I doubt he's into women. He prefers to hang out with other men and he likes to bake. Bake! And he plans parties. He cares about flowers and color arrangements and all that crap. I just let him have his fun and work on networking, you know, expanding the business and schmoozing."

Cora nearly sighed in exasperation. It was just her luck that the man Regina had become infatuated with would turn out to be gay. She had thought her daughter would have a better "gaydar" but apparently she didn't even have one. Which certainly left a conundrum – the man Cora was looking for was right in front of them but would not claim his prize because he was not interested in women. So what did she do now? Did she tell Regina?

Or did Regina already know? Was her daughter colluding with the wedding planner to avoid the whole affair? They were supposed to be at the house now – were they laughing at her and gleefully looking forward to her complete embarrassment when it was publicly revealed there was no groom because he was gay?

"Do you think he's told my daughter?" she asked the man sitting in front of him. "You said he doesn't play games and described him as noble. Do you think he's told her the truth then?"

He shook his head. "I don't think he would've handed over this suit so easily if he had. And we're partners. He would've told me if the wedding wasn't going to happen at all. But his guilt and nobility will get to him. He's going to talk sooner rather than later. And that's why I'm here."

"You want to get ahead of it," Cora said, nodding. He was being a smart businessman. "You don't want this to reflect badly on your company."

"I could care less about the company. It's mostly my cousin's and I just provide him support. I'll be fine if he does end up running it into the ground," the man said, shrugging. "But I was thinking this over and realized it would be a shame for all of this to go to waste in the end and there be no wedding."

That caught her attention and she leaned forward, tenting her fingers as she said: "Go on."

He smiled, relaxing as he leaned back in the chair. "Well, here's how I see it: Regina personally invited me to her party and if it weren't for the allergic reaction, I would've been wearing the suit and mask at the party. It would've likely been my stocking she picked. So everything seems to point to me being the one she was meant to be with all along. If Robin doesn't want to claim his prize, I will. After all, it is rightly mine."

"I like the way you think," Cora said, impressed with this man. Perhaps he was exactly who her daughter needed in her life. "And you said Regina invited you personally?"

"Yes," he replied. "We had a connection, a spark if you will."

Cora leaned forward, knowing she could work with that. "So what is your plan exactly? Pretend to be the man Regina met at the party?"

"Yes," he replied. "I figure it'll be a win-win-win situation. You don't look foolish and get to throw a lavish wedding for your daughter, Regina gets the husband she thinks she wants, and I get a wealthy and beautiful wife."

"And that's all you want?" Cora asked, certain that wasn't the entirety of the man's wishes.

He shrugged. "I wouldn't say no to a pretty cushy job here at Mills, Inc. Definitely a corner office but nothing that would require too much work. I'd rather be out schmoozing than reading some boring report."

"So you want a salary, a title and an office for essentially nothing?" Cora asked, bristling a bit. While she appreciated his desire for wealth and status, she didn't like that he felt he could just coast on their hard work and not his own.

"I wouldn't say nothing," he replied. "I guess you can say my main job will be being Regina's husband and making her look good at events and in the business world."

That was a good point, Cora realized. She couldn't give him a salary just for being Regina's husband but she knew it would be a fulltime job with all the social events and business engagements they had. He would be working hard for his money, just not in the traditional sense.

Before she could agree, she had a few questions for him. "Why tell me? Why not just pretend to be him?"

"Because I can tell you're a no-nonsense woman who wouldn't tolerate such deception," he replied.

Pleased that he understood her so well, Cora nodded. "You're right. I'm not."

"I've also seen enough movies to know such deception never really ends well," he continued. "And I thought that having an ally on my side would be helpful. Especially when that ally is as powerful and influential as you."

"That is true," she agreed, knowing he had a point. "I do have a lot of sway over my daughter. So what do you propose we do next?"

He looked serious as he laid out their plan. "We need to tell Regina soon. My cousin's conscience will likely get to him and we want to make sure he doesn't tell her the truth."

She nodded. "Good point. But how do we know he won't tell her the truth even after we begin our ruse?"

"I know how to control my cousin," he assured her. "He really cares about that party planning business and wants to own it solo. I told him I would give it to him if he works as my personal assistant until I get married. So if he wants the company, he'll do whatever I tell him."

"Savvy and devious," Cora said, liking this man more and more. "I think you'll fit in just fine with this family."

He smiled, holding out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

She took his hand and shook it. "We do, Mr.…?"

"Nott," he said. "Keith Nott."

"Well, Keith, welcome to the family," she said. "Let's finish working this plan out and then let's get you to your bride."

Keith leaned forward with a wide smile. "Sounds good to me."

Relief and triumph filled Cora. She would finally get what she wanted all along by New Year's. Keith was right – it was certainly a win-win-win situation all around and she was going to enjoy it.

Regina stepped into her house, taking a deep breath and finding the familiar scent of cookies. Her stomach growled as she headed into the kitchen. "Did you make cookies, Granny?" she asked.

Granny nodded, setting a tray of chocolate chip cookies aside. "You asked me to."

"No, I made a comment how it would be nice to give Robin cookies as a peace offering," Regina said, recalling their conversation that morning. "I didn't expect you to bake them!"

"Well, I had time and I did," she replied. "So now you have your peace offering."

Regina hugged Granny, gratitude filling her. "You're the best."

Granny chuckled, hugging her back. "I know."

Chimes echoed through the house, indicating that someone was at the gate and needed access to the property. Granny released Regina and motioned for her to leave the kitchen. "You should go let Robin in," she said.

"Yes," Regina replied, smoothing down her dress. "Wish me luck."

"Just be yourself," Granny told her. "That's all the luck you need."

Regina nodded, walking toward the intercom system on her wall as it chimed again. She pressed a button and saw Robin sitting in his party van. Her stomach tightened as she pressed the button to open the gates, watching as he faced forward and then drove onto her property.

Showtime.

Walking to the front door, she opened it just as he pulled up to it. She watched as he parked the van and turned it off, climbing down from the front seat. Robin walked toward her, dressed in a gray t-shirt under a dark green sweater and paired with jeans and brown boots.

He looked good.

"Hello, Robin," she said, making sure to use his name. "How are you?"

"I'm good," he replied, smiling and revealing two dimples she couldn't believe she hadn't noticed before. Had she really been that oblivious? Robin stopped in front of her and asked: "How are you?"

She took a deep breath before shrugging. "As good as can be expected, I guess."

Robin nodded, seemingly understanding her. "Where do you want to start?" he asked.

"I guess we can figure out where to set up for this wedding," she replied, stepping aside. "Please come in."

He stepped into her house and she closed the door behind him. Regina took a deep breath, deciding it was best to apologize now rather than waiting until the end of their time together. She stepped closer, clasping her hands in front of her. "Before we continue, there's something I want to say to you first," she said.

"Oh?" he asked, looking nervous.

"I wanted to apologize," she said. "I haven't treated you with much respect and that wasn't right."

"Oh," he said, looking a bit relieved and somewhat amused.

She nodded, pushing forward. "It was wrong for me not to remember your name after all the work you did for my party. And I no doubt took my frustrations with my mother and the whole situation out on you. You didn't deserve that. You're just here to do your job and I appreciate the support you've already given me."

Robin's blue eyes softened as he said: "Apology accepted and appreciated. I hope to continue supporting you no matter what happens with this wedding."

"Thank you," she said, feeling as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. "I am really glad Mother decided to hire you to plan the wedding."

"Me too," he replied. "And not just because it's another high-profile job. But because I think I can help you. Partners, as it were."

She nodded, smiling as she said: "I don't think I asked for a partner."

"You didn't," he replied. "But you have one just the same."

"I think I might like the sound of that," she said, walking past him. "How about we seal our partnership with cookies?"

His eyes lit up and he fell into step next to her. "Cookies?"

"Yes," she replied, entering the kitchen. Granny had placed the cookies on a plate and she picked them up. "Granny made these earlier. They are fresh from the oven."

"They look delicious," he said, taking a cookie. He bit into them and let out a little moan. "They are still so soft and melty."

She chuckled before taking a bite of her own cookie. It was sweet and melty, the perfect cookie. Regina let out a little moan herself as she nodded. "Granny definitely makes the best cookies," she said.

"Maybe we should get her to make some of these for the wedding," he said, clearly joking.

Regina pressed her finger to her lips. "Don't say that too loudly. She'll take you up on it. And if this wedding goes forward, I don't want her lifting a finger that day."

He nodded solemnly. "Understood."

"Good," she replied, finishing her cookie and taking another one. She motioned to the plate. "Have another cookie and follow me. I'll show you the yard again."

"Sounds like a plan," he said, taking a cookie and following her to the backdoor.

They stepped out into the cool California sunshine as they looked over the patio and grounds that had held her party. She took a deep breath before asking: "What do you think?"

"Do you want the ceremony here and the reception under tents in the yard or vice versa?" Robin asked. "Because either way would work."

"I think we should use the patio as the dance floor again," she said, motioning to the stone floor. "So I guess the ceremony should be out in the yard. Give us more room to set up the chairs. And give me a proper aisle to walk down, if it comes to that."

He nodded, writing it down. "Where do you want the stage to be set up? By the fountain?"

That gave her a jolt. How did he know that she and Shakespeare had spent a good amount of time at the fountain? She narrowed her eyes as she asked: "Pardon?"

"The fountain," he said, pointing in its general direction. "It'll give us the best room to set up the chairs and provide a lovely backdrop for your vows, if you come to those."

"Oh, yes," she replied, relaxing. "That makes sense."

He nodded. "Why don't we go check it out?"

"Sure," she said. "Do you need me to show you where it is?"

"No," he replied. "I'm pretty sure I remember where it is from my last walkthrough. But if I start to go off course, just let me know, okay?"

She nodded as they started down the path to the fountain. "Sounds like a plan."

They walked down about halfway in silence before Robin said: "I never got to tell you this last time, but your property is absolutely beautiful."

"Oh," she replied, her cheeks heating up. "Thank you. I inherited it from my father. Well, my mother did but she lets me live here. She never really liked this house. It was too far away from everything, according to her."

"And I'm sure that's why your father loved it," Robin said before glancing at her. "You too."

Regina nodded. "Pretty much."

They rounded the corner and the fountain came into view. In the light of day, it didn't look as magical as it had when she had spent the evening with Shakespeare. Especially as the water was turned off as well – she only turned it on for special occasions to conserve water. So now it was just a white stone fountain with some dolphins carved into it.

Which was still very beautiful but not as grand as it could be.

"Yes," Robin said, stopping and turning around. "I think this would be the perfect place for the ceremony, if it takes place."

Regina frowned as she took in her green yard and her house resting on the hill above. "Are you sure? It doesn't seem to scream wedding."

He chuckled. "That's because you're seeing it as it is not as it will be."

"And you can?" she asked, looking up at him as skepticism filled her.

"Yes," he replied, moving to stand behind her. "Close your eyes and let me set the scene for you."

She glanced over her shoulder at him, feeling a bit foolish. "Really?"

"Really," he told her. "Trust me, okay?"

"Okay," she said softly, closing her eyes. "Done."

"Good. Now, I want you to imagine the house decorated for a traditional Christmas, just like you wanted," he replied, his voice soft and smooth in her ear. "Garland around the door and window frames, candles in the windows…"

As he spoke, she could clearly picture her house all decorated for Christmas. It looked like something from the old-fashioned Christmas cards she always bought to send out each holiday season. Evergreen garlands festooning her beautiful stone house and poinsettias with their red blooms surrounding the grounds. There even was a fire in the fireplace so smoke rose from her chimney to add to the feeling as candles flickered in each window of the house.

"The two evergreen trees at the top of the path will be decorated like Christmas trees," he said as the image appeared in her mind. "Do you prefer bells or angels?"

"Angels," she said, picturing two gold angels with trumpets flanking the start of what would be her aisle.

"Good choice," he replied. "White runner?"

She nodded. "I know it's boring…"

"Nonsense," he told her. "It's classic and traditional. Fits your whole theme."

Relief swept through her as she imagined herself walking down the white runner toward the fountain, which was also decorated with garland as well as some Christmas lights as water rose up from the dolphins and cascaded back into the pool. Maybe even a few ornaments as well. Her heart beat faster as she approached the little dais set up there, picturing a man in a dark tuxedo with his back to her as he waited for her to arrive for their wedding ceremony.

"Do you hear music?" he asked her. "If so, what is it?"

"The bridal march," she replied as the song filled her mind. "Played by a string quartet."

In her imagination, she reached the dais and stopped next to Shakespeare. She looked back and saw the small gathering of their friends and family sitting on white chairs facing the fountain. Each row was marked with a floral display of roses and holly sprigs and white tulle ribbons. It looked like the perfect Christmas wedding.

Her perfect Christmas wedding.

"It looks perfect," she replied. "You were right. This is the perfect place to get married."

"Then this is where we'll set everything up," he assured her. "When you're ready, open your eyes."

He said that last part softly, giving her permission to stay in her daydream longer. She looked up at the man standing next to her in her mind's eye, trying to recreate Shakespeare from her memory. In this moment, he had light brown hair gelled back as he wore the blue suit from the party. It made his blue eyes even bluer as they shone with love and happiness as he gazed down at her.

She slowly opened her eyes as Robin came into focus instead of Shakespeare, the sun making his blond hair shine. His head was bowed as he sketched something on a drawing pad she hadn't realized he had carried with him, his pencil flying across the paper. Regina stepped closer, seeing her daydream come to life on the page.

"You're really good," she said, recognizing the style from all the drawings she received before her masquerade. "You design everything, don't you?"

"Pretty much, yeah," he replied, looking up at her. "Why?"

She tucked some hair behind her ear. "I think I owe you an apology."

He tilted his head, giving her a confused smile. "You already apologized."

"For how I treated you," she said. "But I didn't give you the proper credit for everything you did for my first party. Your designs were amazing."

"Oh," he replied, his ears turning pink. "Thank you."

She stepped closer to him, wondering if he knew what his cousin had done. "Keith took credit for them."

He shrugged. "He usually does. Unless the client hates them, then he's happy to tell them I did them."

"That's not fair to you," she replied.

"It works," he said. "Keith charms them and I do all the work behind the scenes."

She leaned over and gently nudged his shoulder with her own. "Don't sell yourself short. You're pretty charming."

His cheeks turned pink now, something she found rather endearing. "I think it's the accent. Gives people the illusion I am."

"I don't think so," she replied. "I think it's just you."

"Well, thank you," he said, closing his pad. He motioned back to the house. "Shall we go figure out the reception now?"

She nodded, eager to see what he drew for the reception she would likely never have. "Sure."

They returned to her patio area and he hummed, walking around it. "This was the dance floor for your masquerade, right?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, recalling dancing with Shakespeare. "It was a good one."

He nodded. "So we'll use it again."

"I agree," she said, looking over to an open space of grass just off to the side of the patio. She pointed to it. "We could put the tables and chairs there."

"Do you want a tent for them or leave them out in the open?" he asked, flipping open his sketch book again.

She bit her lip, seeing a tent in her mind. "Tent. Though maybe we could have a few tables outside for those who don't want to stay in the tent? Perhaps people could go back and forth?"

"I like the sound of that," he said, starting to sketch something. "Does that mean you want to go with an open seating plan?"

"Open?" she asked, tilting her head as she tried to figure out what that could mean. "Like I don't make a seating chart and just let people sit wherever they want?"

She nodded, liking the sound of that. Regina then laughed as she thought of her mother's horrified face. "Mother is going to hate it. She's going to insist that we make sure all the right people are sitting together and to make sure there are no fights."

"They can do that on their own," Robin said. "And if they can't avoid each other or be civil for a few hours, then that's more of a reflection of them than on you."

"I know that," Regina said, thinking of the people Mother would want to invite who would start a fight. "But we're talking about some very powerful men who are used to blaming everyone else but themselves for their own behavior. And who have some very misogynistic views, believing that women should do everything to make sure their lives are easy."

Robin frowned, looking up. "And your mother will bow to that pressure? She doesn't seem the type to take such bullshit."

"Normally, yes," Regina agreed. "But my mother still has some very old-fashioned beliefs ingrained with her that I don't even think she's ever stopped to question. I also think she believes that if she plays by their rules, she'll eventually win their game."

"But the game is always rigged against her," he said.

She nodded, impressed that he understood. "I'm surprised she hasn't figure it out yet."

"Well, let's pretend your mother doesn't have to approve any of this," Robin said, grinning. "Plan your perfect wedding. After all, this wedding is likely not to happen. So who cares if you don't get perfect now?"

"That's true," she agreed, knowing he had a point. She then got an idea and grinned. "How about you tell me your perfect wedding as well?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I have a perfect wedding?"

She looked him over, stepping closer. "I think that even though society tells women to start planning weddings as little girls and that men just need to show up, we both know that men like to dream about their wedding as well. Besides, you plan parties. Certainly, you've considered what you would or wouldn't want for your wedding?"

"I suppose," he said, smiling and revealing dimples that seemed very familiar to her. "Alright, I'll play."

"Good," she said, shaking off the déjà vu that filled her. "So, you know where I would like to get married. How about you?"

He rubbed his cheek before saying: "Storybrooke Botanical Garden. I've done a lot of parties there and it just seems so romantic. I also enjoy being surrounded by so much nature."

"I've been there," she replied, thinking of the last wedding she had gone to there. "It's a great spot for a wedding, especially in the spring. Do you want a spring wedding?"

"Late spring sounds nice," he said. "Avoid the rush of wedding season in the summer, you know?"

She nodded. "I honestly like the idea of an autumn wedding myself. Not too hot and there's so much you can do with that."

"Autumn is nice," he agreed. "But not Christmas?"

"I don't know," she replied. "Maybe before but now…"

She felt the date was forever tainted for any future weddings due to her mother's meddling. If she found Shakespeare or the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, she would want them to get married without Mother's stupid stunt haunting them.

Robin seemed to understand, nodding. "Of course."

"Right, so we know my perfect wedding would take place here in the autumn and yours in the spring in the botanical garden," she said, wanting to change the subject. "What next?"

"Open seating or seating chart?" he asked.

She grinned. "I think we both know I'm partial to open seating. You?"

"Same," he replied. "Or if I did a seating chart, I would mix things up so people wouldn't be sitting with everyone they know."

"Ooh, I definitely wouldn't do that," Regina said, already feeling her skin crawl with anxiety. "That sounds like a nightmare."

His eyebrows went up. "Really?"

She nodded, rubbing her arm. "This might come as a surprise, but I hate parties."

"You do?" he asked, sounding as surprised as she thought he would be.

"Yes," she replied. "I suffer from social anxiety, mostly thanks to my mother according to my therapist."

Robin let out a little snort. "That I definitely believe."

She nodded. "Well, I get nervous around a large crowd of people, especially strangers. I do my best but I'm always worried about saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing, which means I can't just relax and enjoy myself. So if I was invited to a wedding and informed I would be sitting with strangers…"

"It would likely ruin your night because you would be more focused on not messing up rather than just having fun," he said, rubbing his chin. "Yeah, I didn't think of that. I tend to be comfortable talking with anyone so it's easy to forget not everyone is like me."

"Exactly," she said. "I think that's why I like the idea of an open seating option. People can choose if they want to sit with other guests they know or with guests they don't know in order to get to meet new people."

He nodded. "I think that might make the most sense."

"Well then," Regina said, deciding to change the subject as she realized she had gotten more personal than usual. She chuckled. "Do people often share more than normal around you? Only a few people know about my social anxiety as I don't talk about it much."

"No one has ever said they've overshared with me before," he replied. "But it could've happened."

She nodded, certain it had. "You have a very calming manner about you. You put people at ease, Robin Locksley."

"Oh," he replied, his ears turning pink. "Thank you."

"Can I ask you a question that's not about our hypothetical perfect weddings?" she asked him.

He nodded, holding his sketchpad to his chest. "Sure."

"Why party planning?" she asked.

"I honestly fell into it," he replied. "My uncle took over a failing catering company and I started working for it in college. He let me take the lead a lot and I slowly built it up. Over time, I realized I enjoyed creating the whole experience rather than just being one part of it so I started planning. My cousin joined me and a whole new company was born."

She smiled, impressed by his story. "Impressive."

He grinned, looking proud of himself. "Thank you. I'm amazed about how much we've grown it over the years and feel like we're on the verge of truly making it."

"I think you've made it," she told him. "You threw the party of the holiday season for me and even if this wedding doesn't happen, I promise to tell everyone that the wedding you were planning was nothing short of spectacular."

"I appreciate that," he replied. "Though I think you meant 'when' rather than 'if,' right?"

She bit her lip, tempted to tell Robin about how her mother was essentially blackmailing her into possibly getting married. How if Mal couldn't find a way to protect Mary Margaret and Granny, Regina could walk down the aisle on Christmas Eve. "I guess so. I'm just careful so I don't slip up in front of mother," she said, telling him a half truth.

He nodded. "Understandable. I should probably do the same. She likely wouldn't like hearing the planner say he doesn't think the wedding will happen."

"She would not," Regina agreed, noticing it was starting to get dark. She frowned. "Is it already that late?"

Robin checked his watch before shielding his eyes as he looked up at the sky, shaking his head. "Looks like a storm is rolling in," he said.

The winds picked up and she smelled rain in the air even without turning around to see the dark clouds she was certain were filling the skies. Instead, she pointed to the house. "We should head inside and continue talking unless you just want to leave now," she said.

"We can continue talking," he replied, turning toward the door leading to her kitchen. "Besides, I probably should wait for the worst of the storm to pass before I get on the road."

She nodded, knowing he had a point as they entered her kitchen. Just as she closed the door, she saw lightning light up the sky before thunder rumbled overhead and rain pelted the glass. They had gotten inside just in time.

Regina turned to Robin, who stood there with his sketchpad as he waited for her next move. She motioned to the stove. "I think this type of weather calls for some hot chocolate and cookies. What about you?"

"Oh, I definitely agree," he said, placing his pad down. "Can I do anything to help?"

She shook her head, turning on the kettle. "I've got it. Why don't you tell me if you would prefer a DJ or a live band at your hypothetical dream wedding?"

He chuckled, leaning against a chair by the table. "I think I would prefer a live band. I know a few from my job and they are amazing. And I feel it just seems different with actual musicians than if it's just a DJ playing a set like it's Friday night in the club."

"Some people like that," she said, pulling down two mugs before hunting for the cocoa.

"Are you one of them?" he asked.

She shook her head, glancing over at him. "I prefer a live band as well."

"That's what I thought," he replied. "After all, you got a live band for your party. Where did you find them?"

"Oh, a friend recommended them," she said. "The lead singer is her daughter."

He looked impressed. "They sounded amazing."

"I would probably book them for my wedding," Regina said as the kettle began to whistle. "We could probably pretend to book them for my fake wedding, though I would hate to tie them up on Christmas Eve. But this friend is also my lawyer so she knows the full story and could explain it to them."

"They would be in on the ruse and would understand when the gig got cancelled," he said, sounding like he was thinking it over.

She nodded, pouring the boiling water into the mugs and dissolving the cocoa powder she had already scooped into them. "And we'll still pay them too," she said.

"That might work," he replied. "That will just leave the other vendors."

"This is very complicated," Regina said, carrying over the mugs after adding some cinnamon to both drinks. She handed one to Robin. "Are vendors going to agree to work a wedding that only has one bride and no groom or another bride?"

He shrugged, blowing on the hot chocolate. "If they do, they are definitely going to get the money in advance and put in non-refundable riders."

She nodded. "They'll get their money and this might just be an expensive embarrassment for Mother."

"Probably," he agreed. "I doubt she will take that well."

"No," Regina replied, thinking of her mother's threat. A chill swept through her as she looked over Robin and she sat up straighter. "No matter what happens, I'll take the brunt of it. I won't let her punish you."

He frowned, lowering his mug. "You don't have to do that."

"It's only right," she said. "You're really only tangentially involved in this. You shouldn't have your career or life ruined because Shakespeare never shows up to the wedding. Or worse, he does and I decide not to marry him."

"You wouldn't marry him?" Robin asked, almost looking hurt. It struck her as odd but she decided not to dwell on it.

Instead, she focused on just answer his question. "Probably not and especially in such a short time. We should take some time to get to know each other first."

"That does make sense," he replied. He set his mug down and grinned. "Just between us, what would it take for you to marry Shakespeare on Christmas Eve?"

She took a sip as she thought about her answer. Part of her wanted to say nothing but she still hesitated. Despite being a pragmatic person, she was still a romantic deep down inside and her answer came from there.

"If he shows up and is just as genuine and warm and friendly as he was that night," she said. "If he's just the same without the mask as he was with it, I would happily walk down the aisle to him on Christmas Eve and figure everything out."

"Is that so?" he asked, seemingly intrigued now.

She nodded, thinking back to the time she spent with her masked suitor. "Time just seemed to stop and I felt I could just be me, even if I was wearing a mask. He made me feel safe and supported."

"That sounds wonderful," he said. "It sounds like you really had a real connection with him."

"I did," she replied, sighing as she thought about Shakespeare. "I just hope that if I do find him, he's as wonderful as he was that night."

He looked down at his mug before asking: "Maybe he's worried about the same thing?"

Confusion filled her as she asked: "What do you mean?"

"I mean that if he's seen the video, he now knows he spent the evening with Regina Mills," he pointed out. "He is probably trying to reconcile what he knows of you as Regina with what he knows of you as Milady and is probably scared to come forward in case that you aren't who you seemed that night."

She realized he had a point. There were so many stories out there about her – most untrue – that Shakespeare was likely hesitant to come forward, wondering who the woman he had met at the party truly was. Regina hoped he decided to give her a chance to show him and would at least step forward to reveal his identity so they could decide the next steps together.

But before she could say that, realization jolted through her. Robin had said that Shakespeare knew her as "Milady." She was certain she had never told him or Mother what her nickname had been that night. How did he know then that she had been Milady? She felt her heart speed up as she studied him, wondering if maybe he had been Shakespeare the entire time and had been telling her why he was hesitant to tell her.

Robin pushed his mug away before looking into her eyes. They were just as blue as Shakespeare's had been and she held her breath, wondering if he was about to reveal that he had been her partner that night.

"Regina," he said. "There's something I need to tell you. I…"

"REGINA!"

She jumped as her mother's voice echoed through the foyer. Regina slowly rose from her chair as Mother entered the kitchen, her eyes darting to Robin for a second before returning to Regina. Walking closer, she smiled. "I have good news. We've found him," she said.

"Found who?" Regina asked, confused.

"Your mystery man," Mother said, resting her hand on a chair. "He came by and I am satisfied that he was the one you met at the party. He's waiting in the foyer for you."

Regina's heart skipped a beat as she glanced back at Robin, who frowned as his brow furrowed. Perhaps he wasn't Shakespeare after all. Shakespeare clearly had an American accent, not a British one. Maybe she had slipped about something and hadn't realized it. Or maybe he had overheard her talking with Granny the day after the party.

But she still couldn't shake the feeling that Shakespeare was sitting at her kitchen table, not standing in the foyer.

"Regina?" Mother asked in a tone that made it clear she was already irritated with her. "Aren't you going to go talk to him?"

"Of course," Regina said, standing. She turned to Robin. "Excuse me."

He nodded before she walked away, her heart pounding in her chest with every step. She entered the foyer to find a man with light brown hair standing there, his back to her. Clearing her throat, she asked: "Hello?"

She held her breath as he turned around, revealing he was holding a large bouquet of red roses. He held them out as his blue eyes sparkled in the lights in her foyer. "Hello, Regina, it's nice to see you again," he said.

"You too," she replied, disappointment again filling her as she took the roses from him. "I don't understand. I thought you weren't at my party?"

"I got nervous and lied. I realized you were the one I spent the night with and I was ashamed that I just ran off without giving you a proper explanation," he said, looking very sympathetic.

She swallowed, wondering what explanation he would give for that. "And why did you?"

"Because I take pride in our work and I wanted to make sure that clean up went well," he said. "And even though I didn't know who you were at the time, I didn't want you to know that was essentially just the help. I guess I let my pride get the best of me. Can you forgive me, Regina?"

"I suppose so," she replied, her stomach still twisted in knots. "You're here now, Keith."

Keith Nott smiled, nodding. "Yes, I am. And I cannot wait to marry you on Christmas Eve."

A/N: Here's the new chapter! I decided to deviate from the original – which had (Candace) the cousin lying to everyone and only Angie (protagonist) knowing the truth – and bring Cora in on this. It seemed to suit her character and be in line with how she would manipulate Regina to get what she wanted.

How will Robin get involved in this subterfuge? Find out in the next chapter!

-Mac