A/N: This is based on a Christmas movie starring Once Upon a Time in Wonderland's Emma Rigby called A Cinderella Christmas. But I decided to flip the genders as I clearly love having Robin in the Cinderella role.
I hope you enjoy it!
And happy birthday, Morgan! I hope you're having an amazing day and that this fanfic will add to it!
-Mac
"Another party down," Will Scarlett said, placing several cleaned trays and wire racks in the back of the van. "How many more until Christmas?"
"Too many if you ask me," John Little replied, carrying over some folding tables to pack away as well.
Robin Locksley chuckled as he followed behind them, carrying some of the decorations they had supplied for the party and placing them into the van. "Come on, guys. You complain now but not when I hand you your paychecks. This is our best time of the year, even ahead of the summer."
"That is true," John agreed. "Christmas season is even better than wedding season. But it's still so very tiring. I don't feel like I sleep until after the New Year."
"Same," Will replied. He glanced at Robin. "And I worry that you don't sleep at all."
Robin shrugged. "There's a lot to do but I manage to do it and get some sleep in the end."
"Good," John said. He then made a face. "I bet Keith sleeps like a baby."
Will frowned and put his hands on his hips. "Do I want to know where our so-called other boss is while we do this?"
"He sent me a text saying that he got a last-minute invite to another party and asked me to cover for him," Robin replied. "And so I did."
John shook his head. "You're too kind, mate. You let him walk all over you."
Robin sighed, knowing his friend had a point. But Will and John didn't get his family dynamic either. "Uncle Richard is so happy and proud that Keith and I are running it together. I can't crush him like that. Not after everything he's done for me. He's more than my uncle – he's been my only parent since mine died. He raised me. I owe him everything."
"We know that," Will said. "But do you really think your uncle will take it out on you if he learns that his son isn't a hard worker? Heck, that he isn't a worker at all? Or would he be impressed that you've essentially been running the company by yourself for the past two years?"
"I don't know," Robin admitted. "But I have decided that I want to ask my uncle for the company as a Christmas gift this year."
John let out a low whistle before clapping Robin on the back. "Going after you want. Congrats, man. Do you think he'll give it to you?"
"And do you think Keith will stand in your way?" Will asked.
"Yes," Robin said, pointing to John to indicate it was the answer to his question. He then pointed to Will. "I don't know. I hope not. I'm going to talk to him before I ask Uncle Richard for the company. I don't want to blindside Keith. My cousin may not be the best partner but he doesn't deserve that."
John shook his head. "You're a better person than me."
"You're a good person, John," Robin assured him. "You need to give yourself more credit."
"Well, I hope your uncle gives you the business and we don't have to worry about Keith anymore," Will said. "It's annoying not knowing if he's going to show up and then when he does, he often makes a mess and just gets in the way."
Robin knew his friend had a point. "Well, I'm going to ask my uncle tomorrow. Wish me luck."
"Good luck," both Will and John said.
They finished cleaning up the party and climbed into the van. Robin sighed as he started it up and drove away, eager to get home and get some sleep. At least he would go to bed with the knowledge of another job well done. Hopefully it would counteract the nerves he felt about asking his uncle for the company.
Uncle Richard believed in being fair and had treated Robin like his own son after he went to live with the Notts following the death of his parents. Robin and Keith had been the same age and Robin's aunt had died shortly before his parents, though hers had been expected due to a long battle with cancer while his parents' death had been sudden in a car accident. Uncle Richard had lost his wife and his sister in the span of a few months but did everything he could to help Robin and Keith adjust to their new lives. They did everything together and really bonded as a family.
Yet most times, it seemed Uncle Richard believed the only way to be fair was to make things equal. Or to have the appearance of equality. Which meant that Keith and Robin often had to do the same things together, though Robin didn't complain much. He enjoyed playing soccer but Keith was deadweight on the student council, forcing him to cover for his cousin to make sure things got done.
Which, it had turned out, was just a forerunner to their working relationship as well.
Both he and Keith had earned degrees in business management with Robin eager to join his uncle's businesses to gain experience and grow his skills while Keith joined because he figured it would be easy money. And in many ways, he was just getting paid to be the boss' son – though Robin knew Uncle Richard had no clue how little Keith worked. He covered well for his cousin and let Guy take credit for many things he had done by himself.
After a year working in some of the other companies Richard owned, Robin and Keith had been given his fledgling catering company to run. Richard had told them that they were a great team and he knew that if anyone could grow the company, it would be his boys. Keith hadn't been thrilled at the prospect, preferring to work in the established companies where he could goof off most of the day, but Robin happily took on the challenge. He had the idea to provide so much more than catering and spent the first year running it networking with DJs, bands, venues and other party-related businesses. Soon he had enough contacts to start offering to plan the parties for their clients, allowing them to have to go to one place rather than separate ones. With Will's and John's help, Robin soon built L&N Events – as his uncle allowed him to rebrand it – and they became in demand party planners.
Keith would just show up for the first couple meetings with their clients, pop into the party and leave as soon as he was sure the clients saw him, and then be there for the debrief meeting where the client usually paid and tipped everyone – including him. They were starting to pick up a more high-end clientele and so Keith was more present now, hoping to schmooze his way into high society – especially through marriage. Robin had no doubt his cousin's main goal in his life was to be some trophy husband who didn't have to work and got to life off his wife's money or her family's.
That made Robin nervous that his cousin would fight letting him have full ownership of the company. Even though he could work at any one of Uncle Richard's other companies, none would bring him into the same close contact with the jet set like the event planning business. And Keith certainly wouldn't want to just be an employee – he would believe he deserved to be an owner and continue to do no work for the same pay. If Keith objected, there was a good chance Uncle Richard wouldn't give him the business – even though Robin did all the work.
Which, of course, his uncle didn't know because Robin never told him all of that. So he would think it would be unfair to not split the business fifty-fifty, even with Robin offering to buy him out with his savings and some of his inheritance. He could be stuck working with his cousin forever.
No. It will all work out, he told himself. Just stay positive.
He hoped he was right.
*****
"Warning, security just confirmed your mother entered the building," Mary Margaret Blanchard said, entering the office.
Regina Mills sighed, taking off her glasses and setting them to the side. "Let me guess. The tabloids are reporting about the demise of my latest relationship. Ice Queen incapable of love or Flighty Heiress who refuses to settle down?"
"Flighty Heiress," Mary Margaret replied, looking sympathetic.
"Wonderful," Regina said, rubbing her forehead. It was easier to deal with her mother when she was cast as the Ice Queen. Cora Mills preferred and respected the Ice Queen but not the Flighty Heiress. So she was likely on her way up to Regina's office to lecture her on maturity and stability.
Again.
Mary Margaret shifted from foot to foot. "Do you want me to head her off at the pass? Pretend you have a meeting?"
"No," Regina replied, though she wished she could do that. "It's best if I just get it over with. You can send her in."
"Alright. But just send me an email and I can fake an emergency if you need me to get her out of your office," Mary Margaret told her before heading out to wait for Cora to arrive.
Moments later, Regina heard the elevator ding and then the familiar clicking of her mother's heels. She sat up straighter, her stomach twisting into knots as prepared herself for the onslaught.
"Good morning, Mrs. Mills," Mary Margaret said. "Can I get you anything?"
"Coffee black," Cora barked, not even greeting Mary Margaret. She pushed open Regina's frosted office doors and stepped inside, frowning.
Regina stood, smoothing down the skirt of her black dress. "Hello, Mother. Can I take your coat?"
"You may," Cora said, unbuttoning her crème-colored coat and handing it to Regina. "What happened in the lobby downstairs?"
Frowning as she hung up the coat, Regina tried to remember if anything seemed wrong with the lobby when she entered that morning. She was unable to and worried something had happened without her knowing. Turning to her mother, she asked: "What's wrong down there?"
"It looks like a Christmas card threw up," Cora replied, sniffing in disdain. "Honestly, Regina, it looks gaudy and very unprofessional."
"It looks the same way it does every year, Mother," Regina countered. "It's fine."
Cora sniffed again. "I'm going to have a talk with property anyway. I think it could do with some changes."
"No," Regina said, sitting down. She stared down her mother. "We both know that there is nothing wrong with the decorations. You're upset because of Graham."
"There is something wrong with the decorations but I am also upset because of Graham," Cora replied, tapping her fingers against the armrests. She opened her mouth but was silenced as Mary Margaret entered, handing her a cup of coffee. Once Cora took a sip and nodded, Mary Margaret left again.
Cora set her cup down and sighed. "When will you ever settle down? Graham seemed perfectly suitable for marriage."
"Yes. Apparently his fiancée thought that too," Regina replied, not keeping the bitterness from her voice. She had gone to surprise Graham only to find a blonde in his apartment and got even more of a surprise when the blond had introduced herself as Graham's fiancée, informing Regina the wedding was in a couple weeks.
She couldn't imagine how that skipped his mind or how the tabloids overlooked that small detail.
"Oh," Cora replied, looking like the wind had been taken out of her sails. Regina had no doubt she had a whole lecture about Regina letting another man who was perfectly marriable get away and now had to scramble for a new tact.
Regina hoped she could cut her off. "So if you came here to berate me for dumping another man for no reason, I'm sorry to disappoint you. Now, I have a lot of work to do so if there's nothing else..."
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" her mother asked, bristling. Her tone reminded Regina of the first rule of Mills Enterprises.
No one dismissed Cora Mills.
"Of course not," Regina replied, scrambling to find a plausible excuse to placate her mother. "I just know how busy your schedule is and I thought that you would appreciate being able to move something up."
"I appreciate spending time with my daughter more," Cora said, giving her a smile that set Regina on edge.
She would not avoid a lecture after all.
"Of course," Regina said. "I appreciate spending time with you too."
"Good," Cora replied, picking up her coffee again and taking a sip. She didn't say anything for several minutes and Regina did her best not to squirm, waiting for the inevitable and wishing her mother would say what she had to say.
No doubt she was enjoying the moment.
Finally, she set her coffee cup down again and leaned back, studying Regina. "We keep having this conversation, Regina. You need to stop being so unreasonable when it comes to relationships."
"Unreasonable?" Regina echoed, annoyed her mother had chosen to use that word and make it seem like everything was her fault. While Regina knew she wasn't entirely blameless in how some of her relationships ended, she never felt that her decisions to end them were ultimately unreasonable.
When Cora nodded, Regina's ire rose even more. "I don't think it's unreasonable to want to be with someone who cares more about me than my money, especially my inheritance."
"Your inheritance is not a problem," Cora replied. "And at the rate you're going, it will never be a problem. Honestly, Regina, most people in your position would be doing anything they could to gain access to all that money and you're just letting it sit there untouched!"
"Because I need to be married to have access to it," she pointed out. "Most people don't have that hanging over their head."
Cora leveled her with a hard glare. "Most people don't have inheritances, Regina."
Regina sighed, already sensing they would be arguing in circles again. "I don't care about the money."
"I know," her mother said. "You've made that abundantly clear with all your little acts of rebellion."
"Rebellion?" Regina asked, raising her eyebrow.
Cora nodded. "Yes. All these relationships are your way of rebelling against me."
"What?" Regina hated how her voice went up almost an octave, giving her a squeakier sound than she wanted.
Especially with her mother.
"Don't try to play innocent with me, Regina. I see right through it. All these relationships are just rebellion against the insistence that you marry before getting your inheritance. If you think that you'll just wear me down and I'll give it to you without a ring on your finger, you are wrong. I can be just as stubborn as you," Cora told her, giving her a hard look.
"Believe it or not, Mother, my decisions don't revolve around you," Regina told her coolly. "And I don't care if I never get the money. I prefer to earn my money and respect based on my own merits."
Cora rolled her eyes. "You may earn money but you'll never earn respect. Not until you grow up."
Regina bristled at that statement but two could play this game. She chose her words carefully, keeping her tone even if clipped as she spoke. "I have grown up, Mother. I am an adult who is the COO of this company. Under my guidance, we have not only continued to thrive but grow. I sit on the boards of two foundations, volunteer and enjoy hobbies. While my love life may not be the best, I do have a flourishing social life. And I can tell that people respect me and know I'm so much more than a tabloid headline, which is more than I can say about my own mother, who should know me best of all."
She could see her blow land as Cora's eyes widened a bit before her frown deepened. Cora sat up straighter as she looked over Regina before her lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile but not yet a smirk. It sent a chill down Regina's spine and she braced for what her mother was going to say.
"Except I do know you, better than yourself," Mother insisted. "And you are too selfish, to be considered mature and grown up. You're still acting like a child."
Regina gaped at her, unable to respond. It allowed Mother to continue her lecture.
"You have silly fairy tale fantasies about marriage and are waiting for the human equivalent of a unicorn." Mother fixed her with a cold look. "I can assure you, he doesn't exist. Being mature and grownup means accepting that and doing what's best. Your father and I did that. We made that sacrifice and now it's time for you to do it. Until then, you will always be just a child."
"Then I guess I will always be a child if being an adult means being so miserable you have to drink at least two bottles of wine and pop several pills to tolerate it," Regina snapped at her, disgusted by her mother's words.
Cora pressed her lips together as fire burned in her eyes for a moment. They turned to ice before she stood. "Well, I can see this will be a fruitless meeting. So I will leave you to your work. We can talk again when you're being more reasonable."
Regina knew what that meant – when Regina would be willing to listen to her mother and just do whatever Cora wanted her to do. Well, hell was going to freeze over before that happened in this case. So she held her head high as she said: "I think that's best."
"Well, then," Cora said, no doubt annoyed Regina wasn't begging for forgiveness. "I'm sure you're busy planning your party. You certainly aren't going to find a husband at some silly event like that."
"Didn't you meet Daddy at some silly event like my party?" Regina countered, holding her mother's gaze.
Cora sniffed. "I met your father at a business function."
"And what makes you think my event isn't a business function?" Regina asked.
"A Christmas Masquerade where everyone is wearing masks does not seem like a business function," Cora replied. "It seems like a frivolous bacchanal."
It took all of Regina's willpower not to roll her eyes at that statement. She leaned forward, clasping her hands on her desk. "I assure you, Mother, that my party is going to be a tasteful affair that the society pages will be talking about all season long."
Her mother paused at that. Regina knew Cora loved to be the toast of the town and if Regina did pull off the party of the year, it would be quite impressive, even in their small town. She watched the war rage in her mother's eyes – did she continue to dismiss Regina's party or did she endorse it?
After a few moments, Cora's face returned to a neutral state. "Well, I guess we'll see if that is the case. And the proper credit will be given depending on how the party turns out."
Regina bit her lip, knowing what that meant. If it did end up being the social event of the season, Cora would make sure it was her name that appeared at any mention of it. But if it wasn't then Regina would get the blame.
"I'll leave so you can continue planning your little party," Cora said. "We'll have dinner tomorrow night."
It was a statement not a request. Regina was expected to just do what her mother said as if she were still a child. Of course, since Cora didn't think one was an adult until they were married, maybe to her Regina still was.
Before waiting for a response, Cora left the office. Regina sighed as she leaned back in her chair. Mary Margaret entered the office with some hesitancy. "You okay?" she asked.
"Not really," Regina admitted. "I just...I just wish she would see that I'm an adult and let me live my life. And stop being so hung up on me getting married."
Mary Margaret nodded. "I know. And I'm sure it will happen soon. Maybe if this party is a success..."
"She'll just take credit for it," Regina replied. "You know, just like she always does."
"True," Mary Margaret said, sighing. She held out a folder. "This is from the party planners. Do you want to go over it now or wait?"
Regina took the folder. "When are the planners due?"
"Tomorrow," Mary Margaret replied. "They're going to meet you at your house."
"Good," Regina said. "I'll be able to work from home and hopefully avoid my mother."
Mary Margaret chuckled. "Sounds like a win-win situation to me. If you need any help, let me know."
"I will," Regina promised. "Thank you."
She opened the folder as her assistant left the room, going through the plans for her Christmas masquerade ball. Regina wanted it to be the event of the season, not just to rub it in her mother's face but also so all her guests could have a memorable holiday party. And to her surprise, she wanted to have a memorable experience as well.
Unlike what the tabloids and her mother thought, Regina did not like parties. She often felt awkward surrounded by so many people and usually stuck to business, which seemed to be a comfort zone for her. It also didn't help that because people thought she was a party girl, they kept trying to get her drunk or to give her drugs. More and more, she was starting to retreat from parties except for when her presence was absolutely necessary.
Not that anyone really noticed.
So when Keith Nott suggested a masquerade theme, she jumped at it. Wearing a mask and concealing one's identity sounded appealing to her. She didn't have to be Regina Mills at the party and that was freeing. Hopefully it worked and she got a night to just enjoy being herself without any expectations weighing her down.
Regina was curious to meet this Keith Nott and get to know him better. He had provided so many great ideas for her party and seemed so warm and friendly in his emails to her. If she had been prone to romantic notions, she would've said she was falling in love with him through email. But she knew better. It was just intrigue and her own imagination.
Still, some part of her hoped that when they met, they had a connection. Maybe she could finally find the right man to have a serious relationship with.
Then she could finally get her mother and the press off her back. It would be the best Christmas gift ever.
*****
"Why did you insist on such an early meeting?" Keith groaned, resting his head against the window of the passenger seat. He wore sunglasses, no doubt hiding his bloodshot eyes after a night of partying at the club.
Robin tried not to roll his eyes as he followed his phone's directions to Regina Mills' house. "It's almost noon, Keith. Most people have been working for at least three hours by now," he said.
"Yeah, but I'm not most people," Keith replied. "We own a party planning business after all."
"And most people plan parties in the day," Robin countered. "And some even have parties during the day."
He received no response from Keith and worried that his cousin had fallen asleep. Looking over, his cousin was still. Frowning, he snapped: "Keith!"
"What?" Keith snapped back, sitting up.
"Don't fall asleep," Robin told him. He glanced at the estimated time to arrival. "We're almost there and we want to look our best for Regina Mills. This is a very important party that could open a lot of doors for us to expand our business."
Keith sighed. "Fine, fine. Can you stop lecturing me?"
"Only if you promise you'll be on your best behavior," Robin countered.
"Yes, Dad," Keith said disdainfully. He then looked away and Robin heard him muttering under his breath.
Robin just sighed as he pulled up to a giant iron gate. Keith let out a low whistle. "Damn. Regina Mills is fucking loaded."
"She is," Robin agreed, rolling down his window. "So we really need to impress her. And that means watching your language."
He turned away from Keith and leaned closer to the speaker next to the gate. "We're from Sherwood Party Planners. We have a meeting with Regina Mills," he said.
Buzzing filled the air and the gates slowly creaked open. Robin slid back into place behind the wheel and glanced at Keith. "Pull yourself together. We're almost there."
"Yeah, yeah," Keith said, taking off his glasses. He pulled some eye drops from the glove compartment and placed a few in his eyes. Robin tried not to scowl, knowing that meant his cousin looked as hungover as he was acting.
Just perfect.
He followed the circular driveway up to the house and Keith let out a low whistle. "Damn. This mansion is nice."
"It is," Robin agreed, admiring the white mansion standing in front of them. He knew that he would never be able to afford such a place and wondered what Regina Mills did with so many rooms.
He parked the car and they both climbed out. As they approached the black front door, a housekeeper opened the black front door. "Please, come in," she said.
"Thank you," Robin replied, following her into the house. He paused, looking at the sweeping grand staircase before them. Looking up, he saw a beautiful chandelier overhead and did his best not to let out a low whistle.
Keith was right – this was a nice mansion.
"Ms. Mills said you can set up in the kitchen," the housekeeper said. "I can take your coats and then take you there."
Robin and Keith took off their coats and she hung them in a nearby closet. She then motioned for them to follow her. They did so, heading through a dining room that looked like it had come straight from a catalogue. Robin admired the rich wood furniture as well as the well-stocked bar before continuing into the large, sunlit kitchen.
"Here you are," the housekeeper told them. "If you need anything, you can just call for me. Page 'Granny' and I'll come. And Ms. Mills may stop by later to talk to you."
"We look forward to meeting her," Robin said, his heart skipping a beat as he worried Keith would make a fool of himself in front of her. "Thank you."
Granny nodded, leaving the kitchen. Robin turned around to find Keith standing at one of the windows, looking out the back. "Could you imagine what I could do with a backyard like this? I could have like my own racetrack back here."
"You would ruin a perfectly good backyard with a racing track," Robin said, rolling his eyes. "Come on, let's get to work."
Keith, though, just stood there with his hands on his hips. He took a deep breath. "I could get used to living in a place like this."
"Well, you'll never get a chance if we don't get to work," Robin told him, getting annoyed.
"Work, work, work," Keith taunted him. "We're never going to get this by just working at our party planning business. No, there's only one way I am going to get a place like this."
Robin sighed, wondering what get rich quick scheme his cousin was cooking up now. Though he knew he would regret it, he asked: "How?"
"By marrying rich, of course," Keith replied. "Regina Mills is single, right?"
"You are not going to flirt or hit on our client," Robin told his cousin, his temper rising. "We are professionals and professionals don't do that."
Keith let out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine. We'll be professional. But after this party, I reserve the right to flirt with her or anyone of her rich friends who may come to the party."
"Please don't," Robin replied. "Our client list is not going to also be your address book."
"Don't be a wet sock, Robin," Keith shot back, slumping into a chair. He crossed his arms and pouted.
Robin sighed but then saw his opportunity. He leaned forward. "You want to be cleared to date the clients?"
"Yes," Keith said, sitting up straighter.
"Give me complete control of the party planning business," he said. "Then they won't be your clients anymore."
Keith narrowed his eyes. "What's your angle?"
"I want to run the business by myself," Robin said honestly. "I mean, I pretty much do. You just show up and do the bare minimum."
"And why would I give up such a sweet arrangement like that?" Keith asked, leaning back in the chair and draping his arm over the back as he smirked at Robin.
Robin sighed. He had expected this but had hoped Keith would've been an easier sell. "Because I want to buy the business from your father. If he agrees, then I would be your boss and you wouldn't be able to run to him if I do something you don't like."
"Maybe," Keith said, sounding as if he doubted it. And part of Robin knew that even if he completely owned the business, Keith would still find a way to get his father to interfere since he knew Robin would never be able to say no to Uncle Richard.
"And I'm sure Uncle Richard would set you up in one of other businesses," Robin continued. "Probably some cushy office job that will let you set your own hours. You'd have time to go to the clubs since you won't have to work at night."
Keith rubbed his chin. "That does sound tempting. But how would I meet these women? You'd just give me their numbers?"
"We can work that out later," Robin said, more concerned about getting Keith to agree to letting him buy the company outright. It was really the only major hurdle he needed to clear.
"Let me think about it," Keith said. "It is a very tempting offer but I want to weigh a few things first."
That impressed Robin. Usually his cousin was impulsive and would usually agree to things without really thinking it over. Perhaps Keith was taking this seriously and wanted to make the best decision for himself. Maybe his cousin was becoming an adult at last.
"Alright," Robin said. "We should get back to work anyway."
"Right, right," Keith replied, rolling his eyes. "Work. That's all you care about. You're going to die alone, you know."
Robin rolled his eyes. "I'm still young. I have time to establish my career and then find someone to spend the rest of my life with, you know."
"You may think that but I'm telling you all the good women get snapped up very quickly," Keith said. "You should think about reversing those plans."
"I think I'm good," Robin told him, trying to shut down that conversation. Instead, he tapped his pad. "Let's get back to the party."
His cousin sighed. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when I'm married to some rich hottie and you're all alone with just your catering van."
Robin decided to ignore that.
Instead, he started to go over everything they would need for Regina Mills' Christmas Masquerade and prayed his cousin at least tried to help.
*****
"How is everything going at the office?" Regina asked, walking up to the house from her stables with her phone pressed to her ear.
"Pretty quiet," Mary Margaret replied. "I think your mother had a long lunch meeting or something. I haven't seen her at all."
Regina rolled her eyes. Her mother didn't like her partying but would spend hours at the club, drinking and schmoozing or playing golf. But apparently there was a difference – it was respectable when Cora did it but not when Regina did. Then it was immature and a sign that Regina was not really an adult.
She choked on the hypocrisy.
"Are the party planners there?" Mary Margaret asked her.
"I don't know," Regina said, opening her backdoor and stepping into the house. "I decided to go for a ride."
Granny greeted her once she closed the door. The older woman pointed toward the kitchen and whispered: "The party planners are in there."
"Thank you," Regina whispered back. She then spoke to Mary Margaret. "I need to refreshen up and then go meet the planners. I don't want to smell like stables when talking with them."
"I'll let you go then," Mary Margaret replied. "Call me back when you're done!"
Regina ended the call and turned to Granny. "I'll be down in a little bit. Please don't let them leave until I can talk with them."
"I won't," Granny promised. "Go ahead."
Biting her lip, Regina turned and headed up to her bedroom. She quickly jumped into the shower and washed the smell of horse from her before she changed into a nice red sweater dress. After doing her makeup and drying her hair, she prepared to head downstairs to meet the party planners.
Especially Keith Nott.
When she reached the landing, Granny was passing by again. She paused and looked at Regina. "They're still there," she said.
"Thank you," Regina replied, smoothing down her dress. She headed into the kitchen, ready to meet the owners of L & N Party Planners.
One man sat at her dining room table, looking over some pieces of paper. He had brown hair and wore a nice green button-down shirt. She looked him over, hoping he was Keith Nott – after all their email correspondence, she felt a connection with him and this man was certainly easy on the eyes. "Keith?"
"Yes?" he asked, looking up. His eyes widened before he smiled, standing from the chair. "How can I help you?"
"I'm Regina Mills," she said, holding out her hand. "I'm the one you're planning the party for."
"Ahh, yes," he replied. "It is an honor to plan a party for you and I promise we will give you the best party ever. I will personally guarantee it."
She smiled, though something felt off about him. They had been talking so much by email in the past few weeks and yet he was acting as if this was the first time they were interacting. Regina pushed that thought aside, reminding herself that they hadn't met in person before. And she remembered talking with someone named Robin, who had an accent, when she first contacted them about the party. So this was the first time really that she and Keith were meeting.
"Thank you," she said. "I know my party is in good hands. I already love all your suggestions for the party, especially the game involving the stockings."
His eyes widened slightly and his smile faltered for a moment. But it then returned and he nodded. "I'm glad. That was one of my more ingenious ideas."
Regina tried not to frown as confusion filled her. In his emails, Keith was very humble and didn't really brag. Something continued to feel off to her about him, almost as if she had been talking with a different person than the one in front her. Maybe he was just more comfortable talking by email and was trying to fake confidence but it was coming off as arrogance instead, she figured.
"Well, I leave you to work your magic," she said. "But before you leave, please make sure to give my housekeeper your information. I want to make sure you get an invitation to the party. It seems only fair that you get to enjoy all your hard work."
Keith's smile widened. "That is a wonderful offer. I look forward to enjoying your party."
"Good," she said, feeling a bit nervous. She slowly backed away before she did something to embarrass herself. "I'll be around if you need me. Just ask Granny and she'll come get me."
"Will do," he said.
She nodded awkwardly, realizing she had no smooth way to end the conversation. Regina just left the kitchen and crossed through the dining room, everything that just happened playing through her head. Keith seemed to be an enigma and she hoped to get to know him better at her party.
"Regina? Are you okay?" Granny asked, looking at Regina over the rims of her silver glasses.
Regina realized she had just stopped in the middle of her dining room and was likely just staring into space. Her cheeks heated up as she said: "Yes, sorry, Granny. Got lost in my thoughts."
"Clearly," Granny said, still studying her. "Does it have something to do with the gentlemen in your kitchen?"
"Gentlemen?" Regina asked, confused. "I only saw Keith in there."
Granny frowned. "There were two of them. Maybe the other is taking stock of the yard so they can properly place everything."
"Maybe," Regina replied, figuring it made sense that Keith brought someone with him to help with planning for the party. She then said: "Keith is going to give you his contact information. Can you pass that to Mary Margaret? I want him to get an invite to the party. It seems only fair."
"I can do that," Granny said, still studying her. It was look that made Regina feel as if she were standing there naked and the older woman could see right through to her soul.
It was unnerving.
Granny pulled back. "Can I give you some advice, Regina?"
"Always," Regina told her. "You never have to ask."
"Be careful with that one," Granny said. "He seems a little too slick to me and might have ulterior motives."
Granny had always been a good judge of character and Regina had to admit her impression of Keith was the same. Yet she still recalled the man who had seemed so warm and genuine in his emails and it left her confused. Who was the real Keith? The one in his emails or the one in her kitchen?
Maybe she would get more clarity at the party.
"I'll be careful," she replied. "It's just an invitation to a party, nothing more."
"Alright," Granny said. "I know your mother just cares about the headlines, but I care about you, Regina. I know how painful these relationships are for you. I don't want you to get hurt again."
A lump formed in Regina's throat and she swallowed past it. Since her father had passed, she wasn't used to someone caring about her wellbeing and it seemed so strange, even from her family's longtime housekeeper. "I won't. But thank you for worrying."
"You're very welcome," Granny replied. "I'll keep an eye on both of them for you."
"Thank you. I'll be in my office if you need me," Regina said, turning back to the stairs. She climbed up to the next floor before heading down the hallway to her office, her mind a jumble of thoughts and all of them were about Keith.
Disappointment flooded her as well as shame. She had been foolish to start developing feelings for someone she had only shared email correspondence with. It had always been a recipe for disaster. Regina glanced at her inbox, tempted to pull up their emails to read them again for clues that would've given away his true personality. Why was he so different? It was almost like she was dealing with two different people...
There were two of them.
Regina stood again and walked to the window. It overlooked her backyard, the venue for her party. She searched to see if Keith's coworker was still out there, surveying the space, but she couldn't see anyone out there. Whoever he was, he probably had gone inside again. But she remained at the window, wondering if he was the one who had been emailing her the entire time. And if so, who was he?
For a moment, she debated heading back downstairs to see if he was in the kitchen with Keith and possibly issuing him an invitation as well. But she stopped herself. Why would the emails be signed with Keith's name if they didn't come from him? It wouldn't make sense for a person to let someone else take all the credit for their work and so would sign their own name. Which meant that Keith had to be the one she had been emailing with this entire time and that she needed to give him a chance to show her who he really was. The party was the perfect opportunity for that. She would see how he acted in a place where everyone's identities were hidden. If he was different, she would know it was just nerves. But if he wasn't, she would likely never see him again. She could move on and see if the man for her was indeed out there.
Feeling better now that she had a plan, she sat down and opened her email. It was time to get to work. Pleasure could wait.
For now.
*****
Uncle Richard was unusually quiet during dinner that night. Robin watched him as he ate, wondering what was bothering his uncle. But Uncle Richard just stared down at his plate and never made eye contact with either him or Keith. He also said very little while Keith and Robin talked about their day, which was unusual. Uncle Richard loved to ask follow-up questions or offer advice when they talked about problems.
Something was not right.
"Uncle Richard, are you okay?" he asked, concerned. "You look tired."
"You know what, Robin? I am tired," Uncle Richard said, sighing as he put down his fork. "And I've been tired for a while now. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and I've come to a decision. I'm going to retire next year."
Surprise flooded through Robin. He glanced over at Keith, finding his cousin had dropped his fork and was gawking at Uncle Richard. It was clear that Keith was just as shocked as he was.
"Are you sure, Dad?" Keith asked, his eyes wide as they darted between his father and Robin. "You're not that old."
Robin nodded. "Maybe you just need a vacation. Go somewhere and rest."
Uncle Richard chuckled. "Look at how the tables have turned. I've gone from taking care of you to you two taking care of me."
"It's because we love you," Robin said, certain of that fact. For all of Keith's faults, he did love and care for his father as much as Robin did.
"I know," Uncle Richard said with a fond smile. He reached out and took both Robin's hand as well as Keith's. "And I love you too. But I think it's time. You both know I've spent most of my life working, building up my businesses to have the life we enjoy now."
They nodded. "And we appreciate all your hard work," Robin said.
"I know," Uncle Richard said. "But I think it's time for me to let go and start enjoying everything I've pushed off over the years. Maybe travel the world."
"That sounds like fun," Robin replied, wanting to support his uncle the way he had supported Robin all these years.
Uncle Richard nodded. "It does. So I'm sure you're wondering what this means for my businesses. I'm going to do an audit in the New Year and figure out what I'm going to do. There will probably be a few I'll sell and maybe keep a few but where I'm more of a figurehead than a boss, if you know what I mean."
"I do," Robin said, his heart pounding in his chest as he realized this was the perfect opportunity to talk about buying his business from his uncle. "So about our party planning business..."
"Ah, yes, Keith and I have already talked about that," Uncle Richard said, surprising Robin. "I will give that to you and Keith to run together."
Shock filled Robin and his mind seemed to stop working. He glanced over at Keith, who gave him a smug smile. Robin swallowed before standing. "Let me go get dessert," he said quickly.
He gathered up some empty plates and hurried into the kitchen before his uncle could say anything else. Placing the plates in the sink, he tried to figure out what had happened. Had Keith betrayed him? If so, why would he decide to keep their company rather than go after one of his father's cushier businesses?
"Okay, I can tell you're mad," Keith said, following Robin into the kitchen with some of the other empty plates. He placed them into the sink before looking at Robin.
"I'm not mad," Robin replied, though he wasn't sure if he was lying or not. "I'm confused and a bit frustrated. It seemed you were going to let me own the business outright and you would find a job at one of Uncle Richard's other companies."
Keith held up his hands. "I was but hear me out, okay?"
"Fine," Robin said, huffing a bit. He pulled out a pie he had made. "But you have until I'm done getting dessert ready."
"Did you bake that?" Keith asked, almost condescendingly. Robin was in no mood for his cousin's macho thinking and shot him a look. Keith quickly backed off. "Okay, okay.
"So, yeah, I was going to let you buy me out and go work for my dad. But a couple things happened," Keith said. "First, I met Regina Mills."
Robin frowned as he sliced up the pie. He had noticed Keith flirting with Regina when he had walked into the kitchen after looking around the yard. She hadn't noticed Robin and kept talking with Keith, clearly intrigued by him – especially when he took credit for Robin's idea about the stockings. It had made Robin's blood boil but he kept his mouth shut. If Regina Mills believed that Keith came up with it, that was fine. They got paid no matter what.
Still, some recognition would've been nice...
"What about her?" Robin asked, trying to keep his tone even and neutral.
"I think she's into me," Keith replied, grinning. "She even invited me personally to her party."
Robin scowled. "Yes, you've told me that several times since we left her house."
"Anyway, I think this might the start of something beautiful," Keith continued. "I think by this time next year, I will be Mr. Regina Mills and set for life."
"Then why do you need to keep our company?" Robin asked, even more annoyed now. If Keith wanted to take the easy way out, so be it. But Robin was going to work for his money and he wasn't going to let his cousin ruin that.
Keith leaned against the island. "Okay, so I decided to go to Dad to talk to him about getting a new job. I had my speech prepared – more stability, more prestige, etc. When I met with him, he started to go on about how proud he was that you and I had built up a company from the ground up and said he saw a lot of himself in me."
"And let me guess, you were unable to disappoint him," Robin said, knowing it was a common feeling both felt.
"Pretty much," Keith replied. "He didn't mention retiring then but he did talk about giving us the business. So I have a counteroffer for you."
A pit formed in Robin's stomach but he decided to hear his cousin out. "Okay, I'm listening."
"So, as I said, Regina Mills is into me," Keith said. "We continue to operate the company together until she and I get married. Then I'll sign everything over to you. By then, I'm sure Dad will understand that I'm fine and will likely go to work with her."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "You think Regina Mills will give you a job at her company?"
"Of course," Keith said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why wouldn't she? It's a family business and I'll be family."
"And what position will you want?" Robin asked, knowing his cousin's aversion to hard work.
Keith shrugged. "I imagine something cushy that pays a lot but doesn't require too much work. Maybe an appearance at a meeting a couple times, lots of schmoozing, you know."
"So you pretty much want to get paid to attend parties rather than plan them?" Robin asked, raising his eyebrow as he wondered if that was ironic or not.
"It's more fun to be the guest than the host," Keith argued. "Anyway, once I have a job with her company, then you can take over the business. It's a win-win – you get the business and Dad is still proud of me."
Robin, though, was hesitant to agree. After all, Keith's whole plan relied on him wooing Regina Mills and marrying her. "What if she doesn't want anything to do with you after the party?" Robin asked.
Keith chuckled. "Trust me. She wants me."
"Okay," Robin said, though he still had his doubts. "How about this? I agree to let you stay on for one year. If you're not married by then, you still give me the company and find a job elsewhere. Deal?"
"Deal," Keith said, shaking his hand. "But I know I'm going to be married within the year. And you can plan it!"
Robin bit back a groan, knowing that his cousin would expect him to do it for free. Uncle Richard would probably end up paying Robin for his work and it would hopefully be the last time he would have to cover for Keith. Then Robin could do whatever he wanted with his company and not have to worry about his cousin anymore.
Maybe it was a win-win situation after all.
"So, are you going to serve that pie?" Keith asked, setting some plates down. "If we take any longer, Dad may come out here to see what's wrong."
"Yeah, yeah," Robin said, placing slices on three plates. Keith grabbed his own and walked away, making Robin roll his eyes. He picked up the other two plates and followed his cousin back to the dining room.
Robin set a plate down in front of his uncle before sitting down. Keith had already taken a few bites and hummed in appreciation. "This is amazing, Robin. You're going to make a great wife one day."
"You should learn how to cook and bake too," Uncle Richard told Keith. "Not only do women appreciate partners who can carry their weight in the household but you should just know how to feed yourself. You can't live on takeout."
Keith didn't say much except to make some noise of understanding. Robin knew that his cousin was thinking that it wouldn't matter – he would likely have a chef if he married Regina Mills or would be dining in the best restaurants with her. But that didn't really matter to Robin. All that mattered was getting his company.
He just hoped this wouldn't blow up on him.