Dear Diary

Chapter 4

A/N: Here's your early update in honor of Once 5B premiere tonight! Enjoy this SwanMills family dinner (:

Emma's POV

I saw Regina at the diner this afternoon and she invited me over for dinner. I picked Henry up from school and texted Regina to let her know that I would bring him when I came over.

We went to Granny's and got some hot cocoa with cinnamon. "So mom invited you over for dinner?" Henry smirked. "Yepp." I smiled back. "Do you think it's working?" He asked. "Is what working? Today was the first time I've seen her basically since she gave me the job. I haven't been working any magic on her." I responded. "I kinda have." He shrugged. "How?" I asked. "I just say good things about you to her all the time I guess." He said. "Hm." I hummed.

After about an hour we left the diner. I wanted to stop at my place to change before we went to Regina's. "Emma, why do you have to change? Moms gonna like you anyway." Henry smiled. "I just want to get out of my work clothes. Wait down here. I'll be quick." I said running up the stairs to my bedroom in the loft.

I stood at the door of my closet. I grabbed black skinny jeans and a black turtle neck sweater with a grey cardigan over top and black riding boots. I'm sure Regina is going to be dressed in her usual dress and heels but I didn't want to seem like I was making too much of an effort. I only own like one dress anyway. Not really my thing.

I checked myself out in the mirror. With an approving nod I shut off the light and ran back down the stairs. Henry smiled when he saw me. "I'm sure you just wanted to change out of your work clothes." He laughed. "Stop it." I shoved him a little. "Let's go kid." I chuckled.

When we got to the big White House with 108 on the door, Henry ran right inside and upstairs. He shouted hi mom on his way. I awkwardly walked in behind him and closed the door behind me. "Miss Swan, you're early." She smiled. "Come in."

I walked into the kitchen and stood at the counter watching Regina prepare dinner. "You know you can call me Emma right?" I joked. "You look nice Emma." She smirked. "What? This old thing?" I gestured to my outfit causing Regina to laugh. "I'm just not used to seeing you in anything other than that leather jacket." She said. I just shrugged. "You need any help?" I asked. "Can you cook?" She questioned back. "Yeah probably better I don't help." I laughed.

I sat at a chair at the counter and watched Regina as she moved around her kitchen. She put the lasagna in the oven and her eyes found mine. I quickly looked away so she didn't know I was staring. When I looked back up she was watching me fidget uncomfortably in my seat. Her eyebrow was cocked and there was a small smirk on her face.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Regina asked. "Do you have any beer?" I was going to need a drink to get through tonight without losing my shit. If she was going to continue to look at me like that I might explode. She opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle and popped off the top. I reached out to grab it from her and our fingers grazed each other's. I felt a jolt shoot through me. I've never felt anything quite like that. I can tell she felt it too from the way she pulled back a little too fast. But we both acted like nothing happened.

Regina walked upstairs to get Henry. I cursed myself for not acting cool. Come on Emma. You don't know how this is going to go. Just act cool. It's so unusual for me to get nervous from anybody. I've never been nervous when I was on dates with guys. This isn't a date though. Right? Oh god. Way to talk myself out of being nervous. Now I'm more nervous.

I heard Regina's heels clicking down the stairs so I put on my best front. I chugged a little bit of my beer before she could see. She walked to the oven and pulled out dinner with a smile. "It smells delicious." I smiled. "Mom makes the best lasagna." Henry said from behind me. "It definitely smells like the best." I tried to play cool but it sounded like I was trying to hard.