Commitment

Part 26

Two days later, on a late Saturday evening, Regan curled up on a sofa, too tired to move yet knowing in a few minutes she'd have to get going.

"Looking good, Gray." His sister said as Gray came to stand in the doorway.

Regan glanced over at him. And had to agree. The man scrubbed up well. But then, she expected him to. He was lean, tall, and from what she'd seen, toned. But it was Loretta's tone that had Regan taking a harder look. He seemed nervous. His eyes looked a touch apprehensive. A muscle was ticking at his jaw. Slightly ill at ease.  Regan wondered why. 

Though she had told her heart that it needed to forget him, for he had shown her that he was out of reach, she knew it would be a while before she did. So she had resolved to do her best to deal with the situation. Unrequited love. Nothing new she thought as she remembered her relationship with her parents. She loved them, they didn't love her. Unrequited love in her childhood. Nothing new at all in her adulthood.

"This is a bad idea." He muttered to himself, but loud enough to be heard. When he'd issued the invitation he had been buoyed by the spat he'd had with Regan, and his reticence had vanished in the heat of the moment. And the old Gray, the one who had confidence, had returned in time to issue Caro the invitation. But now, in the cold light of day, the fact he hadn't had a date in over a year, started to make him believe that this was a seriously stupid idea! He bought new clothes, albeit with advice from Loretta, and got a hair cut yesterday. But today, his misgivings, his fear, resurfaced. Lots had changed in the year, and he wasn't sure that emotionally he was ready to deal with the change.

"Don't back down now Gray." Loretta warned gently, knowing how big a deal this was for Gray. "Caro's been talking about this date all day!" Loretta hoped that telling Gray about Caro's fears, it would show it was normal for first dates. "She tried on so many outfits today at the shop! But she was so excited about this date. Everyone has butterflies about dating."

"Hmm." That worried him even more. There was so much expectation. First dates were bad enough on a normal basis. But this first date had so much riding on it. 

Gray didn't know that Regan was in the room. He stepped into the room and Loretta said, "He looks good, doesn't he, Regan?" Loretta turned to Regan for help. Loretta was worried because it looked like Gray was about to bail. Loretta knew that Regan had a real gift: she could turn the most negative circumstance around into a positive statement.

"Fuck." Gray mumbled beneath his breath. Typical. Of course she heard his muttering because she was close to him, he just didn't register her when he stood at the door.  His unease stepped up a gear. He didn't want her to see him nervous. He certainly didn't want his sister using Regan to bolster his confidence. His lips thinned, his chin lifted a fraction, his eyes cooled. But the tick at his jaw continued to beat.

Regan took a quick breath for confidence and ignored his glare. "I'd say that any woman with a pulse would think your brother looked good most times."

Gray blinked. Loretta beamed. Thank goodness for Regan!

Regan responded to Loretta's silent plea for assistance. Regan nodded, "But dressed up," her eyes tracked over his body, "he is spectacular!"

"See!" Lore smiled. "Even the shop assistant said you looked amazing when you tried on those clothes at the shop!"

"Good to see that he shares your good taste." Gray looked wonderful, his clothes taking him from just good looking to seriously good looking. The man looked very handsome.

"Yeah, right. Sarcasm is..." Muttered Gray, assuming she was being sarcastic. He was pretty sure she was going to take the opportunity to point score, to get even for his stream of derisive comments.