Commitment

Part 83

Gray was pleased she had not moved her hand. Their fingers were still entwined. He smiled as his brain told him silently, progress. A smile formed on his lips as he said, "I knew we would have to adjust the shifts to suit Bob, but you took us on, and adjusted your life to suit us. So figured out if you could do that for us, you might do it for him too." He said sincerely, "I am pretty sure I would not have taken him on, if it wasn't for you." He exhaled and admitted, "And if I am honest, after I told him I would ask you, would tell you about his situation and I knew, like Jenny, you would agree." He said, "Just more compromise for you, again."

"Compromise?"

"Yes. You need someone available for two shifts, Bob could only do one shift for ten days, and even after that, you would have to change the shift timelines to suit his situation." Gray wiped a hand across his mouth and massaged his jaw before he candidly, "And, I should tell you, that I and Granddad cannot do the evening shift tomorrow. I will be an auction in the afternoon, and will not be back in time." He didn't realise he was holding his breath until he saw her nod.

"Oh. Right." Regan nodded.

Gray said with a rueful smile, "And Granddad has a date."

Her lips kicked up at the corners when she heard that statement. Regan grinned and his heart accelerated. "He has a date? Like a proper date? That is great."

"Yes, a proper date! So I didn't want to ask him to change his date. They are going dancing!" He chuckled, "Granddad loves dancing. Old fashioned-dances. You know, the tango and the waltz and things like that!"

"Are you kidding?"

"No. His favourite is the Rumba!"

Genuine warmth and camaraderie blossomed. "That is wonderful." They both grinned at each other. A few seconds later, she mumbled trying to work out a plan for tomorrow. "Well, er I am feeling better today, so I could do the evening shift."

Gray shifted and moved closer, brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "Thank you for offering!"

She blinked. An unexpected explosive second. Her defences crumbled. Lucid thought fled as Gray watched Regan catch her lower lip between her teeth. That together with the spark between his lip and her skin was unexpected. He was temporarily lost in wonder. And it took a few seconds for Gray to get his heartbeat and breath back to an almost normal keel and Regan barely heard his next statement because her own heart was hammering, "And no, Regan, you will not do the evening shift tomorrow!"

"What?" She missed his statement. Thoughts raced through her mind as her heart hammered, he had kissed her hand. Forget the Catherine wheel, more like the whole bonfire blew up.

That hesitation, that second, was useful for him. Her one word question brought him back to reality. He admonished, not bothering to lower his voice, "I was here when your doctor signed you off. No work. That includes here."

She tipped her head up to look into his eyes as she said, she shook her head in a dismissive gesture, signaling it was nothing of any consequence and before saying, "Yes, but.."

He chided sternly, "No but!" He couldn't help the exasperation that laced the word. "Just no!" Gray frowned ominously, "You can't do the evening shift."

She retrieved her hand. She needed time to get her brain and heart back into synch, so she mumbled in some semblance of normality, "It is my farm." Her heart began to beat more normally.

His resentment dissipating in the face of her indignation, "I know." He chuckled softly.

She flashed him a withering smile. "I can't leave the herd ..."