Commitment

Part 36

The problem was that Gray was still dealing with the aftermath of the debacle. Obviously Caro had not noticed anything amiss at dinner, but Gray knew the elephant was in the room. His mistake. His stupidity ruined the dinner in his mind. He should have done something about it today. Not wait for a situation like this.

Gray stepped closer, "Because if it is," His eyes narrowed in warning and said coldly, "I suggest you think very carefully before you continue to abuse your position."

Regan blinked at him and her eyes flashed in temper, but she covered that with her eyelids. "Abuse my position, Mr Cardozo? Really?" She retorted calmly and barely restrained her anger. How dare him? She thought. Abuse my position? Which position? The one where you relegated me to an afterthought? She was close to the edge. She kept her feet on the ground when she was tempted to stomp in fury. Instead, she banked her glare. He was lucky that she had the fortitude to hold onto her temper. Obviously he does not know the outcomes of rattling her cage, for someone whose temperament was normally moderate. After seen Gray with Caro together, and the fact that Caro had the gall to park her car as if she owns the farm, ruined Regan's disposition and her mood.

Gray's good humour disappeared without trace. He glared, "My grandfather is not here to be at your beck and call whenever you are in a snit with me." He came closer and stood almost toe-to-toe with her. She did not move. He leaned in. Icily he warned, "Don't take your bad mood out on him." He folded his arms and banked his annoyance with her, and him! He could not understand why her actions could strip him of his control on his emotions. Things that he would normally ignore. Yes, his grandfather had moved her car, for whatever reasons, and normally he would overlook that. He would ordinarily disregard that. Usually that type of behaviour would not rile him at all. Yet, here he was, having a rant because her actions irritated him.

"My bad mood." She kept a lid on her temper.

His tone was cool and calm. "It was my call yesterday. And having a strop with me, and Caro, is not ok!"

She shuffled the two folders, and kept her tone neutral, she banked her glare under a frigid look. "Your call?" She repeated coolly, "A strop? Really?" She said firmly, "Do you even know the definition of a strop?"

His eyes widened in shock before he snapped, "Yes!  I do not appreciate your tantrums and performances!" He all but roared. He ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to reining in his temper, "And the fact you are being unpleasant to other people is not what I expect from a grown woman. I expect polite manners! And you are sulking!"

She was ready to smack him, but she remembered she had reached a decision where she would treat them like acquaintances.  "Mr Cardozo, obviously we do not share the same definition of a strop, tantrum or even sulking." She said firmly although calmly, "My understanding is that someone having a strop, is because they will not do as they are asked! And it is hostile, unkind and spiteful, to other people!" She kept her eyes on him. "The only person, who is having a strop, is an adult man, you! Your histrionics!" She said coolly. Gray blinked. Regan carried on, "I asked you and your guest to be considerate when you or she parks at my home driveway. Not an unreasonable request. Not hostile. Not spiteful. Just a plain, ordinary request."

Gray glared. She ignored her own responsibility: She sent an old man to reverse her car for his penitence for the dinner debacle, she is challenged about that, and she has the gall to claim she was right.

"Clearly, we do not share the same definition of a strop!" She said calmly and continued steadily, "Just for clarity, Mr Cardozo, I am not sulking. I simply asked your grandfather to help me, and reverse my car, while I collected some files and a book. He kindly agreed."

Gray glowered. "Yes, Granddad explained, you apparently had to retrieve huge files and a really heavy book!" He looked pointedly at the two folders and the paper book in her hands. Gray  shook his head.  "Unlike you, I did not make up excuses. Your histrionics, not mine!" Gray glared at her. "It was my call yesterday. I issued the invitations for yesterday dinner. I forgot to tell you about it and it was my decision not involved you at dinner because you are not at home at that time." He said disdainfully, "If you have a problem with that, then see me." His eyes practically erupted with fire despite his words were encase in ice, "And don't take it out on my grandfather." He almost wanted her to holler at him, he needed her to have a row, to argue with him, to help him deal with the guilt he had been feeling all through the night.