Commitment

Part 57

One month later, to avoid having to prepare for the shearers, Regan decided to sell the sheep. With her limited knowledge of sheep sales she arranged for her sheep to be taken to the nearest sales yard.

"She's hopeless!"

"Who?" Gray asked Caro. They were not dating, but had remained friends. After that near-miss kiss with Regan, he had a conversation with Caro. At that time, given she had introduced him to a member of her family, Gray was worried that Caro might be the vindictive type. But he hoped they would remain friends after he pointed out that they had remained in the friend zone for weeks, so it was unlikely that their relationship would change. So he offered her a get-off card. He was upfront with her: if her family wanted to pull out, or cancel his contract because they are not a couple any more, that would be ok. Of course it would have implications for him and his family as they only had one week to arrange alternatives re working and living conditions. Gray was relieved when Caro waved that get-off card away. It was just an introduction, and she reminded him that they knew what he had done with Regan's farm. Caro claimed her family was impressed with his work ethos. She told Gray the manager job had nothing to do with their relationship, he was offered the job because he impressed Barry. She acknowledged Gray's view about their relationship and she accepted it, without kicking up a fuss. She did not tell him why she expected and accepted his views: She knew she was not expecting their friendship to progress to a couple-relationship because while they had a good time on their dates, she was sure he was holding back. There was no chemistry at all.

Fortunately for Gray, he was lucky that Caro did not take umbrage. And they remained friends. Caro was at the auction with Gray and her cousin's-in-laws, Barry, because she wanted advice as she was thinking of starting a boutique farm!

"You ex boss." Caro beamed and then nodded in the direction of the sales yards, both Gray and Barry, turned their heads towards that direction "And hilarious." She giggled. "Oh my goodness!" She chuckled as she watched Regan's antics. "Is she buying new sheep? She's practically fallen over every other sheep in that pen!" Caro laughed. "I hope someone is videoing this! This is priceless."

Gray followed Caro's direction and frowned when he saw Regan there. She looked thinner, and now, standing beside that tall man who was closing the gate, she looked fragile. That brought him up short. Was she ill? Then he saw her pat the man beside her and the man smiled.

She still had men running around after her, even now, that man was doing what she should be doing for her own sheep. Gray banked his huffed. The last time he saw Regan was when he brought his grandfather and Loretta to the farm to say bye. That was four weeks ago. And she had definitely lost weight. Well, he thought, farming is not easy.

"Excuse me a second." Gray muttered and left Caro and Barry in the stands of the auction ring and he marched over toward the pens.

With her sheep finally penned into a holding yard, Regan began to inch back and toward the gate. She and the driver had unloaded the sheep, not that she had been much help. She rubbed her hands against her jeans, and blew out a breath. She thanked the driver, offered him some money for helping her, explain it was just a token, but thankfully the driver waved the payment away. She watched the driver leave and then turned around to look at her sheep. Another part of the farm squandered, she thought. She hoped the sheep would sell well, and she knew the buyers got a good deal with her sheep.

"What are you doing here?" Gray looked over the sheep, recognised the type. Surely she wasn't here to buy more. Then he noticed their marking and narrowed his eyes. "You're selling your sheep! Are you bloody mad!" In a short time they would need to be sheared and that would bring in cash. She couldn't be stupid enough to sell them without collecting on that payday.