Chapter 36

Tory kissed Maury’s cheek. “Me, too, buddy.”

The three of us spent the rest of the evening arguing over the merits of Swearengen and Bullock. In between discussion, I thought about the next day with Gregory. What was I getting myself into?

Uncharacteristic as it was for me, I was nervous. I could so easily mess this up by being the clueless guy I’d always been. Maybe Gregory liked that in a man. I sincerely hoped so.

* * * *

Mid-morning on Sunday, I dressed in peppermint-green, knee-length shorts and a lilac short-sleeved shirt. My hair was perfectly combed and I hoped to make a good impression.

I parked in front of the daycare center and went in through the open front door. “Hello?” I called as I stepped further inward.

“Back here,” came the reply, and I followed the voice. I ended up in the play area and saw Gregory on his knees near a back wall. He wore paint-spattered clothing and was filling in the outline of a duck.

“Hi,” I said and sat on a nearby bench.