Back in Blighty

Arrived back from the weeks Holiday on Sunday, and this week I've been playing mainly cash NLHE - moved up to slightly higher buy-in, now playing $25NL and had been doing OK until losing around a buy-in today. In hindsight it was definitely the type of hand I should be able to get away from, when holding A7s on the button I called a 3BB raise from the Cut-Off player and 2 others joined us to see a flop of 778. All 3 checked around to me, and I put in a $2 bet into a $3+ pot - trying to make it look like an attempted button steal. Players 1 and 2 both called the bet (Good News methinks) - then the Cut-Off pushes all-in for $30 !! I had a stack of around $45 at this point, what do I do !? Only 1 hand beats me (88) I just knew I should lay my hand down but felt compelled to call and lo-behold he turns 88 and bang goes a buy-in.