So when Mom came in with Dad and sat down, her lips no longer pursed into a hard line. Laird went to sit on the couch next to Devon and wait for him to set his knitting aside so they could join fingers.
And he cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s eyes. “So, we have an announcement to make.”
“Well, it can’t be that you’re pregnant. We already know about the baby.”
“Mhairi!” Mom glared at his sister.
“You do already know about the baby.” He winked at his sister. “This is about us getting married, which we’ve decided we’re going to do as soon as we can. I proposed today.” He squeezed Devon’s hand and got a gentle smile in return.
Mom squealed like she’d been stuck with the carving knife for the Christmas bird, whatever bird she had made. Sometimes it was a duck, sometimes a turkey, sometimes a goose. “Oh, congratulations, baby boy, and Devon, congratulations. I’m so pleased.”
Devon’s eyes went wide like he was stunned. “Thank you.”
Jasongrinned over at Devon. “Well, congratulations. You are now going to be part of this weird family. There’s going to be lots of tartan involved. Also, Mom there, she makes the best fudge on earth. You’re going to love that part.”
Devon chuckled softly. “I love fudge. I’m not very good at making it. I never can quite get it to set.”
“There’s a trick to everything.” Mom winked. “But when I have my great fudge-making day, you’re welcome to come.”
“I would love to, assuming I’m not on call. I absolutely would love to.”
“That brings me to the second part of my announcement.” Everybody looked at Laird again, and he held Devon’s hand tight. “I’m going to go back to school to become a physical therapist. I’ll work as an EMT until Devon is done with his parental leave. And then I’m going to go back to school this fall.”
It was obvious no one had considered this when everybody sort of stared at him in amazement.
Then Dad broke the ice. “What will you do about a job while you’re in school?”
Devon smiled at his dad and then patted Laird’s leg gently. “I’m more than capable of supporting the two of us while Laird is in school. No problem. The house is paid off, and the business is going well. This gives Laird a chance to be with the baby, and it gives the baby an opportunity to be with his father instead of being in daycare on a daily basis. When Laird graduates and starts working as a physical therapist, I can take fewer hours at the birthing center, and we can consider adding to our family.”
He loved how Devon sounded so damn confident. Like there was no doubt in his mind that Laird could do this.
And he felt ten feet tall and bulletproof all of a sudden.Hecoulddo this, and he and Devon would be together, a family, with their baby and their house, and he could hardly push back the emotions that overwhelmed him.
“Well, it sounds like you both have a plan, and I think it’s amazing.”
He blinked at Mom. “You what? I thought you didn’t want me to go back to school.”
Mom snorted. “No, of course not. I didn’t want you to go into a bunch of debt when you already had a good job, but now you have a fiancé that’s willing to support you in this. I think it’s stunning. I think you’d make an amazing physical therapist.”
Mhairi nodded. “And the hours would be so much nicer. It’s not like you don’t know an accountant.” She waved her hand.
Mom chuckled. “The important question is, are you wanting to get married in the winter? In the spring? Did you want to get married before the baby comes? Or after so he or she could be your ring bearer?”
Devon chuckled softly. “I think that I would like to be married before the baby comes. In fact, I would like to be married before I’m the size of a house. So that in the pictures, I look lovely.”
“You could have a Valentine’s Day wedding,” Dad suggested.
“Aw, that would be the day before Savannah’s birthday.” Mhairi grinned at him. “You could get married on Valentine’s Day, and then we could have the birthday party the next day.”
“Well, that is the day we met…” Laird chuckled. “But I would like to have at least a short honeymoon, and I would also like to be at our niece’s first birthday party. How do you feel about a New Year’s Eve wedding?”
Devon blinked at him. “As in next week?”
Laird nodded. “Yes. As in, next week. If we got married on New Year’s Eve, then we could file as married for taxes for both years.”
He heard Dad whisper, “Not romantic, son.”
Devon looked at him, shook his head, and then started to chuckle. “Oh, I do love you. I suppose we could get married on New Year’s Eve. Our anniversary would always be a celebration. Always.”
