Chapter 18
Chapter
Eighteen
Devon was having a little boy. Laird said he didn’t want to know. And Devon had sort of tried not to know, but it was really impossible.
Knowing was really the only answer. It wasn’t like he didn’t understand how to read a damn sonogram. Of course he did, and now he knew.
But Laird didn’t want to know, and so Devon had to pretend like he didn’t know.
It was driving him absolutely insane, and this wasn’t helping.
“Please tell me if the baby is a boy or a girl.” Fiona was relentless. “I know you know. I won’t tell Laird. I just want to see whether to buy little dresses or little pants.”
“Onesies, Mom. They don’t have gender.”
She shook her head. “I will buy onesies and diapers and bottles, but I also want to buy little embroidered bibs and tartans and socks. The baby’s not going to care.”
“So you want to know the name, not the gender?” he teased.
Cameron.
Cameron McCallum.
Cameron Raven McCallum.
It was a perfect name. His grandfather and Laird’s grandfather were both Camerons. Raven was the best friend he’d ever had. It was just the right thing to do.
If they had another one later on, he would let Laird use Nick’s name. Nicola if it was a girl. Nicholas for a boy.
But this one would be Cameron.
Laird’s mom tilted her head. “Why yes. That would work. Unless you’re going to tell me the name itself is unisex. Then I will pop you in the nose.”
“Mom!”
She grinned at him, her eyes dancing.
“You can’t tell anyone, okay? Seriously. I mean it. Raven and I are the only ones who know, and Laird doesn’t want to know.”
“I swear. I won’t tell a soul.” Fiona held his gaze. “Just the name.”
“Cameron Raven.”
“Oh…” Her eyes filled with tears. “Cameron Raven McCallum. Baby Cam.”
She grabbed him and hugged him tight, and he hugged her right back.
“Thank you, Devon.”
“Well, it’s our secret, okay?”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not what I mean, honey. Thank you for loving Laird. I’ve never seen him so happy. I’ve never seen him so excited to go to school and make a future with someone.”
“I want him to be happy. He makes me that way too.” If nothing else, he’d never thought he would have this. A husband. A baby of his own. A home with cats and pillows and weird alpha stuff next to his yarn.
“Good.” She nodded to him. “Now, let’s talk about baby things. CRM is a lovely monogram, and the McCallum tartan is blue and green so, you’ve got a perfect excuse to have blues in the nursery.”
Devon blinked. “You don’t think those colors are dark for a baby?”
“Oh, you have a point.” She frowned, but only for a moment. “But I do love a good tartan.”
Devon had to admit that it was nice to have someone to talk to about this stuff. “I was thinking about a light green, and then maybe a border of the tartan up at the top. I can see it on the rocking chair or the changing table. You know, little hints.”
She clapped for him, the sound loud in the quiet of his kitchen.
“Oh, I quite like it. I have some of the things from when Laird was a little boy, a couple of teddy bears, some rattles, that sort of thing. You could put them up on shelves as decorations. That might be sweet, especially since they would tie in.”
“Oh, that would be fabulous. I love that idea, and then when the baby gets older, we can redecorate.”
“Are you planning on having another?” she asked with a tilt of her head.
“Not right away. We’re thinking when this one is three or four.” That would give Laird some time to figure out what he wanted. “To be honest, I kind of worried that I sprung this baby on him. I wasn’t trying to get pregnant, but it happened. Magic happens where it wants to.”
“Yes, and so do babies.” She chuckled, nodded her head. “This little one and Savannah are going to be best friends. They can grow up together, be cousins, and have holidays together.” She looked so happy. “I love the idea of having my extended family close.”
“I love it too. I really do. You have all been so kind to me.”
“You are a wonderful human being, Devon. How can we not be?” She reached out to Devon’s cheek. “Now we should look at some things for the nursery.”
“That sounds great.” They picked out all sorts of stuff online, and he knew he would winnow it down to less once she was gone, but it would make a really cute nursery.
Finally, it was time for her to pack up her stuff and head out. She kissed his cheek. “Well, I have to get on. I was kind of hoping Laird would get back before I left, but you tell him how much I love him, will you?”
“I will.”
She beamed at him on the way out the door. “Baby Cam. I promise I won’t even tell Laird’s father, though. Not yet, anyway.”
“Thanks, Mom.” He waved at her before closing the door and turning to look at the cats. “I bet she tells him the minute she gets home.”
The cats all came to twine around his ankles before he could even get back and sit down.
He grabbed his knitting basket because he needed to do something with his hands for a little while.
He had already cleaned the house about as much as he possibly could, and he wasn’t ready to have any kind of a nap.
He didn’t have to go into work today. Raven and Naomi were on duty. Maybe he would read a book.
His phone buzzed, and he grabbed it, smiling when he saw a text from Laird.
You on lunch break? We had to drive into Montrose, so I can’t just run by the house
He texted back,
Your mom was here anyway
OMG, did she torture you about the baby?
Only a little
Crap, got another call. Gotta run
He always worried when they got a call and they were so far away from town. It made him scared because they had to drive at such high speeds and the roads could be dangerous.
Be safe
Devon grabbed his knitting and sat back, letting his needles fly so he could distract himself. Maybe he would make spaghetti for dinner tonight. Laird really liked that, and he was feeling like he could eat red sauce again.
One way or the other, he was excited to have Laird come home tonight. He missed him and just wanted to spend time together. He looked forward to when shift work wasn’t so much a part of either one of their lives anymore.