Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
“Man, that was a rough one.” Nick finished packing all of the new supplies into the bus and glanced over at him. “Do you think it would be okay if I came to dinner tonight?”
Laird nodded. “Of course it would. You know we always have enough food. I’ll just text Devon and tell him whatever he’s making to make enough for you too.
” They’d lost a patient on the way to the hospital today, and Nick had been the one sitting in the back.
It always sat really poorly with them when they lost one, and Nick was taking this super personally.
“Thanks, man. I’m really not looking forward to when you leave me for the new partner.”
“It’s not like I’m never going to see you again, man. In fact, I will probably see more of you on a social level than I do now. And I’ll be a fresh ear. I won’t be someone you don’t want to talk to you about it because you know I had to experience it also.”
“I know, man, I just, you know…” Nick shrugged and he nodded.
“I do know.” He texted Devon real quick,
Bad day. Nick coming though.
Poor guys. So the baby wanted red sauce and cheese, so we’re having lasagna, garlic bread, and salad. Apple pie.
“Rock on, dude, you hit the mother lode. We’re having lasagna.”
They high-fived each other.
“He’s really starting to have fun playing in the kitchen?”
Laird nodded, grinning wide. There had been quite a few disasters, that was for sure. “Well, he’s getting to the size where he can’t work as well. He has trouble getting over his belly, so he’s doing a lot of paperwork.”
“Well, at least Raven and the rest of them are on it, right?”
“Oh, absolutely. To be honest, I think all of them kind of don’t like to do the paperwork, so the fact that he’s doing that pretty exclusively makes them incredibly happy.”
He had to listen about work a lot, but he didn’t think that Devon was immensely unhappy about it. He was spending a lot of time knitting. He was spending a lot of time cooking. A lot of energy getting the baby’s nursery ready.
It was really coming together. It was warm, and cozy, and… plaid. It was a pleasant fiction that they were creating, him and Devon, because everybody in town knew that they were having a boy.
Everybody, including him, but everybody also knew that Laird wasn’t supposed to know, and so they were all pretending not to know that they were having a boy who was going to be named Cameron. It was actually kind of cute.
Laird did love a good inside joke.
He glanced at Nick, who was just seeming worn out. “You got your go-bag? You want to spend the night?”
“Oh, my God, I would love that. Your place is so nice.”
He was going to have to make sure Devon understood that there was always going to be the need for a guest room in their house even if they had fourteen children, which somehow he doubted because he really couldn’t see his very staid, stable knitting omega with fourteen children.
Two at some point in the near future, one now and one in like five years? That he could see with Devon.
Fourteen? No.
Guest rooms? Yes.
“Well, you’re welcome. Come on.”
They headed over, taking his truck because hell, he could drop Nick over to get his Jeep anytime.
Knowing Nick he might just stay at the house on both their days off. The man was actually incredibly good at building blanket forts, and the cats were beginning to like him.
Devon said that was kind of a miracle. They still didn’t like Raven.
He got them moving, and he glanced at Nick a few times, his buddy super quiet.
If there was an issue, maybe he ought to address it before they got to the house.
“You okay, man? Is it just the day?”
“Partly. Partly I think I’m starting to look at my choices. I’m not getting any younger.”
Ah, damn. That’s where Laird was a year ago. He probably wasn’t helping with the existential crisis either…
“Yeah, it’s something, huh? You kind of go, do I want to be an EMT the rest of my life?”
Nick nodded. “I mean, it’s a good life, a good job, and we’re doing good things, but man, every day it’s a little harder.”
He glanced over. “Well, what do you want to do?”
Nick snorted. “Fuck if I know. I mean, up until a few years ago, I just assumed this was going to be my life forever. I blame this on you. I was fine until you decided to get all married and stuff.”
“Yeah, that’s what I get for getting the accoucheur pregnant, huh?”
Nick nodded, chuckling softly. “Yep. You should have just kept it in your pants because now look at you. You’ve got cats, buddy.”
He started laughing, so did Nick, the cab filling up with the sound.
He pulled into his driveway and parked, then Nick kind of grinned at him, turning to face him. “I don’t know, maybe I should get a roommate. If I got a roommate, I could live on what I have saved for a while until I figured it out.”
“Sure, or you could invest in something. There’s all sorts of businesses. You’ve got tons of options.”
“What, am I going to invest in a bar?”
“Well, we’ve got one of those, but I mean, why not? What if Jeb wants a partner?”
“Nah, surely not. I mean, that would be awfully fun, wouldn’t it? To be part of a brew pub? I could learn a new skill.”
“I bet he could use somebody who is as much of a go-getter as you. He’s not the best marketer on earth.
” Jeb was the owner of the Badger Brewery and Pub, which was a nice, solid, blue-collar bar.
Not long after he’d opened the place, he’d gotten married and his omega had had a baby himself, so maybe he could use the help.
Who knew? If the idea intrigued Nick, why not let him approach Jeb about it?
They headed inside once they got their bags out of the truck, and Devon met them at the door. The house smelled like red sauce and bread, and it was a wonderful thing. He got a kiss, but it was Nick who got a long, hard hug.
“I heard you had a bad day,” Devon said. “It’s a good thing you like lasagna.”
“Oh my God, who gave you his granny’s red gravy recipe?” Nick teased. “Of course I love lasagna.” Nick took a deep breath, pulling in the air. “You’re a lucky man, Laird.”
“I know it.” He winked at Devon. “Let’s go put our stuff upstairs and wash up, then we can come help. Is that okay, baby?”
“Sounds perfect to me.” Devon gave him a sweet, soft grin.
Nick saluted and started up the stairs with his go-bag, but Laird stopped so he could give Devon another kiss. “Thank you, love. He’s totally not feeling it today.”
“Really harsh, huh?”
“Ugly enough that it has him questioning his longevity as an EMT.”
“Well, if he needs work somewhere else, I can give him references.” Devon walked him to the base of the stairs, arm around his waist, that big belly pressed against his side.
“I’m not sure he’s even gonna stay in the medical side of things. Who knows? He’s got some money saved up, so he could invest in something, if you can think of anything over dinner.” Laird shrugged, letting Devon run with that one.
“I’ll put my massive brain to it,” Devon winked. “But we might get him to talk to Ben, you know? Raven’s husband? He says there’s always a bunch of guys hanging around the gym who are talking about things that they want to do business-wise.”
“Yeah, but are any of them actually going to start a business, or do they all just talk?”
Devon laughed, a throaty chuckle that made Laird’s whole body perk up. “I bet some of them manage it. Ben says a few have really good ideas.”
“We need to have them over for dinner. Raven and Ben.”
Devon raised an eyebrow. “I’m making enough food for a small army. Do you want me to call them?”
“Why not? That way Nick and Ben can talk business investments.”
Devon grunted and grimaced, but then took his hand and put it on his belly. “You feel that?”
Baby Cameron was kicking.
“That’s my boy; feel him go.”
Devon gasped and stared at him, eyes wide. “You know?”
Dammit. He rolled his eyes, going for super dramatic. “You told my mother, baby. The entire town knows. Everyone’s just being very sweet, pretending that they don’t.”
Devon whacked him and then cracked up, holding his belly as he shook with it. “Well, in that case, Laird McCallum, meet Cameron Raven McCallum, your son.”
“Yeah! My boy. Pretty cool huh?” Laird took another long kiss, forcing himself to pull away before it got too much deeper.
Nick was waiting, and he didn’t want to get riled up without being able to do anything about it. Same with Devon. The last thing he needed was a horny, pregnant lover and company.
Devon smiled at him, patted his ass. “I’m going to call Raven and see if they want to come to supper. They don’t even need to bring the Pack ’n Play. We have one.”
“We do. Amazing, huh?” God, he was becoming one of the “alphas with kids” group instead of the footloose and fancy-free guys. Wild.
He headed upstairs to change and wash up, meeting Nick on the landing on the way back. “Beer? Or you want wine since it’s Italian night?”
“Oh, I might take a glass of wine. I’ll go get cleaned up. I really do appreciate this, man.”
Laird nodded. “Of course. You’re my friend, man. You’re always going to be welcome here.”
Nick nodded, smiled. “I hope so. I intend it to be that way.”
He heard Devon laughing as Nick made it downstairs. He loved how gentle Devon was with Nick, how caring, like he’d known Nick his entire life.
It was a little embarrassing given how they met, and how he had accused poor Devon of everything under the sun. Dev hadn’t let him get away with it, though. Not even a little.
He washed up and changed into a better shirt. He was still pretty clean, but he wanted to be decent for company.
Weird how Nick wasn’t company to him, but Raven and Ben still were a little bit. He figured eventually that would stop, and they’d all simply be friends.
“I’m ready to help, baby.”
“Good, you can start by grabbing the Pack ’n Play for the little one and a couple of blankets for the oldest.”
“You got it.” He glanced at Nick. “Raven and Ben are on their way.”
Nick presented himself as well. “Ah, cool. What can I do, Dev?”
“You, I need help with knife skills. Come chop salad stuff.”
“Aye, aye.”
They all got busy, and Nick was visibly in a better mood by the time Ben and Raven rang the doorbell.
Sometimes Laird had to remind himself none of them were solitary creatures, and that Nick spent too much time alone.
“Hey, you guys.” Laird gave out hugs as they trooped through the door.
“Laird.” Raven hugged him, smiling as Ben carried kids into the house. “Smells amazing.”
“He’s been busy. Come on in.”
He determined right then and there to stop being so awkward about Raven, because he was Devon’s best friend and it didn’t matter that he made Laird feel like an upstart just by existing. The man was kind and sweet and dear to Devon, so that was that.
By the time dinner was done and the wee ones were snoozing hard, he felt as if he’d gone a long way toward his new goal, because Raven was actually teasing him.
“So you’ve known all along the baby is a boy?”
“Ever since he told Mom, yes.” Laird winked at Devon. “That’s okay. It’s been fun to watch him tiptoe around me.”
“Jerk.” Devon scowled, but his eyes were twinkling.
“Oh, God, he’s a huge prankster,” Nick put in. “Did you not know?”
Raven shook his head, and Nick launched into a long tale about how Laird had put a bowl of frozen cereal and milk in the fridge at work one morning and then watched everyone try to steal it and eat it.
It felt amazing to see Nick laughing with Devon and their friends, and to see Nick hunker down with Ben after cards and talk investments while he and Devon snuggled on the couch, chatting with Raven.
“I really think that the lasagna came out great. I loved the cheese on the top.” Raven grinned at Devon. “Are you enjoying cooking?”
Devon bobbed his head. “I sort of am, yeah. I mean, it’s just another thing to make the hygge in this house better, right?”
“Hygge?” God, he loved how Devon worked to make their house a home. It was something he wanted to learn. “Is this something new?”
Devon nodded, then shook his head, and then kind of shrugged.
“I just learned about it. I read this book from the library, and it’s basically this word that means cozy.
You know how I feel about cozy. I just didn’t know that there was a thing, that there was a specific word, like it’s an aesthetic. ”
He rolled his eyes, and Devon whapped him. “It’s true; you know me. I love the idea of cozy.”
Raven beamed and patted Devon’s arm. “You are a master at making people comfortable.”
“I try. Anyway, this is all a part of hygge. I’m making life warm and happy.”
“Well, thank you for that, baby. I love that about you.”
Devon glanced up and caught his gaze, his cheeks going pink.
Devon still seemed so excited every time he said it, but he meant it, and he was gonna say it as much as he could.
He learned that from his dad, who never let anybody leave the house or get off the phone without telling them he loved them.
“Thank you.” Devon leaned into him. “It makes me happy, and I feel like I’m doing something good for you too.”
“You are.” He kissed the top of Devon’s head. “And you’re doing good things for Nick, Raven, and Ben too. I know it’s going to make our kid feel secure and safe. I grew up in a good house, and I always felt like I had somebody to go to if I needed help, and I want that for our son.”
Raven was making an “aww” face at him, and even Ben and Nick glanced over. Nick gave him a thumbs-up. He wasn’t much for speeches, but every once in a while, the words came out in the right order.
“So does anybody have any room for dessert?”
Everybody groaned, Raven putting a hand on his belly. “I think we’re going to have to take ours to go. Is that okay?”
“That’s perfectly okay. It’s better than what Nick will do, which is eat it at two o’clock in the morning, standing at the kitchen counter in his underwear.”
“Hey, now,” Nick said from over next to Ben. “I’m just appreciating your cooking when I do that. It’s my way of thanking you.”
“Oh, I’ll have to remember that next time, and I’ll thank you by coming down in my underwear with my big old belly hanging out.
” Devon winked at Nick, and they all had a good chuckle about that.
But he knew Nick wouldn’t care. His friend had seen way weirder stuff and this was their house.
Nick wasn’t gonna say anything about Devon wearing whatever he wanted or didn’t want.
God, he was a lucky bastard and his life was amazing.
And as soon as their friends left, he was going to show Devon how much he appreciated hygge.