31. Isla
ISLA
“We’re feeling very spoiled today,” I said, looking around gratefully. Locke and I were seated on the lobby couch in the middle of the Deerhound, surrounded by friends, family, and a mountain of presents. “Really, this is too much.”
“It’s too close to Christmas for this many gifts,” Locke agreed. “You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.”
“Bah!” Jo said, waving off our comments. “It’s no trouble, don’t be daft. Anyway, these are to celebrate the baby. And the baby has no concept of too many presents.”
I exchanged a wry grin with Locke. When Lena had barged into the inn this morning and ushered us out the door to Cat’s café, we obviously knew she was up to something, but I was still speechless when we’d returned to find half the town crammed into the inn for a surprise baby shower.
What left me even more speechless was that the planning committee had managed to get our parents here for the celebration.
I’d recently gotten around to telling Dad about the baby, and even though our relationship would probably always be challenging, he seemed genuinely excited about becoming a grandfather.
My hope with the baby coming was that we’d be able to find more common ground.
And it had been so nice to see Locke’s father again.
I’d even gotten to meet his mother, who’d flown up from Dorset.
It had only been a few days since Locke had returned to Braeburn, and though he was a little taken aback to have both his parents in one room, he’d positively beamed as Lena pinned the Future Daddy badge to his chest.
At that point, I hadn’t been able to help myself, and I’d burst into happy tears.
After everything I’d gone through this past week, it was hard to believe my heart hadn’t burst from all the love this little boy and I had been given.
Not only was his father back, but he had an entire community eagerly awaiting his arrival.
I truly couldn’t have wanted more for my son.
“Here,” Jo said, passing us a large box wrapped in blue paper with white snowflakes. “Start with this one.”
The planning committee—Jo, Lena, Cat, and Aunt Elsie—had settled on a Winter Wonderland theme for the shower.
And thanks to Aisling, there were dozens of hand-cut snowflakes decked out in glitter hanging all across the lobby.
White balloons were scattered about in bunches.
Twinkle lights were strung off every horizontal surface.
A large sign hung across the reception desk.
It said BUNDLE UP—BABY BOY COMING SOON. Agnes had also made an assortment of cupcakes with icy blue frosting.
“Just know,” Lena called, “that we had to get creative with the gifts since someone bought out the entire registry.”
Locke ducked his head. “Aye, sorry everyone.”
“Couldn’t leave even one baby rattle on there, could you?” Weston teased.
“Oh, that gift is from us!” Maisie called, latching onto Callum’s arm and dragging him around to the couch.
“Want to do it together?” I asked, looking up at Locke.
He pressed closer, tucking his arm around my shoulders so I could lean into him. “Just go for it. Tear that thing open.”
I grinned and ripped into the wrapping paper like a kid on Christmas. “Maisie! This is adorable.” She and Callum had given us a onesie that said The Deerhound’s Littlest Host. My bottom lip trembled as I looked at her. “Thank you.”
“Hold it together, woman,” Locke said, chuckling as he bussed my temple with his lips. “There’s a lot of gifts to get through.”
I laughed, swiping at the corners of my eyes. “I know, I’m just so happy. And cute things make me cry.”
“My turn!” Aisling announced, rushing over with a tiny, crinkled package. “Auntie Isla, Uncle Locke, open mine next!” She wedged herself in between us on the couch.
“She even wrapped it herself,” Weston pointed out.
“And it’s incredible,” Locke said, showing off the wrinkled paper to everyone who oohed and aahed on cue.
Aisling beamed, cheeks turning bright pink as she kicked her feet. “Open it! Open it!”
Locke carefully unwrapped the gift to reveal three beaded bracelets. “Oh. My. Goodness,” he said. “Did you make these?”
“I did!” Aisling said excitedly. “One for you, one for Auntie Isla, and one for the baby.” Aisling took Locke’s bracelet and threaded it over his wrist. Then she put mine on, leaving us with the tiniest friendship bracelet I’d ever seen.
And as Aisling danced away for a cupcake, I cradled the bracelet in my palm, my eyes already watering.
“Isla,” Locke said softly, the corner of his lip curling. “No tears.”
“But look how tiny it is!” Next thing I knew, there were two streams of tears running down my face. I reached for the box of tissues Maisie had popped on the coffee table earlier and dabbed my eyes as Jo brought us the next gift.
“That’s from me and Lucy,” Mel called across the room, bouncing her daughter on her hip.
We opened it to find a portable changing mat.
“Trust me, it’s a life saver,” Mel said.
“You will have to change your baby in ridiculous places. And you don’t think about it until they have a blowout on the motorway and you’re trying to keep them from wriggling all over the boot and—”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience,” Locke joked.
“From trauma more like,” Mel quipped.
I laughed, tucking the gift away. “We definitely appreciate that. Thank you so much, Mel. And Lucy.” I handed the box to Locke. “Here. You’re in charge of motorway blowouts.”
He smirked, arching an eyebrow. “Think I can’t handle it? I’ll be a nappy-changing pro in no time. I’ll be able to do it with one hand.”
“All right, Mr. Cocky,” I said. “Only a few more months and then you’ll have the chance to put your money where your mouth is.”
He leaned toward me, pecking my lips. “I’d rather put my mouth where your mouth is.”
“Behave,” I whispered, despite the thrill rushing through me. I still hadn’t completely wrapped my head around the fact that I could kiss this man whenever I pleased. But he was doing a good job of reminding me every day.
“This is from us and Alistair,” Lena said, handing us an envelope. “He’s sorry he couldn’t be here.”
I smiled softly. Alistair was currently overseeing the movers as they packed up his place in London.
His and Kenna’s relocation to Braeburn had everyone excited, especially Aisling, who was eager to have her little cousin around.
I passed the envelope off to Locke. He opened it, revealing passes for a long weekend getaway to a resort in the Canary Islands, to be used anytime within the next year.
“We wanted to send you on a babymoon,” Lena said, “but it’s a little late for that.”
Mel nodded in agreement. “Traveling in the third trimester is miserable.”
“So, this is a ‘when you’re ready’ voucher,” Weston explained. “Whenever you feel comfortable taking a weekend to yourselves.”
“And it goes without saying that we’ll be happy to babysit,” Lena said, smiling.
“Aww, you guys,” I said. “That’s really sweet. Thank you.”
Locke stood and clapped Weston on the shoulder. The two of them hugged. Aisling threw herself down beside me again, leaning her head on my shoulder.
“I’m going to babysit too,” she said. “I’ll be the best babysitter. ’Cause I’m going to practice.”
“Are you going to change the stinky nappies?” Locke asked, picking her up and sitting down with her in his lap instead. She giggled.
“Yep!”
“There we go,” he said, nudging my shoulder. “We have an official nappy changer.”
“That’s the real gift,” I said.
Aisling preened, then snuck off to the cupcake table again.
“Aisling,” Lena called, her voice stern.
“Just one more,” she called, the angelic expression on her face marred by the way her lips were already covered in blue frosting.
Lena sighed, and Weston chuckled.
Agnes came up behind me, rubbing my shoulders. “My gift is already in your deep freeze. I’ve made you enough scones to last until the baby comes.”
I gasped, snapping my head up to look at her. “Are you joking? If you are, I’m going to start crying again.”
Agnes kissed my cheek. “I never joke about my baking.”
“You’re brilliant,” Locke told her. “Now I don’t have to stress about what to do when she’s crying about scones at two a.m.”
“That happened one time,” I pouted.
“Do you know how traumatizing it is being woken up by a woman sobbing over scones?”
People around us chuckled as he relayed the story, and my chest warmed. He looked so damn happy.
“The cravings are wild sometimes,” Mel agreed. “With Lucy, all I wanted was slightly burnt toast.”
“I had a week where I ate nothing but pickles dipped in peanut butter,” Jo said. She walked over with another large package.
“Oh, that’s from us!” Locke’s mom called, inching closer.
“From both of you?” Locke said as his dad shuffled over. He lowered his voice, murmuring in my ear. “Well, now I’m nervous.”
I nudged him playfully, dropping the box into his lap. “Go on. See what it is.”
He tore the wrapping paper off, opened the lid, then immediately put it back down again. “Oh, Christ. You didn’t.” He covered his face with his hand, shaking with silent laughter.
His mom put her hand to her lips, only partially hiding a massive grin. “But it’s so adorable.”
“In my defense,” Graeme said. “I tried to talk her out of it.”
“Let me see,” I laughed, jostling with him to get the lid open. Locke finally relented, showing off the teeniest little sailor outfit. Beneath that was an old framed photo of what I assumed was baby Locke. I squealed, drawing all the attention in the room. Locke flushed.
“See what you’ve started,” he muttered to his parents, shaking his head.
“Oh. My. God.” I lifted the outfit into the air. “We are taking so many pictures in this! An entire photoshoot is happening.”
“It has a matching bib and little booties,” Nicola pointed out.
“I can’t believe you kept this,” Locke said.
She shrugged. “I have an entire box of your old baby things. I thought you could take pictures of your own son in it. And, you know, keep them side by side somewhere.”