Page 30 of 40 and Flashing (the Scotsman)
“We.” Carter looked at Erin, warmth and something infinitely gentle welling in his eyes. Bringing their clasped hands up to his mouth, he kissed her knuckles. “We’re pregnant.”
“What?” Lincoln shouted. Excited exclamations filled the room, laughter welling as hugs and congratulations and questions were exchanged. Erin admitted they’d waited to tell Thad until they were certain everything was all right, and if Thad didn’t know, they didn’t want anyone else slipping.
“A wedding and a baby. Who would’ve thought y’all were all such fast workers?” Claire drawled, eyeing Carter.
“Does that mean we need ta expect an announcement from the two of ya soon?” Gavin asked. Scarlett got the impression he was only semi-joking.
“No babies,” Claire said, her voice firm. “I’m too old for babies.”
Lincoln hugged her to his side. “We will work on the rest of the list later.”
Scarlett snickered. “Better work hard; it doesn’t sound like she’s too enthusiastic, Lincoln.”
The rest of the group took up the teasing until JD and Lily appeared from down the hall. Lily looked slightly mussed but no worse for wear.
“You guys ready to celebrate?” Lily asked.
“We are,” Carter said. He nodded his head toward the rest of the group. “We let them in on our secret.”
“Finally!” Lily said.
“Wait, you knew?” Claire asked.
“She knew before anyone else,” Erin admitted. “Almost before me.”
The story of how Erin had found out she was pregnant and told Carter was relayed as they moved into the reception space. Lily and JD were commandeered by the crowd, as expected, and Lincoln and Claire went to direct the food.
“I think we deserve a drink,” Carter said.
“Ginger ale for me,” Erin requested.
A quick trip to the bar and they were back. Scarlett and Erin had commandeered a table near the edge of the dance floor, though the music hadn’t started yet. “This morning sickness has been kicking my ass,” Erin was saying.
“Carter told me you were sick before we came,” Gavin put in. “Is everythin’ all right?”
“Doc claims it’s nothing to worry about.” She ran a hand down her stomach. “He is sending me to a specialist, but that’s a precaution. Apparently I have a ‘geriatric pregnancy.’” She grimaced.
Scarlett joined her. “Of course they couldn’t have a better term for it.”
“Right?”
“I told Doc if we were ‘geriatric’ we wouldn’t have had the energy to get in this condition,” Carter joked.
Just as their laughter died down, Iris stopped at the table. “Could I sit with y’all?”
“Of course.” Carter pulled out a chair for their friend, took her drink order, and disappeared into the crowd.
“You look gorgeous,” Scarlett told Iris. “That peacock blue is phenomenal on you.”
Scarlett was right. The librarian looked smashing in her velvet dress. Scarlett had explained after their time at the library that her friend had recently separated from a rather stodgy husband and had taken to wearing bright, flattering colors that looked great with her naturally gray hair. She hadn’t gone wrong today.
“Thank you. I love that Lily chose cream for you all. A wedding of winter white. And even the weather cooperated.”
Carter returned from the bar with Iris’s drink.
“It’s nice to see Lily so happy,” Iris said.
“She is,” Erin said. “I haven’t gotten to see you in a while between work and stuff. How are things going with you?”
