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“Mum and Dad are going to lose their shit,” he said softly. “Have you told them yet?”
“No,” she said. “And I’m not going to.”
“I think they’ll notice when you pop out an entire new human being.”
She elbowed him and snorted. “Yeah, and they can deal with that after the wedding.”
“The wedding? You’re getting married?”
“We were always going to. Just not right now.” She wrinkled her nose. “This is a slight detour, that’s all. The destination’s still the same.”
“Why do you keep talking in traffic metaphors?”
“Because life is a journey, you fuckhead. Catch up!”
“You’re a bit stressed out right now, aren’t you?”
She made a sound halfway between a giggle and a whimper. “Little bit, yeah.”
“So how soon is this wedding?”
“Six weeks, hopefully. If the church is free.”
He winced. “Saint John’s?”
“Of course. We’ll do it in the morning, after the Sunday service. Dad’ll like that. The congregation is family and all that bullshit.”
“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “For the record, I think you’re insane. Not for the baby thing, but for the wedding thing. You know you could just go to the courthouse and get it done, right? But I get why you want it at Saint John’s. And if you guys need anything—I don’t know, what the fuck do you need for a wedding anyway? Well, whatever it is, if you need it and you think I can help out, you only have to ask. Okay?”
Mia leaned into him. “Thanks, Jack.”
She didn’t stay long after that. Jack was still smiling when she left and the news he was going to be an uncle sank in. He turned around to find Harry looking at him from his bedroom doorway, one eyebrow cocked.
“What are you grinning at?”
Jack knew he should keep Mia's news secret, but he trusted Harry. That, and he had to tell someone or he was going to burst. “I’m going to be an uncle!”
“Mia’s pregnant?” Harry’s jaw dropped. “I’m assuming she’s happy about it?”
“Oh yeah, totally happy. They’re getting married.”
Harry’s face split into a broad grin. “That’s great! I’m so happy for her. And for you, too, Uncle Jack.”
Hearing it out loud just made Jack smile harder. “Oh, wow. What a trip!”
“Shotgun wedding?” Harry asked.
“Is a secret shotgun wedding a thing?” Jack asked. “Because they’re not telling my parents, so I don’t know who’s supposed to be wielding the shotguns in that scenario.”
“Maybe Mia and Tate are pointing them at each other,” Harry suggested. “Secret shotgun standoff wedding?” He tilted his head. “I presume your parents can count though, right?”
“Very much so. I guess Mia’s just trying to postpone the baby shitstorm until after the wedding. A spur-of-the-moment wedding will be slightly easier to sell to them than a shotgun wedding. My parents are sort of…” He hesitated. “Old-fashioned. You’d probably remember that.”
Harry winced. “Kind of? But, to be fair, I didn’t let them get too many words in before I did the tablecloth trick and then tipped a glass of water into your dad’s lap.”
Jack felt a stab of guilt at where that had all ended up. “I am so?—”
Harry held up his hand. “Stop apologising. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s Mia’s since she hired me. Is that victim blaming? No, I think I’m the victim still.” He grinned, his cheeks dimpling. “Anyway, you’re going to be an uncle! That’s awesome!” He stepped forward and held up his hand for a high five.
