Chapter 20
LEIGH
The golden hour light was perfect.
I stood at the edge of the meadow, watching it filter through the trees, painting everything in warm honey tones. This was the magic hour, the time when light turned ordinary moments into something ethereal. When photographs stopped being just images and became something you could feel.
My camera hung around my neck, ready. My equipment bag sat at my feet. Everything was prepared.
Except me.
Because in about ten minutes, Trace and Delaney would arrive for their engagement shoot, and I’d have to spend the next two hours photographing two people who were deeply in love. Two people who were planning their forever. Two people who got to keep each other.
And it hadn’t occurred to me until right this moment that there was a man in my life I had those kind of feelings developing for but I wouldn’t get to have that with him. I was left with counting down the days until I had to let Dex go.
Four weeks. We had four weeks left until the wedding. Four weeks until the end of our agreed-upon summer. Four weeks until I went back to Blue Point Bay and he stayed here in Willowbrook and we both pretended we could survive it.
My chest ached just thinking about it.
“You okay?”
I turned to find Dex walking toward me, hands in his pockets, that concerned furrow between his brows that I’d come to recognize as his “worrying about Leigh” expression.
He’d driven me here in his truck, helped me carry equipment, stayed to help with the shoot because Trace had asked him to. And he was staying, even though it was awkward because we hadn’t told everyone yet.
Now wasn’t the time. This was Trace and Delaney’s moment. They deserved for every part of this wedding to be as special as possible. So that meant, not letting our personal drama spill over into the special moments like this one.
“I’m fine,” I said automatically.
Dex stopped in front of me, close enough that I could smell his cologne. That woodsy, clean scent that I’d started associating with safety. With home.
With everything I couldn’t keep.
“Liar,” he said softly.
I looked up at him. “How do you know?”
“Because you get this look on your face when you’re trying to convince yourself of something you don’t believe.” He reached out, tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His hand lingered, thumb brushing my cheekbone. “What’s wrong?”
Everything. Nothing. The fact that I was impossibly and completely in love with him and we only had four weeks left.
But I couldn’t say that. We’d agreed. Temporary. Fun. No promises, no expectations, no making this harder than it had to be.
“Just thinking about composition,” I lied. “Making sure I have the shots mapped out.”
His eyes searched mine, and I knew he didn’t believe me. But he didn’t push. That was one of the things I’d learned about Dex over the past month. He gave me space when I needed it. Let me work through things at my own pace. Never demanded more than I was ready to give.
Which somehow made me want to give him everything.
“They’re going to love these photos,” he said finally. “You’re incredible at this.”
“You haven’t even seen them yet.”
“I’ve seen you work. I’ve seen the way you see light and moments that no one else notices. I’ve watched you turn ordinary scenes into something magical.” He smiled, that slow smile that made my stomach flip. “Trust me. They’re going to be perfect.”
Before I could respond, I heard a car coming up the dirt road. Trace’s truck appeared through the trees, dust kicking up behind it.
Showtime.
I took a breath, centered myself, slipped into professional mode. This was what I did. This was what I was good at. I could photograph a couple in love without falling apart.
I could.
Trace and Delaney climbed out of the truck, both dressed in the casual but coordinated outfits we’d discussed. Jeans and soft button-downs in complementary colors. Nothing too formal, nothing that would distract from the natural setting.
I snapped a quick shot of Trace helping Cade out of the truck looking like a mini version of him before the two of them retrieved baby Barrett from his car seat.
“Leigh!” Delaney came over, pulling me into a hug. “Thank you so much for doing this. I know you’re already doing so much for the wedding.”
“Are you kidding? I’m honored.” I squeezed her back, genuinely meaning it. “You’re all going to be so easy to photograph. The camera loves you both.”
“She’s being nice,” Trace said coming over with the kids, but he was grinning. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to look awkward in half these shots.”
“You won’t,” I assured him. “You’re a natural. Both of you are.”
Dex had moved to lean against his truck, giving us space but staying close enough to help if needed. I tried not to look at him. Tried not to notice the way he watched me, that soft expression on his face that made my heart do stupid things.
Focus, Leigh. You have a job to do.
“Okay,” I said, falling into the rhythm of a shoot. “Let’s start with some walking shots in the meadow. Just hold hands, talk to each other naturally. Pretend I’m not even here.”
They nodded, and I led them into position, checking the light, adjusting angles. Then I stepped back and started shooting.
And they were perfect.
Trace looked at Delaney like she hung the moon.
Delaney smiled at him with such open affection it was almost painful to witness.
They walked hand in hand through the wildflowers, golden light catching in their hair, and I captured it all.
Trace had Barrett cradled in one arm while Cade held Delaney’s hand, doing that typical bouncy kid walk.
They were a picture perfect family, filled with love and happiness.
The way Trace pulled her close and whispered something that made her laugh.
The way Delaney reached up to brush something from his collar and he caught her hand, kissed her palm.
The way they stopped walking just to kiss, getting lost in each other, completely forgetting I was there.
I documented all of it, my camera clicking steadily, and with every shot I took, something inside me cracked a little more.
This was what love looked like. This ease. This certainty. This choosing each other over and over again with your whole heart.
This was what I wanted.
What I couldn’t have.
“Those are going to be beautiful,” Dex said quietly from behind me.
I’d forgotten he was there, forgotten everything except the ache in my chest watching two people get their forever while mine had an expiration date.
“Yeah,” I managed. “They will be.”
We moved through several more setups. Sitting on the old fence rail. Standing under the oak tree. Delaney on Trace’s back, laughing. Trace spinning her in the meadow like they were dancing. We did some with the kids, and Dex kept them entertained so they could have some alone.
Every shot was perfect. Every moment was genuine. And every second of it hurt in a way I could never have imagined.
“Let’s take a break,” I called finally, when the light was starting to shift toward evening. “I want to check my shots, make sure we got everything.”
They nodded, wandering over to their truck to grab water and snacks for the kids. Dex appeared at my side, close enough that our shoulders brushed.
“You okay?” he asked again.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Leigh.”
I looked up at him, and whatever he saw in my face made his expression soften.
“Come on,” he said quietly. “Let me show you something while they’re on break.”
I glanced at Trace and Delaney, who were deep in conversation by their truck, then back at Dex. “I should stay close...”
“Five minutes. I promise they won’t even notice we’re gone. They’re in Mom and Dad mode for at least another ten minutes.”
There was something in his eyes, some urgency I didn’t understand. But I nodded, setting my camera carefully on the tailgate of his truck before following him into the trees.
He led me down a narrow path I hadn’t noticed before, weaving through the woods until we emerged at a small clearing. A creek ran through it, water bubbling over smooth stones, and the fading sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead in golden shafts.
It was breathtaking.
“Dex,” I breathed. “This is beautiful.”
“I thought you might want to use it. For the engagement shoot, maybe. Or just for you.” He turned to face me, and something in his expression made my heart stutter. “You’ve been photographing everyone else’s happiness all summer. I thought you deserved a moment to just... be in it.”
My throat tightened. “Be in what?”
“In something beautiful. Without having to capture it for someone else. Without having to perform or document or make it perfect for anyone but yourself.”
God. How did he see me so clearly? How did he know exactly what I needed even when I didn’t know myself?
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Leigh.” He stepped closer, his hand coming up to cup my face. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
My heart started pounding. “What?”
He looked at me for a long moment, his thumb stroking my cheekbone, and I saw it in his eyes before he said the words.
I saw the truth. The thing we’d both been trying not to say because saying it would make everything harder. Would make the ending unbearable.
But he was going to say it anyway.
“I love you.”
The world stopped.
Three words. Simple. Devastating.
Everything I wanted and nothing that helped.
“Dex,” I started, but my voice broke.
“I know,” he said quickly. “I know we agreed this was temporary. I know you’re leaving in four weeks. I know this doesn’t change anything. But I needed you to know. I needed to say it out loud at least once before...” He swallowed hard. “Before we have to let go.”
Tears blurred my vision. “Dex, you can’t just…”
“I love you, Leigh.” He said it again, firmer this time.
Like he needed me to understand. “I love the way you see the world. I love how you make everything you touch more beautiful. I love your laugh and your terrible jokes and the way you bite your lip when you’re concentrating.
I love how you love my family because they’re yours too even if you’re unsure of it still.
I love that you remember how I take my coffee.
I love that you’re brave and scared at the same time and you do things anyway. ”
“Stop,” I whispered, but I didn’t mean it.
“I love you,” he said one more time, softer now.
“And I needed you to know. Even if it doesn’t matter.
Even if it makes the ending worse. I needed you to know that this summer meant something.
That you mean something. That whatever happens after the wedding, I’ll never regret falling for you.
This has been the greatest moment of my life. ”
A sob caught in my chest. “It does matter. God, Dex, of course it matters.”
“But not enough to change anything.”
“My life is in Blue Point Bay. Your life is here. We knew this from the beginning.” I was crying now, couldn’t stop the tears even though I wanted to. “We agreed.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you telling me this? Why are you making it harder?”
“Because it’s already hard. Because I’d rather have this moment, this truth between us, than spend the next four weeks pretending I don’t feel what I feel.
” He pulled me closer, resting his forehead against mine.
“Because you deserve to know that you’re loved.
Even if I can’t keep you. Even if this ends.
You deserve to know that someone sees you completely and loves every single thing they see. ”
I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Could only feel the weight of his words, the truth of them settling into my bones.
“I love you too,” I whispered.
His breath caught. “Leigh…”
“I love you.” The words tumbled out now, unstoppable.
“I think I’ve loved you since that first night in the bar when you looked at me like you really saw me.
I love how you make me feel safe. I love your terrible jokes that are somehow charming when you tell them.
I love how you love your family. I love the way you fix things with your hands.
I love that you’re always thinking about what other people need.
I love that you see me for who I am and don’t ask me to be anything else. ”
He kissed me then, desperate and gentle all at once. Tasting like salt from my tears and something that was purely him. I kissed him back with everything I had, pouring all the love and grief and longing into this moment because we both knew it didn’t change anything.
We loved each other.
And in four weeks, we’d still have to say goodbye.
When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I pressed my face into his chest and let myself cry. Really cry. For the unfairness of it all. For finding the right person at the wrong time. For loving someone I couldn’t keep.
He held me through it, one hand in my hair, the other rubbing circles on my back. Not trying to fix it or make it better. Just being there. Being present in the heartbreak because that’s what you did for someone you loved.
“We should get back,” I said eventually, my voice raw. “They’ll wonder where we went.”
“Okay.”
But neither of us moved for another long moment. Both of us holding on to this, memorizing the feeling of being held by someone who loved us. Knowing we’d need this memory for all the nights ahead when we’d be alone again.
Finally, reluctantly, I pulled back. Wiped my eyes. Tried to put myself back together.
“Do I look like I’ve been crying?” I asked.
He studied my face, then gently thumbed away the last traces of tears. “You look beautiful.”
“Liar.”
“Never.” He kissed my forehead. “Come on. Let’s finish these photos so Trace and Delaney can have their perfect engagement shoot.”
We walked back to the meadow hand in hand, and when we emerged from the trees, Trace looked up from his conversation with Delaney. His eyes went from me to Dex and back again, and I saw understanding dawn on his face.
He knew. He could probably see it written all over us. Xander was right, we really were terrible at keeping secrets.
But all Trace said was, “Ready for round two?”
I lifted my camera, feeling the familiar weight of it in my hands. This was what I knew. What I could control. I could make their photos perfect even if my own life was falling apart.
“Ready,” I said.
And I meant it.