Chapter 29
LEIGH
Icouldn’t sleep.
Again.
It felt like a running theme for the night, and right now I was lying awake, staring at what had become a very familiar ceiling, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn’t quiet.
But this time wasn’t about fear or uncertainty or saying goodbye.
This time was about joy. And hope. And the man sleeping peacefully next to me in the pre-dawn darkness.
Dex.
Hopefully no one would mind that I’d snuck him inside early this morning. It seemed safer than making him drive home when he was so tired.
We’d talked until almost five in the morning after we’d gotten back from the lookout. Lying in his bed, wrapped up in each other, making plans. Real plans. For a future that suddenly felt possible instead of impossible.
He was moving to Blue Point Bay.
It still didn’t feel real.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. 6:47 AM. A text from Delaney in our group chat.
Delaney: I’m getting married today!!!
Blake: sleeping emoji It’s not even 7 AM
Delaney: I DON’T CARE I’M GETTING MARRIED
Reece: Congratulations on discovering caps lock
Billie: I can’t believe you’re finally getting married crying emoji
Blake: Billie it’s too early for emotions
Billie: It’s NEVER too early for emotions about my ladies
Delaney: Leigh are you awake?
I smiled and typed back.
Leigh: Wide awake. Can’t wait to see you as a bride.
Delaney: Get over here. We’re doing mimosas and getting ready.
I looked at Dex, still sleeping, his face peaceful in the growing light. I wanted to stay right here, wrapped up in this moment, in the knowledge that we had a future.
But today was about Trace and Delaney. About celebrating their forever.
Tomorrow we’d start planning ours.
I kissed his forehead gently, trying not to wake him, but his eyes fluttered open anyway.
“Morning,” he mumbled, his voice rough with sleep.
“Morning. I have to go. Bride duty.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost seven.”
He groaned and pulled me closer. “Too early.”
“The wedding’s at two. I need to help Delaney get ready and set up my equipment at the pond.”
“Fine.” He kissed me, slow and sweet. “I’ll see you at the ceremony?”
“You’ll see me behind a camera, trying not to cry.”
“I’ll be the one in the groomsmen line, watching you.”
“Dex...”
“I love you.”
My heart squeezed. We’d said it before, but every time still felt like the first time. “I love you too. Now let me go before Delaney sends a search party. Although, you might want to get up too, unless you’re planning on having breakfast with Jasper and my mom.”
That had him sitting bolt upright as he looked around and suddenly realised where he was.
“Oh crap, yeah, this isn’t my house.”
I laughed and watched him scramble back into his clothes and we sneaked out of the house giggling like teenagers who were doing something they shouldn’t and not the grown adults we really were.
Delaney’s house was already chaos when I arrived at seven-thirty.
Billie was in the kitchen making breakfast for an army. Delaney was pacing in the living room in her pajamas, looking radiant and terrified in equal measure, giant curlers in her hair. Blake was on the couch, still in the sweats she’d clearly slept in, holding a mimosa like it was life support.
“You’re here!” Delaney grabbed me in a hug. “I’m freaking out.”
“You’re getting married in six hours. Freaking out is allowed.”
“What if I trip walking down the aisle? What if Barrett throws the rings in the pond? What if…”
“What if you marry the love of your life and everything is perfect?” Reece appeared from the hallway, already dressed and put together. She hugged Delaney fiercely and then held her out at arms length. “Breathe. Today is going to be beautiful.”
Delaney took a shaky breath and nodded. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
“Of course I am.” Reece smiled and then looked at me. “Now, we have hair and makeup arriving at nine, our amazing photographer needs to get to the pond by eleven to set up, and Delaney needs to eat something before she passes out from nerves and mimosas.”
“I had toast,” Delaney protested.
“Half a piece of toast doesn’t count. Billie, can you make her an actual breakfast?”
“On it,” Billie called from the kitchen.
“I love how everyone just takes orders from you now,” I said to Reece.
“Someone has to be in charge. And Blake has been pounding the mimosas because apparently that’s the only way she can awake at this time in the morning, but I’m not quite sure how to follow that logic. I’m the only one keeping it together here.”
Blake lifted her mimosa in salute. “She’s not wrong.”
“I see we’re all handling this very normally,” I quipped.
“Define normal,” Blake muttered.
“Fair point.”
The next two hours were a blur of activity. Hair and makeup artists arrived and transformed Delaney’s living room into a salon. Billie kept bringing food nobody ate. Reece coordinated everything with the calm efficiency of someone who’d probably run military operations in a past life.
“Earth to Leigh,” Blake said, waving a hand in front of my face. “You’ve been staring at that mimosa for five minutes. Drink it or put it down.”
“Sorry. Just thinking about the shots I need to get today.”
“Ever the professional.” Blake grinned. “Well, drink up. We have a bride to finish getting ready.”
Delaney called from the other room. “Leigh! I need you!”
I found her in her bedroom, standing in front of the mirror in her wedding dress.
And oh my god, she was stunning.
The dress was simple but elegant. Lace and flowing silk, fitted at the top and cascading down into a soft skirt. Her hair was swept up in loose curls, with small white flowers woven through. She looked like something out of a fairytale.
“Well?” she asked, her voice nervous. “What do you think?”
“I think Trace is going to lose his mind when he sees you.”
She smiled, tears gathering in her eyes. “I still can’t believe this is happening. That I get to marry him.”
“Believe it. Now let’s get you to that pond before you cry off all this beautiful makeup.”
She laughed, wiping carefully at her eyes. “Okay. Let’s go get married.”
The pond was perfect.
White chairs were arranged in neat rows on both sides of a makeshift aisle.
The flower arch at the front was covered in white roses and greenery, with the pond shimmering behind it.
The late August sun filtered through the trees, creating this magical dappled light that was going to look incredible in photos.
I’d arrived at eleven to set up my equipment, and now, at one-thirty, guests were starting to arrive.
I busied myself checking my camera settings, adjusting angles, making sure everything was perfect. This was Trace and Delaney’s wedding. My brother’s wedding. I couldn’t mess this up.
Guests continued to arrive. Townspeople I recognized from the bar and the ranch, plus what seemed like half of Willowbrook. Trace and Delaney were clearly loved.
I photographed people taking their seats, kids running around before their parents corralled them, the golden afternoon light that made everything look like a painting.
At 1:40, I noticed some commotion near the parking area on the opposite side of the pond. Voices raised, people gathering. But I was focused on setting up for the processional and couldn’t see what was happening.
My phone buzzed. A text from Dex.
Dex: Everything’s fine. Don’t worry. See you in a few minutes.
I frowned at the cryptic message but didn’t have time to respond. The ceremony was about to start.
By the time the music began at 1:55, whatever had happened seemed to be resolved. The groomsmen walked out and took their places at the front, all of them looking calm and professional.
When Dex appeared with the others, he caught my eye and gave me a reassuring nod.
Okay then. Whatever it was, it was handled.
The string quartet started playing. Beautiful and classical and perfect.
The groomsmen lined up. Booker, Xander, Gage, and Dex. I captured each of their faces as they took their positions.
Dex caught my eye and smiled.
I smiled back, then forced myself to focus on my job.
The bridesmaids came next, Reece, Billie, and Blake. Each of them looking beautiful and emotional.
Then Cade, Trace’s eleven-year-old son, looking so grown up in his little suit as he carefully walked down the aisle as a junior groomsman. He stood next to Gage, and I got a shot of Gage putting a hand on his shoulder, protective and proud.
And then—oh my god—baby Barrett.
Except Barrett wasn’t walking. He was in Trace’s arms, because apparently Trace had decided to carry his one-and-a-half-year-old son down the aisle rather than trust him to make it on his own.
The crowd murmured with delight as Trace appeared, Barrett in his arms, both of them in matching suits. Barrett was clutching the small pillow with the rings tied to it, looking very serious about his job.
Trace walked to the front and carefully set Barrett down next to him. The little boy immediately grabbed his dad’s leg, and I captured that moment as Trace looking down at his son with so much love, Barrett looking up at him with complete trust.
My throat tightened.
The music changed.
Everyone stood.
And then Delaney appeared.
She was on Jasper’s arm, and the look on her face—pure joy, pure love, pure certainty—made my eyes sting with tears.
Jasper looked proud and emotional, and I realized this was probably a moment he’d never thought he’d have. Walking Delaney down the aisle. Being part of this family. Having a second chance.
I photographed them walking, the guests watching, Trace’s face as he saw his bride.
And oh, the look on Trace’s face.
He was crying before Delaney even reached him.
Jasper reached the front and carefully placed Delaney’s hand in Trace’s. He said something quiet that I couldn’t hear and Trace nodded, tears still streaming down his face.
Then Jasper stepped back, and it was just Trace and Delaney, standing in front of the officiant, with the pond and the flowers and the perfect afternoon light.
“Dearly beloved,” the officiant began.
I was too busy trying to photograph through my own tears.
Because this moment, this love, this choice to stand up in front of everyone and promise forever, it was everything.
The ceremony continued, vows were exchanged, and when the officiant finally pronounced them husband and wife, the crowd erupted in cheers.
The kiss was perfect. The joy was perfect. Everything was perfect.
I captured it all. Every smile, every tear, every moment of pure happiness.
This was what love looked like.
This was what forever looked like.
And tomorrow, Dex and I would start building ours.
#
After the ceremony, I spent time doing family photos.
Trace and Delaney with Barrett and Cade. The four brothers together. The brothers with their girlfriends and fiances. The whole extended family, even my mom who Jasper looked at with so much love in his eyes that I couldn’t help but capture it.
“Okay,” I called out. “Brothers and their significant others.”
There was a moment of shuffling, and then I realized I was just standing there. Behind the camera. Not in the photo.
“Leigh.” Dex’s voice was quiet but firm. “Get in here.”
“I’m the photographer.”
“You’re also family. Get. In. Here.”
Trace nodded in agreement. “He’s right. You’re part of this family. So get over here.”
I set my camera on the tripod, set the timer, and hurried over to the group.
Dex pulled me in next to him, his arm around my waist. His hand found mine behind Booker’s back, hidden from view but there. Solid. Real.
The camera clicked.
And just like that, I was in the family photo.
Not as the photographer. Not as the outsider. Not as the half-sister who showed up three months ago.
As family.
“Thank you,” I said, my voice thick as I went back to check the photo.
And it was perfect. All of them, all of us, together.
“Alright everyone,” someone announced. “If you want to make your way up to the barn, the reception starts in an hour.”
As people dispersed, Dex appeared at my side and helped me pack up my equipment.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah. That was beautiful.”
“It was.” He cupped my face. “And tomorrow, I’m going to show you exactly what I meant last night.”
My breath caught. “Dex…”
“Tomorrow,” he repeated. “Let’s get through today first. Celebrate Trace and Delaney. Capture all these perfect moments. And then tomorrow, we start figuring out forever.”
I kissed him, quick and full of promise.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” He helped me pack the last of my equipment into its cases so we could transfer it across to the barn. “Now come on. We have a reception to get to.”
As I walked with him up to the barn, I couldn’t stop thinking about tomorrow.
About Blue Point Bay and new beginnings and a future that was finally, finally within reach.
Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.