Chapter 6
LEIGH
The best thing about photography was that it gave me permission to be alone without looking lonely. I could wrap myself in isolation even as I walked through crowds.
I’d spent Tuesday morning wandering downtown Willowbrook with my camera, losing myself in the familiar rhythm of shooting.
Finding angles, chasing light, capturing moments that most people walked right past without seeing.
It got me some curious looks but overall it was a good way to lose myself to the rhythm of my work and clear all the clutter from my mind.
I’d learned of an upcoming farmer’s market that I was interested to try and shoot some early morning setting up shots for.
It was all easier than thinking about Sunday’s meeting. Easier than processing the fact that I had four half-brothers who actually seemed to want me around. Easier than remembering the look on Dex’s face when he’d walked through that door.
Much easier than that.
Willowbrook was beautiful in that quintessential small-town way.
Historic storefronts with flower boxes, people who nodded hello as they passed, a pace of life that felt almost foreign after Blue Point Bay’s tourist-season chaos.
It would just be starting to get busier there now.
My cousins would be bracing for the busy season which would mean Wren would be with withdrawing even more than usual.
It was hard to think about her and not being present for the summer season.
If it hadn’t been for the wedding I would have pushed this trip even further back.
Fall had felt like a better idea to me but Wren had actually been the one to insist that I come.
I knew she felt like a burden but honestly Wren was the most important person in my life and not being there when she needed me the most was painful in ways I hadn’t expected.
I pulled out my cell, taking a picture of Books and Beans and sending it through to her.
Leigh: Can you believe that bookshops like this actually exist in real life?
I settled on a nearby bench waiting for her reply. I knew it wouldn’t be long. At this time in the morning she’d be sitting at her computer, half way through her tenth cup of coffee already.
Wren: I’m surprised you’re not inside. Aren’t places like that crack for you?
Leigh: It’s not my fault that people look more interesting when they’re doing something they love. How’s the coding coming along?
Wren: The same as always. Now stop holding out on me. What are the brothers like and why haven’t you text me about it yet?
I laughed, imagining the look of exasperation on her face. She was right that usually I would have updated her by now. She also knew me well enough to know that the fact that I hadn’t meant that I was trying to process something.
Leigh: They’re surprisingly normal and actually nice.
Wren: You say that like it’s a bad thing.
Leigh: I guess I was expecting them to hate me. Or at least make it clear that I wasn’t welcome
Wren: And… ?
Leigh: They actually seem to want to know me.
Wren: You know that’s not what I’m asking.
I sighed, looking around the town around me, the people going about their normal lives and tried to figure out how to say what had happened and the feelings I had about it.
But no matter how many times I ran it through my mind, I kept coming to the same conclusion.
I might have ever so slightly over reacted.
Leigh: I just met a guy, and we hit it off, and then it turned out he’s their best friend so it didn’t go anywhere.
Wren: Did they call dibs or something?
Leigh: You’re terrible.
Wren: Just telling it like it is. You’re allowed to be a person and have relationship. And so is he. They don’t get to call the shots in your life now that they’re in. That’s my job.
She had a point. But this was just something you didn’t do, right?
The brother’s best friend. It was never going to end well and I was here to try and form some kind of relationship with them.
Not make things awkward by messing around with their best friend.
Even if he was okay with the idea, which he most definitely wasn’t.
“Leigh!”
I looked up to find Blake standing outside the art gallery, her pink hair catching the light, a wide smile on her face as she waved at me.
“I was hoping I’d see you around town!” She walked toward me, her energy bright and welcoming. “Getting some good shots?”
“Yeah.” I stood, slinging my camera strap over my shoulder. “Just exploring. Getting a feel for the place.”
“It’s a good town for it. Lots of character if you know where to look.” She studied me for a moment, her artist’s eye assessing. “Have you eaten? Delaney and I were about to grab lunch. If I’m not disturbing anything,” she added pointing at the phone still in my hand.
I hesitated. Part of me wanted to keep hiding behind my camera, to stay in the safe space where I didn’t have to think or feel or process.
But another part of me, the part that had watched these women welcome me on Sunday like I wasn’t a stranger, wanted to say yes.
“No, not at all. Just catching up with my cousin back home.”
I quickly fired off a last text to Wren and her response came through immediately.
Leigh: I’ve got to go, but I’ll call you later tonight, okay?
Wren: Go ride that small town hunk!
I laughed and shook my head at her. Wren was definitely the devil on my shoulder when I needed one. Instead of going with her suggestion I shoved my phone in my pocket and turned back to Blake.
“If you’re sure you don’t mind me joining you guys.”
“Of course not! This way we can gossip about the boys,” Blake said, linking her arm through mine before I could overthink it. “Plus, the café has the best sandwiches in town. Margie makes this turkey club that’s basically life-changing.”
I let Blake lead me down the street, toward a small café with cheerful yellow awnings and outdoor seating.
Delaney was already there, sitting at a corner booth inside, and her face lit up when she saw us.
“You found her!” She stood to hug me, and I was still getting used to how physical this family was. How easily they touched, how naturally they offered affection. “I’m so glad you could join us.”
“Blake didn’t really give me a choice,” I said, but I was smiling.
“That’s Blake’s superpower,” Delaney said. “Benevolent kidnapping.”
We settled into the booth, me on one side, them on the other, and for a moment I felt like I was being set up. Like this was an ambush disguised as lunch.
But then Blake started talking about a new artist she was featuring at the gallery, and Delaney chimed in with questions, and the conversation flowed so naturally that I started to relax.
A server came by. A friendly woman in her fifties who clearly knew both Blake and Delaney well.
“The usual?” she asked them.
“Please, Nancy,” Delaney said. “And whatever Leigh wants.”
I ordered the turkey club Blake had mentioned, and Nancy bustled off with promises that it would change my life.
“So,” Delaney said, turning her attention to me. “How are you settling in? Is Jasper’s house comfortable?”
“It’s great. Really.” I picked at the edge of my napkin. “Everyone’s been so welcoming. It’s kind of overwhelming, actually.”
“Good overwhelming or bad overwhelming?” Blake asked.
“Both?” I laughed a little. “I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know? Like everyone’s being nice now, but eventually they’ll realize I’m this complication they didn’t ask for.”
“You’re not a complication,” Delaney said firmly. “You’re family. There’s a difference.”
“See, I don’t understand how you all so easily say that. That I’m family. I barely know you all.”
“That’s fixable,” Blake said. “Time and proximity. And possibly alcohol, though Xander’s sober so we do a lot of our bonding over coffee these days.”
I found myself smiling despite the anxiety still churning in my stomach. “You guys planned this, didn’t you? The lunch.”
They exchanged a look.
“Maybe,” Blake admitted. “But only because we wanted to get to know you better. Without all the brothers hovering.”
“They do hover,” Delaney agreed. “They mean well, but sometimes it’s easier to talk without them.”
The food arrived, and Blake had been right about the turkey club. It was spectacular.
We ate and talked, and I found myself telling them about Blue Point Bay, about my photography business, about the series I was thinking of doing documenting small-town life. It wasn’t ground breaking but it was the type of photograph that was really calling to me at the moment.
“You should absolutely do that here,” Blake said. “I’d love to feature it in the gallery. We could do a whole exhibition.”
“Really?”
“Really. I’m always looking for fresh perspectives, and you have a great eye.” She gestured to my camera. “Can I see what you shot this morning?”
I hesitated, then handed over my camera. Letting someone look at my unedited work always felt vulnerable, but Blake handled it with the careful reverence of a fellow artist.
“These are beautiful,” she said softly, scrolling through. “The way you capture light... it’s really special, Leigh.”
Delaney leaned over to look, and her face softened. “You have a gift.”
Something in my chest loosened. This. This was what I’d needed. Not just acceptance, but to be seen for what I could do, not just who I was related to.
“Let’s talk about you guys,” I suggested.
“It must be a lot having all of us circling peppering you with questions all the time,” Blake said reaching out and squeezing my arm. “Okay… us, something interesting about us…”
“I’ve been wanting to expand things at the farm,” Delaney said, setting down her sandwich. “The cider mill does well, but I want to open a proper farm-to-table restaurant on the property. We’ve nearly got the barn renovated and ready to go.”
“Really?” I leaned forward, interested. “That sounds amazing.”
“She said interesting, Lanes. Not business,” Blake quipped and Delaney pushed her playfully as they laughed.