Chapter 31
DEX
The drive to Blue Point Bay took just under four hours.
Four hours of Leigh pointing out landmarks, telling me stories about the area, her excitement building the closer we got. Four hours of holding her hand across the console, feeling the weight of what I was about to see.
Her world. Her life. The place she’d built for herself.
“There,” she said, pointing ahead as we crested a hill. “That’s Blue Point Bay.”
I looked, and my breath caught.
The town spread out below us, nestled against the coast. White buildings with blue shutters, a main street visible from here, and beyond it all—the ocean. Vast and blue and endless.
It was beautiful.
“What do you think?” Leigh asked, her voice nervous.
“I think it’s perfect.”
She smiled, relieved. “Wait until you see the lighthouse.”
We drove down into town, and I took it all in. The cute shops lining Main Street. The coffee shop with outdoor seating. The bookstore with a hand-painted sign. People walking dogs, couples holding hands, kids on bikes.
It reminded me of Willowbrook in some ways. It had that small-town feel where everyone seemed to know everyone. But different too. Saltier air. Brighter colors. The constant sound of seagulls and waves.
“That’s my studio,” Leigh said, pointing to a storefront. “Pierce Photography.”
I saw the sign, the professional-looking window display with framed photos. This wasn’t some small operation. This was a real business.
“We’ll come back tomorrow,” she said. “I want to show you inside properly. But first, the lighthouse.”
She directed me through a few turns, and then we pulled up to a white lighthouse that had clearly been converted.
“Wren lives here,” Leigh explained as we got out. “We used to spend so much time on this beach when we were kids and Wren always loved this lighthouse. It was almost inevitable that she would live here. I moved in after she finished fixing it up.”
“Why?”
She grabbed her bag from the back seat. “Because she needed someone. I’d noticed that she was leaving less and less, and I wanted to make sure she was okay.”
We climbed the steps to the door of the lighthouse, and I could hear music playing from inside. Something indie and melancholy. The view from here was incredible. I’m not sure I’d want to leave if I lived here either.
Leigh knocked on the door as she opened it. “Wren! I’m here!”
The music turned off, and a woman appeared.
Wren was exactly what I’d expected. Late twenties, with curly brown hair pulled into a messy bun, wearing paint-stained jeans and an oversized sweater. She had the kind of face that looked like it smiled a lot, but right now, there was something sad in her eyes.
“You’re here!” She pulled Leigh into a hug, then turned to me. “And you must be the famous Dex.”
“That’s me.”
“Come in, come in.” She stepped back, ushering us inside.
The lighthouse was stunning. Circular, with windows all around providing panoramic ocean views. The walls were covered in art—paintings, photographs, sketches. Books were stacked everywhere. And weaving between the furniture were two cats.
“That’s Pixel,” Wren said, pointing to a black and white cat. “And that’s Aperture.” An orange tabby.
“Photography-themed cats?” I said.
“Obviously.” Leigh crouched down, and both cats immediately ran to her, purring and rubbing against her legs. “Hey, babies. Did you miss me?”
“They’ve been moping,” Wren said. “They know something’s up.”
I watched Leigh with the cats, the easy affection, the way they clearly adored her. She’d been living here. This was her space too.
“So,” Wren said, studying me. “What do you think of Blue Point Bay so far? Good enough to move here?”
“That’s the plan.”
“And you fix cars?”
“I do.”
“We could use a good mechanic in town. The current guy is sixty-five and keeps threatening to retire.” She paused. “But that’s not why you’re here, is it?”
“No. I’m here for Leigh.”
“Good answer.” She smiled, and for a moment, the sadness lifted. “I like you. You can stay.”
“I didn’t realize I needed your approval.”
“You absolutely do. I’m the best friend. My approval is mandatory.”
Leigh laughed, standing up with Aperture in her arms. “He’s already terrified of you. Mission accomplished.”
“Excellent.” Wren headed to the kitchen. “I’m making tea. Claire should be here soon.”
“Claire’s coming?” Leigh asked.
“I texted her you were bringing Dex. She wants to meet him.”
“And you’re still okay with that?”
“Define okay.” Wren’s voice went quiet. “We’ve spent a lot of time together over the past couple of weeks. I think we kinda needed this.”
I watched this exchange, filing away information.
Claire. Another Pierce cousin. There was clearly still some awkwardness between the family but at least they were trying to work through it.
Leigh having some time away seemed to have forced them to deal with it.
Leigh had mentioned something before about Wren isolating from the family, but I could see how close the two of them were just by looking at them.
“Okay,” Wren said, turning back to us with forced brightness. “Tea?”
She was up and leaving the room before either of us answered. Leigh looked at me and just shrugged before looking back toward the door Wren had left through in concern.
We settled into the circular living space with mugs of tea.
The lighthouse was beautiful in that artistic, slightly chaotic way.
Paintings propped against walls, books stacked on every surface, the cats weaving between furniture legs.
Windows wrapped around the entire space, offering panoramic views of the ocean.
“Leigh never told me that you were an artist,” I said, looking at the painting that was sitting on an easel nearby.
“Oh I’m not. I’m a coder. Software developer. It’s actually pretty boring but at least it pays the bills. I just have an extreme amount of hobbies,” Wren said with a shrug.
Leigh laughed. “Remember that time you decided welding was going to be your next one. I think there’s still a burn mark on the ceiling somewhere,” she said looking around to find it.
“The ceiling?”
“It was a weird night,” Wren told me, shrugging it off like that was a totally normal explanation.
There was a knock at the door. Wren looked at Leigh and for a moment something seemed to pass between them that I couldn’t quite interpret. Then Wren stood, and left heading towards the door, moments later, another woman walked in with her.
Claire had the Pierce family look. She looked slightly older but she was nearly identical to Wren. Except where Wren’s hair was messy and barely tamed, Claire’s was slicked back without a hair out of place.
For a moment she looked like she didn’t quite know what to do but then she saw Leigh and instantly relaxed.
“We’ve missed you,” she said as Leigh embraced her. “I’m not going to lie, a part of me thought you’d decide to stay with your Mom.”
Claire glanced at Wren and then settled into one of the chairs as Leigh passed her a cup of tea. “I was going to, but Dex fancies checking out coastal life.”
“So you’re really doing it,” Claire said, looking at me. “Moving here.”
“That’s the plan.”
“Good.” She settled onto the couch. “Leigh deserves to have someone choose her for once.”
“Claire!” Leigh protested.
“What? It’s true.” Claire turned to her cousin. “You’ve spent your whole life being the one who stays, who takes care of everyone else. It’s about time someone came to you.”
Wren nodded. “She’s right. And Dex, welcome to Blue Point Bay. Fair warning though, we’re kind of a mess.”
“I’ve had practice with complicated families.”
“The secret brothers?” Wren asked playfully.
“Yeah.”
“Leigh says they’re good people.”
“They are. They’re...” I paused, trying to find the right words. “They’re my family. That won’t change just because I’m moving.”
“Of course not.” Wren’s voice was gentle. “Family doesn’t end because of distance, and it comes in all shapes and sizes. Trust me, Leigh and I have been proving that for years.” She glanced at Leigh. “She used to live in town before she moved in here with me. We made it work.”
“You needed me,” Leigh said quietly.
“I did. I do.” Wren’s expression softened. “But Dex needs you too. And you need him. So it’s good. It’s all good. Besides, Claire and I are planning a picnic on the beach next week.”
Leigh looked at Wren in surprise and then tried to play it cool. “That sounds nice. Maybe we’ll join you. If you’re okay with that?”
“It’s just a picnic outside. Not a big deal,” Wren said shuffling awkwardly. I could see how nervous she was about the idea but no one called her out on it, deciding to instead let it pass for now.
Claire checked her phone. “I should go. I have to go in early tomorrow to finish getting my classroom set up.” She hugged Leigh. “But we should get dinner this week. Catch up properly.”
“I’d like that.”
After Claire left, Wren stood. “You two should go explore. Show Dex the town while there’s still light.” She shooed us toward the door. “And Dex? There’s a garage for sale on Main Street. You might want to check it out.”
“You know about that?”
“Everyone knows about everything in this town. You should be used to that by now.” She smiled. “Now go. I’ll see you later.”
Outside, the evening sun was starting to dip toward the horizon. Leigh grabbed my hand as we walked down the path from the lighthouse.
“They liked you,” she said.
“Wren’s great. Claire seems... careful. They don’t seem to be quite all there.”
“They’ve been through some stuff. But they’re figuring it out. When Wren started to close herself away it was really hard on her siblings and they ended up pushing each other further apart. They’re working on it though.” Leigh squeezed my hand. “Now, come on. Let me show you your new town.”
We walked through Blue Point Bay, and I tried to see it not just as a place Leigh loved, but as somewhere I’d live.
The coffee shop where she got her morning latte—I could go there too.
The bookstore where she browsed on Sundays—we could go together.
The restaurant where she and her mom used to have dinner on special occasions—that could be our spot.
“And this one is mine,” she said, stopping outside a storefront.
Pierce Photography. The sign was elegant, professional. Through the window, I could see the space. Clean, minimalist, with large prints on the walls.
“Want to see inside?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
She unlocked the door and flipped on the lights. The space was bigger than I’d expected. A main gallery area, a small office visible through a doorway, and what looked like a workspace in the back. But it was the photographs that caught my attention.
Large format prints covered the walls. Coastal landscapes with dramatic shots of the ocean at dawn, waves crashing against rocks, lighthouses silhouetted against stormy skies.
And street photography showing candid moments of people lost in thought, a kid chasing seagulls, an elderly couple holding hands on a bench, everyday moments made beautiful.
“Leigh.” I turned slowly, taking it all in. “These are incredible.”
“It’s taken five years to build.” She walked to one wall, looking up at a massive print of the Blue Point Bay lighthouse at sunset.
“This isn’t just a studio. It’s a gallery.
I sell prints, I do shows, I work on commissions for businesses and collectors.
This is...” She paused. “This is mine. I built this.”
I heard what she wasn’t saying. This wasn’t just a business. This was her proof that she’d made something of herself. That she’d succeeded on her own terms.
“You should be proud,” I said.
“I am.” She looked at me, and there was something vulnerable in her expression. “You’re giving up your grandfather’s garage for this. For me. And I just... I need you to know what you’re walking into. This isn’t some small hobby. This is my life’s work.”
“I know.” I moved closer to her. “And I’m not giving it up. I’m choosing something different. I’m choosing us. I’m choosing you. But also, I’m choosing myself. To have the chance to build something like this for myself.”
“You have to promise me that if you hate it here, if you ever start to feel like you regret…”
I cupped her face in my hands, cutting off her spiral. “Leigh. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. You’re my home. Wherever you are, that’s where I belong. But if it makes you feel better, I promise I will tell you if I ever have any doubts.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I still can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“Believe it.” I kissed her forehead. “I’m all in.”
We stood there for a moment, surrounded by her art, by the world she’d created.
“Come on,” she said finally. “There’s one more place I want to show you.”
We walked to the beach as the sun painted the sky in shades of orange and pink. Leigh kicked off her shoes at the edge of the sand, and I did the same.
“This is my favorite place,” she said as we walked. “I come here when I need to think. When I need to feel grounded. Half my portfolio comes from this beach.”
I looked out at the ocean, vast and endless, and felt something settle in my chest. This could be my place too. Our place.
“I can see why,” I said.
She stopped, turning to face me. “Are you sure about this? Really sure? Because once you sell the garage, once you move here, there’s no going back.”
“I don’t want to go back.” I pulled her close. “This is right. Us. This life we’re choosing together.”
She kissed me then, soft and sweet and full of promise.
When we finally pulled apart, the sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving streaks of purple and gold across the sky.
“Welcome home, Dex,” she whispered.
“Yeah,” I said, looking at her, at the ocean, at this life we were about to build together. “Home.”
I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. Couldn’t wait to show her just how all in I was.