“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.
