“It’s not about me. It’s about him. His legacy.”
“Dex.” I waited until he looked at me. “It stopped being just his legacy a long time ago. You’ve put fifteen years of your life into that place. It’s yours now. Your legacy.”
He didn’t respond, but something in his expression told me he’d heard me. Even if he wasn’t ready to believe it yet.
After dinner, we walked through town. The evening had cooled, and more people were out now. Couples strolling, families finishing ice cream cones, teenagers gathering on the benches by the gazebo.
And every single person we passed seemed to know Dex. They’d wave, call out hello, stop to chat briefly. And every single time, he’d introduce me.
“This is Leigh. Jasper’s daughter.”
“Leigh Pierce, the photographer.”
“My girlfriend, Leigh.”
That last one made my heart skip every time.
We ended up at the ice cream shop, a tiny place with a line out the door. As we waited, Dex kept his arm around my waist, and I leaned into him, comfortable and content.
“You were right,” I murmured. “I have been eyeing this place every time we drive past.”
“I know. You get this look. Like a kid pressing their nose against a toy store window.”
“I do not!”
“You absolutely do. It’s cute.”
We finally reached the counter, and I ordered mint chip while Dex got rocky road. We took our cones outside and found a bench near the gazebo.
“This is nice,” I said, taking a bite. “Normal. Easy.”
“Yeah, it is.” He was watching me with that look again. The one that made me feel like I was the only person in the world.
“What?” I asked, suddenly self-conscious.
“Nothing. Just... I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Me too.”
And I meant it. Despite the uncertainty of August looming ahead, despite not knowing how this could possibly work long-term, right now, in this moment, I was exactly where I wanted to be.
“Dex Moore, is that you?” A new voice interrupted our moment.
An older man was approaching, white hair, weathered face, carrying his own ice cream cone. His eyes were shrewd but kind.
“Mr. Riley,” Dex stood, respectful. “Good to see you.”
“Been meaning to stop by the garage. My truck’s making a funny noise.” He turned his attention to me. “And who’s this lovely young lady?”
“This is Leigh. My girlfriend.”
There was pride in his voice when he said it. Like he wanted the whole world to know.
“Ah, Jasper’s girl! Heard about you.” Mr. Riley offered his hand, and I shook it. “Welcome to Willowbrook. You taking good care of our boy here?”
“Trying my best,” I said with a smile.
“Good, good. He deserves someone special.” He clapped Dex on the shoulder. “Your granddad would’ve liked her. She’s got kind eyes. He always said you could tell everything about a person from their eyes.”
