He laughed, the sound warm, and grabbed our bags. “Come on in. I hope you’ll be comfortable.”
Inside, the house was everything I’d expected from the photos. Hardwood floors, furniture that looked so uncomfortable that it had to be more for show that anything else.
Photographs covered the mantel or a marble fireplace in the pristine room where I stood in the middle of, feeling more out of place than ever before in my life. Four boys at different ages. School pictures, sports teams, professional family shots. Growing up together.
I moved closer, studying their faces. Trying to find myself in them.
“I wasn’t sure if seeing these before tomorrow would help or make it harder,” Jasper said quietly.
“It helps.” I touched the frame of one photo. Four teenagers, arms around each other, genuine smiles. “Helps me feel like I know them a little.”
“They’re good men.” His voice was thick with emotion. “They want to meet you, Leigh. This isn’t obligation. They’re genuinely excited.”
“I know.” And I did. Jasper had told me about their reactions. But knowing didn’t make the nerves go away. “I’m just nervous.”
“That’s completely normal.” He gestured toward the stairs. “Let me show you to your rooms. Caroline, you’re next to Leigh.”
The guest room was painted sage green, with a comfortable bed and a reading chair by the window overlooking the backyard. Elegant in a subdued, welcoming way that still made you want to make sure you didn’t leave a speck of dirt anywhere.
“It’s perfect,” I told him. “Thank you.”
After Jasper left, Mom appeared in my doorway almost immediately.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” I set my bag down. “Just processing.”
“Leigh, I…”
“Mom.” I turned to face her. “You need to stop walking on eggshells around me. I’m not mad at you.”
Her face crumpled. “I just wish…”
“I know. But you can’t change the past. Neither can I. So let’s focus on tomorrow, okay?”
She nodded, wiping her eyes. “Do you want to talk about it? About what you’ll say to them? How you want to handle…”
The walls suddenly felt too close. The weight of tomorrow pressed down on me. Four strangers who were apparently my blood. A whole family I’d never known existed until a few months ago. Strangers that I was now supposed to figure out some kind of relationship with.
“I need some air,” I said. “Just for a bit. Need to clear my head.”
“Leigh…”
“I’m fine, I promise. I just need space to think.”
She studied my face, and I could see her fighting the urge to argue. “Town’s about ten minutes by car. The main road will take you back to downtown, but it’s a walk. And it’s getting dark.”
“I’ll walk. I need the movement.”
“Take your phone. Text me when you get there.”
“I will.”
I grabbed my phone and wallet, deliberately leaving my camera behind. If I brought it, I’d hide behind the lens, and I needed to feel everything right now. Even if it was uncomfortable.
The walk took longer than I expected. The road wound through quiet neighborhoods, past properties with space between them, so different from the compact streets of Blue Point Bay. By the time I reached Main Street, twilight had settled in and my feet ached, but my head felt clearer.
Sort of.
