At first glance, Brooklyn didn’t think Dax and Colton looked alike. Colton was shorter, more heavy set, with lighter hair that was cropped short. Colton was a handsome man too, but more in a more stern, corporate way. But as Brooklyn watched the two brothers talking and laughing, she was struck by how similar their mannerisms were. It was obvious the two of them were close. Colton was three years older than Dax. He was married with two children—a boy and a girl. They also had a sister living in Vermont with her husband and three children.

Colton turned to Brooklyn, a crooked smile on his face. “So, has Dax introduced you to the folks yet?”

“No, he hasn’t.” Brooklyn hadn’t even thought about that. She still had to meet Dax’s parents. Yikes. She could only hope they were nicer than her mom.

Dax grinned. “I thought I’d break her in easy. Introduce her to you first, then work our way through the family.”

“Good idea. They’re tough,” Colton said, a serious expression on his face.

A flutter of anxiety went through Brooklyn. “Oh.”

Colton broke into laughter. “Just teasing.”

Brooklyn shook her head. He looked just like Dax when he did that. Same expression. Same delivery. “I don’t know if I can handle two of you in one place.”

Dax felt for her hand, then squeezed it. “They’ll love you.”

Colton took a large bite of his steak. “Yes, they will. Mom will be glad you’ve found someone who can put up with you.”

“Hey now,” Dax growled.

The conversation drifted to Dax’s racing team and then Colton’s work as a hospital administrator. Brooklyn was enjoying the evening immensely. There was no tension, no discomfort, just three people having a wonderful meal together. It was refreshing, and she wished her family could be the same way. If only she had a close relationship with Madison … with her mother. Brooklyn and her dad got along well though, at least that was something.

Colton wiped his mouth and placed the napkin beside his plate. Then he shifted. “Have you given any more thought to the procedure?”

It was startling how fast the atmosphere changed. Dax tensed, his jaw going hard. In that second, Brooklyn realized that she’d been too quick to assume everything was perfect.

“Let’s not discuss this tonight,” Dax said tersely.

“If not tonight, then when?”

A deep crease appeared between Dax’s brows as he shook his head.

“The procedure restored the sight of the woman in Boston. Did you even read the email I sent you detailing the results?”

“I can’t read, remember?” Dax countered.

Colton waved a hand. “Or listened to it … or however you get your information. You know what I mean.” Excitement crept into his voice. “Think about what this could mean. You could have your life back.”

“I have a life,” Dax snapped.

Brooklyn felt like she was watching a tennis match as they lobbed back and forth. Her mind scrambled to piece everything together. She touched Dax’s arm. “What procedure is Colton talking about?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Dax grumbled.

“Of course it matters,” Colton shot back. He looked disgusted. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell Brooklyn.”

Brooklyn looked back and forth between them. “Tell me what?”

“Go ahead. Tell her,” Colton demanded.

Dax wadded his napkin in his fist and swore under his breath. “Why did you have to open this up tonight?”

“Because I love you, that’s why. And I want you to be able to see again.”

Brooklyn tensed, her head whipping around to Dax. “Is there a chance you can see again?” The news was so startling that it nearly took her breath away. She hated the twinge of fear that pricked her. What would happen between her and Dax if he regained his sight? Would he fall out of love with her? Her throat went dry as she swallowed. “Tell me, Dax. Please.”

Dax let out a weary sigh. “There’s a new procedure that has the slight possibility of restoring my sight.”

“It’s more than a slight possibility. You’d know that if you’d looked at … err … paid attention to the stats I’ve been sending you.” He turned to Brooklyn. “Dax’s situation is unique. His eyes work perfectly fine, but his nerves are damaged, so that his mind is not able to process what he’s seeing. This procedure uses stem cells from bone marrow to repair the nerves.”

“I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t you do it?” Brooklyn said, looking at Dax. There was a black look on his face, and he was clenching his fist.

A tense silence descended over them until Dax spoke. “A year after the accident, Colton persuaded me to try a procedure.”

“That was different. Experimental. The odds were against us.”

Dax cut him off. “Against my better judgment, I went through the procedure.” He hesitated, his jaw working. “I got my hopes up, only to have them dashed,” he said, anguish twisting his features. Then he jutted out his jaw. “I won’t go through that again.” His voice cracked. “I have a good life.”

“You have a shadow of the life you used to have because you’re afraid,” Colton shot back.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dax yelled, slamming his palm against the table.

Brooklyn jumped and the people sitting nearby looked at them with startled expressions.

“I never pegged you for a quitter, little brother,” Colton muttered. He rubbed his neck, then gave Brooklyn a pleading look. “Maybe you can talk some sense into him.” He stood. “It’s a procedure, Dax. A simple procedure. What’ve you got to lose by trying it?” He shook his head. “I’ll see ya back at the house.” He gave Brooklyn a curt nod. “It was nice meeting you.” With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the restaurant.

* * *

Dax tossed in his bed, trying to find a comfortable spot. It was after two in the morning, but sleep wouldn’t come. After Colton left the restaurant, Brooklyn questioned him about the procedure. Dax could tell she didn’t understand why he was hesitant to undergo it. He tried to explain things to her, but the words came out lame. He’d been so hopeful about the first procedure, even though he knew it was a long shot. But he’d beaten the odds when he became a Nascar driver. And then he kept on beating the odds every time he won. He’d been so sure that he would beat the odds with the procedure too. He’d gotten his hopes up, only to have them crushed. And then he had to start all over again, trying to come to terms with the blindness. Things were going well now. Yes, he wanted his eyesight back. And yes, he wanted to race again. He wanted those things so badly he could taste them. But when he opened himself up to those desires, they grew so large and terrible he feared they would consume him. He just didn’t know if he could open himself up to that again. But on the other hand, there was Brooklyn to consider. He didn’t want to be a burden to her. But he wasn’t willing to let her go. What if he did go through with the procedure, then Brooklyn would get her hopes up too.

Being blind wasn’t all that bad. He had a good life. A sizeable income, a nice home, the best guide dog on the planet, a woman who loved him. So what if he couldn’t race? So what if he’d never see Brooklyn’s face? A tear slipped from the corner of his eye as a silent prayer formed in his mind. “Heavenly Father, please help me. I want to see again. Is it possible? Can this procedure help me? Please,” he petitioned. “I can’t go through the heartache of losing hope again. It just might destroy me this time.”

A measure of peace settled over him, and he began the coping exercise he often used when things got hard. He formed a mental list of all the things he was grateful for, beginning with Brooklyn. After a while, he felt himself drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Brooklyn lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She tried to make sense of the conflicting emotions she was feeling. Could Dax get his eyesight back? And if he did, what would happen between them? Would Dax still love her? Hot prickles covered her, then she went cold as a picture of Cassidy Cline flashed through her mind. Dax had lived the glitzy lifestyle of a racecar driver. Would he go back to that life? She didn’t fit into that world. In fact, she was the antithesis of all it entailed. Tears sprang to her eyes as she gripped the sheets, a sudden fear seizing her with enough force to take her breath away. What if Dax thought she was ugly? No, not ugly, but ordinary, the redheaded, freckle-faced bookworm that had skulked in the shadows while nursing a crush on him. The bitter irony of the situation settled over her. Her mother had been so worried about the heavy burden Dax’s blindness would put on her. And if his sight were restored, it might just be the very thing that took him from her. But Dax was dead set against the procedure. Maybe they could go on as they had been, pretend that Colton had never mentioned it. Even as the thought entered her mind, Brooklyn knew it wouldn’t work. They could never go back. They would always have this hanging over them.

In her heart of hearts, Brooklyn knew the course she must take. She’d seen the longing on Dax’s face when he asked her about the sunset. Like Colton said, if there was the slightest chance the procedure could restore Dax’s eyesight, they had to pursue it. She couldn’t let her fears hinder Dax’s chance to live a full life. She needed to pray for strength to put Dax’s needs above her own. Even if it meant losing him, she had to persuade him to undergo the procedure.

* * *

Dax asked Brooklyn to take a stroll with him around the lake. More than anything, he needed a sounding board to help make sense of what he was feeling, and he wanted Brooklyn to understand where he was coming from. Colton had been pestering him about the procedure for over a month, but Dax didn’t give it much credence until he read about the success of the patient in Boston. And then through more research he realized with a jolt that the ophthalmologist who performed the surgery did it at the John A. Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City, of all places. Was it a sign? Or wishful thinking?

After they crossed over the wooden bridge, Dax instructed Tucker to lead them to a nearby bench. Dax squeezed Brooklyn’s hand. “Let’s sit down for a few minutes.”

“Sure.”

Brooklyn was quieter than normal, and there was a funky tension between them. He kept asking her if everything was okay, and she said yes. At the wedding reception a couple of nights ago, they’d bonded, but then Colton had dropped the bomb over dinner, and that’s when things got weird. That had to be it. Brooklyn probably wondered why Dax was reluctant to pursue the treatment and why he hadn’t mentioned it to her.

When they sat down, Dax angled toward her. He decided to just come out with it, rather than beating around the bush. “We need to discuss the medical treatment Colton was talking about.”

“Yes, I think you should do it,” she blurted.

He jerked, not expecting such a decisive statement. “What?”

“I read up about it. Dr. William Holder is the neuroscientist who pioneered the treatment, using stem cells harvested from the patient’s bone marrow to regenerate or stimulate the visual cortex, so it can process the electrical impulses, converting them to sight. Dr. Holder’s team did a series of trials with rabbits that were successful, but the woman in Boston is the first to have her sight restored by an ophthalmologist. Although, the article made it sound like other people were undergoing the treatment, so there may be more. The woman from Boston went blind in a car accident, just like you.”

“It’s called blind sight.”

“Yes.”

He was so taken back by Brooklyn’s knowledge on the subject that for a moment he was at a loss for words. He stroked his chin. “You’ve certainly done your research.” He didn’t know whether to be impressed or concerned. He didn’t want Brooklyn riding his case like Colton. If he decided to undergo the treatment, it would have to be of his own accord. That way, if it was a dismal failure, he had no one to blame but himself.

She let out a dry chuckle. “You know me. I always was the bookworm.”

“Yes, one of the things I admire about you.”

“Really?”

Brooklyn sounded genuinely surprised. He gave her a slight smile. “Really.” He let out a breath, gathering his thoughts. He needed to get this out while he could. “Right after the accident, I was angry, mostly at God. I couldn’t understand why my sight had been taken from me. I can’t count the number of times I prayed to have my sight restored.” His voice quivered, and he swallowed to gain control. Brooklyn put a hand on his arm, which helped calm him. “I was a wreck.” He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. “As embarrassing as this is to admit, I couldn’t even groom myself at first. I had to relearn to do everything. I was totally dependent on other people.” He shuddered. “It was horrible. I felt like I was praying with all of my might, but no one was listening. And then Tucker came into my life.” He rubbed Tucker’s neck. “And everything changed.” Tears gathered in his eyes. “I realized then that God answered my prayers, but not in the way I expected.” He paused. “And now, I’m doing okay.” He smiled. “I have a system in place.” He felt a rush of tenderness. “I have you.”

Brooklyn sniffed.

He touched her face. “Are you crying?”

She let out a hesitant laugh. “No.”

“You are.” A lopsided grin curved his lips as he chuckled. “That’s okay, I’m going misty eyed myself. Anyway, what I’m getting at is that things are good. I’m happy.”

Brooklyn leaned in close and cupped his jaw. “I’m happy too.”

“I just don’t wanna mess that up, you know?”

“Yes, I do know.”

“About a year after the accident, Colton talked me into trying this experimental treatment. I got my hopes up.” His voice caught. “And when it failed, I hit rock bottom and had to start all over again. Even though we tried to keep the treatment on the down low, a media outlet got wind of it and blasted it all over the place.” He chuckled darkly. “So not only did I have to deal with the failure, but I had to put on a good face for the public.” The thoughts of reliving that fiasco tied him in knots. “I—I …” The words got stuck in his throat. “I just don’t think I can go through that again.” He clenched his jaw. “I know you’re probably thinking what a wuss I am.”

“No, I’m not thinking that at all. In fact, quite the opposite. You’re the bravest man I’ve ever met.”

Her words seeped into his despondent heart. Oh, how he wished it was true. But he wasn’t brave. He was scared … terrified.

“Can you do it?”

He cocked his head, unsure what she meant. “Huh?”

“Can you turn your back on this treatment and be okay with that? Because if you can, then that’s your answer. I love you, Dax, just as you are.” Her voice hardened. “And contrary to what my mom said, you’re not a burden. You’re the greatest blessing in my life.”

“As are you to me. I love you too.” He put an arm around her, drawing her close, nuzzling his nose in her luxurious hair. He still couldn’t believe this amazing woman had come into his life.

“Whatever you decide, I’ll be here for you.”

He leaned in, savoring her scent, loving how her hair felt soft and tickly against his face. Then without warning, a fierce longing pounded inside him. He wanted to see Brooklyn’s face. Look into her eyes. In this moment, he wanted it more than breathing. “Do you think?” His voice went hoarse, and he cleared his throat and began again. “Do you think I should do it?” He held his breath, waiting for her to answer, even though his heart already knew what she would say.

“Yes,” she said quietly, “I do.”

“Thanks for being here with me,” he said, caressing her face. He was surprised to find it wet from tears.