Dax relaxed into the comfort of the soft leather couch. Tucker jumped up beside him and scooted close. He draped an arm around him. “Are you okay, boy?”

In response, Tucker licked his hand, and Dax could tell that he was in fact okay. What a crazy day it had been. He’d spent the first part of the morning dealing with problems about the racing company, over which he was part owner. His team participated in the Indycar and WeatherTech SportsCar races. Drivers’ contracts were coming up for renewal, which meant renegotiating most of them. Dax bought into the team a couple of years prior to the accident. And while he loved that the business kept his hand in the world of racing, it was bittersweet knowing he would never again be one of the drivers.

After he’d dealt with the work issues, his brother Colton called to say he was coming to town for a visit and wanted to stay at Dax’s house, rather than with their parents. Colton was three years older than Dax and had always been strait-laced and serious. He was the administrator over a hospital in Atlanta. While it would be nice to have Colton’s company for a few days, Dax had a sneaking suspicion this wasn’t a social visit. And he couldn’t do what Colton wanted. His jaw tightened. It just wasn’t gonna happen.

Needing to clear his head, Dax decided to take an evening stroll around the lake. One minute, Dax and Tucker were standing near the water listening to the ducks and sounds of the water rippling against the shore. And the next, he’d been plowed over.

Dax was unprepared for the sheer terror that raced through him when he realized Tucker had gone into the lake. For a split second, he felt as vulnerable as he had the first day he regained consciousness in a hospital bed, battered and broken, unable to see.

The months following the accident were the hardest of his life, and there was a time when he dropped so low in a pit of depression he feared he might not make it out. Not only had the accident taken his sight and destroyed his career, it also stripped him of his independence. Few understood the frustration of having to depend on other people for every little thing. But that all changed when he got Tucker. Dax and Tucker bonded on the first day of their two-week training program. Tucker was energetic, intelligent and acutely perceptive of Dax’s feelings. He could swear the dog could read his mind. Like today. After being pulled into the lake, Tucker immediately came to his side and sat there like a sentinel, as loyal as the day was long. When Tucker wore his harness he was on duty, solely focused on safely guiding Dax to his desired locations. But when the harness was removed, Tucker became a frisky puppy. Dax would often hear him playing with a ball or chewing on his toy bone. Sometimes, Dax played tug-of-war with Tucker using an old rag. Tucker was a blessing to him—an answer to many heart-wrenching prayers.

Speaking of prayers, this house was another blessing. Dax’s brother Colton questioned why Dax paid top dollar for a house on the lake when he couldn’t see the view. Dax explained that he loved the sounds and smell of the lake. Plus, Tucker enjoyed playing in the water. And Daybreak was also close to the TRAX Station. Dax often hopped on the train and rode it into downtown Salt Lake. Sometimes he got his cleaning lady to drive him to the station. Other times he arranged a Flex Trans bus. All in all, it had been a great move. The house was starting to feel like home, and it was custom built to handle his needs.

Dax leaned his head back, allowing his mind to get lost in the soothing sound of the classical music wafting through the blue-tooth speakers. He needed to practice the piano piece he was learning, but it felt good just to sit here and relax. When he couldn’t race anymore, he thought he would climb the walls. He’d always loved music, so his mother suggested he learn to play the piano. He was reluctant to do so at first. A blind man taking piano lessons was a stretch, but it had been his saving grace—a way to keep his mind occupied. Also, he’d learned to read Braille, even though he was slow at it. Audio books had become his best friends. A perk he hadn’t counted on was the voice-over feature on his MacBook Pro and iPhone, which allowed him to access the Internet, as well as do everything he needed to on his computer and phone. And it didn’t require special equipment. Plus, through iTunes, he listened to movies with audio description. Exercise helped too. He had a workout room downstairs in the basement, complete with a full array of weights, treadmill, stationary bike, and even a sauna.

During the weeks following the accident, Dax feared his life was over. One night was especially hard. As he lay in bed, the full scope of his situation steamrolled over him. He would never again see a sunset, lush green grass, the faces of his parents. His own reflection. Suddenly, it was too much. A hopeless terror snaked insidiously around him until he could hardly breathe. Tears wet his sightless eyes and he wept in ragged gasps clutching the sheet in his fists. Then he heard movement as Tucker leapt up beside him. He felt the scratchy sensation of a Brillo pad against his face and realized Tucker had licked him. Then Tucker’s cold, wet nose pressed against Dax’s cheek. For a split second, surprise overtook grief as he put an arm around his dog, burying his head in Tucker’s soft fur. It was Tucker’s sure, steady heartbeat that lulled him to sleep. From that moment on, Tucker slept curled at the bottom of his bed.

Thankfully, Dax was in a much better place now. Prayer really helped. Having God in his life had saved him. He’d spent months going to a rehab center for several hours a day, relearning how to do everything. And through steady persistence and sheer grit he succeeded. And while his situation was still hard, he was hopeful about the future.

His thoughts drifted to Brooklyn, and he tried to construct a picture of her from memory. In high school, she was tall and gangly with glossy red hair and a smattering of freckles over her nose. She’d not yet grown into her features then, but had been cute in a girl-next-door way. What color were her eyes? Green? He couldn’t remember. The mental image he concocted was a bit hazy, like a camera slightly out of focus. He’d have to work on it longer, give it more concentration to be able to fill in the details. He and Brooklyn met in science class. She was quiet and shy, the type of girl Dax didn’t normally pay much attention to, especially when he was a teenager. But something about her caught his attention, and he made a point of teasing her in a fun-loving way until she opened up to him. When they got to know each other, Dax was struck by how well they got along. Brooklyn was smart, and it was thanks to her that he managed to pull a C out of the class. But that all changed one day when she suddenly grew cold and aloof for no apparent reason. Dax was perplexed by Brooklyn’s behavior change. And for a couple of days, he tried to get back in her good graces. But nothing seemed to work. In the end, he grew bored with the drama and moved on. Still, a part of him missed spending time with Brooklyn. Funny, he hadn’t thought about her in years. She’d faded into the background of his youth, along with his other classmates. Dax wondered what Brooklyn was doing with her life. Was she married? She obviously lived in Daybreak.

Dax felt a little guilty for getting so angry about the accident, but the fear of something happening to Tucker had jolted him to the core. He’d softened a bit when he heard the remorse in Brooklyn’s voice, but then he heard the one thing he couldn’t tolerate from anyone—pity. Maybe he was too hard on Brooklyn. It would’ve been nice to find out more about her. If only he’d thought to ask. Oh, well, no sense crying over spilled milk. “What’s done is done, huh boy,” he said, ruffling the fur on Tucker’s head.

Before the accident, Dax had been super social, attending an endless string of parties and weekend getaways at celebrities’ homes. He was never at a loss for female companionship and had his pick of just about any girl. And he’d chosen Cassidy Cline. Cassidy was everything he thought he ever wanted in a woman—a model who was gorgeous, sexy, witty, and well-connected in the right social circles. Life with Cassidy had been the ultimate rush, and he felt like the luckiest man on earth … until the accident. It’d taken a mere two months for their relationship to crumble. Dax could tell Cassidy felt obligated to stay with him, and he could sense she was starting to resent him. So, he forced an argument giving her an out. Even though their breakup was mutual, it hurt like crazy. He didn’t want things with Cassidy to end but knew if he held on too tight, she’d leave him anyway. Even though Dax was fighting mad at Cassidy, deep down, he didn’t blame her for running away. He couldn’t stand the helpless, pathetic person he’d become. How could he expect Cassidy to come to terms with his blindness when he couldn’t?

As if Cassidy leaving him wasn’t bad enough, most of Dax’s so-called friends disappeared, leaving him alone. Unable to care for himself, Dax was left with no alternative but to move back home with his mom and dad. He’d been there up until two months ago, when he moved into his new place. It was hard for Dax’s mom to see him go. But as much as he loved his parents, he felt stifled and needed to branch out on his own. His mother was worried about how he would survive, but so far he was doing okay. He’d hired a cleaning lady named Callie to come a couple of days a week. She organized his clothes and food according to his specifications so he’d be able to find everything. Each week, she brought in a few freezer meals that he could heat up. For the most part, Dax’s basic needs were met and life was comfortable. The biggest downer was Dax’s social life. It was practically nonexistent. His mother kept hounding him to date and was always trying to fix him up with nice girls from her church. He’d gone on a couple of dates to appease his mother, but they ended disastrously. People treated him like a pariah. Yes, his sight was gone, but he was still the same person. He finally knew that, now. Holding onto a shred of the person he was before the accident had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. But he’d managed to come to terms with his new reality. He was okay with who he was, and didn’t need to be coddled. As long as he had Tucker at his side, he could maintain a sense of freedom. Even so, living independently was one thing, expecting someone else to live with his disability was something else altogether. It would take an extraordinary girl to be able to love him, despite his blindness. He just didn’t know if that girl was out there. Maybe it was too much to ask of anyone.

Dax’s thoughts trailed back to Brooklyn as he rubbed Tucker’s neck. “Brooklyn Reese.” A nice, solid name, yet different enough to be interesting. He rolled it around in his head a few times. “What do you think about her, boy? She sounded cute. Don’t you think?”

Tucker shifted beside him, and Dax had to laugh at himself. Had it really come to this? Talking to his dog about women? Geez. He was pathetic. He and Brooklyn had fun together back in the day, before she turned into a sourball. Hmm … maybe he should do a little research, look her up. After all, she owed him one for his lost sunglasses.

* * *

Brooklyn couldn’t believe her eyes. They’d been waiting over a week for the tulips to arrive, and they were the wrong color. Unbelievable. She turned to her right-hand assistant Nicole, who was also Brooklyn’s best friend. Petite with short, brown hair and a heart-shaped face, Nicole reminded Brooklyn of a pixie … with an attitude. The two girls had been like the dynamic duo until Nicole got married six months ago. Brooklyn was happy for Nicole, but it had been lonely not having her sidekick to hang out with. “Call the supplier and tell them these won’t do. I specifically requested magenta. These are pink.”

“Okay, I’ll do it pronto.” Nicole chewed on her inner cheek. “But what do we do? There’s no time to order more.”

She nodded, rubbing her forehead. Nicole was right. The Losey’s wedding was in two days. The tulips were the focal point of a wedding arch, and the bride requested magenta tulips to go with her wedding dress. This was a high-profile wedding, one that could either help further Brooklyn’s business or hurt it. Brooklyn had planned everything down to the last detail, or so she thought. She’d spoken to the floral supplier herself, so there would be no misunderstanding. And now there was no time to fix this. Think, Brooklyn. Think! “Did the order of ranunculuses come in?”

Nicole gave her a blank look.

“For the Thompson wedding next week?”

“Oh, yeah. Those are magenta,” Nicole said, her face brightening. The corners of her lips fell. “Do you think the Loseys will be okay with ranunculuses instead of tulips?”

“They’ll have to be. I was planning on using white peonies to fill in, and we still can. But let’s also use tulips. I’ll call Susan Losey and explain the situation. I can give her a ten percent discount. That should keep her happy.” Brooklyn hated cutting into her profit, but it was worth it to please the customer.

Nicole held up a finger. “Good idea.”

“Just make sure you reorder more ranunculuses to replace the ones we’re using.”

“Yes, for sure.”

The door to the front chimed. Nicole sighed. “Wow, it’s been really busy.”

“Sure has,” Brooklyn agreed.

Nicole wiped her hands on her apron and hurried out of the workroom to take care of the customer.

Brooklyn was immensely grateful for Nicole who did everything from arranging the florals, to waiting on customers, making deliveries, to sweeping the floors. They’d been close friends since high school. Brooklyn hired Nicole, to work for her, right after she opened the doors to her business. That was one of the smartest moves she’d ever made.

Nicole stuck her head back into the room, a funny look on her face. “Um, you have a visitor.”

Brooklyn’s brows drew together. “You mean a customer?”

She bit her lower lip. “No, not exactly. I don’t think he’s here to buy anything.”

“He? Is it Ramsey?” After the mishap yesterday when her phone got ruined, she’d not had time to get a new one. When Ramsey couldn’t get her on the phone, he probably decided to stop by. She had to hand it to him for being persistent. Maybe she’d written him off too soon.

“No, it’s not Ramsey,” Nicole said, a goofy grin spilling over her face. “You’d better come and see this for yourself.”

With a reluctant sigh, Brooklyn put down the carnation and red ribbon she was holding. She had a dozen corsages to finish for pick-up this afternoon. She didn’t have a minute to spare. Still, she didn’t want to be rude to whomever this was. She’d chat for a few minutes, then tell the person she had to get back to work. Once she finished with the corsages, there were a couple of arrangements to do, then she’d go to the shops at Jordan Landing to get a new phone.

As she stepped into the retail area, her breath caught. For there stood Dax and his golden retriever. Dax looked good in his broken-in jeans, close-fitting navy t-shirt, and low-top Converse. When Tucker saw her, his tail perked up ever so slightly, but he stayed dutifully by Dax’s side. Dax seemed to sense she was there as he turned to face her.

“Hey,” she said, with more cheerfulness than she felt. As far as she could tell, both Dax and Tucker seemed to be injury free. Then why were they here? Was Dax planning on suing her? She was just getting her business going well. A lawsuit would ruin her.

A dazzling smile broke over his lips. “Nice shop. It smells fantastic.”

Brooklyn couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah, I get that all the time … about the smell, I mean.”

“Well, look at the bright side, you could be running a salami and cheese shop,” Dax said.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Brooklyn chuckled. She’d forgotten how funny Dax was. “How are you doing? Like I said yesterday, I’m so sorry about what happened.”

“It’s okay,” Dax said breezily. “Tucker and I are fine, aren’t we, boy?” He leaned down and patted Tucker’s side.

Nicole gave her a quizzical look. “What happened?” she mouthed.

Brooklyn only shook her head. The shop had been so hectic that she’d not had time to go into it with Nicole.

Interest lit Nicole’s eyes as she looked back and forth between Brooklyn and Dax. Then it hit Brooklyn. Nicole had been one of the few people who knew that she had a huge crush on Dax back in high school. No wonder she found the situation so amusing.

“He’s even more handsome in person than he is on TV,” Nicole whispered.

Dax grinned. “Thanks.”

Nicole’s eyes went wide, like she was surprised he’d heard her.

Brooklyn about died. She shot Nicole a peeved look. Dax was blind, not deaf. She stepped up to Dax, zeroing in on Tucker. “Do you mind if I pet him?”

“Me or Tucker?” Dax teased.

Brooklyn’s face turned tomato red, and she was glad Dax couldn’t see it. She gave him a nervous laugh. “The dog.”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

She leaned over and rubbed Tucker’s head. His tail wagged, but that was about it.

“When Tucker’s wearing his harness, he knows he’s on duty as my guide. So, don’t expect him to get too excited. He’s in work mode right now.”

“I can see that.” Brooklyn stood. “So, how did you find me?”

“Oh, I have my ways,” he said, a lopsided grin forming over his lips.

Brooklyn arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yeah, the Internet’s a beautiful thing. I Googled your name, and your shop was the third item listed.”

“Can blind people get on the Internet?” It came out before she could call it back. Brooklyn felt really stupid, then she saw the uncomfortable look on Nicole’s face. “Um … I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“No offense taken,” Dax said lightly. “I use a screen reader.”

“Oh.” A stiff silence settled between them, and she looked to Nicole for help. Nicole motioned with her hands for her to say something. “Um, why did you come here today?”

He shrugged. “Yesterday, you said you’d like to help.”

“And you told me I’d done enough already.” She didn’t try to hide the angst in her voice. The brutal way he’d shut her down had stung. In fact, she’d brooded over it for most of the night … when she wasn’t thinking about how adorable he looked when he smiled.

“Yeah, about that.” He shifted. “I might’ve overreacted … a little.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You bit my head off.” She paused. “But I understand why you did. You were worried about Tucker. And I don’t blame you.”

He nodded, tightening his hold on the leash. Then a charming smile curved his lips. “Maybe we can start over.” He extended his hand. “Brooklyn, it’s great to see … err … meet you again.”

A giggled bubbled in her throat as she clasped his hand. She wasn’t prepared for the jolt that pulsed through her veins when her skin connected with his. He clasped her hand in a firm shake, holding it a little longer than necessary. “You work with your hands,” he observed.

“Yes, I do. Sorry, they’re a little rough,” she mumbled. Self-consciously, she rubbed her index finger over her thumb, trying to feel what he had.

“No, it’s all good. I only mentioned it because I’m impressed.”

“Thanks,” she replied, feeling pleased.

“So, tell me what all you do.”

“Our mainstay is weddings, but we do flowers for a lot of school dances, proms, holidays, that sort of thing.” She felt like she was rambling, but Dax seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say. Even though he couldn’t see, Brooklyn got the impression Dax was using his other senses to take everything in. She’d always heard that when a person lost one sense, the others grew keener. Watching Dax’s reaction to the shop made her believe it.

Nicole had moved to the counter and was busying herself with paperwork, but Brooklyn could tell she was hanging on every word.

“Show me some of your flowers,” Dax prompted.

She wrinkled her nose. “Really?”

He smiled. “Of course.”

Brooklyn glanced at Nicole who gave her a thumbs up. Her throat caught when Dax stepped closer and placed a hand on her arm.

“Lead the way.”

Blood pumped furiously through Brooklyn’s veins, and she felt a little giddy. It was hard to believe Dax was here, in her shop. She steered him to the containers in the corner. Tucker sat down, as if he were glad to get a little break.

“Now we get to see how accurate my sniffer is,” Dax teased.

Brooklyn noticed Dax hadn’t removed his hand from her arm. The warmth of him seeped into her, making it hard to concentrate. She felt bubbly and happy, like walking on air. Eleventh grade science all over again. Back then, she’d felt so special that Dax chose to be friends with her. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Dax’s presence seemed to charge the very air with electricity. “Okay, we’ll start with something easy.” She held a flower to his nose. “What’s this?”

He pursed his lips together like he was concentrating. “Um … a daisy.”

Her mouth dropped. “What?”

He snickered, and she gave him a playful shove. “No!”

“Okay, it’s a rose,” he said matter-of-factly.

“What color?”

“Hey, that’s not fair. I probably could tell you if I had my color identifier with me though.”

“What? You’re joking. There’s no such thing as a color identifier … is there?”

“Yes, there certainly is. It has a light probe that can detect up to a hundred colors. I’ll have to show you sometime.”

The promise in his voice thrilled her. He spoke in future tense, of something they would do together.

“I’d like that,” she said quietly, holding up another flower. “What about this one?”

He inhaled. “Hmm … some sort of lily?”

“Yes, a calla lily. Impressive.”

He ran his fingers along the waxy pedals and smooth stem. “What color is it?”

“Yellow. Let’s try something harder.” She held a tulip to his nose.

His jaw worked as he hesitated. “Yes, this one is harder.” He touched it, grinning in recognition. “A tulip. They don’t have much of a scent. What color is it?”

“Orange.”

“Bright orange, or more of a soft orange?”

“Blood orange, almost red.”

“Ahh, I like the ones that are vibrant.”

“Me too.” Dax hungered for information about seemingly insignificant details that most people took for granted. Brooklyn’s eyes trailed over the bright flowers with new appreciation. Before she could put the tulip back in the container, he placed a hand over hers and surreptitiously rubbed over the naked strip of skin on her ring finger.

A crooked smile tipped his lips. “You’re not taken. That’s good to know,” he murmured.

A slow burn melted through her stomach as she laughed nervously. “No, I’m not,” she stammered. Was this for real? How many times had she daydreamed about Dax Preston waltzing in and sweeping her off her feet? More than she would like to admit, that’s for sure. It was a good thing Dax couldn’t see her face that was as bright as a neon sign.

He tilted his head, a quirky look coming over him. “Are you blushing?”

Her eyes lassoed. “No,” she blurted, looking across the room at Nicole who wasn’t even trying to hide her amusement.

“You are.” He smiled broadly, touching her cheek.

She was more amazed than embarrassed. “How did you know?”

“Well, aside from the fact that your cheeks are hot, I’m not sure exactly. But I can sense it.”

“Hmm … that’s interesting. What else can you sense?”

He grew thoughtful. “Well, your hair smells like strawberries, so you must’ve washed it this morning. You’re about 5’8” tall and thin.”

His assessment was right on the money. “How can you tell I’m thin?”

“You have a light step, graceful movements.” He gave her a slight smile. “And I could tell when you ran into me.”

“Really? Wow.” She didn’t know how he’d had the presence of mind to figure out her size. This was kind of fun, like discovering yourself through someone else’s eyes … err … perception. “What else?”

He pressed his lips together thoughtfully. “Well, from what I remember you have auburn hair. It was midway down your back in high school. Is it still long?”

“Yes, but it’s more of a dark auburn now, whereas it was the color of carrots before.”

He smiled. “I remember. And unless you’ve changed quite a bit from high school, you prefer going al naturale rather than wearing lots of makeup and hairspray.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

He held up a finger. “Oh, and you have a nice, clean scent. If you had on hairspray, I’d smell it.”

She chuckled. “I’m glad I smell clean.” She hoped she really did and that he wasn’t just being polite. “Remind me not to go without getting a shower whenever I’m around you,” she quipped.

“Yeah, I’d appreciate that,” he said with a deadpan expression, then broke into a grin.

She laughed. It was good to know Dax was still as witty as ever.

Dax stepped closer, causing her breath to catch. “What I can’t figure out,” he mused, “are your features.”

“What? You don’t remember how I look? I’m hurt,” she teased.

He shrugged. “Sorry, I’ve slept since then. And you were still growing into your features.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Really?” she huffed, feeling slightly offended. She’d never been a raving beauty like Madison, but she could hold her own … when she wanted to.

“May I?” He held out his hands.

“What?”

“Can I touch your face?”

A heat wave swept through her. He wanted to touch her face? There was something intensely intimate about that. Could she handle being that close to Dax Preston? The Dax Preston! He was so good-looking and larger-than-life, she could scarcely form a clear thought. Heck, he could probably hear her heart pounding like a drum. She figured he knew the effect he had over her … over most women. “Sure,” she heard herself say.

Electricity zinged through her when he touched her face. She held her breath as his fingertips lightly explored her nose, cheekbones, and the curve of her jaw. Then her neck and lips. Tantalizing tingles circled down her spine when stroked her hair. Finally, he was done. Only when he stepped back and dropped his hands to his sides could Brooklyn regulate her breathing. In movies, she’d seen a blind person touch another’s face for recognition, but this was so personal—sensual. From across the room, Nicole flashed a mischievous grin, fanning herself. “Wow,” she mouthed.

“Just as I thought,” Dax said, like he’d reached some giant conclusion.

Her eyebrows darted together. “What?”

“Well-proportioned features, glossy hair. You’re beautiful.”

The compliment was unexpected, and she wasn’t sure how to respond. “That’s not exactly true.”

“Oh, yes it is,” Nicole countered. “Don’t let her fool you. She’s a beauty.”

Brooklyn made a face at Nicole.

“Well, you are,” Nicole said.

Dax touched Brooklyn’s arm. “Just smile and say, ‘thank you.’”

“Thank you,” she said contritely.

“Do you still have freckles?”

She cocked her head. “You have a good memory. Yes, the freckles are still there, but thankfully, they’ve faded a little.”

“What color are your eyes?”

“You don’t remember?” she joked, clucking her tongue. “How disappointing.”

“Green?”

“Hazel. Do you often do that? Touch people’s faces.”

“Nope, just yours,” he said, leaning in closer. “What can I say … I couldn’t help it.”

“Oh.” Her pulse bumped up about ten notches as his words registered.

The door opened as a woman and her small son walked in. “I’m here to pick up a corsage for my son,” the woman said. “The last name is Williams.”

Shoot! She’d totally lost track of the time. Brooklyn touched Dax’s arm. “I’ll be right back.” She approached the woman, a professional smile forming over her lips. “Your corsage is almost ready. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

The woman nodded as Brooklyn darted back to her workroom. She glanced at the orders. Williams had ordered the white carnations with royal blue ribbon. In deft movements, she threaded the ribbon through the carnations. Five minutes later, she was done.

When she stepped back into the customer area, she was surprised to see the little boy on his knees, petting Tucker. Dax was laughing and talking to the woman. Brooklyn marveled at how relaxed and in control of the situation Dax was. Tucker was enjoying the attention, panting a little, but still reserved.

“Okay, here’s your corsage,” she said.

The woman walked to the counter and examined it. “It looks great.” She flashed an appreciative smile. “Thanks for working us in. It’s for a school dance. I kept telling my son Logan that he couldn’t put off ordering it until last minute, but you know how boys are. They don’t think about things like this. I was afraid his date was going to have to go without a corsage, but you saved us.”

“I was glad to do it.”

“I’ll be sure and tell everyone I know to come here.”

“Thank you.”

Nicole rung her up and collected the payment. A few minutes later, the woman turned to her young son. “Riley, we need to go.”

“Okay,” he chimed. “Bye, Tucker. See ya.”

The woman paused. “It was nice talking to you, Dax.”

Dax nodded. “Likewise.”

After they’d left, Dax grinned. “And that’s another thing I can add to the growing list of your accomplishments.”

Brooklyn put a hand on her hip, tilting her head. “What accomplishments?” she asked dubiously.

“Well, for starters, you managed to singlehandedly tackle me and drag Tucker into the lake. That’s quite an accomplishment.”

She pulled a face. “You’re not gonna let me live that down, are ya?” They’d effortlessly slipped back into their familiar banter from high school. It was both comforting and stimulating.

“Nope.”

She studied him, liking his spiky, chestnut hair. Her fingers itched to reach out and touch it. To know if it was fine or coarse. “So, what are my other accomplishments?”

“Well, you certainly know how to keep your customers happy. Maybe I should purchase something. So, you can keep me happy.” He pumped his eyebrows.

She laughed. “I dunno. That might be a full-time job.”

A boyish smile flittered over his lips, causing the faint creases around his eyes to deepen. “I’m sure we could work something out.”

For a split second, Brooklyn got the feeling he was serious. She wasn’t sure what to think. Yesterday, her life had been consumed with worry over her business and Madison’s drama. And then Dax had reappeared, splashing everything with glorious color. She’d forgotten how much she missed him. But they weren’t in high school anymore, had both lived separate lives, separate victories, separate heartaches. Dax’s blindness added another layer. It still pained Brooklyn that he couldn’t see—would never again have that twinkle in his eyes, which had been such an intrinsic part of who he was. And Tucker was forever at his side, an extra appendage. She looked down at him, the patient guardian, carefully watching everything taking place, prepared at any minute to come to Dax’s rescue should the need arise. It was fascinating to watch the tight relationship between Dax and his dog. Tucker was so intense and responsible he seemed almost human. Then she thought of something. “Hey, would Tucker like some water?”

Tucker’s ears perked up as he stood.

Dax laughed. “Does that answer your question?”

Brooklyn shook her head. “Wait a minute. You didn’t see Tucker’s ears. How did you know he was excited?”

“Like I said, I can sense things. And Tucker stood in response to your question. That tells me he wants water.”

“Okay, makes sense.” It was amazing how much Dax absorbed from his surroundings. Before Brooklyn could get the water, Nicole spoke up.

“I’ll get it.”

A minute later, she returned with a green, plastic, floral container of water.

Dax rocked slightly on the balls of his feet, and suddenly looked nervous. “So, I need to get a new pair of sunglasses. And, since you said you wanted to help …” He paused. “I was hoping, maybe you could give me a ride to City Creek.”

“Of course. It’s the least I can do. When do you want to go?”

He flashed a disarming smile. “How about now?”

Her face fell. “I’m sorry, but I have several orders to finish up this afternoon.”

His shoulders sagged slightly, but he smiled in understanding. “Maybe some other time.”

“Go. Have fun. I’ll take care of the orders,” Nicole said.

Hope sprang in Brooklyn’s breast. Spending more time with Dax sounded divine. “Really? Are you sure you can handle it?”

“Absolutely. You taught me well. Besides, you were headed out to get a new phone this afternoon anyway. I’m sure you can take care of that at City Creek.”

“You’re needing a new phone?” Dax asked.

“Yeah, I had my phone in my pocket when I fell in the lake.”

He grimaced. “Yikes.”

“Yeah, I put it in a Ziploc bag with rice, but I’m afraid it’s shot. I just hope they can transfer my information to a new phone.”

“I hope so too,” he said. “Okay, we’ll add getting a new phone to the list. Nicole, it was a pleasure,” he said, his voice carrying across the room.

“You too,” Nicole chirped, winking at Brooklyn. She made a show of fanning herself. “He’s hot,” she mouthed.

Brooklyn’s eyes widened.

Dax touched her arm. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing,” Brooklyn said quickly. “Absolutely nothing.” In that moment, she was glad Dax couldn’t see. Otherwise, she would’ve been mortified. “Does Tucker need anything before we go?”

“I’ll need to take him outside to do his business.”

“Okay, I’ll get my purse. Would you like something to drink?”

“Some water would be great.”

“I’ll grab you a bottle and meet you outside.”

“All right, boy. Find the door outside,” Dax said.

Tucker stood at attention and led him out.