Dana didn’t say anything. Izzy suspected it was because her friend was afraid to try a different type. She didn’t want the challenge. Izzy suspected there were secrets in Dana’s past she’d never talked about and it would be impossible to-

The skin on the back of her neck prickled. She couldn’t say why-she hadn’t heard anything. But the sensation wouldn’t go away. Seconds later, a strong, warm hand settled on her shoulder.

“How are you holding up?” Nick asked.

“Good. This is nice. Thanks for having everyone over.” She felt oddly nervous to be around Nick and most of her family. As if she were afraid they would figure something out.

This was all Rita’s fault, Izzy thought grimly. If Rita hadn’t made that stupid comment about marrying Nick, she would feel completely normal. But noooo.

Just as awkward was the conversation she’d had at her doctor’s office the previous day. She’d been in for a bandage change. One done in a nearly totally dark room with her eyes closed, so she still didn’t know if she could see or not. But Dr. Greenspoon had lifted her physical restrictions. Meaning she could now go riding. Or, more important, make love with Nick.

Only she hadn’t told him. Her! A woman used to taking whatever she wanted. A woman who gave as good as she got in bed, as well as everywhere else in life. She’d felt awkward and shy. Almost confused. And she hadn’t said a word.

“Sorry I’m late,” Nick said. “I was talking to a social worker about a couple of kids.”

“You didn’t miss much,” Dana told him. “Skye’s daughter, Erin, and your friend Aaron can’t get over the fact that they have the same name, only it’s spelled differently. The joke is hilarious to them, but getting old for the rest of us.”

Izzy laughed. “You’ll have to forgive Dana. She’s a little cynical.”

“Sounds like your kind of people,” Nick said.

“She is.”

“I’m going to get a beer. Want anything?”

“I’m good,” Izzy told him.

“Me, too,” Dana said. A few seconds later, she added, “You’re going to be pleasantly surprised when you get a look at him. Seen him naked yet?”

Izzy grinned. “Not seen. How about experienced?”

“That’s my girl.” She lowered her voice. “I’ve heard about some interesting leads on the explosion. I’ve made friends with a couple of guys on the team and they’re keeping me informed. I hope it leads somewhere. The Dallas police are all over the guy who hacked into Skye’s foundation. So far he’s not talking, but I think it’s just a matter of time until he cracks.”

“I hope so,” Izzy said. “I’m so ready for us to take Garth down.”

“Me, too. I plan to do everything in my power to crush him like the bug he is.”

“Can I watch?”

“Every second of it.”

NICK LOOKED at Izzy from across the yard. She sat with her sisters and they were all laughing about something. There were over a dozen people at the picnic-friends, not a corporate retreat. It was personal.

He didn’t do personal. Didn’t believe in it. He knew he had to keep himself apart-part of the ongoing punishment.

What would Izzy say if he told her that? Or did she already know? Had she guessed? Thinking about her made him wonder how long he had to pay, which was a stupid question. The payments never ended. There would never be atonement. He couldn’t ever do enough.

He spotted a car heading up the driveway. He hadn’t expected anyone else. The small import screamed rental car. He headed toward it, then stared at the young woman who climbed out.

She was petite, with red hair and too many freckles. He recognized her immediately. Her name was Denise and she’d been the first kid he’d ever had at the ranch.

Aaron rushed past him, shrieking like a girl. “You made it. I wasn’t sure you would.”

They hugged.

“Made it” as in she was invited? Nick looked at Aaron. “What’s going on?”

“A nice surprise to help you remember you’re one of the good guys.” Aaron hopped in place as he beamed at Denise. “I haven’t seen you in forever. You look fabulous.”

Denise laughed. “So do you.”

Nick moved toward them. “Hi.”

“Hey, Nick.” Denise smiled at him, then looked past him to the crowd. “No one said there was a party.”

“Nothing big. It’s a barbecue for friends.”

Denise had been a sullen, withdrawn teenager whose mother had been in and out of her life for years. When Denise had been fourteen, her mother had taken her out on the streets to bring in money as a prostitute. Denise had endured for nearly six months, running away time and time again, until she was picked up by the police and turned over to foster care.

It wasn’t the drinking and drugs that had made her caseworker nervous. It had been the cutting. When things got too bad, Denise cut herself.

She’d been in therapy about a year when she’d shown up as his first kid. He hadn’t known what to do with her, but Rita had stuck her on a horse and Aaron had talked boys and fashion. She’d stayed a long weekend, then had returned half a dozen times. Nick had written her a letter of recommendation to college and paid her tuition. Scholarships had funded the rest.

“You have friends?” Denise teased. “What happened to solitary guy?”

“He’s growing,” Aaron said, hugging her again. “We’re all so proud. And look at you. I love your haircut. It’s perfect.”

“I learned everything I know about fashion from you.”

Aaron waved his hands in front of his eyes as if trying not to cry. “I need to get a glass of water.” He moved away.

Nick turned toward Denise. “Everything okay?”

She grinned. “Better than okay. Aaron e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago, just to say hi. He suggested I stop by. I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. Mostly because I should have come to see you before. I wanted you to see this.” She pulled a small card out of her back pocket.

He took it and stared at the ID. It was for Denise, showing her to be a student at the UCLA medical school. He felt a flush of pride. “Good for you.”

“I’m going to be a doctor. I’m leaning toward specializing in trauma. It’s grueling and I should be back there studying, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Nick. How you helped me.”

He handed her the ID card. “You did this yourself.”

She shook her head. “I don’t just mean that you paid for most of my college. I never told you before, but that day you came and got me…” She looked down, then back at him. “I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t stand hurting myself, but I didn’t know another way to manage. I’d decided to kill myself. I’d figured out exactly how to do it. Then you showed up and made me come here and everything changed.”

Her green eyes were bright with hope and promise. “I wanted you to know you saved my life.”

Her praise made him uncomfortable. “Like I said, you saved yourself.”

“Still not taking credit for what you do?” she asked. “Maybe I should go into psychiatry and figure out why.”

“No, thanks.”

“Typical guy.” She stepped forward and hugged him.

He hugged her back. “You did good, kid. You earned your way out of hell. Don’t ever look back.”

“I won’t. I just wanted to say thank-you. For the chance. For dragging me out here. You make a huge difference here. Aaron tells me you’re still having kids out. Don’t ever stop. You never know who you’re going to save.”

He didn’t know what to say to that.

Denise giggled. “If you could see your face.”

He desperately wanted to take a step back, turn and run. “That’s really, ah, sweet of you. Do you need anything? Can I help pay for medical school?”

“I’m fine. I have grants and scholarships and if all goes well, I won’t even need a student loan.”

“Come to me before you get a loan. I want to help.”

“I know. That’s why you’re one of the good guys.” She glanced at her watch. “I need to head back to the airport soon. I’m doing a one-day turnaround and want to drop in on a few friends. I just couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

They hugged again, then she waved and left. Nick watched her go. When he turned back to the picnic, he saw Aaron talking to Izzy and her sisters. Skye and Lexi were staring at him with identical “that’s so sweet” expressions. Izzy simply smiled.

He knew what they were thinking, but that was going to change just as soon as he told Izzy the truth about Garth. He’d already put it off too long-he knew that. But he’d wanted to wait until after the surgery. As soon as the bandages came off, he would tell her. Better to hear it from him than Garth. Because if the man he’d once thought of as his friend believed it would help his cause, he would tell Izzy himself. Former friendship be damned.

But however she heard it, she would be devastated. And not just her. Aaron, who was a better friend than he deserved, and Izzy’s family would be hurt. The information would wound them all and there was nothing he could do to make it better or easier for anyone.

IZZY TRIED HER BEST to keep still in the chair, but it was difficult. “Will I know right away? Is it going to hurt? Do I have to wear dark glasses?”

Dr. Greenspoon gently unwound the bandages from around her head. “We’ve dimmed the lights so don’t worry if everything isn’t as bright as you’d like. It will take a few minutes for your eyes to focus. Try to relax.”

“You didn’t tell me to stop talking.”

“I didn’t think that was possible.”

Izzy tried to laugh at the joke, but she was too scared. The week was over, the moment was here. In a few seconds she would know if she could see or not. Her entire life would change based on the outcome of the surgery.

“I’m going to throw up,” she whispered.

“No, you’re not.”

The last of the bandages fell away, as did the pads that had been pressed against her eyes.

She sat in the exam room, terrified of opening her eyes and learning the truth-that she was blind forever. That she was going to have to learn to be strong and resourceful in ways she didn’t know were possible.