Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
She was not going to let Sadie talk her into getting a puppy.
“Mama, these puppies are so cute!” Sadie pressed her cheek against the wiggly husky puppy cradled in her arms. “You have to hold one.”
“Be careful, Sadie,” Brody cautioned, using a tone Tisha had never heard him use before. “They’re babies. You have to be gentle.”
“I know that, Brody. Don’t be bossy,” Sadie shot back.
Tisha suppressed a smile as she glanced at Ethan, crouched next to his son. He offered a knowing smile. It caught her off guard, that fleeting connection, and she looked away.
“You guys are both doing a great job,” Tisha said, standing between Sadie and Brody near the tailgate of Lance’s pickup truck outside the resort.
Megan and Lance had gone inside to grab drinks and popcorn for all of them. Nearby, the excitement of the snowshoe-softball game echoed through the crisp, cold air. Laughter and cheers mingled with the crunch of snow underfoot, creating a festive atmosphere.
“I didn’t know people could play softball in snowshoes,” Brody said, his eyes wide with wonder. “I want to try.”
“Whoa, whoa. Focus on the puppy, big guy,” Ethan replied, kneeling beside him.
Brody frowned. “I can watch the game and hold a puppy, Dad.”
“I’m sure you can.” A muscle in Ethan’s jaw twitched. “But the puppies’ mother is here in the back of the truck, and she might not want us carrying her babies away.”
“Is this an annual thing? Snowshoe softball?” Tisha asked, taking in the scene where players stumbled and laughed, their snowshoes flopping comically as they ran.
Ethan nodded. “Somebody in town puts on a tournament every year. My parents thought it would draw more traffic to the resort if they hosted a game.”
“Is it working?”
“Sort of, but it’s a little hectic. We have people who want to ski and snowboard as well, so I think we’ve got a bit more than we can handle.
Especially since…” His gaze shifted, and something she couldn’t quite decipher flashed in his eyes.
“Well, since Megan showed up with Lance and a truck bed full of puppies.”
“I’m glad she came over and said hello at the pizza place last night.”
The words left her before she could stop them.
She hadn’t meant to bring it up. Really, she hadn’t.
Megan had been so thrilled to see her, crossing the crowded restaurant with Luke in tow.
She’d tried to tell herself that it didn’t matter that Ethan didn’t join them.
But it did. Probably more than she cared to admit.
“Yeah, Megan’s our social butterfly.” Ethan stood and brushed snow off his jeans. “She’s always been someone who makes people feel welcome.”
Tisha nodded, gently scratching the puppy in Sadie’s arms under the chin. So soft. Not to mention adorable. No wonder Sadie was enamored. “Melinda asked me to run by and pick up a pizza. I didn’t want to intrude, so that’s why I didn’t come over and speak to y’all.”
He frowned. “You wouldn’t have been intruding.”
His simple objection tugged at her heart. “Well, you looked like you were super into that air-hockey game.”
To be honest, she hadn’t trusted herself to cross the restaurant.
Not with Ethan standing there looking all handsome and broody.
Besides, even though Megan and Luke had been so kind, she’d seen the high fives and the laughter.
Where did she fit into that cozy picture of a big family sharing pizza and cheering around the air-hockey table?
Ethan studied her, something unspoken lingering in those piercing eyes. “I’m sorry if it seemed like I didn’t want to talk to you.”
Oh. She blinked. “It’s fine.” She shrugged, then pasted on a bright smile. “I think it’s great that Megan is here.”
“Yeah, we’re glad she’s here,” Ethan said, pushing to his feet. “I don’t think she plans to stay long though. Lance is about to ship out.”
“Oh?” Tisha felt a pang of sympathy. “Where’s he going?”
“He’s in the Army, but I’m not sure he can say exactly where he’ll be.”
“So what will Megan do?”
“She has a job at an apartment complex and works at a bank in Fairbanks.”
“Got it.” Tisha nodded, uncertain how to ask about Megan’s baby in front of Sadie and Brody. Megan had caused quite a stir when she’d come home from college in Washington single and expecting. That child would be in fifth or sixth grade by now, probably.
“And your sister Caroline? I haven’t seen her yet,” Tisha said. “Where’s she living now?”
“She’s in Colorado,” Ethan said. “Finishing up her last rotation in—”
“Wait. If Mr. Lance is leaving with the Army, what will happen to the puppies?” Sadie looked up at Ethan, her blue eyes wide with curiosity.
“Sadie,” Tisha said. “Please don’t interrupt.”
“It’s fine.” Ethan gave Tisha a reassuring smile, then turned to Sadie. “We can ask him when he comes back outside. I’m pretty sure his parents will take care of the puppies and teach them how to be great sled dogs.”
“Oh, sled dogs.” Sadie squealed so loud that the puppy in her arms whined. “Can we ride in a sled?”
“Sadie, easy.” Tisha patted her back and lowered her voice to a soothing tone. “You startled the puppy.”
“Sorry.” Sadie switched to a loud whisper. “Can we ride a dogsled though?”
“Or try snowshoe softball?” Brody added. “I want to play!”
“It’s kind of dangerous, Brody,” Ethan said. “We’d probably get hurt.”
“You don’t know!” Brody argued, his cheeks flushed. “We haven’t even tried yet.”
“Mama, here.” Sadie thrust the puppy at Tisha. “You have to hold it. This is the cutest one.”
“Oh, okay. Um, hold on.” Tisha took the blue-eyed animal, feeling its warmth begin to radiate against her chest. Stay strong.
Don’t cave. Puppies are cute, but so much work.
Between her shifts at the café, baking pies for the festival, and making sure Sadie had a handle on things at school, there was no way she could add a pet to their busy lives.
“You have to hold it close to you, right by your heart.” Sadie patted her own chest.
“Like this.” Brody tucked a puppy under his chin and closed his eyes, a content smile spreading across his face.
“Thanks for the tips, kids,” Ethan said, a low, throaty laugh escaping him.
Tisha couldn’t help but smile. She liked the sound of it. “Does this count as their collaborative assignment?”
“Maybe. I’ll have to ask Mr. Price about that,” Ethan said. “If you guys want to try snowshoeing, we could probably find time.”
“Let’s go today.” Brody tugged on Ethan’s sleeve. “As soon as we’re done here.”
“Actually, I have a flight this afternoon. You’re gonna stay here and hang out with our family.” Ethan pulled out his phone and scrolled. “How about tomorrow after church?”
Tisha ran her hands over the puppy’s soft, fluffy fur. “We could do that. Sadie, do you want to try snowshoeing?”
“Um, I’ll have to think about it. Do you have kid sizes?” Sadie pointed to the players in the distance. “Because those ones are way too big.”
“Yes, we have kid sizes. Plenty for you and Brody.”
“Where will we go?” Brody asked, his excitement palpable. “We can’t just go around here. Bor-ing!”
“Well, lucky for you, your grandpa and your uncle Tate made sure there’s a trail through the woods.”
“Are there bears?” Sadie asked, her eyes darting toward the forest. “I don’t think I want to see any bears.”
“If there are, they’re sleeping. We’ll be fine,” Ethan said. “What do you think? How about two o’clock tomorrow?”
Tisha hesitated, and her thoughts drifted back to the pizza place.
So maybe it wasn’t a big deal that he hadn’t spoken to her.
His silence had stung a bit though. Would a brief hello have been too much for him?
And yet, here he was now, inviting her and Sadie to join them again tomorrow for snowshoeing.
Maybe she’d misjudged him. Or maybe this was all part of the collaborative assignment with the school.
Maybe he just wanted Brody and Sadie to learn to get along.
“Tisha?” Ethan’s eyebrows raised. “Will that work for you and Sadie?”
“Two o’clock tomorrow sounds great. Thanks! What should we bring?”
“Just dress in layers of warm clothes. Hats, gloves. The whole nine yards.” Ethan smiled as he put his phone away. “Wear your regular snow boots too—they’ll fit right into our snowshoes. It’ll be fun.”
“Fun, right.” Tisha thought of the cold air, the crunch of snow beneath her feet, and the chill that seeped into her bones.
She’d rather bake a pie or hold this puppy for a whole day than traipse around in the forest in the snow.
But he was being kind and gracious, and she and Sadie could use the fresh air and exercise.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Megan said, her snow pants swishing together as she and Lance joined them. They’d brought red-and-white-striped plastic containers full of popcorn and mini cans of soda for everyone.
“Oh my,” Tisha said. “Thank you so much.”
“Mom just cranked out a whole batch of fresh popcorn. I couldn’t resist. And Lance here says you need soda with your popcorn.”
“A little salty to go with the sweet,” Tisha said, laughing as the puppy licked her cheek.
“Yeah, that’s what my mama always said.” Lance grinned. “I’ve never heard anyone in Alaska use that expression before.”
“Where did you grow up?”
“I moved around a lot. Can’t really say that I’m from any one place. But my family settled in Fairbanks, and they’re pretty busy with their dog kennels now.”
“Huh, interesting.” Tisha returned the puppy to the bed Lance had arranged in the covered cab of his truck. The mama dog received her puppy and licked it protectively. Meanwhile, Brody and Sadie were arguing about which puppy was cuter.
“Here, maybe it’s snack time.” Ethan produced a squirt bottle of hand sanitizer. Megan set some napkins on the tailgate of the truck, weighting them down with a can of soda, and slid the box with the cartons of popcorn beside them.