Chapter 8 #3
Ethan pulled off his headset, hung it up, then powered down the helicopter.
Outside, the wind howled, whipping snow in every direction.
Thick flakes swirled in the glow of the resort’s floodlights.
The chopper rocked in the gusts, but they were on solid ground.
A safe landing despite the near-whiteout conditions.
“That was awesome. Nicely done.” Luke reached over and shook his hand. “Proud of you. I haven’t flown in a storm like this in ages. Thanks for getting us back on the ground.”
“Not a problem,” Ethan said, tugging his hat down over his ears. “I’ve flown in far worse.”
“I’m sure you have.” Luke pushed open the door. The wind shoved it back against him. “I’ll help these guys unload, then meet you inside. Mom and Dad are probably anxious to see us.”
“Really? You think they’re worried?”
His brother shot him a look, then hopped to the ground.
Huh. Ethan hesitated. What was he missing here?
Okay, so visibility had dropped significantly, and the winds had picked up halfway through the trip.
But he wasn’t about to leave these guys stranded on a mountain in January.
Especially when one of them had just found out his father had suffered a heart attack back home.
He got out, his boots crunching in the fresh snow.
The cold smacked him, seeping through his jacket.
Both of the men who’d flown with them had already climbed out of the helicopter and waited as Luke unlatched the cage to get their ski gear.
“Hey, guys.” Ethan raised his voice to be heard above the wind and the whine of the rotors still slowing. “Appreciate you choosing to ski in Redemption. Come see us again sometime.”
The man standing closest to him shook Ethan’s outstretched hand. “Thanks for the lift. Nice job up there, sir.”
“Yeah, a little hairy on top, but we made it.” Ethan grinned. “Have a safe trip home, and we hope everything works out with your family.”
His expression sobered. “Yeah, me too. Thanks. Take care.”
As both men slung their backpacks over their shoulders, Luke grabbed their skis. He turned to Ethan and tipped his head toward the parking lot. “I’m guessing there’s at least one other person who was worried about you too.”
Ethan squinted, trying to see through the thick wet snowflakes still falling from the dark sky. “Who?”
Luke pointed. “Isn’t that Tisha’s car?”
Ethan frowned. “Oh, right. Yeah, I missed my meeting with Brody, Sadie, and Tisha.”
“Now you’ll get to apologize in person.” Luke motioned for their clients to lead the way. “I’ll help you guys load up so you can get out of here.”
Hunching his shoulders against the wind, Ethan strode toward the resort.
Man, he hated that he’d missed the meeting.
Somehow he’d forgotten his phone at the resort, so he hadn’t been able to send an update.
Even though he had told Tisha where he’d be, it probably didn’t help that he hadn’t kept his word and shown up on time.
Yeah, okay, so Luke was right. He’d definitely have to apologize for that. He stepped inside the resort. Warm air carrying the slightest hint of soup or something savory greeted him. His stomach growled.
“Oh, thank You, Lord.” His mom greeted him, pulling him into a warm hug. “I was so worried.” She leaned back and craned her neck to see past him. “Where’s Luke?”
“He’s walking our clients to their rental and helping them load their stuff.
” Ethan surveyed his mom’s face. The pinched lines between her brows and the tightness around her mouth made him gently squeeze her shoulders with his hands.
“Mom, what’s up? I haven’t seen you look this worried in a long time. ”
“When Tisha showed up with Brody and Sadie, and then they said you missed your meeting, we all got worried.” Mom slid a gentle smile his way. “Glad you’re all back on the ground safely.”
“Dad!”
Brody raced toward him and cannonballed into his knees. Ethan leaned over, then wrapped his arms around Brody’s shoulders and held him tight. “Hey. Wow. I appreciate the warm welcome, everybody. What happened? Why all the fuss?”
He looked around for Tisha. She’d set her mug down on the coffee table by the fire, then slowly crossed the lobby. Now she stood a few feet away, arms linked across her chest and one hip jutted out. “You’re back.”
Uh-oh. Ethan straightened, then pulled off his gloves. “Yeah. Sorry I missed the meeting.”
“Where were you?” Sadie frowned up at him. “Ms. Strom couldn’t do her part because you weren’t there to say your parts.”
Oh. He palmed the back of his neck. “I’m so sorry.
I didn’t plan to miss our meeting. We had to sit for a few minutes on top of the mountain and wait until visibility improved.
I really had to get those men off the mountain because they need to fly back home to Idaho.
They’ve got a family emergency. I wanted to make sure I did everything I could to get them home safe.
Tomorrow I’ll call Mr. Price and Ms. Strom and reschedule that meeting as soon as we can, okay? ”
Sadie sighed. “I guess that will work. Right, Mama?”
Tisha nodded.
Ethan glanced down at Brody again. “You okay, bud?”
Brody hesitated. “Yeah, but can I say something important?”
Ethan’s stomach clenched. “Sure.”
“I-I was praying like they taught us at kids’ church, and it worked.” His eyes lit up. “God heard me.”
Oh wow. An unexpected lump formed in Ethan’s throat. He patted Brody awkwardly on the back. “That’s, um, that’s awesome. Thanks for telling us.”
Brody beamed. “I can’t believe He answered.”
That earned a soft laugh from the grown-ups standing in a circle around him.
“Sometimes I’m surprised when God answers my prayers too.” Ethan turned to Tisha and Sadie. “Ladies, I’m truly sorry I kept you waiting. Thank you for being concerned and looking out for Brody.”
“It’s fine,” Sadie said. “But you’ll have to go first next time when Ms. Strom calls on us to answer her questions.”
“Deal,” Ethan said. He extended his fist. “Did you have a good day at school?”
She bumped her fist against his. “Yeah, it was okay. We got to play kickball in PE. This one boy, he kicked the ball so hard that it hit the wall on the opposite side.”
Ethan eyed Brody. “Anybody we know?”
“It wasn’t me,” Brody said. “It was Christopher. He can kick super hard. It went so far. Next time we play kickball, I want to kick it and see if I can make a basket. But Mr. Wilkerson says he puts the baskets up so that doesn’t happen.”
“That would be pretty sweet,” Ethan said. “I wish I could kick a kickball hard enough to make a basket.”
“You totally can, Dad. I know it. Can we go watch some skateboarding on YouTube before dinner?”
“Yep. Just give me a minute to say goodbye to our friends.”
“Come on, Sadie,” Tisha said. “Grab your coat. Time to go.”
“Thanks for bringing Brody back to the resort.” Ethan followed them back to the couch in front of the fire, where they’d left their coats. The warmth from the crackling flames heated his back. “Hopefully we can reschedule for early next week.”
“I’m glad you’re safe.” Avoiding his gaze, she put on her coat, then guided Sadie toward the door. Ethan watched them leave, a helpless feeling needling him. Was she mad?
Luke stepped inside, blocking their exit. “Hey, girls, what’s up?” He high-fived Sadie and gave Tisha a quick hug. “Nice to see you. On your way home for dinner?”
“We are. Gotta run. See you around.” She brushed past Luke and ushered Sadie outside.
Ethan didn’t need Luke’s pointed look to tell him he’d screwed up.
Luke unzipped his coat. “Seriously? You’re just going to let her go like that?”
“She’s got it.” But even as the words left his mouth, they felt wrong.
Luke’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure? She came all the way over here and brought you your kid. The least you can do is—”
“You’re right. I’ll go.” Ethan rushed back out into the snow and hurried after Tisha. “Hey,” he said, as he approached. “Let me help you clean off your car.”
She stiffened, barely glancing at him as she took out the scraper. “Come on, Sadie, get in. Buckle up, please.” She slammed the door, then skirted around him. “I can do it.”
He followed her around to the driver’s side. “I know you can. I still want to help you though.”
A muscle in her cheek twitched. “You don’t have to take care of me. I might be a Southern girl, but I know how to handle snow.”
He reached for the scraper, but she held tight. “Tisha, why are you so upset?”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.” He moved closer. “Is this about me missing that meeting?”
Her chin wobbled. “You really don’t get it, do you?”
“Help me understand. Please.”
Snow fell around them, landing on her hair, her eyelashes, and the shoulders of her jacket. “I waited for Chase to come home, and he didn’t. And today I stood here, watching this storm, knowing you were in it, and all I could think was that I might lose someone else. I-I can’t do that again.”
His chest tightened. He reached for her, his fingers grazing hers as she gripped the scraper. “I’m so sorry.”
She didn’t pull away. But then somehow her diamond ring caught on the cuff of his jacket sleeve, tangling them together. Her breath hitched and she jerked her hand back, severing their connection.
“Tisha—”
“I can do this alone.” She spun away, her hand trembling as she brushed the snow from her windshield. “I need to do this alone, because I don’t want to depend on anyone.”
“Why not?”
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. “Because if I do, and they die…I can’t survive that.”
“Just because you lost Chase doesn’t mean you have to shut me out.” He gently pried the scraper from her grip. “So let’s start small. Get in, start the car, and warm up. I’ve got this.”
She blinked at him, her lips parted and her breath coming in uneven puffs in the cold air.
“Please,” he added, his voice soft.
She hesitated, then stepped back. “All right.”
It wasn’t much, but for now it was enough. She slid behind the wheel, then started the engine as he cleaned off the windshield. When he’d finished, she rolled down the window.
“Thank you.” She offered a tight smile.
“You’re welcome.” He handed her the scraper. “Have a good night.”
He stood in the parking lot until her taillights disappeared around the corner. His pulse still hadn’t settled. Tonight confirmed what he’d sort of suspected—this thing between them wasn’t just attraction. It was something deeper. Something real. And it terrified her.
To be honest, maybe it scared him a little too.
He turned and jogged back to the resort, her words still echoing in his head. I don’t want to depend on anyone.
Yeah, well. Funny thing—he could totally relate. Because losing Adeline had wrecked him. But pushing people away? Maybe that wasn’t the answer either.
Inside, his mom stood behind the check-in desk. “I’m booking one more reservation, and then I’ll fix dinner. Brody’s sitting at the table with Luke.”
“Sounds good.” He walked past the desk and went into the family’s living area. Brody sat beside Luke at the farmhouse-style table, munching on cheese and crackers. They’d propped up an iPad on a stack of books.
“Dad, you’ve got to see this guy. His tricks are sick,” Brody said through a mouthful of crackers.
Ethan washed his hands at the sink. “I’ll watch in a few minutes. Right now I should probably help Mom with dinner.”
“I’m just going to reheat the leftover chili and make some cornbread.” Mom came into the kitchen. “Your dad is out with Hank because the hot tub is acting up.”
Luke groaned. “Not again. That’s the second time Hank’s been out here this month.”
Drying his hands on a paper towel, Ethan leaned against the counter. He didn’t want to get in the middle of a discussion about the ongoing issues with the hot tub. Besides, if Brody had reading homework to do, they’d need to get on it. Soon. “Brody and I can set the table or mix the batter.”
“Perfect.” She handed him the cornbread box mix. “You know where to find the eggs and milk. I’ll get you the oil.”
“I’m really sorry about today, Mom. I didn’t mean to worry you guys.”
“It’s all right, honey.” She patted his shoulder. “Luke says you’ve flown in worse.”
“That is a hundred percent true. I’ll spare you the details.” Frowning, he unboxed the cornbread mix. Good thing he hadn’t shared any stories of his Coast Guard days with Tisha. She would be shocked if she knew how many close calls he’d had over the years.
His mom set a glass measuring cup and a bottle of cooking oil on the counter beside him. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah, just, you know, second-guessing my decisions,” he said, keeping his voice low. “Tisha was upset.”
“Her concern for you was quite touching.” Mom handed him a mixing bowl. “We’re all relieved that you and Luke are here, and that you were able to get those men off the mountain. I’m sure their families will be happy to know they’re on their way home.”
“Minus the weather, we had a good outing. I think I even spotted more of Trevor’s plane wreckage.”
Behind him, a metal pan lid clattered on the floor.
Ethan spun around. “What? What’d I say?”
Mom straightened, a pan and the lid in her hands. “I did not expect you to mention Trevor. Or his plane. People have been looking for him for months.”
“That’s what I hear. We’ve flown over the same area twice, and I didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks, but it sure looked like remnants of fiberglass from a plane.”
“Wow. That would be so healing for his mom if you could find something. Anything.”
“I’m going to keep trying,” Ethan said. “Weather permitting, of course.”
“Of course.”
While Ethan whisked the milk, eggs, and oil into the dry ingredients, the weight of guilt pressed in.
The memory of Trevor’s brother MJ and his father’s final moments still haunted him.
A relentless reminder of his failures. What if he could finally bring closure to the family that had already lost so much?
He glanced at his mother. Empathy filled her eyes, and she offered another reassuring smile.
“I have to find him,” he said quietly. Because this wasn’t just about Trevor and his family anymore—it was about making wrong things right.
And he wouldn’t stop until he achieved what he’d set out to do, no matter the cost. Because he had to put the past behind him.
Especially if he wanted to start something new.