Chapter 12 #2
Her tears fell onto the glass of the photo frame.
She wiped them away with her sleeve, her shoulders shaking.
Probably something she should pray about, but the idea felt distant, like reaching for something just out of grasp.
God was there—she believed that—but sometimes it felt like He wanted her to figure it out on her own.
She held the photo in both hands, studying the face she’d known and loved for so long. Then, slowly, she crossed the room to the chest by the window. Lifting the lid, she carefully placed the frame on the bottom and covered it with blankets.
Shutting the lid, she sat on it, her chest heaving. What was the right thing to do? She didn’t know. But one thing she did know was that she wouldn’t be able to forget that kiss anytime soon. And maybe—just maybe—fighting to keep Chase front and center wasn’t what she or Sadie needed anymore.
He had to stop thinking about that kiss.
The way Tisha’s soft lips moved against his, that adorable hum of approval she’d made when he tunneled his fingers through her hair. Yeah, okay, so he’d been a little nervous about flying her to see the northern lights, but the crackling in the night sky had been the perfect soundtrack to—
“Hey, did you hear me?”
Luke’s question pulled Ethan back to reality. They stood at the check-in desk at the resort, working through the never-ending to-do list to prep for the festival.
“I need you to make an airport run. We have two clients coming in on the noon flight.”
“Got it. Can you text me their names and flight info?”
Luke shot him an odd look. “There’s only one flight landing at noon, pal.”
Ethan pulled out his phone. “Then it should only take you a second to send me the info.”
Luke checked his laptop, then tapped a few things into his phone. “Coming at you.”
His message arrived. Ethan looked at the screen. “Whoa, no way. The Tanners? Where are they coming from?”
“Um…They caught the short hop from Anchorage. Why?”
“No, I’m asking where are they from originally?”
“Home address? Let’s see.” Luke scrolled down. “Oh, how about that? They’re from Palm Harbor, Florida. Is that close to where you lived?”
Ethan’s legs turned to jelly.
“You feeling all right?” Luke pushed back his chair and stood. “You just turned a shade lighter.”
Ethan swallowed hard. “Kaylee and Adam. They are…She was Adeline’s best friend.”
“Huh. Did you know she was coming?”
“Had no idea.” He thought about the calls he’d thumbed away. The text messages he’d read but hadn’t responded to.
“Um, all right.” Luke raked his hand through his hair, then glanced at the computer again. “I mean, I’d love to take this one for you, but…”
Ethan shook his head. “I need to do this myself.”
Luke sat back down. “Let me know how it goes.”
“Yep.” Ethan scrolled back through the messages as he walked out to the Suburban. Kaylee had texted and called him as recently as three days ago, but there was no mention of travel plans. Her last message had simply stated “I’m going to keep praying about this, Ethan, and I’m not giving up.”
That was fair. It didn’t mean he had to say yes though.
But it looked like she was going to be true to her word.
He would set some boundaries around their conversation, and it definitely wasn’t going to be over pie at the café.
Because as much as he wanted to see Tisha, he wasn’t about to let her witness what was likely going to be a heated discussion he’d tried his best to avoid.
No matter how far Kaylee and Adam had traveled, he wasn’t obligated to give an interview.
A few minutes later, he eased into a parking place in front of the airport, pocketed his phone, and headed for the automatic double doors.
They parted, and he walked a short distance to the baggage-claim area.
It wasn’t long before he spotted Kaylee’s trademark auburn hair spilling over her expensive puffy jacket.
Then she waved and strode toward him, towing a suitcase and a carry-on.
“Hi,” he said.
“Surprise!” She stopped in front of him, uncertainty flashing in her hazel eyes.
Her husband, Adam, walked behind her, towing matching luggage. “Ethan, good to see you, man.”
Adam held out his hand, and Ethan shook it. Adam wore a knit beanie featuring Florida’s professional hockey team logo, a teal-green hoodie layered under a high-end parka, jeans, and black-and-green high-tops.
“Nice to see you both.” Ethan leaned in and gave Kaylee a brief hug. “I didn’t know you guys were skiers.”
“We’re not. We came to see you. We have reservations at the resort to stay for the weekend.”
“Welcome to Redemption,” Ethan said. “You want to head straight to the resort, or should we stop and grab something to eat first?”
“Wherever you’d feel most comfortable, Ethan. We want to talk to you, and I know this is going to be a challenging conversation,” Kaylee said.
He sighed, his stomach already in knots. “Follow me.”
He helped them load their baggage into the back of the Suburban. Then Adam circled around and opened the front door for Kaylee.
“You should probably ride shotgun, dear.”
“Thanks!” Kaylee climbed inside. Adam got in the back seat.
Ethan got behind the wheel, secured his seatbelt, and eased the vehicle out of the parking lot.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much snow in my life.” Kaylee stared out the windshield, mesmerized.
“According to my weather app, there’s more coming,” Adam said. “Maybe we should learn to ski while we’re here.”
Kaylee reached over and bumped up the heat for her side of the interior. “Does it ever not snow here?”
“Yeah, we have some clear cold days. It’s beautiful when the sun’s out and the sky is blue,” Ethan said.
A shiver wracked Kaylee’s athletic frame. “I think I’ll stick to sand between my toes and Florida sunshine.”
“Well, I can drive you back to the airport.”
“Ha!” She leaned over and nudged his shoulder. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
He drove to the Copper Kettle coffee shop, silently praying that the more curious members of the community would be busy getting ready for the festival that started in a few hours. Or at least not lingering over their morning coffee, eager for gossip.
Snowbanks lined the streets, pushed high by plows, and the occasional gust of wind sent powdery flurries swirling through the air.
“How does anyone drive in this?” Kaylee asked.
“You get used to it,” Ethan said with a shrug, easing into a parking space in front of the coffee shop. Banners in shades of red and pink hung from lampposts, fluttering in the breeze, and the scent of woodsmoke lingered.
“What’s Love Is in the Air?” Kaylee tapped her red manicured nail on the window in the coffee-shop door where the flyer was posted. “That’s this weekend, right?”
“Sure is.” Ethan held the door open and let them enter ahead of him. “Starts tonight.”
“Are you part of the festival?” Kaylee asked.
“The whole town gets involved. So, yes.”
“Makes sense,” Kaylee said. “I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to meet with us.”
“You’re guests at my family’s resort. You’d probably be hard to avoid,” he said.
“I warned you I was coming,” she teased.
The warmth of the Copper Kettle enveloped them as they stepped inside. Its mixture of cozy booths, raw-edged wood bar lining the far wall, and bright shiplap walls offered a welcome respite from the snow-covered world outside.
“What a gorgeous sofa.” Kaylee ran her hand over the purple velvet sofa with at least a half dozen throw pillows scattered across tufted cushions. “I could sit here and drink coffee all day.”
“That’s probably the owner’s intent,” Adam said, guiding her toward the counter. “Let’s order first.”
They ordered bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches and coffee.
Ethan silently wished he could run down the street to the café and have pie and flirt with Tisha instead, but the coffee shop was nearly deserted.
Thankfully. Since they couldn’t all fit on the sofa, he sat down across from them in a corner booth with a blueberry scone and a cup of black coffee.
“So.” He glanced between Adam and Kaylee. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’m here to give you a stern talking-to.” The paper on Kaylee’s breakfast sandwich
crinkled as she took a bite.
“I bet you regret not answering her texts, don’t you?” Adam said, winking at him.
“Yeah, nothing like a good lecture to really motivate me to change my behavior.”
“What would motivate you, Ethan?” she said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.
He hesitated, measuring his words carefully. “Honestly? Nothing. Because I don’t want to do this.”
Amusement vanished from Adam’s blue eyes. “Why not?”
Before Ethan could speak, Kaylee sighed and put down her sandwich. “I don’t get it. Adeline, as you know, was incredible. She did so much, not only for the other Coast Guard families, but for the school and the community. She was such a light, a beacon of hope.”
“You’re not wrong.” He took a bite of his scone and chased it with a sip of hot coffee. She wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know, but why did the whole world need to hear about it? Adeline had never wanted that kind of attention.
“Then why do you not want to share her story?” Kaylee poured oat-milk creamer into her coffee. “No one expects you to go on a press tour or walk a red carpet. We’re not making a documentary.”
“Yet.” Ethan eyed her. “I wouldn’t put it past you.”
Kaylee’s lips twitched. “I deserved that.”
“Look, I’m not going to lie,” Adam said. “I’m well-connected in the podcast industry. Our culture is hungry for inspirational content—feel-good stories about people making a positive impact. A long-form interview, cross-promoted on the right platforms, could have a big impact.”
“And that’s exactly why I’m not interested,” Ethan said. “She’s gone. Why do we need content that potentially goes viral to remind us of what we’ve lost?”
Irritation sparked in Kaylee’s eyes. “But—”