The next morning in Heartland was wrapped in stillness—the kind of peaceful quiet that only fresh snow could bring. The sun peeked over the pine-covered hills, casting golden light over the glistening white blanket outside. Inside the farmhouse, the smell of cinnamon rolls and maple bacon drifted through the halls, mingling with the faint sound of Bing Crosby on vinyl.

Avery stood at the frosted window, hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee, watching as Jet left clumsy paw prints across the yard. Ethan came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Morning, Captain Bradford," he murmured, lips brushing her temple.

She smiled softly. "Morning, Co-Captain."

They stood there for a moment, content in the silence—until Lila's voice rang out from the hallway.

"Has anyone seen my pinecone garland? Jet stole it again and I swear it's in the barn!"

Ethan chuckled. "That dog's got taste."

Avery laughed, but her gaze remained on the road. "Did you see that car pull in last night? Someone drove up late."

Ethan nodded slowly. "Probably the cider guy. Or maybe the neighbors."

But Avery's instincts—well trained by years of flying and reading people—told her something else.

A few hours later, the whole family gathered in the living room. Ethan stoked the fire while Luke helped Lila hang snowflake cutouts across the wooden beams.

"Don't look now," Luke said, glancing at Lila as he stood on the step stool, "but I think I just made the perfect snowflake."

Lila tilted her head, hands on hips. "Hmm. Bit uneven. But a solid effort."

He grinned. "Wow, tough crowd."

Avery watched them with a knowing smirk. Luke had always been the flirty type, but there was something different in the way he looked at Lila—like he was finally grounding himself after years of drifting.

Just as the warmth of the room settled into her bones, a knock came at the door.

Three sharp knocks.

Ethan rose, brow furrowed. "I'll get it."

When he opened it, the cozy air was hit with a gust of winter wind—and something colder.

"Madeline."

Standing on the porch was Madeline Kerrington in a fitted crimson coat and snow-dusted Louboutin boots, her expression unreadable beneath her dark sunglasses. She pulled them down slowly.

"Ethan. I hope I'm not interrupting."

Avery stood, her heart thudding as she stepped forward. "You've got to be kidding."

"Oh," Madeline said, smiling smoothly as her gaze landed on her, "Captain Monroe. Or is it Mrs. Bradford now?"

Inside, the tension was as thick as the frosted glass.

"I didn't come to cause trouble," Madeline said, settling into the armchair like she owned it. "I came with an opportunity."

Ethan crossed his arms. "What kind of opportunity?"

"Avery," she said, turning. "There's a position opening at the Elite Sky School in Santa Monica. Head of Flight Training. Full benefits, a team of your own, and a chance to influence the future of luxury aviation. You were born for this."

Avery's breath caught.

"You flew more hours last year than any pilot in the state. You command a plane like it's part of your bloodstream. What are you doing buried in snow, baking cookies and decorating barns?"

Lila stood abruptly. "Excuse me—she's home."

Madeline ignored her.

"You don't belong here, Avery. You belong in the sky. With people who know what you're worth."

Ethan's jaw tightened. "She is home. And she knows exactly what she's worth."

Madeline smirked, standing up. "I'll be in town until Christmas Eve. If you're ready to take flight again—really take flight—you know where to find me."

With that, she swept out the door, leaving a stunned silence behind her.

That night, snow began to fall again, gently brushing the windows and blanketing the porch.

Avery sat by the fire, hands curled in her lap, staring at the flicker of the flames. Ethan sat beside her but said nothing, respecting her silence.

"You think I'm tempted," she whispered finally.

He looked at her. "Are you?"

She was quiet.

"I love you. I love this home. But... there's a part of me that still hears the engines when it's quiet. That misses the sound of takeoff."

Ethan nodded. "It's okay to want both."

"But what if I can't have both?"

He reached over and took her hand. "Then we figure it out. Together."

The clock on the mantle ticked softly as snow whispered across the roof.

Outside, the world was quiet.

But inside Avery's heart, a storm was beginning to stir.

❄️ End of Chap 2 ❄️