Page 1 of Canadian Wild: Love

CHAPTER 1

Lizzie

Istare out the window at the stunning scenery taking shape below me, awed by something that looks like it’s been literally shaped by divine hands.

Mountains everywhere and blue skies with fluffy clouds. I can even see some azure and turquoise waters dotting the mountains in the area.

“Make sure you’ve got your seatbelts buckled, everybody. We’re coming in to Penticton Regional Airport. It’s 3:30 local time and as you can see the weather today is just beautiful. We hope you’ve enjoyed your flight today and choose to fly with Air Canada Express again. Thank you.”

Excitement rears its head and I almost feel lightheaded I’m so amazed.

The woman next to me smiles gently as I practically have my nose glued to the window, staring outside.

“Is this your first trip to Canada, my dear?”

Flashing her a wide, bright smile, I can’t help but laugh. “Actually it’s my first trip anywhere.”

“Oh my! You’re going to have a great trip then. Where exactly are you going?”

“There should be a driver here to pick me up. I’m going to Carter Creek to stay at the bed and breakfast there.”

“Oh. Yes, it’s lovely there this time of year. And you’ve never been anywhere else?” She cocks her silver head and I can see the curiosity in her lined, pale blue eyes.

But I don’t want to talk about any of that so I just nod my head. She sits back, letting me sink into my seat and watch the runway speeding towards us. One minute we’re flying above it, looking at little patchworks of color and then the next minute the small plane is touching down roughly, the engine whining as it throttles up and then slows the silver bird.

The lights come on when we pull up to the gate and most of the people on the plane stand up. I stay seated, not wishing to get into the aisle and in the middle of the push pull to get out as quickly as possible.

My seat neighbor smiles and gestures in front of her. I shake my head. “I’m alright. I’ve got to make a call.”

“Alright, dear. It was lovely meeting you.”

“You too.” I smile at her but then turn to pick up my phone and call the number that the hotel told me to call as soon as I landed.

“Hello, Carter Creek Bed and Breakfast.”

The husky, lightly-accented voice makes me smile wide, so happy to finally be here.

“Hello, this is Lizzie Montgomery. I have a reservation and they said to call and they’d have somebody pick me up at Penticton Regional Airport when my flight got in.”

“Yes, Mrs. Montgomery.” For just a minute my smile slips. I wish I had petitioned to have my name changed back in my divorce but I missed that step and now I’m stuck reliving the horror of my marriage every time someone says it. “We’ve been waiting for your call. The owner has set up a local driver that will pick you up in about fifteen minutes if that’s alright?”

“That would be terrific! Thank you. I really appreciate this!”

“No problem, Mrs. Montgomery. We’re very excited to have you stay at our little hotel.”

She hangs up and my smile slips. It didn’t help that I’d been a very successful travel writer that never traveled and wrote under my married name. I couldn’t give up my name or I’d be back to the start of my career.

So I’m having to struggle with competing urges. And then there’s the embarrassment of using travel books and YouTube videos and every bit of computer searching to find and write articles about the most exciting places to visit. Places I’d never been lucky enough to visit but dreamed about.

So to celebrate the finalization of my divorce and the start ofmy life as me, I booked my very first trip to a beautiful place called Carter Creek in Canada.

I stand up as the last person exits in front of me and smile at the harried pilot and flight attendant at the front of the plane waiting on me. “Thank you for a lovely flight. I really enjoyed it.”

Both of them smile. “You’re very welcome,” the attendant says. “Please fly again with us.”

Both nod at me and I exit the plane, waving at them as I grab my small bag off of the gate exit. It takes me very little time to make it out of the small regional airport and as soon as I step outside, I drag in a breath, stunned.

The air is cool and clean, the mountains around us towering above the airport. I can see the pure blue flash of a lake in the distance and pine trees dotting the giant mountains.

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