Canadian Wild (Love, Canadian Style #4)

1. Lizzie

CHAPTER 1

Lizzie

I stare 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 of my 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.

I’ve never seen anything more stunning and my fingers absolutely itch to drag my laptop out and attempt to describe the vista around me to my subscribers.

A gentle beep-beep grabs my attention back and I shake my head to clear it. A small SUV sits beside me, the driver waving, smile wide. “Are you Mrs. Montgomery?”

I sigh. “Again with the name,” I mutter. I honestly don’t know if it was worth it to keep the name at this point but I don’t want to start over with my career even if I do want to start over with what’s left of my personal life.

I smile at the driver when he gets out and pops the back open, picking up my suitcase. “Is this all your luggage?”

“Yes. I figured I might have to get some new clothes depending on the weather but I’m alright with that.”

He nods. “I hope that you can find what you need, Depending on the time of year, it’s sometimes hard to get stuff in but I think that you should be good right now. The first snows have started but it’s not too deep yet.”

“I can’t wait to see snow!” I say, my heart tingling with excitement.

“You’ve never seen snow?” I think he almost falls over in shock.

Laughing, I grasp the door and step inside the car. “Yes, but it’s been a long time. I’ve been living in Florida. They don’t really have snow.”

“Beautiful by the ocean, though.”

“You are correct. I used to walk down to the beach every evening to enjoy the sound of the waves on the beach. It was very soothing. Definitely helped me sleep some nights.” In particular the nights where I couldn’t stop thinking about the mess that my marriage had become.

I push the thought away with a shudder. No way am I going to let my ex-husband ruin the rest of my life. I’m going to finally get to live it the way I’ve always wanted and I refuse to let the past obliterate my enjoyment of the future. I’m going to roar out my happiness at the start of my new world’s view.

I stare out the window as the driver’s chatter flows around me, barely touching the little bubble of happiness rippling around me. My hand touches the cool glass and I watch the mountains swinging past me, feeling the power of them even through the clear barrier.

I’m going to be alright. I smile and sigh, leaning closer, enthralled by everything around me, happier than I’ve been in years. Happier than I ever remember being, the words flowing into my head as I sit there, writing my latest headline in my mind.

“I’m in Canada,” I say.

“You are, indeed,” the driver smiles. “I hope you enjoy your stay.”

How could I not?