Chapter Twelve – Sorcha #2
The truck turned off the main road onto a narrow track that wound deeper into the forest. Tall pines crowded close on either side, their branches heavy with snow, creating a tunnel of green and white.
“Are we still in Bear Creek?” Sorcha asked, peering through the windshield.
“Just barely,” Christopher replied. “The town limits extend pretty far.”
The trees suddenly opened up to reveal a small clearing.
A rustic wooden structure stood in the center, smoke curling from its chimney.
To Sorcha’s surprise, the small parking area was nearly full of cars, and she could see people seated at rough-hewn benches scattered among the trees behind the building.
Strings of warm white bulbs hung from tree to tree, giving the clearing the glow of a secret winter festival.
“What is this place?” she asked, leaning forward in her seat.
Christopher smiled as he pulled into an empty spot. “You’ll see.”
As they stepped out of the truck, a rich aroma hit Sorcha’s nose, the unmistakable scent of wood smoke mingled with something else, something that made her mouth water instantly.
“Pizza?” she asked, inhaling deeply.
Christopher laughed. “The smell does give it away, doesn’t it?” He gestured toward the shack. “Come on.”
They approached the weathered building, which looked like it had grown organically from the forest floor. A simple hand-painted sign above the door read “Louis she could not recall ever being described as fascinating.
She ducked her head, hiding behind her hair as she took another bite of pizza to cover her reaction.
The flavors burst across her tongue—earthy mushrooms, tangy cheese, the subtle hint of herbs she couldn’t name.
A movement caught her eye, and she looked up to see a doe and her fawn cautiously approaching the edge of the clearing, apparently accustomed to the humans but still wary.
Beyond them, the forest stretched in every direction, ancient and serene.
The winter sun filtered through the branches, casting dappled light across the snow.
Christopher sat across from her, his presence as solid and reassuring as the mountains themselves.
In that moment, everything felt perfect. The food, the setting, the company. Sorcha couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so content, so present. There was nowhere else she needed to be, nothing else she needed to do. Just this. Eating remarkable pizza in the woods with a remarkable man.
She was falling in love with Bear Creek, she realized with a start. With its quirky charm, its breathtaking beauty, and its unexpected treasures like this hidden pizzeria. And maybe—just maybe—she was falling for Christopher too.
Or perhaps there was no maybe about it!