Chapter Two: Martha

Chapter Two – Martha

“I hope you find what you are looking for here, Martha,” Clint said. He tore his gaze away from Martha and looked toward the door, taking in the view of the cabins and the forest surrounding them.

There was something about this guy. Something that drew her to him. But she had no idea what it was.

And she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She’d come to Bear Creek to find herself, not to find a man. Or perhaps she was reading too much into it. Clint was probably just trying to be a good friend or an excellent host. He was the owner of Bear Creek Lodge, after all. It was his job to make people feel at home here.

She was just another paying guest at Bear Creek Lodge. Hadn’t her career taught her that what people said could not be taken at face value? Most people had a hidden agenda.

But she desperately wanted to believe that wasn’t true of Clint.

“So do I,” Martha sucked in a deep breath. “If not, it’s going to feel as if I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life.” Her bottom lip trembled, but then she rolled her shoulders and approached the desk. She had always been a master of her emotions, but since she decided to change her life, it was as if her emotional barriers had been torn down. “But that’s enough about me. I’m sure you get tired of listening to the woes of people that come in here.”

“No,” Clint insisted. “I never get tired of listening to people. We all need to talk sometimes.”

“I think that’s the problem,” Martha admitted. “It feels as if I’ve spent my whole life listening to people talk, but they’ve never said the things I’ve wanted to hear.”

Clint smiled softly, his eyes filled with sympathy. “Then you have definitely come to the right place.” His eyes drifted toward the door once more and the wintry scene outside. “When I need to find answers to whatever is going on in my life, I go into the forest and listen to the trees.”

“You listen to the trees?” Martha asked incredulously.

“I know it might sound crazy,” Clint began. “But they do speak to you and the wisdom they share can’t be found anywhere else.” He chuckled. “But that’s just me. As I said, I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve roamed these mountains for as long as I can remember. They are like old friends to me.”

Martha’s throat constricted as she fought back tears. She wanted to believe that the trees would talk to her, that she would find a connection with the mountains, one that she never found with anything, or anyone, her whole life. She wanted to absorb their wisdom and ask whether she’d chosen the right path.

“I hope I can make friends with the mountain, too.” Martha took her purse off her shoulder and placed it on the reception desk. “But right now, I’d like to get settled into one of your cabins. I’ve been driving for hours and what I really need is something to eat and a cup of good coffee.”

“Sure,” Clint began. “Why don’t we get you checked in? You can go get settled and I’ll bring you something from the kitchen.”

“You really don’t have to do that,” Martha insisted. However, her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. She hadn’t eaten for hours and she had nothing in the car other than snacks, which she’d had her fill of on the drive here.

Her only other alternative was to get back in the car and drive into town and buy some groceries. The thought was not appealing. Her body agreed, and she placed her hand on the small of her back as a twinge of pain shot along her spine.

“It’s no problem at all,” Clint assured her. “I made beef stew earlier, and as usual, I made too much. My friends know I prefer not to eat alone, so I’m never quite sure who’s going to show up for dinner.”

Was Clint asking her to have dinner with him? No, he was simply offering her a portion of his food... Or perhaps he was going to add it to her bill.

“I can figure something out for myself,” she heard herself saying, not wanting to end up in a misunderstanding with Clint. She liked it here at Bear Creek Lodge and she didn’t want there to be an awkward atmosphere between them if she offended him.

Clint’s cheeks were tinted with a soft blush. “You seem cold and tired, and I think something hot to eat would do you good,” he said. “Not that I’m trying to be nosy.”

“It was a long and tiring drive,” she confessed. “The icy conditions were worse than I thought, which slowed me down.”

“It’s settled then.” He tapped the keyboard and stared at the screen. “I’ll bring some stew over to your cabin. Call it a welcome gift.”

“Thanks, Clint.” Her lips formed a warm smile, and she chose to humbly accept the hospitality of the meal. Clint was being a gracious host to his newest guest.

“You are welcome.” He glanced up at her. “How many nights do you want me to check you in for?”

“Five nights,” Martha said, without hesitation. “For now.” She would likely need to stay longer, but five nights would be enough to get her settled and give her time to figure out a detailed plan. She’d taken a leap into the unknown, which was totally out of character for Martha.

“That’s fine,” Clint said. “You can always add on more if you need to.” He turned around and opened a hand-carved wooden box that hung on the wall behind the desk. “Here, you are in cabin number five.”

“Thanks.” Martha held out her hand for the key, and as their fingers touched, a bolt of electricity passed between them. Martha was stunned. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart pounded crazily. Clint seemed to sense it, too. She could see it in his eyes as his body stiffened.

However, he quickly recovered and didn’t say a word despite the wave of heat that washed over them.

Was he hiding something? Martha stepped back. The intensity of the moment was too much for her to bear. She took a deep breath and managed a smile as she grabbed her purse and turned toward the door.

“If you need anything at all, I’ll be happy to help.” Clint came around the desk and trailed her to the door. He sounded kind of lonely, which surprised her since when she arrived, he’d been surrounded by a group of people who seemed to care for him.

“Thanks. I will.” Martha headed out of the lobby into the brisk late morning air. Snow was falling in large fluffy flakes, and a light coating already covered the ground. It was magical, and she pushed all thoughts of her encounter with Clint to the back of her mind.

At least, she tried to. But his face kept popping into her head. Maybe because she was lonely, too.

No, no, no. She was not here to find a man, she reminded herself once more.

Focusing on her surroundings as a way to occupy her mind, Martha walked along the path that led to her cabin, taking in the mountain’s beauty surrounding her. Despite the season, the trees were alive with birds singing sweetly and small animals scurrying through the undergrowth.

She stopped for a few moments and breathed in deeply, letting out a sigh of contentment and relief that she had finally arrived here; this place where nature spoke so loudly to her soul that it almost overwhelmed her senses.

After grabbing her luggage from the car, Martha headed over to cabin number five and unlocked the door. When she stepped inside, she let out a long sigh of relief as the warmth of the cozy interior cocooned her.

The cabin was rustic but well-maintained, with wooden furniture and a fireplace at one end of the living room. A small kitchenette and a bathroom were located on either side of the main room.

As she looked around, Martha knew she had made the right decision to leave her job behind. Sure, it had been a comfortable life, but it had also been stifling and fulfilling. Here in Bear Creek, surrounded by nature and away from the stresses of her old life, she could finally discover who she was and what she wanted.

Something she’d never given herself the chance to do before. How could she when her life had been planned out for her since before she was born?

Martha walked over to the window and looked out at the snowy landscape.

Was she doing the same thing to herself right now? Was she forcing herself to stick to the plan she’d made?

Why was she so adamant she didn’t want to find a man to share her life with?

She was here to start a new chapter in her life, to find a home where she could be truly happy. Did that mean she had to live alone? If she was attracted to Clint, why not pursue it?

Suddenly, her heart raced at the thought of Clint. Warmth spread throughout her body as she recalled his tan complexion and captivating eyes. A blush spread across her cheeks as his eternally cheerful smile came to her mind. However, she quickly shook her head, reminding herself that she had to keep her priorities straight.

Finding a new home was top of that list, and nothing or no one was going to distract her from it.

“Coffee,” she said to the empty room. Dumping her bags in the living room, she went to the kitchen.

The cupboards and refrigerator were filled with all the essentials. Plenty of coffee, tea, sugar, and some dry pantry items such as rice and pasta. A jug of milk, butter, and cheese lined the shelves of the fridge, all locally sourced.

The more she discovered about Clint, the more her opinion of him improved. Difficult when it had started off so high to begin with.

As she opened the cupboard and took out a mug, her fingers traced the smooth surface of the ceramic and she recalled the frisson of electricity that had passed between them.

Could Clint really be as perfect as he seemed? After all, Martha had met plenty of people before who presented themselves as perfect individuals but, in reality, were only trying to hide their shady past. Despite this, Martha had held out hope that people could change and be better versions of themselves. That was the only way she had been able to stay on her career path for so long.

But then things shifted. Something had occurred that made her question her values and convictions. Something that made it impossible for her to stay on the same path.

Martha filled the kettle with water and set it on the stove, the flame casting a warm glow on her face.

As she waited for the water to boil, she leaned against the counter and took in her surroundings. The cabin was rustic but charming, with wooden beams crisscrossing the ceiling and a stone fireplace in the living area begging to be lit.

She’d have to pluck up the courage to tackle that job.

The furniture was simple but sturdy, with plush cushions and blankets adding a cozy touch. The entire cabin was designed to encourage rest and relaxation. Exactly what Martha needed.

As she looked around, a sense of peace and contentment washed over her. She took a deep breath, savoring the smell of freshly brewed coffee and wood smoke from one of the neighboring cabins.

This was the life she wanted now. If she could find a house that ticked all the same boxes, she would settle here in Bear Creek and spend her days wandering over the mountain, waiting for it to talk to her.

She chuckled to herself as she sipped her coffee.

This journey wouldn’t be easy, but she was ready to take on the challenge. She was determined to find her place in the world...her new place.

And she was confident that Bear Creek was just the place to start her new beginning.