Page 2 of Cinnamon Baker Bear

“It is.” Curtis sounded quietly pleased. “You’ve come at a good time. The colors have really started changing this week. Another couple of weeks and we’ll probably be past the best of them.”

“I’m glad I didn’t miss it.” Mara had seen photographs when she booked the trip. She had studied the lodge website, looked through pictures of the cabins, and sent Scott links whenever she found another walk or place she thought they might enjoy. None of the photographs had quite captured this.

“Come on in.” Curtis unlocked the cabin, pushed open the door, and handed her the key. Warmth greeted Mara as she stepped inside. The cabin wasn’t large, but it felt comfortable rather than cramped. A deep couch faced a small stone fireplace that glowed with embers. A round wooden dining table stood beside a window overlooking the trees, and a compact kitchen occupied one corner of the main room, with cream cabinets, wooden counters, and open shelves holding mugs and glasses.

Curtis carried her suitcase inside and placed it beside the couch. “You’ve got most of the basics in the kitchen.” He opened one of the cupboards. “Tea and coffee are in here. Sugar and hot chocolate too, and there should be a few other things. Nothing fancy, but enough that you don’t have to go straight back out if you’ve had enough driving for one day.”

“That’s so kind.” She would soon be adding her own five-star review for this place if her first impressions were anything to go by.

“And there should be milk in the fridge.” Curtis opened the refrigerator.

Mara stepped closer. There was milk, along with butter, eggs, and a small carton of orange juice. “You really have thought of everything.”

“We try to leave enough for your first night and breakfast in the morning.” Curtis closed the refrigerator. “A lot of people have had a long drive by the time they get here. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to make a cup of coffee and sit down for an hour before you think about anything else.”

“It is.” Mara looked around the kitchen again. “It’s very thoughtful.”

“That’s what we want the lodge to be. Somewhere people can settle in and feel at home while they’re here.”

Something about the simple words made Mara swallow hard, and she looked away, toward the fireplace. “Well, you’ve certainly managed it. The cabin is lovely.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Curtis showed her the bathroom and then the bedroom at the rear of the cabin. A wide bed stood beneath a thick patchwork quilt in shades of cream, rust, and green. Wooden nightstands sat on either side, and another window framed the trees outside. “There are extra blankets in the closet. It gets cold at night once we get into fall. The heating controls are just outside the bedroom door, so turn it up if you need to. Or add another log or two to the fire.”

“I will.”

“There’s plenty of firewood in the box at the end of the porch.” They returned to the main room, and Curtis pointed toward a folder lying on the dining table. “The Wi-Fi password is in there. You’ll also find the lodge number, a map of the property, and some of the local walking routes.”

“I’m not sure anyone needs Wi-Fi with a view like that.” Mara glanced through the window at the hills beyond the trees.

Curtis chuckled. “You might feel differently after a day or two.”

“I probably will.” Mara nodded. “I’m an event planner. I spend half my life answering emails and checking schedules. I’m not very good at being completely unreachable.”

“Then at least you know it’s there when you need it.” Curtis tapped the folder.

“Oh, I came prepared.” Mara rested one hand on the back of the dining chair. “Very prepared. I have a whole itinerary in my planner.” The words were out before she thought about them, and her smile faded. Had. She had a whole itinerary planned.

She wasn’t sure she could face doing the planned activities alone. Every walk in that planner had been chosen for two. She had pictured Scott beside her on each trail, at each table, in the passenger seat on each drive. How was she supposed to open it now and see anything except the gap where he should have been?

Curtis didn’t say anything. He just waited. She stared out at the trees. “I’m not really sure what I’m going to do with all of it now.”

“There’s no hurry to decide today,” he said gently. “You’ve only just arrived.”

“No. I suppose there isn’t.”

“And there’s plenty around here you can enjoy on your own. The walking trail behind the lodge is a good place to start. It follows the creek for a while, then loops back through the woods. It’s a nice walk, especially this time of year.”

“That was on my list.”

“Then I’d leave it there.” Curtis leaned on the back of the other chair. “Your plans might have changed, but that doesn’t mean everything you were looking forward to has to change with them.”

For a moment, Mara didn’t answer. Then she nodded. “No. I suppose it doesn’t.”

“And don’t forget to visit the town. There’s a wonderful bakery right on Main Street,” Curtis said. “You could grab some sandwiches and pastries to take on your hike. Sweeten the deal, so to speak.”

Mara chuckled. “Now that does sound like a good idea.”

“It is. Gabe opens early, and there’s always something warm coming out of the ovens. It’s worth a visit just for the smell.” Curtis closed his eyes and inhaled as if he’d been transported right inside the bakery.