When I Fall In Love. Bridget Anderson

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      “Welcome to Coleman House Bed and Breakfast. You must be Tayler Carter.”

      Surprised to be greeted by an older man in a pair of overalls holding a large pitcher of something, Tayler stopped and removed her sunglasses.

      “Yes, I am.”

      “Come on in. She’s been expecting you.”

      She? Tayler had thought Nicole’s cousin was a man. She pulled her suitcase across the front porch past two large white rocking chairs.

      The man juggled the pitcher in his hand and reached for her suitcase. “Let me get that for you. Would you like a glass of lemonade?”

      “No thank you.”

      She stepped inside, expecting a grand foyer like the one at Tara.

      “You can just step over to the counter there.” He nodded to a small area to the right of the staircase. “My wife will get you all settled in. I’ll be right back.”

      He left her suitcase at the foot of the stairs and disappeared down the hall.

      Was that Rollin, she wondered.

      Tayler did a 360, taking in the custom drapes, the wide spiral staircase and the antique furniture scattered about. The house had an intimate look and feel to it.

      “Well, you must be Tayler.”

      A middle-aged woman walked up to Tayler, wiping her hands off on a kitchen towel, and then extended her hand.

      “I’m at a disadvantage here. Seems like everybody knows me.” Tayler accepted the woman’s hand.

      “I’m Rita, the housekeeper, and that lug back there is my husband, Wallace. He’ll be up directly to take your suitcase to your room. Nicole told us to expect you. I’m supposed to check you in.” She walked behind the registration desk and looked around as though she wasn’t quite sure what to do.

      “It’s nice to meet you, Rita.”

      “Yes, ma’am, we’ll just get you to sign the book here. And I don’t rightly know where the receipt book is, so why don’t I let Rollin handle that.” She handed Tayler a pen.

      Tayler smiled. They actually had guest sign in, like something out of an old movie. How quaint—or antiquated, she wasn’t sure which. The minute she finished signing the book, Wallace returned and scooped up her suitcase.

      “You’re in the first room up there on the left.” Rita pointed up the stairs. “It faces the fields and you’ll get good sunlight in the morning. Did you have much trouble finding the place?” she asked as she came from behind the counter and motioned for Tayler to follow her husband up the stairs.

      “A little, but I was fortunate enough to get a police escort.”

      “Really, from who? Tim?”

      “No, he said his name was Greg.” Tayler held onto the banister as her heels sank into the plush carpet on the stairs. Everything was polished to a high gloss shine and smelled like fresh lemons.

      “Oh, yeah, that’s Greg Mason. He’s a nice enough fella. He went to high school with Rollin.”

      “Here you go, ladies. I’ll be out back if you need me.” Wallace set her suitcase inside the door and backed out.

      “In here is your bathroom.” Rita gave Tayler a quick tour of her room and then the rest of the second floor. There were three other bedrooms, two of which were occupied. After the tour, she instructed Tayler to return to the lobby after she’d freshened up and Rollin would complete her check-in.

      Tayler dropped her purse on the bed and looked around the room with all its ruffles and flowers. If she’d had her own room growing up she would have wanted something with ruffles. But now that style was too country for her taste. But country or not, it would be her home for the next two months.

      * * *

      Rollin switched off the tractor and climbed down. He walked across the yard to the barn, thinking about the pair of legs that had just climbed out of a sports car and walked into his house. She had to be his cousin Nicole’s friend from Chicago.

      “So, how the fields lookin’ this afternoon?”

      Rollin turned around to find his uncle Wallace walking into the barn with both hands in the pockets of his overalls.

      “Everything’s cool. What’s up? You ready to stop working on them broke-down cars and join me?”

      Wallace laughed and greeted his nephew with a handshake and a hug.

      Every time Wallace dropped by, Rollin messed with him about being a mechanic instead of joining him on the farm. Wallace had never wanted to own a farm like Rollin’s father, Rollin Joe Sr. Instead, Wallace, a wizard with cars, had opened his first auto body shop fifteen years ago.

      “Boy, you know I don’t know nothin’ ’bout no farming. I’ll stick to cars, if you don’t mind. Hey, you got a guest up at the house, and Rita don’t know how to check her in. She told her you’d be up directly, to help.”

      “Yeah, I’m on my way up.” He knocked the dust off his jeans and pulled his T-shirt over his head. He quickly grabbed another T-shirt from a peg and pulled it on. “I don’t know why I agreed to let Nicole’s friend stay so long. I’m thinking about closing down the B and B.”

      “You did it because Nicole’s family and this woman is a good friend of hers. Besides, I don’t think you’ll be regretting anything once you get up to the house.”

      Rollin glanced back at the lopsided grin on his uncle’s face and shook his head. Wallace was what he called an old player, one who’d finally settled down with his third wife.

      * * *

      After freshening up a bit, Tayler grabbed her purse and headed downstairs. The second floor was still quiet and she wondered where the other guests were. On her descent she heard a deep male voice that sent a slight shiver down her spine. The velvety-smooth voice grew louder as she came closer to the first floor. The front door stood wide-open and standing in its midst was a fine, tall piece of sculptured art. The man had on nice-fitting jeans, work boots and a black T-shirt that hugged every muscular inch of his upper body.

      He turned from the door and his gaze slowly traveled up the stairs, almost knocking Tayler on her butt. She gripped the banister to keep from tumbling down face-first. A pair of beautiful almond-shaped brown eyes stared up at her.

      Oh, my God. Is that Rollin?

       Chapter 2

      The man’s lips moved, but Tayler didn’t hear a word coming out of his mouth. He licked his lips before the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile, enticing her with those dimples. A well-groomed mustache and sexy goatee completed his manly look. She took another step and almost fell, but willed her feet to get her down the rest of the steps without embarrassing her.

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