When I Fall In Love. Bridget Anderson

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.

      He walked over and met her at the foot of the stairs. “You must be Tayler. I’m Rollin Coleman Jr.” He extended his hand.

      She accepted his firm handshake. “Tayler Carter. It’s nice to meet you.”

      “Just step over here and I’ll get you all checked in.” He walked over behind the counter.

      Tayler followed him, taking full advantage of the view. Why in the hell is this man working on a farm instead of modeling underwear in a magazine somewhere?

      He pulled her name up on the computer. “So, Nicole said you wanted to stay a month. Is that right?”

      “A month or two, I had told her. She said to let you know once I arrived.” As he worked the computer keys her eyes traveled up his arms, stopping at his biceps, which were speaking to her in a language she wanted to learn.

      He arched a brow. “A month or two?”

      “Yes. Is that gonna be a problem?”

      He took a deep breath and shook his head. “Probably not. This late in August, most of the summer crowd has gone. You must have one hell of a job to get that much vacation time.”

      “Yeah.” She didn’t want to talk about her leave or why she wanted to stay two months.

      “So, how do you want to pay for this, a week at a time or a month at a time?”

      “How about a month?” She handed over her credit card.

      “That’ll work. Who knows, a month might be all you can take,” he said with a sour look on his face.

      Tayler furrowed her brows. What the hell did he mean by that?

      While he finished the transaction, she turned around to admire more of the beautiful foyer and its great crown moldings.

      “This is a beautiful house. It reminds me of Tara—”

      “From Gone with the Wind,” they said in unison. She smiled, but he sort of frowned, as if he hated that she had said that.

      “Yeah, we get that a lot,” Rollin said. “My parents built the place, but I don’t know if they were fans or not.” He walked from behind the counter. “Come on, I’ve got time for a quick tour.”

      He started on the first floor and walked her through the dining room, where he said meals would be served. He then led her through the living room/library, where walls of books resided and afternoon tea would be served. There was also a small recreation room, with a billiard table and