When I Fall in Love (11 page)

Chapter 12

T
ayler spent the next couple of days being cordial to Rollin and trying not to think about Saturday night. No other guests had checked in, and Rita was still out sick. Tayler did a little antique shopping and took some beautiful landscape pictures with her cell phone. Whenever she saw Rollin, all she could think about was the mind-blowing sex they'd shared.

She'd agreed to meet Corra after her Tuesday evening choir rehearsal to give an empowerment talk to the women of the choir. “Corra, I thought you said there were only ten women in the choir,” Tayler said, standing in a room full of beautiful women of all ages and sizes.

“Yeah, about that. I told a few other church members they could come, and you know how news travels in small towns. A few other women invited themselves.”

Tayler looked around the room, both surprised and delighted. What she liked most was empowering small groups of women. After a brief introduction from Corra, Tayler stepped up to the podium.

“Ladies, thank you for sticking around tonight. I promise not to take up too much of your time. Corra asked me to speak to you tonight, so I thought I'd start off by telling you who I am, then we'll talk about being at peace with ourselves.”

* * *

Wednesday morning Tayler decided to go for a walk after breakfast, since the temperature was bearable. She'd reached the garden out back when Rollin strolled up the path to join her. She wanted to turn around and run back inside, but why? She'd have to face him sooner or later.

“Enjoying the gardens?” Rollin asked.

“I am,” she responded. “I was going to take a walk,” she said, glancing from one path to the other, “but I'm not sure which direction to go.”

“That path right there—” he pointed over her left shoulder “—leads down to a nice creek surrounded by wild flowers and a few benches. You might like that,” he added.

“That sounds nice and relaxing,” she said, looking toward the tree-lined path.

“Just watch out for snakes.”

Tayler whipped her head around and caught the grin on his face before he tried to replace it with a more serious look. “You're kidding me, right?”

He shrugged. “You're in the country. Creeks and wooded areas are home to snakes.”

“Oh, well, so much for a morning stroll. I don't like snakes.” She turned back toward the house.

“Come on.” He chuckled and gestured for her to follow him.

She turned slowly but didn't move toward him.

He walked past her. “I'll walk down with you to scare away snakes, and then I promise to leave you alone.”

She hesitated for a few seconds before they started down the path together.

“My mom had these paths cleared so she could walk down to the creek and sit and read. She liked to hear the rippling of the water.” He looked around at the heavily wooded area on each side of the path.

Tayler felt as if she were walking into the lion's den. Anytime she stood next to Rollin or talked to him, an inability to concentrate on anything other than him took over. He had that kind of effect on her.

“This really is a remarkable place you have here.”

He strolled along with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Thank you. My parents loved it—that's why they wanted to share it with so many people. Unfortunately, it's more of a financial drain than anything else these days. Something always needs fixing. Since we have vacancies, I've started minor repairs to all of the rooms upstairs except yours.”

“It doesn't have to be a drain, that's for sure. I have a head full of ideas that could help you. Like new branding and more of a social media presence. With the right partnerships you could be at capacity almost every week.”

He gave her a knowing smile and nodded. “I see you're amazing in more ways than one.”

She let on as though she had no idea what he was talking about. “Excuse me?”

“You're a woman of many talents. I don't doubt that the businesswoman in you wants to pick this place apart.”

“You'll have to let me show you what I do. I don't pick businesses apart. I build partnerships that improve business for all parties.”

“I bet you do.” Rollin stopped as they reached the clearing next to the creek, where two iron benches sat side by side.

Tayler took a seat and listened to the rippling of the water.

“This is where I leave you,” Rollin said as he turned around.

Tayler didn't want him to leave, but she couldn't ask him to stay, either. He had work to do.

* * *

The next morning Tayler had breakfast with Rollin and Kevin. She even rode out to the field with Kevin to get vegetables for the day's meal. When she returned, Rollin was out working, and Rita was still at home sick, so Tayler found her lemonade pitcher and whipped up a batch herself. She hoped Rollin wouldn't mind her messing around in the kitchen, because she missed Rita's afternoon lemonade.

Soon afterward, Corra showed up and they worked on the fund-raiser in the library.

“Tayler, thank you so much again for Tuesday night. The ladies can't stop talking about you. Everybody wants you to come speak at their school, or book club meeting, or whatever.”

“You're welcome. I'm glad they were so responsive.”

“Oh, they were motivated, and inspired. My phone hasn't stopped ringing. I have a feeling this is the start of something great.”

“I hope so, Corra.”

“Oh, by the way, we've got the fund-raiser website fixed. All the problems you pointed out are no longer there.”

“That's great. Who fixed it?”

“Chris—he's one of Rollin's partners. He's a computer wizard and I didn't even know it. He's a cutie pie, too.”

“Hmm, do I detect a little interest in this guy?”

“Girl, that man is not interested in a woman with two kids, especially not his boy's younger sister. He ran with Rollin in high school and I used to have the biggest crush on him.”

“Then why don't you ask him out? You'll never know how he feels about kids if you don't say anything.”

Corra shook her head. “Call me old-fashioned, but I don't ask men out. I'm just not that aggressive.”

“If you can get half the businesses in this town to give money for a fund-raiser in a recession, you're aggressive enough to ask him out.”

Corra blushed. “So you just ask men out when you want to?”

“I have.”

“Yeah, but you seem like the type of woman who goes after what she wants. That's just not me. Besides, I believe a relationship has more of a chance when the man is the one doing the asking.”

“What if he's too shy to ask?”

“I've got two kids. I don't need a shy man.”

Tayler laughed. “Yeah, but men like the woman to be the aggressor every now and then—that way he knows you want him. Men risk rejection all the time.”

“I guess you're right, but...”

Tayler listened to Corra, but her mind drifted off to Saturday night and the way she'd run out on Rollin. The way she'd rejected him after he'd made her feel as if she was on top of the world. She hadn't thought about it from his perspective before now.

Corra and Tayler were deep in conversation when the doorbell rang. Corra answered it and in walked a middle-aged man, a woman and two little boys. They were passing through Danville and wanted to know if there were any vacancies.

“Sure, come on in,” Corra said.

Tayler knew the other guest rooms were being repaired.

“Have a seat and I'll get you all checked in.” Corra stepped back into the library. “Tayler, I'll be right back.”

“Corra, do you have another room ready?” Tayler whispered.

“There should be,” Corra said. “We have four rooms upstairs,” she added in a whisper.

Tayler shook her head. “Rollin's making repairs in the other three rooms, so none of them are guest ready.”

“You're kidding.” Corra turned around to see the family had stepped out to get their luggage.

Tayler followed Corra to the front door.

“Shoot, what do I do now? They're bringing their bags in.”

Tayler had an idea. “Are the upstairs bedrooms the only ones in the house?”

“No, the family quarters are down here, but they're small. Besides, Rollin would kill me if I put them back there.”

“I'll move. We can get my room cleaned up for them. Tell them to go get something to eat and when they return the room will be ready. It has two full-size beds in it—it's perfect.”

Corra turned to her. “No, I can't ask you to move.”

“You didn't, I volunteered.”

Corra grabbed Tayler's shoulders. “You're a godsend, you know that?”

“I'll run and pack.” She winked at Corra.

“And I need to find Rollin.”

Tayler ran upstairs and threw her clothes back in her suitcase. She never fully unpacked her suitcase regardless of how long she stayed anywhere.

A few minutes later, the bedroom door swung open and Corra walked in. “Okay, we've got an hour before they get back. Wow, you're almost packed already?”

“I never really unpack,” Tayler said before going into the bathroom for her toiletries. “What did Rollin say?”

“I haven't found him yet. He's not answering his cell phone, so I just left a message. I'll go grab some stuff and start on the bathroom.”

Together they cleaned the bathroom, changed the linen and vacuumed the floor.

Corra stopped working and looked around the room. “My mother used to love when guests showed up. She lived for this stuff. All she wanted to do was decorate these rooms and cook for people. She was good at it, too.”

“That's what Rollin said. Did she do most of the work herself?”

“Yep, whatever she couldn't get me and Rollin to do, anyway. We were little innkeepers in training. She taught us how to properly make a bed, and we baked cookies every day, it seemed like. Most of the time I hated it because I'd rather be out with my girlfriends.”

“And she still doesn't like it,” a deep voice interjected.

Corra and Tayler turned toward the sound of Rollin's voice. He took up the entire entrance and looked mad as hell.

“I got your message. What the hell are you doing, Corra?”

“I knew you'd be a little testy, but Tayler and I have everything under control.”

Rollin turned his enraged look toward Tayler. “You're a guest. You don't have to move out of this room. I'd like to have a word with my sister.”

“Rollin, it was my idea,” Tayler offered.

He looked taken aback. “What do you mean, it was your idea?”

“I remembered you saying the other rooms were being repaired, so I suggested my room. I don't mind moving at all.”

He crossed his arms and tilted his head toward Corra. “And where is she moving to?”

“The second bedroom downstairs, where else? And you need to get these rooms up here completed. Rollin, I know what you're trying to do, and you are not closing this B and B. If I have to quit my job and come work here myself, we're not closing.”

Tayler detected the pissed look on Rollin's face and decided it was time to leave. “I'll step out and let you guys talk,” she said and backed out into the hallway. She eased on down the steps and into the foyer, holding her bag of toiletries. She hadn't expected such an eventful vacation. One thing was for sure, she'd have a story to tell when she returned home.

A few minutes later, the door upstairs swung open and Rollin came down the steps with her suitcase and laptop case in hand. “Follow me. I'll show you to your room.”

He proceeded down the hall toward his bedroom, which gave Tayler a flashback of their night together. They walked past his room to the next door. He held it open for her to enter.

“This is the family guest room. I'm sorry that it's not as brightly decorated as the one upstairs.”

She looked around at the room decorated in warm gold and burgundy colors with a four-poster mahogany bed. It had everything the other room had, except a desk for her to work on.

“Where's the bathroom?” she asked.

“Through here.” He walked over and opened the door to the bathroom. “It's an adjoining bathroom.”

She looked up at him.

“Yeah, that means we'll have to share. I wish Corra had told you that before you volunteered to give up your room.”

“That's okay, we'll make it work. This is turning out to be more of an adventure than a mere vacation.”

He walked back into the bedroom and to the door. “I'll let you get your stuff all settled, then.”

“Rollin, one of the reasons I volunteered to move is that I agree with Corra—you shouldn't close the B and B. The growth potential is phenomenal. And with Rita being out, I thought I could help out a little bit. It'll give me an opportunity to test out some of the ideas I spoke to you about yesterday.”

He arched a brow, then let out a deep sigh. “We can discuss your ideas, but don't worry about helping out. Corra's gonna do that, since her mouth got you into this.”

She glanced down for a moment. “Ah, can we tackle the elephant in the room before this goes any farther?”

He crossed his arm and gave her a slow, appraising glance. “And what would that be?”

“I don't want you to think I'm down here because of what happened Saturday night. I'm not trying to send mixed signals or anything.”

He widened his stance and tilted his head. “Okay.”

“I don't want you to think I jump in bed with just anybody, because I don't.”

He shook his head. “I don't make assumptions about you anymore, remember. Not that I consider myself
just
anybody, anyway.”

“Well, that was the first time I've ever done anything that spontaneous and reckless. You don't have to worry about that happening again.”