I giggled. “Yeah, it’s one of my grandfather’s favorites. I grew up watching all those shows. I can’t believe you’ve never seen it. Oh my God.”
“What?”
“You’ve never seenI Love Lucy, either, have you?”
“Nope.”
Brooks opened the heavy ornate front door and gestured for me to enter first. A dapper-dressed gentleman wearing a gray vest and a pink bow tie stood behind the polished wooden counter. He looked like he belonged on Saville Row in London, not in a small mountain town in North Idaho.
On the back wall over the counter was a portrait of a beagle standing proudly with its nose in the air, a red bow tie around its neck. Now I understood the name of the bed and breakfast.
“Good evening,” the man greeted Brooks with a smile. “Nice to see you, Mr. Keel.”
“Brooks,” he corrected.
“Brooks.” His eyes slid to me. “Hello and welcome to The Regal Beagle. I’m Richard Pendergast, the owner. You must be Poet Peabody.”
“That’s me,” I confirmed.
“I’ve been expecting you.”
“I had some car trouble. Do you have the number of a tow company? If it weren’t for Brooks, I’d still be in the ditch waiting to be rescued.”
“A ditch? Are you hurt? Do you need to see a doctor?”
I waved away his concern. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“The car took the brunt of it,” Brooks explained. “She didn’t hit her head.”
Richard’s eyebrows rose as he glanced from me to Brooks and then back to me. “I’m glad you’re okay. I’ll show you to your room and then I’ll get you the number of the tow company.”
He reached for my luggage, but Brooks said, “I’ve got it.”
Richard nodded and addressed me. “You’re on the second floor.”
We followed him up the stairs. Ornate gold frames encasing landscape oil paintings dotted the walls in a maximalist collage. But somehow it worked in the narrow space.
Richard used an old iron skeleton key to open the door. He stepped aside and gestured for me to enter the room. The windows were draped with gold chintz, and the walls were soft robin’s-egg blue.
“This is our Duchess Room. I hope you enjoy your stay. Speaking of stay, do you know how long you plan on being here with us?”
“A few days at least,” I said. “After that, I’m not sure. Can I let you know?”
“Absolutely. But the sooner you let me know, the better. We are gearing up for tourist season. Autumn is a busy time of year in Huckleberry Hill.”
“No doubt,” I murmured.
“Well, let me get that tow company’s number for you.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Richard left and Brooks came into the room and set my luggage by the window. I placed the grocery bags on the bed.
Now that I had plenty of light, I studied him.
And suddenly wished I hadn’t.
Because he was stunning. Stunning in that primal, steal-my-breath-I-can’t-look-anywhere-else-but-directly-at-him kind of way.
