Last Chance Knit & Stitch Read online

  “You made me look beautiful. Prettier than I am.”

  “Oh, no,” he finally said. “No, Molly, that’s the way you look. At least it’s the way you look to my heart.”

  A good kind of dizziness assailed her. The kind of dizziness they talked about in love songs. “It’s so good to see you. Why are you here? Why did you leave the painting and not stay until I opened the door?”

  There was a world of emotion in his eyes. “I … Well, I was at the hardware store, getting the twine, and Clay Rhodes told me your incredible news. A baby? Well, that’s surprising. I guess you and Les finally figured it out, huh?”

  “Oh, no. No. Les is with Ricki. He married her, actually. They ran off to Georgia and surprised us all. No, Les is not about to become anyone’s daddy.”

  The funniest look stole over Simon’s features. “Molly.” Her name seemed to be all he was able to say.

  “Why did you come back?” she asked, hoping the question would prod him into saying something. Anything. Because talking about being pregnant was the last thing she wanted to do. Especially after he’d given her that hopelessly romantic painting.

  Her worst fears were materializing right in front of her.

  “I … Well, I thought if I gave you the painting you’d …” He paused, seemingly unable to go on. His eyes looked sad and confused. He’d always worn his feelings right there for the world to read.

  “That I’d what?” she asked.

  “Molly, I know this is going to sound very strange coming from me. After all the nonsense I spouted that afternoon down by the river. But, well, the truth is Miriam Randall is a very wise woman. She told me that someone would change my mind. She also told me that it’s the stuff you don’t do that you regret the most. And she was right about that. I should have come home a long time ago.”

  “Home?”

  “Here.” He reached and put his beautiful artist hands over her heart. “Home.”

  Molly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She wanted to throw herself into his arms. But of course she couldn’t. He wasn’t going to stay once he figured it all out.

  “You want to stay?” she asked, letting all her fear show through.

  “If you’ll have me.”

  “Oh, crap.” She was really feeling dizzy now.

  The corner of his mouth curled. “That wasn’t exactly the response I was looking for.”

  “No, I mean yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes. I’ll have you. Forever, please. Oh God, this is terrible.”

  “Terrible?”

  Her throat started to close, but she forced it to open. “The thing is, that stuff you heard in town? About the baby. It’s not a mistake. I mean it was a mistake but it’s not. I mean …”

  “It’s my baby, isn’t it?” he asked. He seemed so incredibly calm about the news.

  She started to really babble then. “I know I should have called you weeks ago. I know that. But … I …” She took a deep, deep breath. “Simon, I don’t want you to feel like you have to marry me. I’m perfectly capable of managing all on my own. And I know you don’t want to—”

  He put his fingers over her lips. “Being a parent scares me to death. But if you think for one minute that I’m running away from you because of this, you’re crazy. And don’t get any ideas that I would want to be with you only because of this situation. That’s not true either.

  “Molly, I love you. And I guess the unexpected is about to happen, and I’m going to become someone’s parent. But if you don’t want me in your life. If you …”

  He sounded so uncertain. And that astounded her until she realized that she had never told him how she felt about him. She’d gone to great lengths to hide those feelings.

  “Oh, my God, don’t you know? I fell in love with you the minute I danced with you at Dash and Savannah’s wedding. But of course, I wasn’t about to admit that to you. I thought you would run away if I told you.”

  “Well, I’m not running now.” He reached out and caressed her cheek. His hand was warm despite the cold deluge that was threatening to wash them away. “Molly.” The sound of her name on his lips was like a blessing. “Will you have me?”

  “Yes,” she whispered back.

  And then he kissed her, while the rain beat down on Coach’s Georgia Tech umbrella.

  Also by Hope Ramsay

  Welcome to Last Chance

  Home at Last Chance

  Small Town Christmas (anthology)

  Last Chance Beauty Queen

  Last Chance Bride (short story)

  Last Chance Christmas

  Last Chance Book Club

  Last Chance Summer (short story)

  Praise for Hope Ramsay’s Heartwarming Series

  Last Chance Book Club

  “4½ stars! [A] first-class romance, with compelling characters and a real sense of location—the town is practically a character on its own. This entry is sure to keep Ramsay’s fan base growing.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “The ladies of the Last Chance Book Club keep the gossip flowing in this story graced with abundant Southern Charm and quirky, caring people. Another welcome chapter to Ramsay’s engaging, funny, hope-filled series.”

  —Library Journal

  “I love this story … Southern charm at its funniest.”

  —FreshFiction.com

  “Last Chance is a place we’ve come to know as well as we know our own home towns. It’s become real, filled with people who could be our aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, or the crazy cat-lady down the street. It’s familiar, comfortable, welcoming.”

  —RubySlipperedSisterhood.com

  “Hope Ramsay heats up romance to such a degree every reader will be looking for a nice, cool glass of sweet tea to cool off.”

  —The Reading Reviewer (MaryGramlich.blogspot.com)

  Last Chance Christmas

  “4 stars! Ramsay’s romance packs just enough heat in this holiday-inspired story, with lead characters who will induce both belly laughs and smiles. Her hero and heroine are in for rough times, but their heartache and longing had me longing right along with them.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “A captivating tale.”

  —RomRevToday.com

  “Amazing … These lovely folks filled with Southern charm [and] gossip were such fun to get to know … This story spoke to me on so many levels about faith, strength, courage, and choices … If you’re looking for a good Christmas story with a few angels, then Last Chance Christmas is a must read. For fans of Susan Wigg.”

  —TheSeasonforRomance.com

  “Visiting Last Chance is always a joy, but Hope Ramsay has outdone herself this time. She took a difficult hero, a wounded heroine, familiar characters, added a little Christmas magic, and—Voila!—gave us a story sure to touch the Scroogiest of hearts … It draws us back to a painful time when tensions—and prejudices—ran deep, compels us to remember and forgive, and reminds us that healing, redemption, and love are the true gifts of Christmas.”

  —RubySlipperedSisterhood.com

  Last Chance Beauty Queen

  “4½ stars! Get ready for a story to remember when Ramsay spins this spirited contemporary tale. If the y’alls don’t enchant you, the fast-paced, easy read will. The third installment in the Last Chance series is filled with characters that define eccentric, off the wall, and bonkers, but most of all they’re enchantingly funny and heartwarmingly charming.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Hope Ramsay has penned an irresistible tale in Last Chance Beauty Queen with its unforgettable characters and laugh out loud scenes … Watch how an opposites-attract couple find their way to each other … and a possible future. Grab this today and get ready for a rollicking read.”

  —RomRevToday.com

  “A little Bridget Jones meets Sweet Home Alabama.”

  —GrafWV.com

  Home at Last Chance

  “4 stars! Nicely told.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Entertain
ing … Readers will feel once again the warm ‘Welcome to Last Chance’ by the quirky Ladies’ Auxiliary crew … Contemporary fans will enjoy the homespun regional race to the finish line.”

  —GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com

  “An enjoyable ride that will capture interest and hold it to the very end.”

  —RomRevToday.blogspot.com

  “Full of small town charm and southern hospitality … You will want to grab a copy of Welcome to Last Chance as well.”

  —TopRomanceNovels.com

  Welcome to Last Chance

  “Ramsay’s delicious contemporary debut introduces the town of Last Chance, SC, and its warmhearted inhabitants … [she] strikes an excellent balance between tension and humor as she spins a fine yarn.”

  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “[A] charming series, featuring quirky characters you won’t soon forget.”

  —Barbara Freethy, USA Today bestselling author of At Hidden Falls

  “Full of small-town charm and southern heat … humorous, heartwarming, and sexy. I couldn’t put it down!”

  —Robin Wells, author of Still the One

  “A sweet confection … This first of a projected series about the Rhodes brothers offers up Southern hospitality with a bit of grit. Romance readers will be delighted.”

  —Library Journal

  “Hope Ramsay delivers with this sweet and sassy story of small-town love, friendship, and the ties that bind.”

  —Lisa Dale, author of Simple Wishes

  “Ramsay has created a great new series … Not only are the two main characters compelling and fun, but as you read, the entire town of kooky but very real people become part of your life … I can hardly wait until I visit Last Chance again.”

  —FreshFiction.com

  “Touching … funny … Ramsay’s characters were endearing and lovable, and I eagerly look forward to the rest of [the series].”

  —NovelReaction.com

  “A sweet romance … sassy and fun characters.”

  —Book Hounds (maryinhb.blogspot.com)

  “Captivating … great characterization, amusing dialogue … I am glad that the universe sent Welcome to Last Chance my way, and I am going to make sure that it does the same with Hope Ramsay’s future books.”

  —LikesBooks.com

  READING GROUP GUIDE

  Discussion Questions for Last Chance Knit & Stitch

  Last Chance Knit & Stitch shares some important themes with Little Women, especially with respect to a woman’s role in society. How do the books compare in their portrayal of the conflict women feel between familial duty and personal growth? How do the books compare in their treatment of gender stereotypes?

  Both Last Chance Knit & Stitch and Little Women end with the hero and heroine under an umbrella. In one book, the hero is holding the umbrella and in the other the heroine does the honors. Do you think that matters? Which book, in your opinion, has the more satisfying ending? Why do you feel that way?

  Both Simon’s and Molly’s parents had expectations of them that were not realistic. Discuss how Simon and Molly handled their parents’ expectations. Do you think their strategies were good ones? Did your own parents have expectations of you that you couldn’t fulfill? Do you have expectations of your own children that may not be realistic? What about the parents in Little Women? How did Mr. and Mrs. March handle the conflict between what they wanted for their children and their children’s personal fulfillment?

  Learning to deal with anger is an important theme in the book. How is anger a destructive force in Simon’s life? Is there any time in the book when Simon uses his anger as a positive force? Do you think he would be as good at harnessing the positive aspects of anger, if he had not also experienced anger’s darker side? Do you think Molly’s anger was a positive or negative force for her?

  Scattered throughout the novel are several scenes that mirror Little Women. Can you find them? Email your answers to [email protected] for prizes and swag.

  How is Leslie Hayes similar to Theodore Laurence? How are they different? Are there times in Last Chance Knit & Stitch when Simon is more like Laurie? How is Simon similar to Professor Bhaer?

  At one point in the book Miz Miriam postulates that dogs are closer to God than human beings. Do you agree with this idea? If so, why? And if you don’t, why not?

  Muffin doesn’t like Les, but the book is silent about why. Do you have any theories? Do you think Ricki was right when she made Les work so hard to make friends with the dog? Has a pet ever come between you and your significant other? How did that situation work out?

  Both Ricki and Les and Molly and Simon were couples dealing with age differences. Do you think age should be a disqualifying factor in seeking someone to love? Why do you think modern society frowns on romances between couples of different ages, while it was often the case that younger women married much older men in the 1800s, when Little Women was written? Do you think there are gender stereotypes when it comes to May-December romance?

  Jenny Carpenter believes that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

  Will famous author Gabe Raintree find her award-winning pies delectable?

  Please turn this page for a preview of

  Inn at Last Chance.

  CHAPTER

  1

  The bitter January wind had blown in a cold front. The clouds hung heavy and somber over the swamp. There would be rain. Possibly ice.

  Jenny Carpenter wrapped a hand-knit shawl around her shoulders and gazed through the window above the kitchen sink of the house she’d bought last August. The tops of the Carolina pines bent in the wind. The weatherman said it was going to be quite a storm, and Allenberg County had already had one ice storm this year—on Christmas Eve. It was just four days past New Year’s Day.

  She turned away from the window toward the heart of her almost-restored house. Her kitchen restoration was almost finished. Yellow subway tiles marched up the backsplash behind the Vulcan stove, an antique pie safe occupied the far wall. The curtains were gingham. Eveything about this room was bright and cheerful, in sharp contrast to the weather outside.

  She closed her eyes and imagined the smell of apple pie cooking in her professional baker’s oven. This kitchen would rival the one Savannah Randall had installed at the old movie theater in town. She smiled. Savannah’s strudel was good, but Jenny’s apple pie had still won the blue ribbon at the Watermelon Festival last summer.

  She could almost hear Mother sermonizing about pride, and her smile faded. She turned back toward the window.

  Jenny hated the winter. She hated the cold. And despite her excitement about the kitchen, winter was getting the best of her.

  The crew she’d hired to cut back the overgrowth on either side of the driveway had called to say that they wouldn’t be out today, and probably not tomorrow. The movers weren’t going to show up today either, which meant Mother’s antique furniture would spend yet another night in the commercial storage space where it had been sitting for five years. And Gladys Smith, the leader of the Methodist Women’s Sewing Club, had called five minutes ago all a-twitter because there was ice in the forecast.

  The Sewing Club had graciously volunteered to help Jenny sew curtains for the bedrooms and sitting room. The fabric bolts—all traditional low country floral designs—were stacked in the room that would soon be the dining room. But, as Gladys pointed out, the gals were not coming all the way out to the swamp on an icy day in January. So tomorrow Jenny might be the only one sitting out here sewing.

  It wasn’t just the weather. She knew that she’d taken a huge risk buying the Jonquil House. The old place wasn’t anywhere near downtown. If she’d been able to buy Charlotte Wolfe’s house, her bed and breakfast would have been located near the middle of things. And she would probably already be in business, since Charlotte’s house was in perfect condition.

  But Charlotte had changed her mind about selling.

  So Jenny had bought the
Jonquil House. Even if it wasn’t downtown.

  The house was near the public boat launch on the Edisto River. There were some really good fishing and hunting spots right outside the front door. And you couldn’t beat the view from the porch on a summer’s day. She hoped to attract business from hunters and fishermen and eco tourists anxious to canoe the Edisto or bird watch in the swamp.

  The Jonquil House had the additional benefit of being dirt cheap, since it had been abandoned for years. But Jenny had to spend a lot of cash to shore up the foundation, replace the roof, and update the plumbing and electrical. Not to mention installing her state-of-the-art kitchen. Still, the purchase price had been so ridiculously low that on balance, Jenny was financially ahead of where she would have been if she’d bought Charlotte’s house.

  If all went well, the Jonquil House would be open for business by March first, just in time for the jonquils to be in full bloom. There were hundreds of jonquils naturalized in the woods surrounding the house. No doubt they had been planted by the Raintree family, who had built the house more than a hundred years ago as a hunting camp and summer getaway.

  Those jonquils were the reason she’d chosen yellow for her kitchen walls. She couldn’t wait to take pictures of her beautiful white house against the backdrop of the dark Carolina woods, gray Spanish moss, and bright yellow daffodils. That photo would be posted right on the home page of the inn’s website, which was still under construction too.

  She was thinking about her breakfast menu when there came a sudden pounding at her front door. Her new brass knocker had yet to be installed, but that didn’t seem to bother whoever had come to call.

  In fact it sounded like someone was trying to knock the darn door down.

  She hurried down the center hall, enjoying the rich patina of the restored wood floors and the simple country feeling of the white lath walls. Maybe the movers had changed their minds and she’d be able to get Mother’s furniture set up in the bedrooms, after all. Then she’d know what additional pieces she needed. A shopping trip to Charleston had already been scheduled for early February.