“Oh wait.” Riley dug into her purse and handed Melody several bills. “I keep forgetting to give you this.”
Melody took the cash. “What for?”
“The curse jar. I had a bit of a relapse back in July.”
Melody laughed, then waved as Riley headed for the gate. “Invite me to the wedding!” she called out.
The wedding. At the time she had laughed at Melody’s words, thinking they were a lighthearted joke. But lately she thought about it more often, in a fantasy kind of way.
Yet as she sat there with Hayden, on the stoop of the shop she loved, the people she loved on the other side of the door, she realized something that should have been so clear before. “I love you, Hayden.”
His eyes lit up, then closed, and she wondered what he was thinking. When he opened them again, there was a slight sheen to them. “I’ve been waiting to hear you say those words,” he whispered, “from the moment we met.”
“At the airport?”
He shook his head, giving her a smile she knew was only for her. “Tenth grade.”
Riley laughed. “Yeah, right.”
His brow went up as he took her hand. “Are you mocking fifteen-year-old me?”
She paused, her mouth partly open as she searched for the teasing glint she expected to see in his eyes. “You’re not kidding.”
Hayden squeezed her hand. “No, I’m not. Fifteen-year-old me wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box, though. If I had been, I would have asked you out back then. But the feelings were there.”
His honesty touched her. “They were there for me too. I think we had to go through everything we went through, both good and bad, to get to this point.”
He put his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him. “See, I was thinking about how many years I wasted being apart from you, but your explanation is better.” He pressed his lips against her hair. “By the way, I love you too.”
A thought popped into her head, and she didn’t think twice about it. “Now that we have that settled, let’s get married,” she said, surprising herself with the proposal, but she didn’t regret saying it.
“Wait, what?” His arm dropped from her shoulders and he faced her, his handsome face filled with shock.
“Married. Your house is almost done. The store is open, the hardware store is doing well. The chamber of commerce is willing to look at your revitalization ideas. Mimi is back to her usual self.”
“That all sounds so logical,” he said flatly.
“It does? Well, I can change that.” She grinned and put her arms around him, kissing him soundly. From inside the store she could hear the Bosom Buddies applauding and a few shrill whistles from Anita, who had killer whistling skills. Riley laughed as she pulled away from him, still smiling.
“Wow, you’re serious, aren’t you?” he said, looking bewildered. “You want to get married.”
“Yes. I do.” Then she paused, doubt filling her. She was springing the idea on him right before she would have to spend the day dealing with what she hoped would be a barrage of customers. That wasn’t exactly fair. “If you want to wait, though, that’s fine too—”
He helped her to her feet, threw open the door, and gently pulled her inside Knots and Tangles.
“Guess what?” he said to the nosy women who were crowded together only a few feet from the windows. “We’re getting married!”
Erma gasped, her gaze darting from him to Riley. “What?”
Hayden turned to Riley. “We should make it official.”
She leaned toward him, lowering her voice. “I thought it was, since I proposed to you already.”
“I can’t help that I’m old-fashioned.” He dropped to one knee. “Riley, will you—”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Harper strolled over to them, wearing a casual outfit of kitten heels, white slim pants, and a purple checkered blouse. “You can’t propose without a ring.”
“Yes, he can,” Riley pointed out.
“Harper’s right.” Anita appeared next to her, the bangs from her pixie cut touching her brown eyebrows. “Where’s the ring?”
Hayden, still kneeling, said, “I haven’t gotten that far yet.”
Olivia crossed her arms and peered down at him. “So, you’re doing this backward? What kind of proposal is that?”
“Help,” he squeaked, raising his desperate gaze to Riley.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake.” Erma grabbed a skein of Riley’s brand of hot-pink yarn, then walked back to the counter. A few minutes later, she handed a strand of it to Hayden. “Use this.”
He took the yarn from her and tied it on Riley’s left ring finger. “Will you marry me, Riley?”
“Yes.” She leaned down and took his face in her hands, kissing him until he nearly fell over as applause filled the store.
“It’s about time!” Bea said.
“Oh, we have a wedding to plan!” Viola clapped.
“This is so exciting!” Peg bounced on her tiptoes.
The women gathered together, all abuzz, the grand reopening of the shop forgotten. Riley met her grandmother’s gaze. Mimi nodded and smiled, then joined her Bosom Buddies and the younger women. The two generations hugged each other.
Hayden slipped his arms around Riley’s waist. “There’s no backing out now,” he said. “If we did, we’d have the BBs and Musketeers after us.”
Riley leaned against him, her heart filled with love as she visually embraced the women who had all become surrogate mothers to her and sisters to Mimi. They, along with Riley’s new girlfriends, were the family she had always longed for.
She glanced at the bow on her finger, then turned to Hayden and matched his smile with one of her own. Soon he would be the husband she’d always dreamed, but never dared hope, she’d have. Happy endings are true after all.
A Note from the Author
Dear Readers,
The Maple Falls series was first inspired by a visit to Arkansas Yarn Co, located in Malvern, AR. After I visited Lorri Helberg’s store (yes, she’s the Lorri in the story!) the idea of Hooked on You was born.
I’m an avid crocheter—some might say addicted, and I’m okay with that—and I love to collect yarn and patterns. I discussed the idea of developing a yarn colorway and a pattern to go along with the book with Lorri, and thanks to her and two fabulous pattern designers, Cheryl Ham (knitting) and Tamara Kelly (crochet), I’m excited to announce an exclusive yarn colorway called Hooked on You and a hat pattern, The Riley Hat, available in both knit and crochet!
To find out more about the yarn and patterns, visit my blog: kathleenfuller.com/books-and-hooks-blog. There you will find everything you need to knit or crochet one of these hats with the beautiful Hooked on You yarn. If you make The Riley Hat, make sure to tag me and the artists on Instagram: Kathleen Fuller (@kf_booksandhooks), Arkansas Yarn Co (@ArkansasYarnCo), Tamara (@mooglyblog), and Cheryl (@hypnoUcyarn) so we can see your creations!
Thank you so much for reading Hooked on You. I hope you enjoyed visiting Maple Falls and reading Riley and Hayden’s story. Look for Tanner and Anita’s story next, along with another exclusive yarn colorway and patterns. God bless you and yours.
Kathleen
Discussion Questions
Riley moved away from Maple Falls to become an artist and escape a painful past, only to find success and healing when she returned home. Do you think it was necessary for her to leave Maple Falls and Erma? Why or why not?
Hayden has to restart his life and his career after a devastating injury. Discuss a time in your life when you had to regroup after a life-changing event. What helped you move forward?
Riley and Hayden both had secret crushes on each other in high school. Have you ever had a secret crush?
When Riley returns to Maple Falls, she closes herself off to everyone except for Mimi, believing that keeping herself separate will spare her from getting hurt. Can you identify with Riley’s decision?
When Hayden finds out his father is selling the hardware store, he
feels betrayed. Do you agree with his parents’ reasons for not telling him?
Maple Falls is experiencing a plight that many small towns are dealing with in real life—businesses are closing, people are leaving, traditions are disappearing. What are some ways Maple Falls and other small towns can be revitalized?
The Bosom Buddies and Harper, Anita, and Olivia are true friends to Erma and Riley. Do you have a friend or group of friends that are your “bosom buddies”?
Tracey has caused Erma and Riley a lot of pain. What advice would you give them if Tracey returns to Maple Falls in the future?
Hayden is used to things going his way, and he learns to put Riley’s needs first in order to continue their relationship. What do you think Hayden needs from Riley?
Who is your favorite character in Hooked on You? Why did you choose that character as your favorite?
Acknowledgments
I have so many people to thank for helping me write Hooked on You. A huge thank you to my agent, Natasha Kern, for helping me get through the writing process during the toughest year of my life. To the editors who worked alongside me on this book: Becky Monds, who helped me talk through the book and series ideas; Karli Jackson, who did an amazing job showing me the potential of Riley and Hayden’s story; Jodi Hughes, who made sure all the details were exactly right (I’m not a detail person!); and Laura Wheeler, who managed the project so beautifully. A big thank you also to my good friend Laura Larimore, who introduced me to the real-life Lorri and her wonderful yarn shop, which sparked the idea for Erma, Riley, and the rest of the citizens of Maple Falls.
I especially want to thank the Books & Hooks Facebook group for all their input and help in coming up with the business names in Maple Falls. It was so much fun getting your ideas and voting on favorite names, and they were all perfect for this small Arkansas town.
And of course, a big hug and thank you to you, dear reader. I hope you enjoyed visiting Maple Falls. There are more stories to be told in this small town, so stay tuned!
About the Author
With over a million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, and the Amish Letters series as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield.
* * *
Visit her online at KathleenFuller.com
Facebook: @WriterKathleenFuller
Twitter: @TheKatJam
Instagram: @kf_booksandhooks
Acclaim for Kathleen Fuller
“The quaint Arkansas town of Maple Falls could use a little sprucing up, and as it turns out, Riley and Hayden are the perfect pair for the job. What neither of them is counting on, of course, is that their hearts may receive some long overdue TLC in the process. Kathleen Fuller has knit together a lovable cast of characters and placed them in a setting so rich and dear you may find yourself hankering for a walk down Main Street on a warm summer’s evening. I loved every minute of my time in Maple Falls, and I can’t wait to return to visit the friends I made there.”
—Bethany Turner, award-winning author of Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish and Plot Twist, on Hooked on You
“A sweet, refreshing tale of idyllic small-town life, family, and unexpected romance, Hooked on You is the perfect read to cozy up with on a rainy day.”
—Melissa Ferguson, multi-award-winning author of The Cul-de-Sac War
“A charming story of new beginnings, family ties, love, friendship, laughter and the beauty of small towns. Fuller invites you into Maple Falls and greets you with a cast of characters who will steal your heart, make you want to stay, and entice you to visit again.”
—Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop and Of Literature and Lattes, on Hooked on You
“Fuller brings us compelling characters who stay in our hearts long after we’ve read the book. It’s always a treat to dive into one of her novels.”
—Beth Wiseman, bestselling author
“Kathleen Fuller is a gifted storyteller.”
—Jennifer Beckstrand, author of Home on Huckleberry Hill
“Refreshingly honest and charming, Kathleen’s writing reflects a master’s touch when it comes to intricate plotting and a satisfying and inspirational ending full of good cheer!”
—Kelly Long, national bestselling author
“Kathleen Fuller is a master storyteller.”
—Ruth Reid, bestselling author
“Kathleen Fuller is a talented and gifted author.”
—Molly Jebber, speaker and award-winning author
“Fuller has an amazing capacity for creating damaged characters and giving insights into their brokenness.”
—CBA Retailers + Resources
“I always enjoy a Kathleen Fuller book.”
—Lenora Worth, author of Their Amish Reunion
Copyright
Hooked on You
Copyright © 2021 Kathleen Fuller
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.
Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [email protected].
Any internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Thomas Nelson, nor does Thomas Nelson vouch for the content of these sites for the life of this book.
Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Fuller, Kathleen, author.
Title: Hooked on you / Kathleen Fuller.
Description: Nashville, Tennessee : Thomas Nelson, [2021] | Series: A Maple Falls romance | Summary: "When her grandmother injures herself sliding into third base, Riley McAllister must return to her small hometown to help run the family yarn store in this sweet, lighthearted romantic comedy"-- Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020045138 (print) | LCCN 2020045139 (ebook) | ISBN 9780785238096 (trade paper) | ISBN 9780785238102 (ebook) | ISBN 9780785238119 (downloadable audio)
Subjects: GSAFD: Love stories. | Humorous fiction. | Christian fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3606.U553 H67 2021 (print) | LCC PS3606.U553 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020045138
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020045139
Printed in the United States of America
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