Last Chance Family

by Hope Ramsay

  Lola May snorted. “Arlene, didn’t you know that the best way to help poor folks is to let rich folks get richer?”

  “Well, that is the morality that Ayn Rand espouses in this book,” Nita said.

  “Well, it ain’t very moral,” Lola May countered.

  Cathy Niles let go of a long, mournful sigh. “Can we read something light and fun next time? I really liked it when we read Pride and Prejudice. I’d like to read a love story that doesn’t involve the characters having long-winded conversations about original sin, morality, and free love. I don’t know about y’all but I don’t find any of that even remotely romantic.”

  “That’s the point,” Nita said. “We’re reading to—”

  “Nita, the book is just BS, and frankly someone should have edited it. It was boring,” Savannah said.

  Everyone looked in Savannah’s direction. The use of even abbreviated profanity was frowned upon, especially with a minister’s wife in attendance.

  Savannah faced them all with cool aplomb. “I’m sorry, y’all, but the ideas in this book are just mean. For instance, if folks followed Ayn Rand’s philosophy, The Kismet would have been torn down and replaced with a new, shiny, soulless multiplex. Instead, Dash helped Angel Development put money into the old theater, even though we all know it’s probably never going to show a profit. But having a theater will build up our community. And that’s important. Sometimes the community is just as important as the individual. And sometimes an individual needs help.”

  “Hear, hear,” Molly said. “If it weren’t for Ira Wolfe and his generosity, I wouldn’t be anywhere near getting my own business off the ground. Of course, I can’t say the same about his no-account son, or Ira’s brother-in-law. Did y’all hear about how the bank closed the dealership?”

  Everyone nodded except Savannah. She just stared at Molly, kind of the same way she’d stared yesterday at the Purly Girls meeting.

  “Savannah, I know I don’t have grease on my face this time. What is it?”

  Savannah blinked. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking.” Savannah turned toward Nita. “We should stop reading dystopian fiction. It’s depressing everyone, especially since things are improving here in Last Chance. I know we talked about reading Hunger Games next, but I really don’t want to spend time with kids who are forced to kill each other for the amusement of the state.”

  “Me neither,” said Cathy. “And you know what? It’s kind of disturbing that every other book you pick up these days at the bookstore has a vampire or a werewolf or kids run amok. Doesn’t anyone read the sweet books anymore? You know, like Little Women?”

  “Little Women?” Hettie finally spoke. “My goodness, I haven’t read that since I was twelve. I did love that book.”

  “I’ve never read it at all,” Arlene said. “But I did see the movie. I loved Christian Bale, but I could never understand why Winona Ryder threw him over for Gabriel Byrne.”

  While Arlene was speaking, Savannah stared across the table at Molly. Her gaze was intensely probing. Just before Molly was about to check to see if she’d spilled cheese on her T-shirt, Savannah turned toward Nita. “You know, I think we should read Little Women.”

  “Could we talk about this book first, before we select the next one?” Nita said.

  “No,” Hettie said, looking around the table. “Is there anyone here who finished this book?”

  Jenny Carpenter was the only one who raised her hand. But that hardly counted because Jenny had no life beyond teaching algebra at the high school. And, truth to tell, Jenny had been kind of depressed since Reverend Ellis had run off with Hettie. So of course she’d had time to read a book with a thousand pages.

  Hettie stared at Nita. “I rest my case. Who wants to read something sweet like Little Women next time?”

  All the hands went up. Of course, more than half the ladies of the book club were members of Christ Episcopal. So if their minister’s wife, who also happened to be the second largest employer in town, suggested a book, it was a lead-pipe cinch that everyone would agree to read it.

  “Hold up a minute, Molly,” Savannah called. Molly was heading toward her canary yellow Charger, parked in the lot behind the library.

  She turned as Savannah hurried up to her. “What?”

  “Uh…” Savannah stood there for a moment looking awkward.

  “What the heck is it? Do I have BO or something?”

  Savannah shook her head. “No, it’s just that I have something I need to tell you.”

  “About what?”

  Savannah danced from foot to foot and continued to look awkward. When she spoke, her words came out like a racing freight train. “It’s a message from Aunt Miriam.”

  Wariness scrambled over Molly’s backbone. “From Miriam?” she asked. Crap, she didn’t need another surprise today.

  Savannah’s aunt was practically legendary. She was one part fortune-teller, one part busybody, and she’d made it her life’s work to find soulmates for every blessed single person in Last Chance. She’d been implicated in several recent weddings. Miriam also had a hand in matching Savannah up with Dash Randall. Molly glanced at the big, fat diamond on Savannah’s hand. The wedding of the decade was planned for the first week of June.

  Molly wanted nothing to do with one of Miriam Randall’s predictions. She didn’t believe in that crap, which put her in the minority. If Miriam made a forecast, the church ladies of Last Chance—and that was a majority of the female population—would be working overtime to get her hitched up to someone.

  Yuck.

  “Don’t look so astonished and petrified.” Savannah was actually wringing her hands, which seemed like a bad omen.

  “What is it? Are you about to tell me that I should be looking for a man just like my father? I’m not sure that’s what I want. I mean, look at where it left Momma.”

  Savannah frowned. “Uh, well, I’m not sure. He might be like your father. I mean, well, most men like football, don’t they?”

  “Yeah, I guess. What exactly did Miriam tell you?”

  “She told me you should be looking for someone who has known you for a long time. Since you were little.”

  The forecast was a little underwhelming. And also annoying.

  “Great. So every past member of the Davis High School football team is a possible match.”

  “Uh, well…” Savannah’s voice faded out.

  “Or are you trying to tell me that I belong with Les? Because if that’s what you’re saying, you can just forget it. Les is my friend. We are not romantically involved. In fact, he’s on a date right now with Tammy Nelson.”

  “Tammy? With the teeth and boobs?”

  “Yeah. I’m thinking the boobs are the main attraction. Les is a pretty simple and straightforward kind of guy.”

  “Uh, well, I don’t know,” Savannah said in a rush, like she was suddenly trying to get away from Molly.

  “Do me a favor. Tell your aunt not to repeat this crap, okay? I’ve already got problems out the wazoo. I do not need a bunch of busybodies trying to turn me into a bride. I am not bride material.”

  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)

  Last Chance Knit & Stitch

  Inn at Last Chance

  Praise for Hope Ramsay’s Heartwarming Series

  Inn at Last Chance

  “[Explores] dark themes about the past interfering with the present while making a delightful tribute to Jane Eyre… an upbeat, empowering, and still sweet novel about balancing community pressure with personal needs.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “5 stars! I really enjoyed this book. I love a little mystery with my romance, and that is exactly what I got with I
nn at Last Chance.”

  —HarlequinJunkie.com

  “5 stars! The suspense and mystery behind it all kept me on the edge of my seat. I just could not put this book down.”

  —LongandShortReviews.com

  “Ramsay nods to Stephen King and Charlotte Bronte… The introduction of a ghost, a haunted house, and a tormented author keep this story from becoming just another small-town romance.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Every time I read one of the Last Chance books, it’s like coming back to my old family and friends… Each novel can stand alone but it is better to have read the earlier stories… [In] no time, you will be caught up in the characters’ lives and flipping the pages madly until you finish.”

  —FreshFiction.com

  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 hometowns. 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 Wiggs.”

  —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

  “Entertaining… 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, New York Times bestselling author of At Hidden Falls

  “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

  “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

  “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

  Fall in Love with Forever Romance

  LAST CHANCE FAMILY

  by Hope Ramsay

  Mike Taggart may be a high roller in Las Vegas, but is he ready to take a gamble on love in Last Chance? Fans of Debbie Macomber, Robyn Carr, and Sherryl Woods will love this sassy and heartwarming story from USA Today bestselling author Hope Ramsay.

  SUGAR’S TWICE AS SWEET

  by Marina Adair

  Fans of Jill Shalvis, Rachel Gibson, and Carly Phillips will enjoy this sexy and sweet romance about a woman who’s renovating her beloved grandmother’s house—even though she doesn’t know a nut from a bolt—and the bad boy who can’t resist helping her… even as she steals his heart!

  ALL FOR YOU

  by Jessica Scott

  Fans of JoAnn Ross and Brenda Novak will love this poignant and emotional military romance about a battle-scarred warrior who fears combat is the only escape from the demons that haunt him, and the woman determined to show him that the power of love can overcome anything.

  DELIGHTFUL

  by Adrianne Lee

  Pie shop manager Andrea Lovette always picks the bad boys, and no one is badder than TV producer Ice Erickksen. Andrea knows she needs to find a good family man, so why does this bad boy still seem like such a good idea? Fans of Robyn Carr and Sherryl Woods will eat this one up!

  TWICE TEMPTED

  by Eileen Dreyer

  As two sisters each discover love, New York Times bestselling author Eileen Dreyer delivers twice the fun in her newest of the Drake’s Rakes Regency series, which will appeal to fans of Mary Balogh and Eloisa James.

  A BRIDE FOR THE SEASON

  by Jennifer Delamere

  Can a wallflower and a rake find happily ever after in each other’s arms? Jennifer Delamere’s Love’s Grace trilogy comes to a stunning conclusion.

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  Contents

  COVER

  TITLE PAGE

  WELCOME

  DEDICATION
>
  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  A PREVIEW OF LAST CHANCE KNIT & STITCH

  ALSO BY HOPE RAMSAY

  PRAISE FOR HOPE RAMSAY’S HEARTWARMING SERIES

  FALL IN LOVE WITH FOREVER ROMANCE

  NEWSLETTERS

  COPYRIGHT

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2014 by Robin Lanier

  Excerpt from Last Chance Knit & Stitch copyright © 2013 by Robin Lanier

  Cover design by Diane Luger. Cover art by Jim Griffin. Hand lettering by Ron Zinn.

  Cover copyright © 2014 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.