by Hope Ramsay
She was tempted to tell him that he had a lot of nerve smirking when he was standing in the May sunshine and wearing dark clothes. But she held her tongue. LeRoy, her boss at Bill’s Grease Pit, was always telling her that she needed to close her mouth and keep her opinions to herself.
She forced a customer-service smile to her face, even as she dropped her hand. Obviously the guy was above shaking hands with a mechanic like her.
He finally spoke in an accent that sounded like it came from nowhere. “Canaday, huh? Does Red Canaday still coach the Rebels’ football team?”
Whoa, this guy didn’t look like your average football fan. Much less like anyone who would know anything about Davis High’s football program. “Uh, yeah, he’s my daddy.” She studied his face, trying to place him. He had nice brown eyes and a masculine nose, and he didn’t look a lick like anyone Molly knew.
Mr. Cool continued to give her a deeply unsettling stare from underneath a pair of masculine eyebrows. His eyes weren’t as cool as the rest of him. There was kindness there, even though he hadn’t shaken her hand. She got the feeling, maybe, that he was just a little shy. “Nothing ever changes here, does it?” he asked.
“Uh, do I know you?” There was no way this guy had ever set foot in Last Chance before.
He shrugged. “You might remember me. I mean, I knew your father. But that was a long time ago, and you were little.”
“Are you saying you’re from around here?” No way.
“I’m Simon Wolfe. Carrie Jean and Ira’s boy. I was the kicker on the team.”
Oh. Wow. Talk about prodigal sons. She didn’t really remember Simon exactly. She’d been like ten when he left Last Chance, but she’d also sort of been the Rebel’s good luck charm back in 1990, when Stone Rhodes had taken the Rebels to the state championship.
But even if he had been a member of her team, she still didn’t like him much. Anyone who would run away from his folks and never come back was a no-account useless person as far as Molly was concerned. Family was everything, and this idiot had thrown his family away.
And now his daddy was dead. Two days ago, Ira Wolfe had keeled over right in the middle of his Ford dealership’s showroom. He wasn’t a very old man either.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Molly said. Although Simon didn’t look all that brokenhearted. In fact, the idiot shrugged as if he really didn’t give a darn.
Then he changed the subject. “So Red Canaday’s little girl grew up to become a mechanic. I guess that was totally predictable.”
She clamped her back teeth together. If she kept her mouth shut, she wouldn’t tell him where he could take his rental car and shove it. Instead she took a deep breath just like she’d learned in her yoga class. It only helped a little. “What seems to be the problem?” she asked in her sweetest voice, which admittedly was not very sweet. She tried to be sweet, but she was a miserable failure at it.
“I have no clue what’s wrong with it. It stopped running,” he said.
Boy, he might have been born in the South and even played football, once. But let’s face it, he’d been the kicker on the team, and not a very good kicker either. Over the years, he’d clearly lost his southern accent and attitude somewhere. Any local man worth his salt would have already popped the hood and taken a look. Local men would also have dozens of theories about what had gone wrong.
Not this guy. This guy spoke in short sentences, dressed like a GQ model, and didn’t want to get dirty.
“Did it make any funny noises before it died?”
“Nope. The AC and the radio went out right before the engine quit.” He looked at his watch.
“I’m sorry, you have a wake to get to, don’t you?” She didn’t mention that she, also, had to get to Ira Wolfe’s wake. She owed that man a great deal.
Simon shrugged again and turned his back. He put his hands on his hips and frowned at the cotton fields that spread on either side of Route 321. “God, this place is like being nowhere at all,” he muttered.
“Yeah, well, some of us like living here,” she snarled as she popped the hood and started poking around. “So, are you planning on staying a while?” she asked a moment later as she aimed her flashlight down into the engine to check the fan belt.
“No, I have to get back to Paradise.”
“Paradise? Really?” The fan belt looked okay.
“It’s a place in California.”
“Ah, yeah, of course.” He would live in a place called Paradise. She had a feeling he was about to discover that there could be hard times in Paradise, but far be it from her to be the bearer of bad news.
Instead, she inspected the battery terminals and connections, but didn’t see anything obvious. There was probably a problem with the generator, or maybe the voltage regulator.
She pulled her head out of the engine compartment. “I’m going to have to tow it.”
He checked his damn watch again. Boy this guy was wound up tighter than a spring. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you to the church on time. Or the funeral home, as the case might be. You know, being late to a funeral is not the worst thing in the world.”
Simon stifled his laugh. It didn’t seem right to find Molly amusing on the day of his father’s wake.
She helped him transfer his luggage from the Hyundai’s trunk to the back of her truck. Then he stood back and watched while Coach Canaday’s only daughter hooked the Sonata up to a heavy chain and then winched it up onto the truck’s flat bed. The woman sure had a way with machinery.
Which didn’t surprise him, actually.
The last time Simon had seen Molly Canaday, she’d been a little kid in overalls, standing on the sidelines with Coach. She never missed a game. She could talk intelligently about football even as a five-year-old.
Simon never attempted a field goal without first patting Molly’s head. Her hair had been short and curly, and he could almost remember how soft it felt under his hands. Her hair was longer now, but it was still almost inky black, and barely contained by the ball cap on her head. He had the sudden desire to paint a portrait of her, with all that glorious hair undone and falling like a curly black waterfall to her shoulders.
“It’s going to be tomorrow before we can figure out what’s going on with the car. So I’ll drop you by the funeral home. I’m sure Rob or Ryan Polk or one of their kids can give you a lift home from there.” Molly’s words pulled him back from his artistic flight of fancy.
He climbed into the passenger seat and checked his watch.
“So, I guess you’re just counting the hours until you can leave again? Paradise is calling, huh?”
He kept his gaze fastened to the cotton fields that whizzed past as she pulled the truck onto the road and headed into town. He saw no point in responding to her question. She had summed up the truth. He needed to get back home and back to work, especially since the work had not been going very well lately.
The fields eventually gave way to houses with big yards. Then the Last Chance water tower, painted to resemble a tiger-striped watermelon, came into view on the horizon.
It was a familiar view, frozen in his memory. And yet, nothing was quite the same as he remembered it. A large commercial building with a big parking lot occupied what had once been cotton fields just north of town. A big sign at the gates of the facility said deBracy Ltd. Not too far away, another parcel of land was being developed into new single-family homes.
Last Chance didn’t look gray and used up, as he’d remembered it. There were bright awnings over some of the shops. Pedestrians hurried about their business on the sidewalks. The Kismet, the old movie theater, was covered in a scaffold where workers were repainting it. The place looked alive.
He wasn’t prepared for the emotion that gripped him. It wasn’t nostalgia. He’d buried a piece of himself here when he’d run away from home and the promise he’d made to his mother. He’d never planned on coming back and unearthing it. But here it was, stuck in his throat.
For all the pain he�
�d suffered here, Last Chance would always be home.
THE DISH
Where authors give you the inside scoop!
From the desk of Hope Ramsay
Dear Reader,
I have three brothers and no sisters. So when I was young, I read a lot of “boy” books—mostly having to do with space travel. When I reached the ripe age of thirteen, my aunt decided I needed to have my horizons broadened. She put three “girly” books in my hand: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and Little Women. Need I say more?
I was hooked the moment I read the immortal line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
Holy moly, I had no idea what I was missing!
So it’s not surprising that I turned to these favorite books when I decided to write a series featuring members of the Last Chance Book Club.
In the first book in this series, LAST CHANCE BOOK CLUB, the ladies of the club decide to read Pride and Prejudice. And before long some of them are finding some interesting similarities between the book and their lives.
In the beginning of my story, the hero and heroine dislike each other intensely. Like Darcy, Savannah White has come to Last Chance from the big city. She’s there to renovate the old run-down theater. Dash Randall, like Lizzy Bennett, isn’t at all pleased with this new arrival in town. Dash thinks Savannah is a stuck-up snob. And she thinks he’s a no-account good ol’ boy. My hero is the one with the snarky sense of humor, and my heroine the one with the preconceived notions that will have to soften. Even though my plot and setting are wildly different from Austen’s, the underlying theme of pride and prejudice is what makes the love story of Dash and Savannah so much fun. I’ve also included a few other Austen-inspired complications, like a minister who is looking for a wife, a whole passel of matchmaking matrons, and a street dance that’s surprisingly like the Netherfield Ball.
I had such a fun time writing this story. It allowed me to connect in a much deeper way with one of my old favorites. I’m sure Jane Austen fans will enjoy searching for the Easter eggs I’ve sprinkled through the book. But even if you aren’t an Austen fan, you’re still going to love this story about a couple who discover the hidden depths of character in each other as they grow from enemies to friends to lovers.
From the desk of Debra Webb
Dear Reader,
I am so thrilled to be sharing the Faces of Evil adventure with you! This series has lived for several years in my heart. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to be working with the fabulous folks at Forever to bring these stories to you.
I grew up in Alabama with deep roots in Birmingham. While my husband served in the army, we traveled far and wide, but Alabama was still home and we were most happy to return. Many years would pass before I realized that Alabama was not only home for me but also a place with a rich past and a vibrant present perfect for the setting of suspense stories. I zeroed in on Birmingham, where much of Alabama’s most volatile and notorious history has taken place. Being no stranger to the city, it was easy to settle in and have my characters experiencing all sorts of dilemmas in the Magic City.
Birmingham also holds a special place in my heart for its renowned Children’s Hospital and incredible doctors. When my first child was born she was in serious trouble and in need of immediate surgery—a surgery that was her only hope for survival and at the same time a procedure she was unlikely to survive. The quick thinking of my small-town doctor, Dr. Louis Letson, got her straightaway to Birmingham in the hands of a revered pediatric surgeon. Dr. Letson’s decisive action and the unparalleled skill of the folks at Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital The Dish saved my daughter’s life. Eight weeks later the tiny girl who changed our lives proved to one and all that she had come into this world to live. And thirty-six years later she is still living life with immense passion. As you can see, Birmingham really is the Magic City!
Please watch for all twelve installments of the Faces of Evil series featuring Jess Harris and Dan Burnett and their journey through a maze of evils to find the love and happiness they both deserve.
Best,
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
Praise for Hope Ramsay’s Heartwarming Series
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
“4 ½ stars! Get ready for a story to remember when Ramsay spins this spirited contemporary tale. If the ya’lls 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
“Hope Ramsay has outdone herself… A feel-good read that will make you cry, laugh, and maybe even cheer. This tale could make the most skeptical believe all things are possible. Highly recommended.”
—GoodReads.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, 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
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