Posted on February 4, 2013
As some of you know the series of books I’m working on right now are all partially based on well-known, and well-loved classics that are in the public domain.
I’ve been kind of running below the social media radar for the last few weeks as I put the finishing touches on Last Chance Knit & Stitch, the Little Women adaptation. I’m on the home stretch. And when this is done, I’ll turn my attention to Jane Eyre.
But for now, I thought y’all would enjoy a little snippet from Last Chance Knit & Stitch. As always it’s a dance scene. I don’t know about you, but the dance scenes in classic romantic novels just speak to me.
To set up this scene, it takes place during Dash Randall’s wedding (and you’ll have to read all about his romance in Last Chance Book Club, which will available in March 2013.) The hero is Simon Wolfe, one of Last Chance’s prodigal sons. The heroine is Molly Canaday, the daughter of the high school football coach and a female mechanic down at Bill’s Grease Pit. You’ll meet Molly and her mother, who owns the Knit & Stitch in Last Chance Book Club. If you’ve ever read Little Women, you’ll recognize Molly’s personality. She’s very much like Josephine March, one of the main characters in Louisa May Alcott’s enduring classic. Here is the excerpt:
Molly stood up and put her hand in his. His palm was warm and dry and sexy as hell. Her own hands were rough and callused. She was aware of this fact only because Jane had clucked over them the whole time she was working on Molly’s manicure.
“I sure hope I don’t trip over these shoes,” she said as they stood on the floor facing each other. He was clearly waiting to catch the beat of the dance.
“Trust me, you’ll be fine,” said Simon, looking down at the blue satin shoes she’d borrowed from Rachel. He evidently approved of them. Or maybe he was admiring her thin ankles.
He took her in his arms, and in an instant, away they went, not very gracefully because Molly had no idea how to waltz or even let Simon lead. But, even if she stumbled and almost turned her ankle, she discovered that dancing with Simon was fun. Way more fun than standing on the sidelines with Les making rude remarks about people.
“Molly, you are so beautiful this evening I’m almost afraid to speak with you.”
“Ha, you’re only afraid because you know darn well Coach is over there watching us like a hawk and disapproving of every minute.”
“No. I’m not afraid of your father. But I swear, Molly, if you dressed like that on a regular basis, you’d be turning heads from one end of Palmetto Avenue to the other.”
She looked up and met his dark eyes. “Don’t tease me. I know I’m not beautiful. I went to the Cut ‘n Curl this morning to get my hair done, and Ruby, Jane, and Rocky Rhodes dressed me up. I think it was for their enjoyment, but I know I don’t look like me in this dress. By the way, it’s your Cousin Rachel’s dress, and I think I ruined it.”
“I’m sure you look better in it than Rachel ever did.”
“Ha ha. Very funny. Your cousin is gorgeous, and I’m not. I’m odd and strange. So quit. If you want to know, I feel kind of like a dressed up Barbie or something. Not that I ever played with Barbies, but obviously Ruby, Rocky, and Jane did. I don’t even know how I got myself into this situation. I just wanted Ruby to cut my hair is all.”
“Remind me to thank Ruby.” He glanced up at her hair. “You’ve done more than just pile it on your head, haven’t you?”
“I didn’t do anything, except let Ruby mess around with it.”
“Would you let me mess with it?” he murmured.
Oh heaven help her. He was seductive and irresistible. And a tease. She had a little girl crush on him and a big girl case of sexual frustration. He was going to drive her insane, because there was no way he’d really cross Coach. No one in this town crossed Coach. Ever. Especially one of his former players.
