Knit One Pearl One (39 page)

“Yes.”

“You’re doing it right now.”

“Oh. Right. I’m off for another little walk then. Only could you hurry up, guv? It’s bloody freezing out there and we should be at the hotel for dinner with the client in about an hour. And it’s at least a three-hour drive. See you later, Jo.”

“Bye Tony.”

“Well, that was a turn-up for the books.”

“It’s not a joke, Daniel.”

“I know, angel. But wait for a bit, will you?”

“Wait for what?”

“Before you tell him that he’s just made a total tit of himself and we’re friends and nothing else. And don’t tell him we were ever talking about, well, about anything else. I don’t want him thinking he’s seen me off.”

“Daniel.”

“Yes.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I know that, angel. But I’m your kind of ridiculous, and anyway, we’re going to be friends, and friends do favors for each other, don’t they?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, make him sweat for a bit, before you tell him he’s won.”

“He hasn’t won. Christ I’m not a prize in a lucky dip.”

He smiles.

“And if you ever behave like that again, I’m seriously going to lose my temper with you.”

“Sorry. But he loves you, didn’t you hear him? And that’s a start, isn’t it? And he’s a decent enough bloke. Terrible temper, but you can’t have everything.”

“I’ve never seen him like that before.”

“But girls like that sort of stuff, don’t they?”

“Not really. Not if they’ve got any sense they don’t.”

“Oh, I get it. You don’t know if you love him back?”

“I do, in lots of ways, but it’s complicated.”

“It always is.”

“I know.”

“All’s fair in love and war, angel.”

“Yes, and that’s bollocks too. Fair is fair. It doesn’t change just because love gets involved. And as for war, there’d be far less of that if men didn’t think it was all right to go round shoving people. It’s pathetic.”

“True. And I promise I’ll try harder to play nicely next time I see him, okay?”

“You bloody well better.”

“I’ll call you.”

“Okay, and thank you, for the presents. They’re, well, they’re amazing.”

“Nothing less than you deserve, angel.”

He kisses me on the cheek and goes off back through the hall and out the main door.

I’m still trying to work out if I want to kick something or burst into tears when Gran comes in. “Was that Daniel leaving?”

“Yes, Gran.”

“He’s a lovely man, but that sort is always more trouble than they’re worth, in the end. Like your Nick, too clever for his own good. He was bound to trip himself up in the end, too high an opinion of himself. The grass is always greener with men like him.”

“Sometimes the grass
is
greener, Gran.”

“Yes, and sometimes it’s a collage.”

“A collage? Do you mean mirage, Gran?”

“Yes pet, one of them too. But he does love our Pearl, anyone can see that.”

“He’s still going to be around, Gran. We’re good friends, and he wants to be part of her life, properly.”

“That’s nice, but you want someone you can count on. Not someone who’s always arriving and leaving.”

“I know, Gran.”

“Not that I mean you need to settle, if you’re not ready.”

She looks at me and smiles. “Your Martin looked upset.”

“Yes.”

“He’s a lovely man you know.”

“I know, Gran.”

“Well, good. But that doesn’t mean you have to rush into anything. There’s plenty of time for that, you’re still young. Look at me and Reg. You take your time, pet. You’ve got a whole lifetime ahead of you with the boys growing up and our Pearl giving you a few more sleepless nights.”

We both smile.

“The thing is, does he take your breath away? Because I think you need that in a man, at your age. At any age, come to think of it. And Reg might not look like it, but he can still make me go all peculiar, and that’s important.”

“Yes Gran, but—”

“I don’t mean in bed; I think there’s far too much talked about that. No, I mean the things they say, the little things they do, things that make you realize you’re important to them, that they’d turn the world upside down to find you. Anyway, that’s what I think, pet.”

“Nick took my breath away all the bloody time, and look how that turned out.”

“Yes, but it was worth it though, wasn’t it?”

She pats my hand.

“Yes Gran, it was.”

“There you go then. I know people say you need someone as you grow older, but I don’t know why. You don’t want someone cluttering the place up and treading mud in from the garden and wanting his meals cooked unless you really love him, pet. Better to be on your own and have things the way you like them, far less bother in the end, unless you meet someone really special.”

Gran’s having a running battle with Reg over “mud” from the garden.

“Yes Gran.”

“I just want you to be happy, pet. Don’t listen to anybody else. Just do whatever makes you happy, and then the children will be happy too, and so will I.”

“Thanks Gran.”

The fireworks are lovely, and Elsie makes sure nobody sets fire to their brother’s hood, and then they’re playing tag, while Pearl and Laura’s Rosie play their own version, which involves running and then hurling yourself onto the grass giggling. Even Maximo is enjoying himself, transfixed by the bonfire and trying to get his gloves off.

Martin is standing by the fire.

“Have you calmed down yet?”

“Yes, I’ve had a walk round, and I’m really sorry about that, Jo, I really am. I’ll ring him up and apologize.”

“Good.”

“Last time I was pacing up and down like that, I was in your garden and you were having Pearl.”

“Yes.”

“I was terrified.”

“I wasn’t feeling that calm myself.”

“It was one of those moments, where you see everything clearly.”

“Oh yes, and what did you see?”

“Well, you need your fence painted.” He grins.

“I know I’m not very good at this. I tend to go off into my own little world.”

“The wonderful world of wooden things.”

He smiles. “Yes.”

“That’s okay, Martin. I’m getting quite fond of it now.”

“Are you?”

“Yes, in short bursts.”

“But you know I care about you, don’t you? And the children? More than I can ever say.”

“I know, Martin.”

God, I’ll be in tears in a minute. He looks so nervous.

“I know I’m not suave like him.”

“Martin.”

“No, I know I’m not. I’d ask you to marry me if I thought that was what you wanted. But it’s not, is it?”

“No, I don’t think so, not yet, maybe not ever, I don’t know. I think I’d like to carry on just like we are and see what happens?”

“What do you mean like we are now? I haven’t been speaking to you for the last five weeks.”

“True. But that’s because you’re a twit.”

He grins.

“So how do we carry on then? Sort of semidetached, muddling along, keeping the kids happy and trying to get some time to ourselves occasionally?”

“Yes.”

“That sounds complicated.”

“Sometimes complicated is good, Martin.”

“So we just see what happens?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, I think I can cope with that. I’ll try as hard as I can.”

I take hold of his hand.

“Do I really have to ring him up and apologize?”

“Yes, you do. He’s going to be around a lot more, for Pearl.”

He hesitates. “I suppose that’s good, isn’t it, for Pearl?”

“Yes, I think it is, Martin. But there’s nothing going on, between him and me. There was a moment in Devon, I want to be honest with you, we—”

“Don’t tell me about it. It’s okay, but I don’t want to know.”

He’s holding my hand quite tightly now.

“Okay. But whatever it was, it’s all sorted now. We’re friends, and Pearl’s mum and dad, but nothing more.”

“Good. And does he know that you and I are, whatever we are.”

“Yes. He knows that you’re the boy for me, Martin. Okay?”

He grins. “Am I?”

“We’ll see.”

He kisses me, and I kiss him back.

“Martin.”

“Yes.”

“That woolly hat is tragic.”

He throws it on the bonfire.

Oh dear. I’m sure Elsie’s seen him throwing his hat on the fire, so Monday morning in the shop might be a bit tricky.

But I really don’t care.

“Mum?”

“Yes Jack.”

“This was my best party ever.”

“Was it, love? That’s good.”

“And Uncle Daniel gave me a whole twenty pounds.”

“I know.”

Actually it was fifty pounds, but he’s never seen a fifty-pound note before, so he thinks it was a twenty. I could make a nifty profit there, if I was quick.

“And Mum.”

“Yes.”

“When we get home, I can open my presents from the party, can’t I?”

“Yes love. But wait for me, so I can write down what everyone has got you for your thank-you letters.”

“Yes, and then can we have toasted cheese, with no tomato?”

“I should think we probably can, love.”

He gives me a hug and races off to tell Archie the good news.

Toasted cheese and birthday cake, and a birthday boy and girl to cuddle, along with my very own budding magician.

Perfect.

Introduction

Knit One Pearl One
, the follow-up novel to
The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club
and
Needles and Pearls
, continues the story of Jo Mackenzie’s life in the scenic seaside village of Broadgate. Between her three adorable children, her ever-expanding knitting and café business, and her friends in high places, Jo can hardly find a moment of harmony in her crowded, hectic life. The arrival of Daniel, father to her young daughter, Pearl, throws a wrench into Jo’s carefully planned day-to-day whirlwind. Should Jo take a leap of faith with the globe-trotting one-, well, two-night-stand Daniel, or should she settle for Martin, the hapless but earnest local carpenter? In
Knit One Pearl One
, one thing is certain: everyone in the close-knit Broadgate community is part of the family. And in the end, Jo realizes she doesn’t need a man to make her happy—her busy life is already brimming over with love.

Discussion Questions

1.
Have you read Gil McNeil’s other
Beach Street
novels? If yes, which one did you like the best? If no, do you feel your reading experience would have been better with more backstory?

2.
How did the author’s British writing affect your comprehension or enjoyment of
Knit One Pearl One
? What words or phrases stuck out to you as particularly British?

3.
Are you a knitter? If yes, did you feel particular kinship with Jo and the Stitch and Bitch ladies? If no, what drew you to this book?

4.
A big part of the energy and heart of
Knit One Pearl One
comes from Jo’s relationship with her three kids: Jack, Archie, and Pearl. If you’ve raised young children yourself, do you feel the author captured the experience properly? If you haven’t raised children yourself, does this book change your opinion of raising kids?

5.
When all three kids are playing harmoniously for a brief stretch, Jo thinks, “It’s moments like this when it all makes sense.” When you think back on hectic times in your life, what moments or experiences made you feel your sacrifices were all worth it?

6.
Jo’s family arrangement is an “untraditional” one, given that she’s raising her kids without their father present. What are the benefits of raising her children without a father? Does Jo have more time for them? What are the challenges she faces?

7.
Jo places a high value on being able to support herself and her kids, and she insists on being financially prepared to handle anything that life might throw her way. She says to Ellen, “I don’t want to be beholden. Not to anyone. I never want to do that again. That way the world can’t come crashing down again. See, I’ve got it all worked out.” Do you feel the same way as Jo? Have you taken any specific steps to create your own contingency plan? If yes, what steps; if not, do you hope to?

8.
Knitting plays a large role in Jo’s life—it connects her with other people, gives her financial security, and is a big stress reliever. Similarly, Jo observes that after Mrs. Peterson has been knitting, “Somehow she seems lighter, like it’s not such a huge struggle to get through the day, which is great. I hope the knitting has helped, a bit.” Do you have your own personal version of knitting—something you do in your day-to-day life that helps calm you down and bolster your spirits?

9.
During one of her rare moments of quiet, Jo thinks to herself, “I’ve never liked the French; they’re far too snooty about food, and they don’t seem terribly good at laughing at themselves, which is a pretty vital life skill as far as I’m concerned.” What do you consider your own vital life skills? Have you mastered them, or are you still working toward them?

10.
When Pearl launches into one of her screaming tantrums, Jo is relieved to have fellow mom Connie around. As Jo explains, “Only another mum can really pull this off; with child-free people there’s always that slight tension, where you know they think you should have some magic trick to stop the yelling, and if you don’t you’re clearly a crap mother.” If you’ve raised young kids yourself, do you empathize? If you haven’t, do you ever feel frustrated around kids having loud tantrums in public?

11.
Jo never told Elizabeth, her former mother-in-law, about the affairs and financial destruction that her late husband (and Elizabeth’s late son), Nick, had revealed to Jo right before he died. Do you agree with Jo’s choice to withhold the upsetting information from Elizabeth? What do you think you would have done in Jo’s situation?

12.
During one of her many meandering conversations with Jo, Ellen starts talking about various “badges” that she feels she should earn throughout her life, ticking them off as she goes. Besides the motherhood badge, Ellen explains, “There’s the Have a Proper Career badge, tick, Live Somewhere Smart, tick, Partner You Can Take to Dinner Parties, Not the Size of a House, Produce an Infant, tick, tick, tick.” What badges are you hoping to earn throughout your life, in accordance with your own morals and values? Would you include any of Ellen’s?

13.
While reflecting on the nosiness she faced during her pregnancy with Pearl, Jo laments, “People seem to love dissecting other people’s lives. Like most of us aren’t just doing the best we can.” Why do you think gossip is so compelling? When is it okay to gossip about someone?

14.
When Helena tries to guilt-trip Jo about using disposable diapers, Jo replies, “To be honest, I think we should sort out the big oil companies, and air travel, things that make a huge difference, before we start guilt-tripping mothers about nappies.” Do you agree with Jo? Do small actions add up to big impacts, or are they more of a gesture than anything else?

15.
Are you happy with the way things worked out for Jo with Daniel and Martin? What did you hope would happen?