The Inn at Rose Harbor (37 page)

“You better get that,” Mark suggested.

I nodded, turned away, and rushed into the house.

“Rose Harbor Inn,” I answered, a bit breathless by the time I grabbed the receiver.

“Hello,” a female voice returned, almost as if she had dialed a wrong number.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

Again the hesitation. “Yes, I was wondering if you have a room available in May, around high school graduation time.”

I checked my book. “I do.” In fact I didn’t have anyone down that far in advance.

“Wonderful.” She sounded surprised and disappointed all in one.

“Would you like to make a reservation?”

She hesitated and then said with some reluctance, “Yes, perhaps that would be best.” She didn’t seem the least bit convinced that this was what she wanted.

“The name?”

Again she hesitated and after a moment rushed the words. “Smith. Mary Smith.”

“All right, Mary, I have you down. Would you like to secure the date with a credit card?”

“No … would it be all right if I sent you a cashier’s check?”

“No problem.” A cashier’s check? Interesting. I had to wonder if it was because she didn’t want to use her real name.

No sooner had I hung up the phone then I got a second call regarding the same weekend. It was a man this time.

“I’d like to make a reservation for my wife and me for our anniversary. It’s in May,” he said, sounding matter-of-fact. “If possible.”

“It’s possible. The name?” I asked.

“Kent and Julie Shivers.”

“Okay, Kent, I have you down. I’ll see you in May.” How odd that I’d received two separate reservations, four months down the road, for the same weekend.

I hung up again and immediately wondered about the mysterious Mary Smith. Was that really her name? I wouldn’t have given it a second thought if she hadn’t sounded so unsure herself.

And Kent Shivers. He’d seemed oddly flat and emotionless when he’d booked the room.

I returned to the laundry room and added the detergent to the washer. As I closed the lid, I hesitated. “You were right, Paul,” I whispered, as I stood motionless in front of the washing machine. My mood instantly lightened. Rose Harbor Inn would welcome its guests whatever their needs. I wasn’t alone. I had Paul with me, and Rover, too.

As to Mary Smith and Kent Shivers and his wife, I couldn’t help wondering what it was that required healing in their lives.

But then, I’d find out soon enough.

Jo Marie’s Crochet Shawl
Designed by Ellen Gormley

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Length:
35″

Depth:
14″

MATERIALS

Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street Collection
Petals Socks
(100g/462 yds; 50% fine merino, 30% nylon, 20% angora) Color 601 Cherry Blossom—1 ball

Hook:
US Size F-5 (3.75 mm) hook
or size to obtain gauge

Notions:
6 lock-ring stitch markers

GAUGE

16 sts x 11 rows = 4″ in patt st, blocked

Save time, check your gauge
.

PATTERN NOTES

Chain 2 at the beg of row counts as 1 dc.

Markers are placed at the increases. Move markers as work progresses.

SPECIAL STITCHES

Cluster (CL):
* Yo, insert hook in first specified st and draw up a lp to height of dc; yo and draw through 2 lps; yo, insert hook in next st and draw up a lp to height of dc, yo and draw through 2 lps **; sk next st, rep from * to ** once in next 2 sts; yo and draw through all 5 lps on hook; CL made. (After the foundation ch, all CL will be worked in ch-3 sps straddling a dc.)

SHAWLETTE

Ch 186.
Row 1 (RS):
Sc in 2nd ch from hook; * ch 4, sk next ch, CL over next 5 chs, ch 4, sk next ch, sc in next ch; rep from * across; with RS facing, counting in from the beginning of the row, pm (place marker) in the 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th CL, ch 4, turn—23 CL.
Row 2:
* Sc in top of next CL, ch 3, dc in next sc, ch 3; rep from * across, ending last rep with ch 1, dc in last sc; ch 3, turn—24 dc, 23 sc.
Row 3:
Sc in next sc, * * * ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc; rep from * twice, to next marker: [ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in
same
ch-3 sp, ch 7, sk sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4, CL in
same
ch-3 sp and next ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc]; rep from * to * twice to next marker, rep from [to] one time, rep from ** in pattern across, ending last rep with ch sc in
last sc, leaving remaining sts unworked;
ch 1, turn. Move the markers to the ch-7 spaces—22 CL, 5 ch-7 sps.
Row 4:
Sc in first CL; [* ch 3, dc in next sc, ch 3, sc in top of next CL; rep from * to marked ch-7 sp, ch 3, dc in sc before ch-7 loop, ch 3, sc in ch-7 sp, ch 3, dc in sc after ch-7 loop, ch 3, sc in CL]; rep from [to] across, ending last rep with sc in
last CL, leaving remaining sts unworked;
ch 4, turn.
Row 5:
* CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc; rep from *, ending last rep with sc in last sc, ch 4, turn—26 CL.
Row 6:
* Sc in top of next CL, ch 3, dc in next sc, ch 3; rep from * across, ending last rep with sc in last CL; ch 4, turn.
Row 7:
Rep row 5—25 CL.
Row 8:
Rep row 6.
Row 9:
Sc in next sc, * * * ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc *; rep from * to * twice, [ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in
same
ch-3 sp, ch 7, sk sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4, CL in
same
ch-3 sp and next ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc]; rep from * to * twice, rep from [to] one time, rep from ** in pattern across, ending last rep with sc in
last sc
, leaving remaining sts unworked; ch 4, turn. Move the markers to the ch-7 spaces—24 CL, 5 ch-7 sps.
Row 10:
Rep row 4.
Row 11:
Rep row 5—28 CL.
Row 12:
Rep row 6.
Row 13:
Rep row 5—27 CL.
Row 14:
Rep row 6.
Row 15:
Sc in next sc, ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc, * * * ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc *; rep from * to * twice, [ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in
same
ch-3 sp, ch 7, sk sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4, CL in
same
ch-3 sp and next ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc]; rep from * to * twice, rep from [to] one time, rep from ** in pattern across, ending last rep with ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in
last sc
, leaving remaining sts unworked; ch 4, turn. Move the markers to the ch-7 spaces—26 CL, 5 ch-7 sps.
Row 16:
Rep row 4.
Row 17:
Rep row 5—30 CL.
Row 18:
Rep row 6.
Row 19:
Rep row 5—29 CL.
Row 20:
Rep row 6.
Row 21:
Sc in next sc, * ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc *; rep from * to * 5 more times, ** [ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in
same
ch-3 sp, ch 7, sk sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4, CL in
same
ch-3 sp and next ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc], rep from * to * 5 times; rep from ** across; leaving remaining sts unworked; ch 4, turn. Move the markers to the ch-7 spaces—28 CL, 3 ch-7 sps.
Row 22:
Rep row 4.
Row 23:
Rep row 5—30 CL.
Row 24:
Rep row 6.
Row 25:
Rep row 5—29 CL.
Row 26:
Rep row 6.
Row 27:
Rep row 21—28 CL, 3 ch-7 sps.
Row 28:
Rep row 4.
Row 29:
Rep row 5 -30 CL.
Row 30:
Rep row 6.
Row 31:
Rep row 5—29 CL.
Row 32:
Rep row 6.
Row 33:
Rep row 9 (same as row 21)—28 CL, 3 ch-7 sps.
Row 34:
Rep row 4.
Row 35:
Rep row 5—30 CL.
Row 36:
Rep row 6.
Row 37:
Rep row 5—29 CL. Fasten off. Block to enhance lace effect.

ABBREVIATIONS

Beg—Beginning; Ch(s)—Chain(s); CL—Cluster; Dc—Double Crochet; Lp(s)—Loop(s); Patt—Pattern; Pm—Place marker; RS—Right side; Rep—Repeat; Sc—Single Crochet; Sk—Skip; Sp(s)—Space(s); St(s)—Stitch(es); Yo—Yarnover

Jo Marie’s Knitted Shawl
Designed by Michael del Vecchio

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Length (Along Top Edge):
72″

Depth:
6½″

MATERIALS

Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street Collection (distributed by Universal Yarn)
Petals Sock
(100g/462 yds; 50% fine merino, 30% nylon, 20% angora) Color # 602 Alpine Strawberry—1 ball
Needles:
US 9 (5.5 mm) 29″ circular ndl
or size to obtain gauge
Notions:
Stitch markers, tapestry needle

GAUGE

14 sts x 31 rows = 4″ in Garter st, blocked

Save time, check your gauge
.

SHAWLETTE

Cast on 179 sts.
Set-up row (WS):
K2, place marker (pm), [k21, pm, k1, pm] 7 times, k21, pm, k2.
Inc row (RS):
K2, slip marker (sl m), [yo, knit to marker (m), yo, sl m, k1, sl m] 7 times, yo, knit to m, yo, sl m, k2—16 sts inc’d. Knit 1 WS row. Rep these 2 rows, 7 more times—307 sts.

BORDER

Row 1 (RS):
K2, sl m, yo, [k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to m, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo] 7 times, k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to m, yo, k2—323 sts.
Row 2 (and all rem WS rows):
Knit.
Row 3:
K2, sl m, yo, k1, [k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to 1 st before m, k1, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo, k1] 7 times, k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to 1 st before m, k1, yo, k2—339 sts.
Row 5:
K2, sl m, yo, k2, [k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to 2 sts before m, k2, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo, k2] 7 times, k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to 2 sts before m, k2, yo, k2—355 sts. Knit 1 WS row. Bind off all sts very loosely. Weave in ends and block, stretching to enhance length and lace effect.

ABBREVIATIONS

Inc—increase; K—knit; M—marker; Ndl—needle; Pm—place marker; RS—right side; Rem—remain(ing); Rep—repeat; Sl1-k2tog-psso: Slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 2 stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over the knit 2 together; Sl m—slip marker; St(s)—stitch(es); WS—wrong side; Yo—yarnover

It has long been my contention that the only people who bother to read the acknowledgments page are those who are hoping to see their names listed. Keep reading … who knows.

Early on in my career I learned the importance of surrounding myself with highly competent people, and so as the years went by I built my own publishing team. One of the first people I hired was my personal assistant, Renate Roth, who has been with me over seventeen years. I tell people, and it’s true, Renate is my right and my left hand. In later years I added Heidi Pollard to my staff, along with Wanda Roberts and Carol Bass. The most recent hiree is my daughter Adele LaCombe who serves as my business and brand manager. These five incredible women work with me in Port Orchard.
They keep my life relatively sane and—to use a cliché—are the wind beneath my wings.

Nancy Berland has been my personal publicist for sixteen years. I wouldn’t make a move without her. She manages my website, sends out the monthly e-letters, and is responsible for a dozen or more aspects of my career. Theresa Park, my fiction agent, has guided me through the swift current in the rapidly changing world of publishing for the last six years. I am forever indebted to Theresa for her wisdom, intelligence, and business acumen.