Introduction

How does a 62-year-old woman who’s never been married find happiness with a two-time widower seeking his third wife on . . . Craigslist!? Does she throw caution to the wind and relinquish her freedom, or should she take a crash course in compromises?

Author B. Lynn Goodwin tells all and more in Never Too Late. How she was attracted to Richard’s clear expectations, his honesty, and his incredible openness. She’d never met anyone like him. Would she recognize love if it knocked on her heart?

Whether you’ve been single forever or you’re simply curious, you’ll find secrets to a happy marriage here.

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Excerpt

Prologue

LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. My mind whirled. Staring

at a TV rerun did not calm me.

What if I tripped? Or said something rude? Or sounded like

an idiot? What if my good pants didn’t go around me anymore?

Or if my black top with the low, square neck squeezed against my

oversized breasts, pushing them up and showing too much?

It’s a date, not your last date, I thought as I reached for the remote. Now get up and get ready.

In my bedroom, I pulled on my tan, silk pants. The elastic bit into my waist. My black shirt did nothing to hide my muffin top. It’d been forty years since I was first told, if you want to get a boyfriend, lose weight.

Not going back there. Ever!

Richard saw my picture before he asked me out. Hopefully, my weight wouldn’t bother him. Besides, a man’s eyes were likely to be focused about eight inches higher.

I looked into the mirror, removed my glasses, and squinted. My eyebrows were wispy as a newborn’s hair. That wouldn’t do. Gently darkening them with brown liner, I hoped that they would not look drawn on. It wasn’t enough. Two softly smudged shadows gave my eyelids depth. Then I pulled out the plum lipstick I purchased six years earlier. Still moist enough.

Picking up my black Naot shoes with tan curlicues, my confidence grew. They would support my arches and give me a better chance of walking smoothly. Two weeks earlier, I went right, Mikko McPuppers went left, and we collided instead of avoiding each other. Struggling to stay on my feet, I crashed into the wall. My right shoulder, hip, knee, and anklebone screamed out. Or maybe the scream came from my mouth. I hurt too much to know the difference. As I hobbled into the dining room, Mikko followed me with his head lowered. Gazing up at me, his eyes said, “Sorry, person. Can I get you an ice pack?”

“It’s not your fault, little one. Really. I’ll be okay.”

Tonight, thankfully, adrenaline overrode my pain just as it overrode my fear when I gave Richard the best times to call. My fingers shook as I fastened the strap on my left shoe. They shook more when the doorbell rang. My date was right on time. Standing at the door with my heart pounding, I stared at the creamy white paint and hoped my face was not that pale. After one more deep breath, I opened the door and smiled. A man with thinning gray hair made eye contact with me.

“Hi, I’m Richard.” His boyish grin signaled that I was in for a fun evening. Or a silly one. As he looked me up and down, there wasn’t a hint of judgment on his face.

Did he hear the drumbeat of my heart? Did he know that he looked like Johnny Cash in those black pants, black shirt, and white tie? He looked better than in his picture—more animated, warm, and inviting.

My heart fluttered as I said, “I’m Lynn. Would you like to come in?”

Running his eyes up and down me one more time, he said, “We should probably go.”

The approval behind the twinkle in his eyes was exhilarating. I

practically floated to his car, a Mazda convertible that made him as proud as a boy with a new toy. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

1. What first attracted you to your partner?
2. What made Richard appealing to Lynn and visa-versa?
3. If you were unmarried, would he appeal to you? Why or why not?
4. What made her many fears believable? Do you think there are other women who share her fears?
5. Was Lynn’s decision to marry a surprise? Did you expect the marriage to work?
6. What advice would you give to Lynn? To Richard? What advice do you think they might give to you?
7. After reading the book what advice would you give to unmarried people seeking partner?
8. Is this the same advice you would have given before reading the book?
9. What was your favorite scene in the book and why?
10. What questions would you like to ask the author? If you e-mail her before the meeting with your questions, she’ll write back and you can share her answers.

Weblinks

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