With a pattern like this, you could start with a provisional cast on and then would have live stitches which you could Kitchener stitch (graft) with the live stitches at the end. You'd end up with a smooth join. That might be more to your liking. Picking up stitches makes a ridge and so does the 3 needle BO.
Happiness is catching that dropped stitch while it's still fixable..