Christmas In Paradise (Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries Book 4) Read Free Page B

practice. It looked as though the community volunteers had been out in force over the weekend; every window on Main Street was framed with white lights and every lamppost sported a pine wreath tied up with a huge red ribbon. The fresh coat of snow that had fallen over the past few days gave the mountain hamlet the feel of an authentic Christmas village.
    “Can we go loo k at the windows?” Gracie asked as Tj began searching for a parking spot.
    “Maybe after Thanksgiving,” Tj said. “We have rehearsal tonight and tomorrow night and then a very busy couple of days making a huge feast for everyone we’ve invited for dinner on Thanksgiving.”
    “Kristi wants to come over early to watch the parade with us,” Ashley announced.
    “I’ll have to talk to Aunt Jenna about it, but I imagine she’ll come early as well since she’s making most of the food.”
    “How come Aunt Jenna is making the food if it ’s at our house?” Gracie asked.
    “ ’Cause Tj can’t cook,” Ashley explained.
    “I can too cook,” Tj defended herself.
    “Really? You burn ed the toast we had for breakfast and the eggs were so runny that Grandpa had to make us pancakes.”
    “Eggs are tricky,” Tj commented.
    Ashley rolled her eyes in the condescending way only she could.
    “Are we going to be able to go to the tree lighting again like we did last year?” Gracie thankfully changed the subject.
    Tj slowed as a group of shoppers crossed the street. With all the fresh snow, everyone was bundled up in heavy coats, knit hats, and scarves, making it almost impossible to definitively identify the passersby, but Tj was fairly certain the pedestrians were students who had skipped school today due to the sudden onset of a flu that had, interestingly enough, only affected their little crowd.
    “Of course. We go every year, ” Tj said after making a mental note to speak to the students in question. There wasn’t a single teen among them who could afford to miss class if they hoped to graduate at the end of the school year.
    “Since it snowed , can we take the sleigh to the tree lighting?” Ashley asked.
    “If Papa agrees,” Tj answered.
    “Can Kristi and Kari come with us?” Ashley added.
    “I’m not sure we ’ll have enough room,” Tj said. “We’re having a visitor at the resort this year.” She’d decided to take this opportunity to broach the subject she’d been steadfastly avoiding.
    “A kid?” Gracie wondered.
    “No, an adult. He’s in the Navy and his name is Captain Tanner. He’s going to be staying in one of the cabins until after Christmas, so I thought it would be nice to invite him to come along with us to the tree lighting. If he does want to come, we won’t have room for Kristi and Kari unless we bring a second sleigh.”
    “Does Captain Tanner have kids?” Gracie asked.
    “No,” Tj choked. “It will be just him staying at the resort.”
    “He doesn’t like kids?”
    “I’m sure he likes kids , Gracie, it’s just that as an officer in the Navy, he’s away at sea a large portion of the time,” Tj explained.
    “Why can’t he take his kids with him?” she asked.
    “Don’t be stupid,” Ashley spat. “People in the Navy live on boats. It’s their job to be far out in the ocean. They can’t bring their kids.”
    “I’m not stupid,” Gracie argued.
    “Let’s not fight, and Ashley, don’t call your sister stupid,” Tj reprimanded. She really didn’t want to talk any more about Jordan Tanner, so she decided to change the subject. “As long as we’re on the subject of Christmas, what are you both planning to ask Santa for?”
    Tj slowed as they drove by the park , which was decorated with lights in the evergreen trees, as well as others outlining the gazebo. Once they lit the hundred-foot town Christmas tree on Friday, it was going to be spectacular.
    “There is no —”
    “Ashley . . .” Tj warned.
    Ashley stopped speaking. Tj had told her numerous times not to ruin her sister’s fun