A Holiday to Remember Read Online Free PDF

about?”
    She snapped her head around to look at him. “I—I’m not worrying. Just eating.”
    Chris Hammond gave a lopsided smile. “Except you haven’t picked up your spoon or taken a sandwich. You’re staring off into space with that little crease between your eyebrows you always get when you’re worried. And you’re wringing your hands in your lap.”
    Jayne immediately relaxed her fingers. “I was just thinking about the storm.” The flush from that lie crept up her neck under her turtleneck shirt. “Do you know how much snow they’re predicting?”
    He took a crunching bite of his sandwich and swallowed. “My granddad was predicting a blizzard as I left this afternoon. Maybe I should have believed him.”
    “Is he a weather forecaster?”
    “Just an old mountaineer.” Chris Hammond turned his head to lock his gaze with hers. “As you should remember.”
    Her denial was overwhelmed by Yolanda’s shout from the other end of the table. “Hey, Ms. Thomas, can we go sledding after dinner?”
    A chorus of cheers greeted the question.
    “In the dark? Absolutely not.” Jayne shook her head. “You can play in the snow tomorrow.”
    “There are lights all around outside,” Yolanda pointed out. “It’s practically daylight out there.”
    “Yeah, those lights shine in my window every night.” Monique had finally allowed hunger to win, and had taken her place at the table. “I should know.”
    “The best sledding hill doesn’t have lights,” Jayne told them. “There’s a little bowl on the other side of the woods, off the hiking path to Hawk’s Ridge. We call it The Nest. Girls usually try to see who can go down one side the fastest and then come up the other side the farthest.” She shrugged. “Of course, if you’d rather settle for the tame little bumps around here instead of spending several hours in The Nest, that’s up to you.”
    “Masterful strategy,” the man beside her murmured.
    The girls around the table debated for a few seconds. “The Nest sounds cool,” Yolanda announced. “How early can we leave?”
    “How early do you plan to get up?” Jayne pushed back her chair and stood. “While you’re deciding, let’s get the kitchen cleaned up. Dishes to the sink, paper to the trash and the leftovers in the fridge. Monique, you’re washing.”
    “I know, I know.” Rolling her eyes, the girl went to the sink and began running water. “Get over here and help me, Haley. You didn’t do much with dinner, either.”
    “I opened the soup cans,” Haley protested. But she found a dish towel and prepared to dry the wet dishes.
    “Wipe the table down,” Jayne reminded them, “while I—”
    A big fist closed around her upper arm. Chris Hammond had gotten to his feet. “I need to talk to you.” His set face matched the steel in his tone…and his grip. “Now.”
    Sarah came up on Jayne’s other side. “Ms. Thomas? Are you okay?”
    “I’m not going to murder or rape her,” Chris Hammond said irritably.
    Pale blond hair and light blue eyes might give the impression that Sarah would be timid, but she didn’t flinch in the face of Chris Hammond’s temper. Jayne put her free hand on the girl’s arm. “I’m fine. There’s something Mr. Hammond and I need to get straightened out. I’ll show him where he can sleep tonight and be back here in a few minutes.”
    As she stepped past him, the grip on her arm fell away. Jayne walked down the hallway to the private door of her office without looking back, certain he would follow. She motioned him inside, then shut the door and leaned back against it, refusing to let him believe she was scared of being alone with him.
    Although, in truth, she was terrified.
    “All right, Mr. Hammond, you’ve got what you want—complete privacy with no possible intervention from the police, the girls or anyone else. What in the world do you have to say to me?”

Chapter Three

    Chris took his time examining the office. More wood paneling and a