Read Online 2 A Christmas Wedding To Die For by Pat Amsden - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Pat Amsden
Tags: Romance
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me that's why they wanted the wedding when they did. They were going to get married, go on a ten day honeymoon and be back in time for Christmas."
"With everything that's happened surely her family would understand."
"It's Julianna who wants it to go forward. And she's refusing to have any police at the dinner itself. Patrick feels she's putting herself at risk. She refuses to believe it's anyone in her family."
"And who can blame her," Grandma Ellie said eyes widening at the idea.
"Patrick's right though. It was probably someone from the wedding so it could be a family member."
"Or someone connected with them," her mother said sharply.
"It's hard to believe someone could do something like that and then go on as if nothing happened," Walt said.
"You'd be surprised," Maxine said thinking back to earlier in the year.
Christmas came bright and early and even though there were no children in the house they were all up by eight with Maxine the earliest of all. She'd popped the tray of cinnamon buns she'd made the night before into the oven while starting coffee and hot chocolate.
Now she sliced up oranges and apples, cantaloupe and kiwi making a fresh fruit salad to go with them. Her mother came in yawning running her hand through her hair.
"I really can't believe you're my daughter." She sniffed the air appreciatively, "it smells divine. And fresh coffee, I think I'm in heaven."
"Cooking may have skipped a generation," Maxine laughed as her mother poured herself a cup of coffee, "but I get my business smarts from you."
"Sometimes I think I've spent too much time on business and not enough on family," her mother said uncharacteristically.
Maxine found herself frozen, unable to say anything to dispute it. It was what she'd felt so often growing up. She'd never expected to hear her mother say it, though. She smiled now, the smile feeling slightly plastic. "I could never really see you as a PTA mom anyway."
Her mother gave a short laugh. "Oh I don't know. I could've organized all the other moms and made them the number one fundraisers."
"Our school would've been the best equipped ever," Maxine said laughing at the thought of it.
"We need something with the fruit salad," her mother said. "I like doing a whipped topping, half sour cream, half Cool Whip or some other light whipped cream. It's almost healthy and it tastes good."
"See you can cook."
Grandma Ellie joined them in the kitchen. "It smells wonderful." She smiled at them both. Three generations of Peters women together. "Walt's going to feel out-numbered."
"Merry Christmas Grandma."
"He went for a walk first. I go with him sometimes but this morning I just wanted to spend time with you."
"I like him," Grandma Ellie said.
Maxine's mother smiled. "So do I."
Grandma Ellie smiled. "Maybe there'll be a ring under the tree."
Sheila shook her head in horror. "It's too soon for that."
"Too soon for what?" Walt called coming in from the cold.
"Never mind," Sheila said abruptly. "I'll set the table and we can have breakfast."
"I guess that's when you know you're grown-ups," Walt quipped. "When you'd rather eat breakfast than open presents."
"Ah, but we eat fast," Grandma Ellie said, eyes sparkling.
Maxine's mother seemed a mixture of relief and disappointment when the presents had all been opened and her present was a diamond pendant, not a ring.
"It's beautiful Walt," she'd said opening the box and taking the pendant and gold chain out.
And it was....
For herself there was a beautiful sweater from her Grandma Ellie and a return ticket to Calgary and back, any time she wanted along with a gift certificate for the Bay Center from her mom.
"I thought we could go shopping after Christmas and pick out something together," her Mom said.
"It's perfect," she'd said throwing her arms around her and hugging her tight. In the afternoon they went for a walk along Dallas Road. It seemed half of Victoria had had the same idea with dogs running off leash while all
"With everything that's happened surely her family would understand."
"It's Julianna who wants it to go forward. And she's refusing to have any police at the dinner itself. Patrick feels she's putting herself at risk. She refuses to believe it's anyone in her family."
"And who can blame her," Grandma Ellie said eyes widening at the idea.
"Patrick's right though. It was probably someone from the wedding so it could be a family member."
"Or someone connected with them," her mother said sharply.
"It's hard to believe someone could do something like that and then go on as if nothing happened," Walt said.
"You'd be surprised," Maxine said thinking back to earlier in the year.
Christmas came bright and early and even though there were no children in the house they were all up by eight with Maxine the earliest of all. She'd popped the tray of cinnamon buns she'd made the night before into the oven while starting coffee and hot chocolate.
Now she sliced up oranges and apples, cantaloupe and kiwi making a fresh fruit salad to go with them. Her mother came in yawning running her hand through her hair.
"I really can't believe you're my daughter." She sniffed the air appreciatively, "it smells divine. And fresh coffee, I think I'm in heaven."
"Cooking may have skipped a generation," Maxine laughed as her mother poured herself a cup of coffee, "but I get my business smarts from you."
"Sometimes I think I've spent too much time on business and not enough on family," her mother said uncharacteristically.
Maxine found herself frozen, unable to say anything to dispute it. It was what she'd felt so often growing up. She'd never expected to hear her mother say it, though. She smiled now, the smile feeling slightly plastic. "I could never really see you as a PTA mom anyway."
Her mother gave a short laugh. "Oh I don't know. I could've organized all the other moms and made them the number one fundraisers."
"Our school would've been the best equipped ever," Maxine said laughing at the thought of it.
"We need something with the fruit salad," her mother said. "I like doing a whipped topping, half sour cream, half Cool Whip or some other light whipped cream. It's almost healthy and it tastes good."
"See you can cook."
Grandma Ellie joined them in the kitchen. "It smells wonderful." She smiled at them both. Three generations of Peters women together. "Walt's going to feel out-numbered."
"Merry Christmas Grandma."
"He went for a walk first. I go with him sometimes but this morning I just wanted to spend time with you."
"I like him," Grandma Ellie said.
Maxine's mother smiled. "So do I."
Grandma Ellie smiled. "Maybe there'll be a ring under the tree."
Sheila shook her head in horror. "It's too soon for that."
"Too soon for what?" Walt called coming in from the cold.
"Never mind," Sheila said abruptly. "I'll set the table and we can have breakfast."
"I guess that's when you know you're grown-ups," Walt quipped. "When you'd rather eat breakfast than open presents."
"Ah, but we eat fast," Grandma Ellie said, eyes sparkling.
Maxine's mother seemed a mixture of relief and disappointment when the presents had all been opened and her present was a diamond pendant, not a ring.
"It's beautiful Walt," she'd said opening the box and taking the pendant and gold chain out.
And it was....
For herself there was a beautiful sweater from her Grandma Ellie and a return ticket to Calgary and back, any time she wanted along with a gift certificate for the Bay Center from her mom.
"I thought we could go shopping after Christmas and pick out something together," her Mom said.
"It's perfect," she'd said throwing her arms around her and hugging her tight. In the afternoon they went for a walk along Dallas Road. It seemed half of Victoria had had the same idea with dogs running off leash while all
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