Bikinis in Paradise (Tj Jensen Pardise Lake Mysteries) by Kathi Daley Page A

elderly woman a napkin with her cell phone number written on it.
    “ I’ll see what I can find out.” Nona looked at Tj. She smiled, a tired and withered smile. “Thank you for caring. I’ll be sure to contact you once I’ve spoken to Aaron. If he doesn’t know of her whereabouts, I’d appreciate it if you’d keep looking. I doubt that anyone from the village other than Aaron will care one way or the other.”
     
    By the time Ben and Tj returned to the resort, Jenna was there talking to Doc, who had taken second place in the competition. The men decided to head to the bar, while Jenna and Tj headed toward the fire pit Tj had reserved. The beach was crowded as locals and visitors alike gathered to listen to the band. Tj hadn’t eaten dinner, so she stopped by the house to gather the wine and cheese she’d promised, while Jenna went on ahead to start the fire. When Tj arrived at the beach, she saw that their friend, Kyle Donovan, had joined Jenna as well.
    “Hey , Kyle. I thought you were on mom duty,” Tj greeted him.
    Kyle’s mo ther had decided to move to Serenity to be near her son and had been living with him while she looked for a town house to purchase. Tj had first met Kyle the previous October, when he was brought to the resort by her old friend and Kyle’s grandfather, Zachary Collins. Kyle never had the chance to meet Zachary, but the intense week that followed the man’s murder had served to bond Tj and Kyle as best friends forever.
    “I needed a break,” blond-haired, blue-eyed Kyle admitted. “I love my mom, but living with her for the past month has put a strain on our relationship. I ran into Jenna earlier in the day and she mentioned that the two of you were getting together, so I decided to join you. I hope that’s okay.”
    “More than okay .” Tj handed Kyle a glass. Luckily, she had brought several bottles of wine and extra glasses just in case she ran into anyone she knew. “I’ve missed you since your mom has been in town. Has she found a place?”
    “Not yet. We’ve looked at several very nice condos, as well as a couple of small houses, but she seems to find a problem with each one. I told her to choose something she loves, that money is no object, but she still insists on looking for a good deal.”
    “She does know how much money you inherited , doesn’t she?” Jenna asked as she poured everyone some wine. Luckily for Tj, Jenna, her lifelong best friend, had accepted Kyle into their close-knit group as easily as she had.
    “I’ve never given her an exact number. Heck , I don’t even know the exact number. I’ve used words like tens of millions, though, and she’s staying with me in the huge lakeside estate Zachary left me, so I think she gets the idea.”
    “Maybe she just likes living with her son,” Tj pointed out. “Moving to a new town after twenty years in the same place would be hard for anyone. She doesn’t really know anyone here yet, so I’m sure she’s lonely.”
    Kyle tossed another log on the fire before answering. Sparks danced in the air as the heat from the burning embers ignited the sap contained within the wood. “I guess that’s true, but I’m not sure our relationship can survive a permanent arrangement. I love the idea of her being close by so that she can be a regular part of my life, but I also need my own space. After my dad died, my mom began to focus all her attention on me. I get it; I’m all she has left. But at times her need to be involved in every part of my life can become a tad intense, if you know what I mean. I feel like I’m past the point where I want to have someone who watches what I eat and worries if I’m out too late. How do you deal with living with your dad as an adult?” Kyle asked Tj.
    She shrugged. “It’s not too bad. My dad tends to keep to himself. If I want his opinion about something, he’s always happy to sit down and talk, but he doesn’t meddle.”
    “My mom has started picking out my clothes,”