Read Online To Heal A Heart (Love Inspired) by Arlene James - Free Book Online

coffeehouse in the basement of our church.”
    She laughed. “Two acquired tastes in one. Next it’ll be goatees, long sideburns and black turtlenecks.”
    “Oh, yeah, that’d go over big in court.”
    They both laughed, and talk turned to the courtroom.
    He told her about showing up in the same tie as the prosecutor one day, only to have the judge open his robe and display the exact same neckwear.
    “Scared my client to death,” he said. “He thought we were all in some sort of secret society together and the fix was in.” He shook his head. “People in crisis get the strangest notions.”
    “What happened to his case?”
    “Probation and counseling. I hear he enrolled in college this semester.”
    “That must make you feel good.”
    “It does.”
    “What happened to that other kid you told me about? The one who played the prank.”
    “He got five years probation, a six-thousand-dollar fine and will finish high school at an alternative site. No prom, no sports, no extracurricular activities other than those relating to his counseling.”
    “Seems harsh.”
    “Not nearly as harsh as prison.”
    Before she could respond to that, an older couple approached, arm in arm, and Mitch waved to them. Piper knew at once that they were his parents. For one thing, Mitch greatly resembled his father. Except for the eyes. As the older couple drew near, Piper saw that Mitch definitely had his mother’s blue-velvet eyes. He rose, ushering Piper up with him, one hand cupping her elbow.
    “Mom, Dad, I want you to meet someone.”
    Piper detected a very keen interest in both of the elder Sayers. Mitch’s hand hovered near the small of Piper’s back.
    “This is Piper Wynne.”
    Mrs. Sayer literally clapped her hands together as she inclined her head in greeting.
    “What a lovely surprise!”
    Piper noticed that she wore her thick, steel-gray hair in a braided coil at the nape of her neck.
    After trading a look with his son, Mr. Sayer plucked his cold pipe from his mouth and dropped it unceremoniously into the pocket of his cardigan. He was the tweed-coat type, very professorial looking, right down to the reading glasses perched on the end of his nose. Behind them his eyes sparkled with mischief, belying their muddy-green color, somewhere between light brown and the shade of dried moss. His hair, still thick but receding slightly at the temples, was equal parts brown and silver, as if his head had been dusted with sugar, enough to cloud the rich chocolate color and leave sparkly bits to catch the light. He was a little heavier than Mitch, but toned and healthy looking, whereas his wife was all grand-motherly softness. He offered Piper a handshake. His hand was as broad and flat as Mitch’s but more rugged, stiffer.
    “Well, Piper, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    “Thank you, sir.”
    “Oh, no, we’re Marian and Vernon,” Mrs. Sayer— Marian—said, blatantly looking Piper over. “My, my,” she commented to Mitch, “you never said how pretty she is.”
    Piper tossed him a surprised glance, and he had the grace to color slightly, bow his head and cough behind his fist.
    “Now, we must get to know one another,” Marian instructed, taking Piper’s hand in hers.
    Mr. Sayer—Vernon—grimaced. “I thought you were going to feed me.”
    Marian rolled her eyes. “We ate lunch not three hours ago!” She added in an aside to Piper, “You can tell I starve the poor wretch.”
    Piper bit her lip to hide her smile and felt rather than heard Mitch’s chuckle.
    Vernon patted his abdomen affectionately. “It’s all this fresh air—makes a man peckish.”
    Marian gave in with a slump of her shoulders. “Oh, all right.” She still had Piper’s hand in hers, and now she gave it a little tug. “You’ll join us, of course. We can talk more comfortably at the house, anyway.”
    Piper blinked. “Oh, uh.”
    Marian looked to her son. “Mitch, get her to come.” She gave Piper’s hand a squeeze, patted her cheek and