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

busily turned away. “We’ll bring the car around.” Taking her husband by the arm, she forcibly turned him and headed, ostensibly, toward the front gate. Vernon sent a look over Marian’s head to Mitch, winked at Piper and fished his pipe from his pocket as Marian led him away.
    Mitch shuffled his feet but said nothing, just waited for Piper to make up her mind whether or not she would accept his mother’s insistent, unexpected invitation. Piper frowned, unsure. One part of her wanted to walk away, fast; another recoiled from the swift, painful knowledge that she was more of a coward—and more lonely—than she wanted to admit. Yet somehow all she could think to say was, “You didn’t tell them about my parents.”
    He shrugged, but made no explanation. After a moment he said, “You don’t have to come. You could have another engagement.”
    She didn’t, but she could say that she did. Except that she was not a liar. She wasn’t a coward, either, unless she let herself be. She pressed her shoulders back even as confusion surged through her.
    He had mentioned her to his parents, but he hadn’t mentioned her parents to them for some reason. That seemed significant. It seemed significant enough to tilt the scales in favor of accepting an invitation to dinner. She picked up her book and stuffed it into her small backpack before slinging the pack over her shoulder. Then she turned and began ambling toward the gate, some distance away.
    Mitch fell into step beside her, and she asked him just what he had told his parents about her. He bowed his head, his words as measured as his footsteps.
    “That I’ve met someone I’m interested in.”
    She let that settle into her thoughts, let it germinate for a few moments and produce a surprising conclusion. She was interested in him, too.
    Intellectually she knew that the whole thing was fraught with risk, but as they slowly wandered toward the gate and his parents, she felt an odd comfort in his presence, as well as a growing swell of excitement.
    “Is your car here?” he asked after some time.
    She shook her head. “Don’t have one. I’ve been getting around by bus.”
    “That can’t be fun in Dallas.”
    “It’s not too bad. The worst is grocery shopping. There’s not much close to where I live.”
    “And that is where?”
    “On Gaston Avenue, a few blocks off Abrams.”
    “I’ll see you home whenever you’re ready to go.”
    “You don’t have to do that.”
    “Oh, I’d like to. Besides, it’s not far.”
    She smiled. “All right.”
    As they drew near the brick columns of the gate, Mitch once more reached out and rested his hand in the small of her back, his touch light, warm, gentlemanly. A full-sized domestic luxury sedan waited at the curb outside, the engine rumbling. Mitch leaned down and opened the rear door. Piper bent forward and ducked inside, her braid swinging down over her shoulder in front. She saw Marian Sayer touch a hand to her own braided coil. Then Mitch dropped down lightly beside Piper, his arm sliding along the back of the seat.
    “Wasn’t the music lovely?” Marian said, obviously feeling that it was her duty to offer a suitable topic for discussion. Piper smiled, remembering her conversation about music with Mitch earlier.
    “Yes. Lovely.”
    “Do you by chance like jazz, dear?” Marian asked innocently.
    Piper sliced a conspiratorial look at Mitch. “I’m told that it’s an acquired taste, ma’am.”
    His mouth quirked, and he gave his head a patient little shake. His mama was matchmaking, and he knew it; he acknowledged it but didn’t mind. She found that interesting. The whole Sayer familial relationship was interesting. A man of Mitch’s age, confidence and personality did not usually evince such a close, almost indulgent, relationship with his parents. Somehow, rather than making him seem dependent, it made him seem unusually strong.
    “Actually,” Piper said with sudden conviction, “I do like jazz.”
    His