Wonders Of The Heart. Ruth Scofield

and emotional for some of the office personnel than expected, and as the partner representing Jonathan Feathers, he’d stayed longer than planned to offer the widow his assistance. “Well, at least you’re home,” he mumbled grudgingly, “You can go right to—”

      “Uh-huh.” Honor headed toward the kitchen. “What did you buy at the store today, Spring? I’m starved.”

      “—bed,” he finished under his breath as he realized Honor was ignoring him.

      “There’s fruit in the fridge,” Spring said, her eyes flashing with humor as she followed Honor. She barely covered a grin. “And some light cottage cheese.”

      “It’s a good thing we had burgers and fries before,” Honor grumbled, her head already in the refrigerator by the time Chad paused in the kitchen door. “Isn’t it a well-known fact that teens need lots of junk food?”

      “Cottage cheese is food,” Spring protested.

      “In whose opinion?” Honor shot back.

      “Well, I suppose you could have a tiny slice of the apple pie I baked this morning,” Spring conceded. “In honor of your passing your math final.”

      “You baked an apple pie?” Chad asked, a bit incredulously.

      “Yummy!” Honor swung the fridge door closed. “How did you know I’d pass my final?”

      “Oh, I had faith you would,” Spring returned. She reached for a plastic keeper sitting on the counter corner. She lifted the pie out, set it on the table and reached for plates, while Honor scrambled for forks. Glancing Chad’s way, she said, “I’m surprised you didn’t find it.”

      “I…didn’t even think…” He’d found cheese and crackers earlier, but he hadn’t thought to look in that container.

      His stomach clutched in hunger as he stared at the golden-brown crust. It looked as good as any offered in one of New York’s finest bakeries. Better. All his jumbled worries of the day seemed to dissolve as he eagerly scooted his chair out and accepted the generous cut Spring handed him.

      “Mmm…” Honor let her appreciation be known past a mouthful of pastry. “Is this the kind of temptation into sin we’re supposed to guard against?”

      “Do you mean gluttony?” Spring asked, a mischievous smile edging the corner of her mouth. “Should I stop making these?”

      “Not on your life!” Honor mumbled.

      “Well, I wouldn’t want to be the cause of your downfall.”

      “I think it’s all right if we don’t indulge beyond reason,” Honor said on a highly contented sigh.

      “That would be gluttony. But Josh said something tonight I’ve been thinking about.”

      “What’s that?”

      “The easy way it sneaks up on you. Temptation, I mean. I know he was talking about the drug and alcohol thing, about how it’s easy to follow your friends when you think they’re cool and they’re doing cool things. Getting into sex is a really big thing for lots of kids, too. But he meant more than that, didn’t he?”

      “Yeah, I’d say that,” Spring agreed. She glanced at Chad, her gaze questioning his thoughts on the subject. “It happens in little ways we don’t expect.”

      “Uh-huh. Like when I lost my temper with Shanna, at school today. Honestly, she ticks me off on purpose. She’s such a know-everything snot. But it didn’t make it better when I mouthed back at her.”

      “Who’s Shanna?” Chad asked. He’d listened and watched with interest as the teasing byplay between Spring and Honor turned serious. He was beginning to understand how little he knew of his sister’s life. “Is she a friend?”