The Prodigal Comes Home (19 page)

“I believe in us.”

“Y
ou again.”

Matt handed his ticket to Brit and pointed to the gold crown in the corner. “I need my tux.”

Hiding a grin, the young woman snapped her gum and pivoted on tangerine stilettos. “Follow me.”

Matt caught a glimpse of Melissa further down the hallway. She cast a furtive glance over her shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up sign.

The rest of the cast knew he was here, but Zoey didn’t.

Over the past three months, his responsibilities at church made it difficult to travel to Lake Delton, but Zoey assured him that she looked forward to driving to Mirror Lake whenever her schedule allowed.

A long-distance relationship had proved to be more challenging than Matt would have thought possible. For both of them.

This time, Matt wanted to surprise her.

“Time to make the switch.” Mike, the assistant director, pulled a red velvet box out of his pocket and handed it to Matt. Brit smiled in approval as he replaced the plastic ring inside with the simple, marquis cut diamond he had purchased the week before.

“You’re on in five, dude.” Mike slapped him on the back.

Brit helped him into the tux and opened the door. “Break a leg.”

Through a gap in the curtain, Matt saw Zoey kneeling on the stage in her tattered jeans and pink high-top tennies.

“Where’s my script?” he whispered to the stagehand.

A kid who wasn’t a whole lot older than Zach Davis handed it over. “Are you going to follow it this time?”

Matt grinned. “Absolutely not.”

“What are you doing here?” Zoey almost collapsed face-first into the blue confetti when she saw Matt standing in front of her.

He winked at her. “Surprise.”

That, Zoey thought, was an understatement.

She hadn’t expected to see Matt until the following day, when she drove to Mirror Lake for the weekend.

Not that she was complaining.

The truth was, it was getting more and more difficult to leave him.

She took a deep breath, gave him a meaningful “I’ll-deal-with-you-later” look and became Ella Cinders for the next forty-five minutes.

During Melissa’s solo, Zoey zipped into the back room for the last wardrobe change. Brit helped her into the ball gown.

Zoey heard her sniffle.

“Are you crying?” she asked in astonishment.

“No.” Brit sniffled again. “Allergies. Now get out of here.”

Zoey walked back on stage and heard the audience gasp. The ball gown had that effect on people. Matt was waiting for her in the middle of the stage, drop dead gorgeous in his borrowed tux.

She glided up to him.

“Zoey…”

Oops. He’d broken character. She hid a smile.

“It’s Ella,” one of the extras, a teenage boy who had been flexing his acting muscles throughout the performance, whispered.

Matt passed the clipboard to one of Zoey’s “stepsisters” before taking her hand. “I love you, Zoey.”

Zoey almost choked on the lump that swelled in her throat.

“Ella,”
the teenager reminded Matt.

The three women sitting at the table closest to the stage shushed him.

Matt’s eyes lit with laughter and Zoey clapped a hand over her mouth. Matt gently drew it away. Holding it tight, he went down on one knee and removed the ring from his pocket.

There was absolute silence in the audience, as if everyone was beginning to realize this wasn’t part of the script.

“I want you beside me, Zoey. Loving me and laughing with me. I want us to grow together and make mistakes together.” The hazel eyes glowed with a gentle fire. “I had a feeling that meeting you was part of God’s plan. Now I’m sure. He planned on
us.
” Zoey felt Matt’s fingers tremble. “Will you marry me?”

Zoey started to cry. “Yes.
Yes.
”

Matt slid the ring on her finger—a perfect fit.

She became dimly aware that the audience was on its feet. People were applauding. And whistling.

Some of the extras looked down at the scripts and then at Matt and Zoey again.

“You’re supposed to sweep her off her feet,” The kid muttered, rolling his eyes at Matt’s incompetence.

Zoey heard him and grinned. “He already did.”

“Some things,” Matt said softly. “Deserve a repeat performance.”

Before Zoey knew it, Matt had captured her in the circle of his arms. Lifted her off her feet.

“Come home with me? For good this time?” he murmured against her hair.

The words sweetened Zoey’s soul. She wrapped her arms around Matt’s neck and pressed her face against his heart.

“I am home.”

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed your third visit to Mirror Lake! Writing Matt and Zoey’s story reminded me how often we tend to let the past color the future—whether our own or someone else’s. I’m so thankful that God has the power to change hearts and lives. He really does give us a new song to sing! Don’t forget that someone needs to hear yours.

Please watch for the next book in the MIRROR LAKE series, when small-town girl Kate Nichols finally meets her match!

I love to hear from my readers. Please visit my website at www.kathrynspringer.com and say hello.

Blessings,

In the opening scene of the book, Zoey remembers the adage “you can’t go home again.” What do you think that means? Do you think it is true? Why or why not?


What was Matt Wilde’s first impression of Zoey? What was that impression based on? Describe a time when you misjudged someone—or when someone misjudged you—the first time you met.


Can you draw any parallels between Zoey’s return to Mirror Lake and the parable of the prodigal son? What are they?


Why does Zoey fight her attraction to Matt? Do you think her underlying concerns are valid? Why or why not?


Have you or someone you love ever been the target of gossip? What were the circumstances? How did you feel?


Expectations can cause conflict in relationships. In what way? How was this true for Zoey?


Both Matt and Zoey had things in their past they weren’t proud of. How did this affect their perception of themselves? Their perception of God?


Read Psalm 40. Which verses speak to you the most? Why?


In spite of her initial resistance, Zoey agrees to direct the cantata. Why? Have you ever done something “outside your comfort zone”? What was it?


Why did Zoey believe that she could never be a suitable wife for Matt?


2 Corinthians 1:4 says “(the God of all comfort), who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves received from God.” What did this passage mean to Zoey? What does it mean to you?


Zoey was able to use her past experiences to encourage Haylie, another girl who had a “reputation” and who’d made some mistakes. Have you ever shared your story to encourage someone?


What was your favorite scene? Why?


Zoey and her parents reconcile near the end of the book. Do you think it will be easy for them to move forward? Why or why not? What role will forgiveness have to play?


Zoey loves Matt, but she was afraid her past would get in the way of their future. Do you think those fears were valid? How did Matt finally convince Zoey that they were meant to be together?