The Prodigal Comes Home (16 page)

Zoey would have heard it, too.

“Gina hinted that the turnout might not be as good this year if Zoey was the director.”

“She might be right,” Liz said evenly. “There are always people who don’t believe that God has the power to change peoples’ lives. Zoey needs to understand that for every person like Gina Galway and Rose Williams, there are people who understand the meaning of grace.”

Matt knew that Zoey did.

He remembered her compassionate response to Haylie. She hadn’t judged her. She hadn’t pointed a finger at her—she’d pointed to God.

If he was half as brave as she was, he wouldn’t have shied away from talking to Rob because it stirred up his own past. A past he wasn’t proud of. A past he had never shared with anyone because, like Zoey’s father, he had wanted peoples’ respect.

“Well, I don’t care how many people come to the cantata. I care about Zoey.” Who was he kidding? It didn’t begin to describe the depths of his feelings. He
loved
her. “And when she comes back, I’m going to tell her that.”

Something in Liz’s expression tipped him off. The truth slammed into him.

“You don’t think she’s going to come back,” he said flatly.

“I hope she does.”

Matt couldn’t find much comfort in that. “But the cantata…she’s put so much time and energy into it. She can’t just walk away from that.”

She can’t walk away from me.

“She might.” Liz’s eyes misted over. “If she thinks that coming back here will hurt you.”

“I
had a hunch you’d be hiding in here.”

“I’m not hiding, Mel. I’m getting ready for the performance.” To prove it to her friend, Zoey bent down to lace up the pink high-top tennis shoes she wore in the opening scene.

“It’s more than an hour to curtain time.” Melissa collapsed in one of the tulip-shaped beanbag chairs and tugged the ruffles on her red taffeta skirt over her knees.

Zoey froze as her cell phone suddenly came to life, belting out the opening line of one of her favorite songs.

“Your phone is ringing,” Melissa said helpfully.

“I know.” It was the third time Zoey had heard it ring in the past hour. And she’d ignored it every time.

Melissa scooped it up and squinted at the tiny screen. “Matthew Wilde.”

Zoey’s heart flipped over at the sound of his name. If she actually heard his voice, she would probably go into cardiac arrest.

“I know.”

“Why don’t you want to talk to him?”

“I have to finish getting ready,” Zoey reminded her.

Melissa pulled a silver feather duster out of the pocket of her satin tunic and pointed it in her direction. “Don’t make me use this.”

“You take your role as my fairy godmother way too seriously.”

“I’m supposed to get into character.” Melissa grinned. “So who is this Matthew Wilde? And why won’t you talk to him? You haven’t said much since you got into town yesterday.”

“I haven’t had a lot of time,” Zoey pointed out. “I walked in two hours before curtain.”

Scott had practically begged her to come back and take her rightful place as Ella for the evening performance. Tina, Zoey’s understudy, had been called home for a family emergency.

After the curtain call, Scott had pulled her aside. Tina left a message on his machine, requesting another day off. Which meant Zoey would have to stay in the Dells and postpone her trip back to Mirror Lake another day.

Matt had encouraged her to pray about directing the cantata and Zoey wondered if the delay wasn’t her answer. Now she would have a little more time to decide if she would go back at all.

Gran’s last appointment with Dr. Parish had gone well. So well, in fact, that he’d lifted all his prior restrictions and told Liz she could go back to her usual routine. Everyone involved in the cantata knew their parts, and Delia was more than capable of making sure it went smoothly on Easter morning.

The best thing to do, Zoey reasoned, was to step back and be content that she’d done everything she needed to do.

Melissa leaned forward and waved the feather duster under her nose. “Earth to Zoey.”

Zoey’s sigh released a puff of glitter into the air. “He’s the pastor of my grandmother’s church, nosy.”

Melissa’s kohl-rimmed eyes widened. “And you aren’t answering the phone? What if something is wrong…why are you blushing?”

“I’m
not
blushing. I’m probably allergic to glitter.”

“Uh huh.” Melissa sounded skeptical. “So, your grandma’s pastor—Matthew Wilde—is calling, but you aren’t answering it even though there could be an emergency—”

“There’s no emergency,” Zoey ground out.

“So what does he want?”

Zoey wished she knew.

“I guess he wants to…talk to me.”

Melissa tapped the feather duster against her knee and released another cloud of glitter into the air. She frowned.” I know you weren’t looking forward to going back to Mirror Lake because of everything that happened. Has he been giving you a hard time?”

“Mel, Matt is…he’s been great, okay?”

More than great.

She’d told him everything and it hadn’t seemed to make a difference. The censure she’d once been so afraid of seeing in his eyes had never appeared. Just the opposite. He’d looked as if he’d wanted to take her into his arms…

“You’re blushing again.”

“I am not.” A glance in the mirror above the dressing table told Zoey that yes, she was.

Melissa’s mouth fell open. “I don’t believe this. You like this guy. Admit it.”

Zoey crossed her arms. “Are we in sixth grade?”

“Is he young? Good looking?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

The feather duster slashed an arch through the air like a sword. “Just answer the question.”

“Which one?”

“Zoey—”

“Fine. Yes and yes. But it’s not what you’re thinking,” Zoey added quickly. “Matt wants me to come back and direct the Easter cantata, that’s all.” She rose to her feet but there was no room to pace in the cramped dressing area.

“Direct the…” Melissa’s voice trailed off. “You have been keeping secrets.”

You have no idea, Zoey tamped down a sigh.

“Sit down. You’re making me dizzy,” her friend commanded. When Zoey complied, she leaned forward. “Now tell Melissa everything.”

So Zoey did. She told her about meeting Matthew on the road the day she’d arrived. Her emotional reunion with Gran. The knitting club. The way Matt had willingly given up George. The youth group. Finding Gran on the floor. Matt volunteering her to take Gran’s place for the Easter cantata. Her conversation with Haylie.

When Zoey got to the part about overhearing Gina Galway’s confrontation with Matt, Melissa looked troubled.

“You aren’t the same person you were then.”

“To people like Gina Galway I am.”

“You need to read Psalm 40 again.” Melissa got up and retrieved the extra Bible she knew Zoey kept on a shelf in the dressing room.

“Now?”

“Humor me.”

“Is there going to be a quiz afterward?” Zoey muttered.

Melissa didn’t crack a smile. “Maybe.”

Zoey thumbed through the pages until she found the psalm that she and Melissa had studied together six months ago. The same one that Matt had chosen as a sermon topic.

Was God trying to tell her something?

“I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire, he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand…” The letters blurred and Zoey stopped reading.

“Keep going,” Melissa prompted.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.”

“It says that people will trust in God when they see a changed life. A new song. But no one is going to hear it unless you sing it,” Melissa said. “You left Mirror Lake when you were eighteen because you thought it was the right thing to do, Zoey. Don’t you think that maybe the right thing to do this time is
stay?
”

A tap on the door prevented Zoey from having to respond.

“You don’t want to keep Brit waiting, ladies,” a voice on the other side called out cheerfully. “Time to put your faces on.”

“Thanks, Mike.” Zoey closed the Bible and put it back on the shelf. “Tell her we’ll be right there.”

The phone rang again as they walked to the door. Zoey and Melissa both turned to stare at it but this time neither of them picked it up.

“Zoey girl…”

“I can’t go back.” Until Zoey said the words, she hadn’t realized there really wasn’t anything more to think about.

Not only did the people in Matt’s congregation love him, but he was also a respected member of the community. She couldn’t risk hurting his reputation. There would always be people like Gina Galway. There were those who had criticized her parents, held them responsible for the mistakes Zoey had made. She couldn’t do that to Matt.

“Because of one woman who is holding a grudge.” Melissa glowered at her.

Zoey thought about Rose Williams and some of the others in Matt’s congregation whose stony expressions told her that they hadn’t forgotten. “I doubt it’s only one.”

“There are always going to be people who look at the speck in someone’s eye and ignore the log in their own, as Jesus said,” Melissa said. “It sounds to me like Zoey Decker has touched a lot of people in Mirror Lake. Her grandmother. Haylie Owens. Delia Peake…”

Zoey laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“And don’t forget Matt,” Melissa added.

It would be impossible to forget Matt.

Zoey had done everything in her power to prevent it, but in the past few weeks, everything about him had become imprinted on her heart.

She was falling in love with Matt. The last thing Zoey wanted to do was hurt him.

“Matt?” Kate knocked on the door of his office. “Do you have a second?”

“Sure.”

“Follow me.”

Matt scraped up a smile and trailed after Kate, down the hall to the youth room.

Zoey still hadn’t returned. According to Liz, she had called that morning and explained that her boss had asked her to stay an extra day.

Matt wasn’t sure what to do. Zoey wouldn’t return his phone calls. It looked as if Liz was right. The emergency at work had provided the perfect opportunity to step back from the cantata. And, if Liz’s theory was on target, from him. Zoey didn’t plan on coming back to Mirror Lake.

Kate linked her arm through his. “This will only take a few minutes.”

“What’s going on?”

“An ambush.” Kate grinned. “But don’t worry. It’s friendly-fire.”

“Friendly…” Matt’s voice was drowned out by a piercing whistle. A dozen teenagers snapped to attention.

“Told you.” Kate stepped back as they surrounded him.

Matt’s gaze swept over the group. “Why aren’t you in school?”

“Spring break,” Tim Davis said.

Now Matt understood. Kate must have planned a get-together at the church. He had been drafted to round out a team for game time in the past. Matt wasn’t exactly in the mood to play, but then again, it might take his mind off Zoey. “Scavenger hunt? Capture the Flag?”

“Better.” Morgan stepped forward and held out a slim white envelope. “We have something for you.”

Matt eyed it warily. “My birthday isn’t until October.”

“Just open it!” one of the girls sang out. There was a chorus of agreement and everyone pressed closer as Matt pulled out a colorful strip of paper.

“A ticket?”

“To a play,” Zach Davis said.

Matt tried to muster some enthusiasm. Plays reminded him of Zoey.

Who was he kidding?

Everything reminded him of Zoey.

“Thanks.” Matt saw the expectant looks on their faces and sensed they were waiting for something. “Um…what play?”

“It’s called
‘Once Upon a Castle,’
” Morgan said, a smug look on her face.

Once Upon a Castle.

“But that’s…”

“Zoey’s play,” Rob finished. He didn’t look the least bit guilty over his involvement in the scheme.

Matt frowned. “Why would you get me a ticket to see Zoey’s play?”

“At practice last night, Delia said that Zoey might not come back.” Morgan parked her hands on her hips.

“She can’t miss the cantata.” Haylie Owens stepped forward, shy but determined. “We
need
her. And we think you should go get her.”

A murmur of agreement followed the statement.

Matt needed Zoey, too. And he’d been praying for an opportunity to tell her.

He looked down at the ticket.

You always do the unexpected, don’t You, Lord?

“When is it?”

Kate glanced at her watch. “In five hours.”

“It’s tonight?” Matt’s eyebrows shot up.

“It has to be,” Tim Davis pointed out.

Matt knew the boy was right. They were running out of time. The cantata was Sunday, Easter morning. God, with a little help from the Church of the Pines youth group, had given him a small—a very small—window of opportunity to convince Zoey to come back.

Who was he to question it?

“If you leave in the next half hour, you’ll make it there with fifteen minutes to spare.” Kate saw his dazed expression and shrugged. “I printed out the directions.”

Matt released a slow smile. “I think I can manage that.”

Zach and Tim’s hands connected in a high five. “Yes!”

After the play, Matt would invite Zoey out for a cup of coffee. Find a quiet, private corner in a restaurant…

“Um, Pastor Matt?”

Matt’s eyes narrowed when he saw a guilty look chase across Morgan’s face. “What is it?”

“The ticket we bought for you…it’s kind of a special one.”

“A special one,” Matt repeated. He glanced at the slip of paper and noticed a little gold emblem stamped in the corner. “What does the crown mean? I get a table in the front?”

“Kind of,” Rob muttered.

Tim sank an elbow into his friend’s ribs.

“Ten minutes and counting.” Kate pointed at the door and set the collection of metal bracelets on her wrist into motion.

Matt’s gaze swept over the teenagers and his throat felt tight.

“Thanks, guys.”

“Break a leg, Pastor Matt!” Zach shouted.

Everyone laughed. “Yeah, break a leg, Pastor.”

“What does that mean?” he muttered to Kate.

Kate’s green eyes danced with laughter. “It means they expect to see Zoey tomorrow.”

Zoey and tomorrow.

Matt decided that he liked the sound of those two words together.