Read Online The Prodigal Comes Home by Kathryn Springer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathryn Springer
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And please let Abby know that I’m praying for her.”
“Pray for Alex Porter, too,” Kate suggested tartly, not disguising her dislike for Abby’s brother. “Because if our paths ever cross, he’s going to need it.”
Matt grinned, not doubting it for a minute.
He followed Kate into the café, and she disappeared through the swinging doors that separated the dining area from the kitchen.
The supper crowd hadn’t descended on the cafe yet. A group of teenagers huddled together in a corner booth, sharing an order of fries. At a table to Matt’s right, two women he didn’t recognize were involved in a heated discussion. Because they made no attempt to lower their voices, Matt couldn’t help but overhear the conversation.
“The Curtises had to move away from Mirror Lake. Their home, ” one of the women was saying. “Because of her.”
“I know. It isn’t fair,” her companion agreed. “Especially since she went right along on her merry way.”
“No consequences whatsoever.”
“She’s only going to stir up more trouble. Wait and see.”
A disdainful snort followed the observation. “From what I’ve heard, trouble is what she excelled at…”
The women fell silent as Kate bounded out of the kitchen.
“Here you go. It’s still too warm to cut, so you’ll just have to take the whole thing.” She transferred a whole pie into Matt’s hands. “I’m sure Liz will share.”
“Thanks, Kate.”
Matt’s smile faded as he stepped outside. Fragments of the conversation he’d overheard began to cycle through his mind.
Caused enough damage.
No consequences.
He had no idea who they had been gossiping about, but he did know one thing. Some of what the woman had said wasn’t true.
A person’s mistakes always resulted in consequences, even if no one could see them on the outside.
That was another thing Matt’s relationship with Kristen had taught him.
Zoey blinked back the tears that blurred her vision. She tried to think of an excuse—any excuse—she could give Gran as to why she couldn’t stop by the church. But because she couldn’t think of a single one, she had no choice but to move forward.
What she really wanted to do was jump into her car and drive back to Lake Delton.
The conversation Zoey overheard in the variety store had left her shaken. The women’s open animosity allowing doubt and discouragement to seep in again.
As a teenager, her arrival had been cause for gossip and speculation. Now, it was happening all over again. All she’d wanted to do was help her grandmother but not if her presence was going to do more harm than good.
Even if she left earlier than she’d planned, Liz would be well taken care of. She had the knitting group. And her church family.
And Matt.
“You are a wise woman, Zoey Decker.”
He had sounded so certain of it that, for a moment, Zoey had felt a tiny flicker of hope. Hope that Matt would see her as more than the sum of her past mistakes…
Don’t even think about it. Don’t think about him.
She would stay through the weekend, accompany Gran to her appointment with Dr. Parish on Monday and then go back to Lake Delton, where she belonged.
Because she didn’t belong in Mirror Lake. She never had.
As Zoey stepped into the church, the scent of lemon polish and sunshine rolled over her, stirring up another batch of bittersweet memories.
“Hello?” Zoey peeked into the first office at the end of the hall. The lights were on, but there was no sign of the church secretary. The one adjacent to it was also dark. Matt must have gone out for the day.
At least now she could honestly tell Gran that she’d tried.
Zoey paused as she reached the doors leading to the sanctuary.
Late-afternoon sunshine streamed through the stained glass windows, creating jewel-like stencils on the gleaming hardwood floor. The old-fashioned pews were arranged in neat rows, just the way she remembered.
As a teenager, Zoey had resisted going to church, certain
“Pray for Alex Porter, too,” Kate suggested tartly, not disguising her dislike for Abby’s brother. “Because if our paths ever cross, he’s going to need it.”
Matt grinned, not doubting it for a minute.
He followed Kate into the café, and she disappeared through the swinging doors that separated the dining area from the kitchen.
The supper crowd hadn’t descended on the cafe yet. A group of teenagers huddled together in a corner booth, sharing an order of fries. At a table to Matt’s right, two women he didn’t recognize were involved in a heated discussion. Because they made no attempt to lower their voices, Matt couldn’t help but overhear the conversation.
“The Curtises had to move away from Mirror Lake. Their home, ” one of the women was saying. “Because of her.”
“I know. It isn’t fair,” her companion agreed. “Especially since she went right along on her merry way.”
“No consequences whatsoever.”
“She’s only going to stir up more trouble. Wait and see.”
A disdainful snort followed the observation. “From what I’ve heard, trouble is what she excelled at…”
The women fell silent as Kate bounded out of the kitchen.
“Here you go. It’s still too warm to cut, so you’ll just have to take the whole thing.” She transferred a whole pie into Matt’s hands. “I’m sure Liz will share.”
“Thanks, Kate.”
Matt’s smile faded as he stepped outside. Fragments of the conversation he’d overheard began to cycle through his mind.
Caused enough damage.
No consequences.
He had no idea who they had been gossiping about, but he did know one thing. Some of what the woman had said wasn’t true.
A person’s mistakes always resulted in consequences, even if no one could see them on the outside.
That was another thing Matt’s relationship with Kristen had taught him.
Zoey blinked back the tears that blurred her vision. She tried to think of an excuse—any excuse—she could give Gran as to why she couldn’t stop by the church. But because she couldn’t think of a single one, she had no choice but to move forward.
What she really wanted to do was jump into her car and drive back to Lake Delton.
The conversation Zoey overheard in the variety store had left her shaken. The women’s open animosity allowing doubt and discouragement to seep in again.
As a teenager, her arrival had been cause for gossip and speculation. Now, it was happening all over again. All she’d wanted to do was help her grandmother but not if her presence was going to do more harm than good.
Even if she left earlier than she’d planned, Liz would be well taken care of. She had the knitting group. And her church family.
And Matt.
“You are a wise woman, Zoey Decker.”
He had sounded so certain of it that, for a moment, Zoey had felt a tiny flicker of hope. Hope that Matt would see her as more than the sum of her past mistakes…
Don’t even think about it. Don’t think about him.
She would stay through the weekend, accompany Gran to her appointment with Dr. Parish on Monday and then go back to Lake Delton, where she belonged.
Because she didn’t belong in Mirror Lake. She never had.
As Zoey stepped into the church, the scent of lemon polish and sunshine rolled over her, stirring up another batch of bittersweet memories.
“Hello?” Zoey peeked into the first office at the end of the hall. The lights were on, but there was no sign of the church secretary. The one adjacent to it was also dark. Matt must have gone out for the day.
At least now she could honestly tell Gran that she’d tried.
Zoey paused as she reached the doors leading to the sanctuary.
Late-afternoon sunshine streamed through the stained glass windows, creating jewel-like stencils on the gleaming hardwood floor. The old-fashioned pews were arranged in neat rows, just the way she remembered.
As a teenager, Zoey had resisted going to church, certain
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