Though what Josie wanted most to do was crawl into bed and cry her eyes out the way she had when Maddie had announced her pregnancy, Josie had bigger things to deal with. Maddie’s outburst hadn’t just caused problems with Kayla, but there was still an entire community of volunteers who thought that Josie was planning on selling the stables.
Just as Maddie had misinterpreted Josie’s actions and conversation with Kayla, Josie was sure that the proof that she was selling the stables had also been misunderstood. Now to find that proof, as well as a rational explanation for it.
Fortunately, when Josie went back into Brady’s office, the papers Maddie had shown the volunteer committee as evidence had fallen to the floor when they’d all run out. As she gathered them, she caught the scents of fresh leather, coffee and Brady’s cologne.
Her throat tightened as she inhaled the aroma of the man she’d finally allowed herself to love but couldn’t have.
Her hand landed on what looked like a contract, stating the intent to sell. This must have been what Maddie was referring to. She sat on the floor examining the paper until she got to the signature. Joseph Stephen Shepherd. Her father. He always did a little squiggly at the end of his last name, and if someone wasn’t looking closely, she could see where it looked like a “Junior.” But that was the proof she needed. When Josie left home, changing her name hadn’t just been about what people called her—she had also taken the legal steps to change it from Joseph Stephen Shepherd Junior to simply Josie Shepherd. This wasn’t her signature, which meant the evidence Maddie had found was when her father was making arrangements to sell that hadn’t yet been finalized.
As she pulled out her phone to call Brady, a text from him came through. She’s not where I thought she’d be. No sign of her on the trails. Kayla didn’t follow any safety protocol, so I’m worried about her. It’s been two hours. You haven’t seen her, have you?
Josie took a deep breath and said what must have been the one hundredth prayer for Kayla’s safety before texting back, No.
Tears filled her eyes again as she thought about that poor girl out there, feeling so helpless and unloved. If only she’d done a better job at keeping her distance and her heart guarded against Brady. She’d thought that she and Maddie were doing so well, but clearly, a lifetime of grudges couldn’t be so easily overcome.
She had to trust Brady would find Kayla. While he continued the search, she could work on saving the stables. It would be a good distraction. When the dust settled from today’s mess, Josie needed to figure out a way to reestablish trust with both Maddie and the community. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but here she was, once again fighting to preserve her integrity.
At least the document she found would help with that.
She called her uncle to find out what he knew of the details Maddie had shared, and as she’d suspected, it was all a misunderstanding. Preliminary paperwork had been filed as an exploratory measure, but nothing was final.
Now to find Kayla safe.
Her phone rang. Brady.
“Any news?”
“No.” Brady sounded exhausted, which was understandable, given the circumstances. “She’s never run off like this. Though we’ve been on the trails hundreds of times, she went straight to open space, so she’s on unfamiliar and undeveloped terrain, which can be dangerous with all the hills and ravines. Doubly so if she’s upset and not paying attention to what’s around her. I hate to ask, but I need you to do me a favor. My buddy Ken, who works for the sheriff’s department, volunteered to organize a search party for Kayla. Can you make sure he gets what he needs?”
“Of course. I may have chosen to step back to allow your family the chance to figure out what you all need, but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped caring about Kayla. I’m happy to do whatever is needed to bring her home safely.”
“Thank you.” He hesitated for a moment, then said, “I’m sorry for how this all turned out. I hope you understand. Kayla has to be number one.”
Josie’s heart ached at the pain in his voice. Brady was dealing with so much, it hardly seemed fair that he had to worry about her feelings, too.
“I do understand,” she reassured him. “We both knew there was a risk in getting involved. Focus on Kayla and doing what you need to heal your family. I’ll be fine.”
He was quiet for a moment, then he said, “All right. Ken knows how to find me with any updates, but I’m going to stay out here looking for my daughter until she’s found. It’s going to be dark soon, and I need to get her home safe.”
Josie hung up the phone, then went out to the front of the stables to meet Brady’s friend when he got there. Her heart was heavy, and even though she wanted to believe, like all the other disasters she faced, that God had a plan with all of this, it was frustrating that she couldn’t see it.
But she had to trust and have faith. If she’d learned anything from the pain of the tragedies in her life, it was that God did have a plan, even if she didn’t understand what it was until many years later. And even then, she wasn’t sure she could fully know. After all, she’d just begun to deal with the upside of Brady’s betrayal, only to find out that he hadn’t betrayed her at all. What was God trying to teach them? She didn’t know, but as she dug deeper into God’s word and reestablished her relationship with Him, she knew that she had to trust and have faith regardless.
A truck pulled up and a tall man got out. “I’m Ken Pineda. Brady said you’d be expecting me.”
Josie nodded. “Yes. Whatever we can provide is at your disposal.”
A couple more trucks pulled up, and the men began unloading ATVs like they were already getting set for the search operation.
“We have a few ATVs, but it would be helpful if you would be willing to let us use some of your horses,” Ken said. “I rounded up as many people as I could find to come help. This isn’t like Kayla, and Brady is right to be worried. The sooner we find her, the better.”
“Absolutely,” Josie said. “Let’s get your riders lined up, and we can sort out appropriate mounts for them.”
As the men assembled, Josie talked to Aaron Schultz, their head wrangler, to get him working on finding the right animals for each rider. Before they had everyone on horseback, Josie noticed several vehicles pulling into the parking lot. One of the first people on the scene was Myrna Smeathers from church.
“I heard the call on the police scanner,” Myrna said. “I called everyone at church and asked them to help out. I know Kayla is a fine horsewoman, but sometimes she’s braver than she is smart, and if she’s out there alone in the wilderness, any number of things can happen.”
Within minutes, community members were organizing volunteers for the search. They’d set up a command center in the conference room, and even though Josie hated the reason they were doing it, it also warmed her heart to know that the stables were being used as another way to serve their community.
She saw Maddie in the melee, but Josie gave her a wide berth. The last thing they needed was to have their conflict interfere with such an important operation. Once everyone had their mounts, Josie looked over at the remaining horses. Perchibald, the gentle bay gelding she had been riding to get back in the saddle, was still available.
Since they had a deputy and other volunteers coordinating efforts in the conference room, Josie wasn’t needed, so she went and saddled him. Noticing that the volunteers had gone in the direction of Tumbleweed Wash, Josie decided to set out for the Big Spur picnic area. It had many quiet places where Josie had found comfort as a teenager. It was close enough to the stables and the other trails they often used that it was possible Kayla could have gone there.
She gave her location to the deputy and set off. It felt good to be on horseback, the wind in her hair, breathing in the fresh air. If only Maddie could understand the sincerity in her heart as she shared these experiences. Josie’s determination to save the stables only grew with every passing moment.
The picnic area was empty when Josie arrived, but as she looked around, she remembered all the wonderful times she’d had there. After thanking God for giving her these reminders of her happiness, she also asked Him once more to keep Kayla safe.
Josie’s phone buzzed at her hip, so she pulled it out and checked the text from Brady.
Kayla is safe.
She took a deep breath and said a prayer of thanksgiving. Since time was no longer of the essence, and Josie wanted to give Maddie a wide berth, she decided to take an old trail home, a longer way, but a beautiful path that would be well lit by the moonlight, given that the sun had almost set.
As she walked her horse along the trail, Josie felt some stress ease off her shoulders. God had answered her biggest prayer today, and even though she accepted that God might not answer the rest of her prayers favorably, she was grateful that this one, at least, was the response she’d wanted.
As she turned the bend, she heard a hoarse cry for help.
She gave Perchibald a tap, moving him in the direction of the sound. A few yards off the trail, she saw a person sitting in the dark. When she got closer, she recognized that person with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Maddie.
“What happened?” Josie asked when she got close enough to Maddie to talk to her.
“My horse spooked at a deer running past and threw me. I dropped my phone, so I couldn’t call for help.” Maddie started to cry. “I just want to find my daughter.”
At least Josie could make her feel better on this account. “I just got a text that they found her safe. Kayla is okay.”
“Thank God for that,” Maddie said, her tears turning to sobs. “I’ve messed everything up so badly, and I don’t know what to do. But the worst thing is, who finds me out here, but you? Just go. If you don’t hate me too much, you can send someone else to rescue me.”
Josie prayed for wisdom, hoping they could find some way forward in this terrible situation.
“Are you injured?” Josie asked.
Maddie shook her head. “Just my pride.”
Josie sent a quick text to the emergency coordinator, letting her know that Maddie had been thrown from her horse and they’d need help. Then she got off Perchibald and tied him to a nearby tree.
Maybe Josie was foolish for trying, but perhaps this was an opportunity from God for her and Maddie to work things out for good.
“I truly am sorry for everything that’s happened between us,” Josie said. “I know you don’t trust me, but I promise you, every bad thing that you said about me in there is based on a misunderstanding.”
Maddie glared at her. “I have no reason to trust you.”
They were never going to get anywhere. But then Josie remembered the document that supposedly proved Josie’s wrongdoing.
“You know that signed contract that you said is evidence that I was selling the stables?”
Maddie continued to glare up at her. “Yes. It’s the smoking gun. I wanted to believe you were sincere in not wanting to sell, but about a week after I saw the investor at the stables, Kayla came home with a legal pad she’d borrowed from the office to practice her calligraphy, and the contract fell out from between the pages.”
At least now she knew where the contract had been. She’d gone through all the files trying to find it, and she’d finally given up, figuring it had accidentally gotten mixed up with something else. It had, and in the worst possible way.
“You’re wrong about my sincerity. But you’re absolutely right about the smoking gun.”
Josie squared her shoulders as she looked down at Maddie. “Ten years ago, I legally changed my name to Josie Shepherd. That document was signed by Joseph Stephen Shepherd, my father. That’s not my signature, but his.”
She waited while Maddie processed her words. “But there’s a ‘Junior’ at the end.”
Josie shook her head. “No, there’s not. If you look at my father’s official signature on everything, he does this weird little squiggly thing at the end that could be mistaken for a ‘Junior,’ but I would have never signed that document in that way. If you like, I can show you all of the paperwork establishing me as Josie Shepherd.”
“But all the other documents?”
“I checked with my uncle. First of all, that contract was signed the day before my father died, but my father never gave it to my uncle. If you didn’t carefully check the date, I can see that it would have looked like I could have signed it. The other documents you saw, yes, plans were in motion with the planning department, but my father started those plans, not me.”
Maddie sniffled and wiped her sleeve across her face. “Why would he do this?”
“No one knows,” Josie said. “I suspect, though, based on my conversations with my uncle, he felt bad about all the rifts in our family, and this was his way of making it up. I wish he’d lived long enough to tell us.”
As strange as it sounded, she did wish her father was still alive. It would have been nice to talk to him about these things, then maybe even find their way back to having common ground.
“But you hated him.”
Josie took a deep breath and said another prayer. “I did. But thanks to God’s mercy and being here, I have learned to forgive him. Just like I thought we had learned to forgive each other. We still have a lot of difficulties to overcome, but I truly want restoration in my relationship with you.”
The scowl on Maddie’s face made Josie think she was asking the impossible.
“You’re just still trying to win Brady back,” Maddie said.
“No,” Josie said. “Knowing how insecure my relationship with Brady and Kayla makes you feel, I’m choosing to step away. I know the three of you have lots to work out, and I don’t want to impede that. As I have always said, Kayla is the most important thing here.”
Maddie straightened. “You’d give Brady up? This isn’t a trick?”
Clearly, Josie and her family weren’t the only stubborn people in her life.
“Yes. My goal right now is to save the stables. I have to work with Brady, but I will do my best to keep our relationship on a business level. We’ve both agreed.”
Then she remembered the misunderstanding about the costume. “As for Kayla, I promise I have done nothing to encourage her to disrespect you. Every conversation I’ve had with her has been affirming to you. You must have misheard our conversation about the costumes because I encouraged her to talk to you. She sent me a copy of the PowerPoint she made for you.”
“What PowerPoint?”
Josie pulled out her phone, opened the app with her email, found the PowerPoint and handed it to Maddie. “This.”
Maddie stared at it for a second, then said, “I haven’t seen this.”
She went over to Maddie and pointed at the forwarding information. “See? She forwarded me what she sent you.”
Maddie read it, then let out a long sigh as she shook her head. “That’s my personal email. I’m so busy with my work email that I don’t often check my personal email.”
She stared at the email, obviously reading what Kayla had sent Josie. Nothing special, just Kayla’s excitement at having taken Josie’s advice to share her passion with her mother because she trusted Josie’s word that Maddie loved her daughter and would be supportive.
“You weren’t going behind my back,” Maddie said, looking over at Josie.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” Josie said. “Every conversation I’ve had with Kayla about you has been to tell her what a great mom she has and that she needs to go to you.”
Tears ran down Maddie’s face. “My jealousy of you has sure put me in a lot of hot water, hasn’t it?”
Josie put her arm around Maddie. “Yes. And we’ve got to stop this. Today, it almost cost you your daughter and has put a serious dent in your relationship with both Kayla and Brady.”
Maddie leaned into her, more tears rolling down her face. “Why don’t you hate me more? I just admitted that the whole reason you and Brady aren’t together is because I lied about the night I spent with him.”
Though Josie hadn’t had time to analyze that particular bombshell, she could feel God working in her heart, and as she spoke, she knew it was God’s truth coming out.
“None of us can ever fully understand how the Lord works, but if you hadn’t lied about Brady being Kayla’s father, what kind of upbringing would Kayla have had? I’m assuming her biological father has been nowhere in the picture.”
Maddie sniffed. “He was a man I met at a party, and we went too far. He was only here visiting, and I didn’t even know his last name, and all I knew was his nickname. By the time I found out I was pregnant, he was gone, and I had no way of contacting him or figuring out who he was.”
Remembering what Maddie had told her about not knowing her own father, Josie said, “So had you not lied, Kayla would have grown up like you, without a father. I don’t condone the lie, and yes, it caused a lot of harm, but I think Kayla’s life was made better for it, don’t you?”
Maddie sniffled again as she nodded. “Brady is the best father. I couldn’t have chosen a better father for Kayla than him. He sacrificed a lot for her, and his love for her was so apparent from the day he made that commitment to be her father. I wanted that for my little girl, and the longer I carried on that lie, the harder it’s been to tell the truth.”
Though part of her still wanted to throttle Maddie for being so selfish, she thought about how Brady had always told her the sacrifices he’d made for Kayla were worth it because he loved his daughter. Maddie had hurt them, but Kayla was better off for it.
“I forgive you, Maddie,” Josie said. “You still have to deal with Brady and Kayla, but I want you to know that I harbor no grudges against you. Not only has Kayla had a better life because of your lie, but I was also forced into making decisions for my own that brought me a better life.”
Once again, Josie felt God’s presence and could see God’s hands on her life as she continued. “I found the courage to defy my father and run off to college because I couldn’t handle seeing you and Brady together. Brady and I had made many plans, and we both hoped to go to college, but I don’t know if we would have. Having gone to college and spent time working for the rec center, I learned how to work with youth and help them through their problems because I hadn’t had that. And now, all of those things are coming together so that, number one, I appreciate the stables more, and number two, I have the tools necessary to save them. All of that is because of your lie.”
Tears were streaming down Maddie’s face. “But can Brady forgive me? Can Kayla?”
“I can’t speak for them, but I do know if God can give me the strength to forgive my father and forgive you and, most of all, forgive myself, then I believe it’s possible for you, too.”
Maddie leaned into her, sobbing again. “How can God, or anyone else, love me?”
It was strange to be having this conversation with a woman who had been her enemy for so long. Even though Josie had spent so much time away from God, she knew the answer.
“Because God loves us all. Even when we turn our backs on Him, even when we do wrong. Jesus forgave Judas and all the others who betrayed Him, and His last moments on the cross were about forgiveness, so, of course, He loves you.”
Maddie looked up at her. “All the lies you’ve told me, I know some of the things you’ve given me proof of, but I have to know. What is the truth?”
Taking a deep breath, Josie asked for God’s wisdom once again. This whole conversation, she’d been relying on Him, and He hadn’t steered her wrong yet.
“I have never lied to you,” Josie said. “I did not start or spread the rumors that you were pregnant. The first time I heard them was when I was in the restroom and others were talking about it, and you came bursting in yelling at us all. I did not purposely have you pitch the tent on that anthill. Your friend Jessica told me to, but I wanted a spot closer to the fire, so I told her if it was so great, then you guys should put your tents there.”
Maddie sniffled and looked up at her. “I picked a really bad person to be best friends with, didn’t I?”
“Maybe. I’m sure you have some good memories of her. Hanging on to the bad memories of the stables created a bitterness inside me that wasn’t healthy. Remember the good things about her, and don’t let the negative get you down.”
Josie could see the same understanding in Maddie’s eyes that she’d seen that day at church when she’d thought they’d fixed things between them.
“Brady and I were telling the truth about our relationship. The kiss you saw was the first time we acknowledged our feelings for each other. As part of that conversation, we both agreed to take it slow and that wherever our relationship went, Kayla was our top priority.”
“I’ve accused you of a lot, haven’t I?”
Josie took a deep breath. “Yes, but the question is, how can we put all of this behind us once and for all?”
“I’m going to try,” Maddie said. She gestured at Josie’s phone. “Thanks for sharing Kayla’s email with me. I feel bad that I missed it, but now I know why she’s been so grouchy with me. She thought I was ignoring her when I just hadn’t checked my email.”
Maddie sighed, then looked over at Josie. “How am I supposed to make things right with Kayla? I messed up big-time. I know that. But I’m not sure where to go from here.”
After today’s events, Josie could understand why Maddie was feeling so out of sorts. The emotionally charged confrontations, and even this moment of healing, had taken a lot out of all of them.
“Can I make some suggestions?”
She asked because she wasn’t sure if things had been repaired enough between them for her to be in a position to give advice, but hopefully, she could make a difference in this situation.
Maddie wiped her nose on her sleeve and said, “Sure. What do I have to lose at this point?”
Josie put her arm around the other woman and gave her a slight side hug. “First and foremost, pray. Talk to God. I firmly believe that the biggest difference made in my situation with the stables was when I told God that even though what we wanted was for the stables to be saved, we were prepared to accept His will, whatever it was. Yes, I want the stables to be saved, but it’s made me seek God on a deeper level. That’s what you need.”
Maddie nodded. “You’re right. The truth is, I haven’t been relying on God much lately. When I saw you meeting with that developer, and I thought it was proof that the reconciliation between us and everything you’ve been saying and doing was fake, I didn’t take it to God. I relied on myself and my investigation to prove once and for all that you weren’t who you said you were.”
The sincerity in Maddie’s voice gave Josie hope. Maddie continued, “I was fueled by the pain of the past and not God’s word. I didn’t even try to seek a biblical reconciliation. I just charged ahead without thinking. I’m sorry.”
Josie squeezed Maddie. “I accept your apology. The important thing is that we’re going to try again and do better at communicating.”
She took a deep breath, turning her attention back to Maddie. “Which leads me to my next piece of advice. You should seek out a counselor, both for yourself and to help bring restoration to your family. There is still real fallout that you need to deal with. A good therapist will help you through that. Together, with the help of God, I know you’ll come through this better than ever.”
Before Maddie could answer, Josie heard the sound of an ATV approaching.
“That must be our rescue crew,” Josie said.
“Thank you for staying with me until they came. You could have left me, especially since I told you to. You have every right to hate me, and you chose to love me instead.”
Josie smiled at the other woman as she got to her feet to flag down the ATVs. “It’s what Jesus did. But also, I’ve had people like Abigail and other women in the church who have shown me that kind of love. Hating each other hasn’t solved anything or made anything better, so love has to be the answer.”
One of the rescue workers pulled up next to them and got off the ATV. “Let’s make sure you’re not injured, Maddie, and we’ll get you back to the stables. Your horse has already found his way back and was eager for his grain.”
Perchibald whinnied in the distance, reminding Josie she still had other responsibilities.
“I need to get him put away. I’ll see you soon,” Josie said. After conferring with the rescue workers, Josie got on the horse and headed home. She might not be getting her happy ending with Brady, but today felt like a victory regardless. Kayla was safe, and while the truth was painful, it had been finally brought to light, and they could all move toward healing.