Josh was avoiding her.

Or at least that's how it seemed. It had been almost a week since she'd spoken to him. Every day she'd visit Jacob and each time Meredith was there friendly and welcoming, but no sign of Josh. Mer said he was finishing up some big projects before the camping trip, but Dani wasn't sure.

She thought after she'd assured him, she had no intention of seeking custody of Jacob, they might be able to start working on rebuilding their friendship. There was no denying something happened between them the night of Jacob's soccer game, but it had more of a Titantic-effect on their relationship than any kind of rebuilding.

Whatever had happened was enough to make Josh put distance between them. It shouldn't hurt, but there was no denying that she missed him. Dani knew better than to trust her heart. Feelings were fleeting, but she desperately wanted to make peace with Josh.

She and Josh had been friends long before they'd become lovers, and she missed the way they talked about everything, laughed, and cheered each other up. Of course, that had been before they'd gone to California and made a movie that nearly destroyed them both.

She would trust the Lord to work things out as He saw best.

Her phone dinged and she picked it up and saw the message from Jennifer. Relief swept over her.

Jennifer: Hi, beautiful girl! I'm about to do another interview. Everyone is dying for information about you and your agent says you have some smoking hot movie offers! So exciting! I'm sorry about our tiff. You were right to take a little vacay. Enjoy yourself and come back soon!

Overwhelmed, she got out her Bible and began to read Psalm 71.

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge:

Let me never be put to shame.

In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;

Be my rock and refuge,

To which I can always go;

"That's a good one." Mrs. Huckabee glanced over at the Bible as she wheeled into the living room. "Helps you know that God is on your side even if no one else is."

"It does. Wow. Your eyes are sharp."

"They fixed 'em when I had my cataracts removed. I've got 20/20 vision." She grinned.

"Wish I could say the same. How are you feeling?"

"Like a twenty-year-old in an eight-year-old body," she answered her gaze sharp as she glanced at Dani's phone and then back at Dani. "You heard from your mama?"

"She sent another text." Dani didn't bother to hide her pain. "I've left several voicemails asking her to call me."

"Did you tell her what it was about?"

"I told her I wanted to talk about my dad. For some reason, I thought that she'd call me, but all I get is messages." Frustration colored the words.

"She may not be ready now, but eventually she'll call."

Mrs. Huckabee's hand covered Dani's. "I know this is hard for you. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything."

"I'm glad you did. I think Pastor Wyatt might know—or at least suspect something. When I showed up at church, he gave me the strangest look. Josh questioned it too."

"The Lord will work things out in His own time. You can be sure of that."

"I know." Dani returned her smile. "You look good. I like that blouse. Blue is definitely your color."

"That's sweet of you to say." Mrs. Huckabee's cheeks seemed to color. "For an old woman recovering from a stroke, I'm right as rain. What about you? Have you decided if you're going on that trip this weekend?"

Biting her lip, she tried to make a decision but she didn't know what to do. "Mrs. Huck—"

"Bee, child. Like bumble bee without the bumble," she corrected.

Dani nodded. "You need someone to check on you, Bee."

She waved a dismissive hand. "I've got people who will do that. Don't use me as an excuse to hide behind your fear."

Dani frowned, taken aback. Was that what she was doing--hiding? To be honest she was afraid. "Things between Josh and I are..." The right words failed her. "Weird."

"Weird?" Bee's nose crinkled like she smelled something awful. "What does that mean in plain talk?"

"He isn't talking to me."

"Nonsense," she scoffed. "That doesn't sound like Josh. The two of you share a son, and you'll both have to get over whatever issues you have with each other."

"I want to, but..."

"Pack your bags and go camping with your son and friends."

Dani winced. "You don't understand."

"Out with it, girl."

"It's Josh. He and I...Honestly, I don't know. It's confusing. I'm afraid I might still have feelings for him."

Bee didn't look surprised. Her face puckered as she seemed to turn the words over in her head. "Are you planning to act on them?"

Dani shook her head. "No."

"You aren't thinking of doing something the Lord wouldn't approve of?"

"No, I wouldn't do that."

"Then there's no problem. Don't borrow trouble."

Dani squinted her eyes, her cheeks heating with embarrassment. "I think he might suspect how I feel. That's why he's avoiding me."

"Hmm. How do you know he's avoiding you?"

"I guess I don't. You're right. I'm looking for trouble when he's probably busy with work. We're not leaving until after services on Sunday. Do you think you'll be up for church?"

"Wild horses couldn't drag me away."

"Then it's settled. Church on Sunday." And camping afterward. Dani wasn't sure if she was excited or afraid. Probably a little of both.

***

"Thanks for meeting me," Lindy said with a smile, taking a sip of her iced coffee dosed with sweet cream. "I love playdates, but some adult conversation is nice every once in a while."

Dani had been looking forward to it since Lindy called. She gripped the warm cup of her own plain coffee. "I'm glad it worked out."

"The kids won't get out of Pre-K for another couple of hours."

"Oh. I wasn't exactly sure when they were released." A mother should know when her child got out of school. "I've never picked Jacob up from school."

"It's obvious how much you love him. Jacob knows too. He talks about you all the time." Lindy laughed softly. "Mama this and Mama that. He's your biggest fan."

"Thanks, but what the other moms are saying about me is probably true. I handed my baby over to Josh when he was born and signed away my rights." Dani held nothing back and watched for any signs of judgment on Lindy's face but saw nothing but compassion.

"That must have been hard," she whispered with sympathy.

"It was, but I made a choice. A horrible one but it's my fault. I wanted you to know." Dani's stomach dipped. "If you've changed your mind about being friends, I'll understand."

Silence.

Dani's stomach tightened.

Lindy's expression was pained. Were those tears in her eyes?

"I'm an alcoholic," Lindy blurted, grimacing like the admission caused her physical pain. "I was arrested for DUI and almost lost custody of Charlie to my ex. I would have lost him if Charles hadn't decided to get married to a woman who didn't want to be a full-time mother."

"Lindy..." Dani's heart ached for the courage it took to admit what she had.

"I know you're thinking I'm the worst sort of person to do something so selfish and endanger the lives of others. You're right. I didn't deserve forgiveness, but...God forgave me anyway."

Tears of joy stung the backs of Dani's eyes. She knew better than most how the Lord could forgive the seemingly unforgivable.

"God saved me and I praise him day and night for stepping in and giving me my life back." Lindy brushed away tears. "I attend meetings regularly. I'm taking it day by day, but with God's help I'll do anything like that again."

Lindy finally looked at her again. "So now you know my terrible secret if you don't want to be friends."

Dani was on her feet and putting her arms around Lindy for a hug. "We have more in common than I realized. God saved me too. He's why I'm here."

"He does wonderful things like that." Lindy smiled. "So now you know why the other mothers don't like me and why I'm not in the mom- club."

"We'll form our own club, a two-mom club," Dani announced taking her seat again.

"The Two-Mom's Club. I like it. First meeting and we've already got a club name." Lindy laughed. "You're funny."

"Sometimes. Lately, I feel like the party crasher."

"Oh. You mean now that Josh is engaged. I've always liked him too. He's been nice to me and Charlie even when others weren't."

"Josh is a very special guy. The best." Theirs was a once-in-a-lifetime love and she blew it.

"You still love him," Lindy said, watching her closely. It wasn't a question.

"Don't tell anyone." There was no point in denying it.

Lindy ran two fingers along her lips and zipped them. "Since we're sharing secrets...Well, I, uh, I noticed Parker wasn't at the game Monday night."

Dani sipped her coffee. "That's not a secret. He wasn't there. Josh said he was working late."

"That's not the secret. I really like Parker. He helped me out with some legal stuff. With my ex. Guess that's not the best way to make a dazzling first impression. Besides you, he's the only one who knows my past."

"Ohh." Understanding dawned. "You and Parker."

"Sadly, no. Not me and Parker." She glanced around to make sure no one was listening. "He doesn't return my feelings."

"Has he told you that?"

"The man doesn't even know I exist." Lindy sounded defeated. "Do you know if he's seeing anyone?"

"I don't think there's been anyone since his last girlfriend. She got back together with her ex. He took it hard. That's when he moved to Greenleaf."

Even with her hair pulled back into a messy bun and no makeup, Lindy was a pretty woman and it was obvious how much she loved her son. Parker was a follower of Jesus and recognized the gift of salvation. Still, would he want to get involved with a woman with Lindy's past?

Was the real reason Josh had chosen Meredith because she was untainted with the sins Dani couldn't recover from? She and Lindy really were a lot alike. They'd both done terrible things, and God had forgiven them.

"He's been here two years, and I've never heard of him dating anyone that I know of. He must still be in love with Jessie." Lindy's shoulders sank.

"I couldn't say. If you'd like me to see what I can find out, I'll try."

Lindy perked up. "Can you be discreet?"

"Sure, but if I start asking about his love life, he might think I'm hitting on him." Dani bit back a smile.

Lindy's eyes sparkled. "It wouldn't hurt to make Josh jealous."

"Yes, it would." A short humorless laugh escaped her. "I couldn't do that. Besides how will you know if you have a shot with Parker if he doesn't know you're interested?"

Lindy seemed to consider this.

"Have you flirted with him?"

"No," she confessed miserably. "I'm not good at that sort of thing. Whenever he's around I get all flustered. I can hardly string a sentence together."

"You have talked to him, haven't you?"

"Not since my case." She sounded disappointed. "But I do smile and say hello and he always smiles back and speaks."

Dani nodded slowly. "Speaking is good, but you'll have to do better if you want to get him to ask you out."

"I could never do that." Lindy's face was the color of cherry. "I'm so nervous when he's around I doubt I'd be able to hold a conversation with him on a date."

"Not even for coffee?"

"I wouldn't know what to say. You must think I'm ridiculous."

"I think you're sweet and you belong to the Lord—Parker will appreciate that." Despite that Lindy had Charlie, Dani thought the younger woman was less experienced than she'd realized. Her next statement confirmed it.

"Charles was the only guy I went out with, and I got pregnant with Charlie when I was sixteen. There's been no one else since." Lindy watched her uncertainly. "Sorry. I guess that's too much information."

"It's not. Josh is the only man I've ever been with. Friends share their lives good and bad. You and I are friends, Lindy."

"Really?" The hope in that single word tugged at Dani's heart.

"Really. You're stuck with me now." Dani picked up her coffee. "So, you're twenty-one?"

"In three months. Parker's older than the rest of your friends, isn't he?"

For a moment she was caught off guard by Lindy assuming that she still had friends. "He's..." Dani thought. "Twenty-nine."

"Oh. He probably wouldn't be interested in a twenty-year-old former teenage mom with a four-year-old." Her face crumpled.

"Only God and Parker can answer that."

"You're right. You know, Dani, you're as amazing as Annie said you were."

Her coffee went down wrong and she started coughing. What? "You talked about me with Annie?"

"She was babysitting Jacob and we took the kids to the park. Annie said you were one of her best friends."

"Annie said that?" Hope, guilt, and happiness mixed inside her.

"Sure did. Rachel's not as open, but she feels the same. And the guys still love you too." Lindy waited until she looked up before saying. "Even Josh."

"You should talk to Parker like you do with me," Dani said blinking away a sheen of happy tears. "See if you can start a friendship and go from there."

"I can try."

"Pray about it too." They were about to leave when Dani had an idea. "Hey, Lindy, do you and Charlie like to camp?"