Heartland Catch UP: Season 17 Episode 9 “Fear is a Liar”

** WARNING THIS BLOG POST CONTAINS SPOILERS **

In this episode: Amy and Nathan retrain his horse; Tim navigates new family dynamics when Miranda shows up early to help with Shane and Chloe’s wedding; Jessica has to heal a rift with Jack.

The episode begins with Amy riding out to meet Nate. He introduces her to his horse, Powder. He and Powder are out on a test ride; he had been standing upfield for a while and now that he’s back with Nate, he needs to be back in form. He asks Amy if she’d like to join them. Amy says that she and Shadow are set for some exercise as well, so she happily agrees to join.

Jack & Lou with Fred from Garland foods while Tim is away tending to Shane: Lou explains that she’s getting more involved with the family business and informs Fred that they won’t be moving forward with the canned beef stew idea. She explains that they farm organic beef, and the idea of adding preservatives and putting it in a can is off-brand for them. Fred, distracted by his phone, lets them know that Heartland Beef’s exclusivity deal with Garland Foods is up for renewal and they are beginning to consider carrying other brands as well, stating that their customers need more choices. Lou encourages him to hold off on any contracts with other beef producers until they can pitch him some ideas. Before he hurries off, Fred tells them that he will have his assistant reach out for another meeting.

While Amy and Nate are still out on their ride, Nate suddenly loses control of Powder. Once they have their feet planted safely on the ground, Nate explains what he thinks went wrong – Powder bolted when he tried to slow him down. Nathan says that he might have to send Powder back to his buddy to “finish that tune-up.” Amy detects that Nate’s buddy might have training methods that are little more old school. Nate confirms, but says that he is still a good trainer. Amy suggests that someone who is “a little more gentle” (her) work with Powder. Nate accepts her help.

Tim welcomes Shane and Chloe back to Heartland. …and his ex-wife Miranda! Tim looks like he’s seen a ghost. Miranda says that she decded to travel early with Shane & Chloe to help get everything ready for the wedding. As Chloe & Shane unload, Miranda tells tim that she appreciates him agreeing to host the wedding at Heartland. Tim shares with her that it was actually Amy & Lou’s idea, but he thinks it’s perfect since he and Jessica exchanged vows there, too. Miranda one-ups him and shares that she and her husband, Paul, were married in Maui. Chloe & Shane break up the (awkward) reunion and ask Tim to help Shane to build a gazebo for the wedding. Chloe shares that when she was a child, she would play “pretend wedding” under the gazebo in her grandparents’ backyard. She reassures them, saying it doesn’t need to be fancy at all, “just a simple wooden structure, preferably cedar, twinkly lights, a sound system.” When Tim begrudgingly agrees, Miranda laughs and compliments the “smooth talking lawyers” Shane & Chloe on their negotiation skills.

When Amy comes to welcome Shane, she’s also surprised to see Miranda; Shane reports to her that things have been “excrutiatingly awkward.” Shane shows her the buckle that she gave him when they were much younger and Amy asks if he’ll wear it to the wedding. Shane admits that he doesn’t know if he’s cowboy enough to wear it, but it holds great memories and he brought it for good luck. Tim breaks in to steal Shane away to start on the Gazebo.

Amy is now training Nate’s horse, Powder. It doesn’t appear to be going smoothly. Nate observes that Powder doesn’t like gearing down, which is a pretty big problem for a ranch horse. Amy advises him not to give up yet, he just has a sensitive disposition. Nate retorts that he might be too sensitive to work with cattle. Amy raises that it’s just some backlash from previous tougher training methods, so they just need to be patient & build his confidence back up.

At dinner, Jack asks Amy about working with Nate’s horse. Amy says that his horse has a problem that she can fix, so why not? Tim answers, because that he’s going after their business again. Amy counters that working with horses is her business. Lou chimes in, supporting Amy: Amy isn’t doing anything wrong and neither is Nathan; Garland’s the one changing the deal. Lou discourages anymore “shop talk” and tells Tim that he should just focus on the wedding and she will focus on honing their pitch for their next meeting with Garland. She welcomes Tim, Chloe and Miranda back to Heartland and raises a toast to family.

Miranda thanks Lou for the wonderful meal and says that it’s great to see everyone again, as well as meet others for the first time, looking at Jessica. She goes on to say she’s looked at her website & Chloe and Shane are so lucky to have her photographing their wedding. Jack perks up and theatrically states that Jessica is also a master at the candid shot, stating “you never know when her camera might be pointed your way.” Everyone else is not sure what to say as he seemingly sucked the air out of the room and made things awkward with his display. Katie breaks the silence, asking the almost-wedded couple their honeymoon plans. Shane shares that Chloe’s family won’t be there until the day of the wedding so they will hang with them for a bit before heading off to Banff to enjoy the springs there. Chloe takes the opportunity to ask Jack to officiate the wedding. Honored, he happily agrees.

After dinner, Jessica thanks Jack for taking point on the Garland drama so Tim can focus on the wedding. Jack says its no problem. Referring back to his comment earlier at dinner, Jessica asks if everything is ok between the two of them since he has been “kind of cool” to her the past few days. Jack tells her that he wishes that she didn’t take that photo of him that he saw at her gallery opening – it was a private moment. Jessica tells him that it’s a powerful image of a rugged cowboy in a private and vulnerable state; it sends an important message that everybody hurts and mourning is human. Jack replies that she didn’t ask his permission and asks her to take it down.

Outside, Tim is working on the gazebo. Miranda walks over & asks him if things feel weird with her being back; Tim agrees that it’s kind of awkward. They both agree that they share something pretty great in Shane. Now that the ice is broken, Miranda takes the opportunity to say what she really came over to say – Shane is making a big mistake. Chloe got a job offer in London and they plan to move there in a month. Tim admits that he doesn’t like the thought of them being that far away, but understands if it’s a good career move. Miranda raises that Shane will have to quit his job. Miranda adds that he’s been making a name for himself at his current firm and will have to start from scratch when he gets to London (if he can find a job). When Tim reassures her that he’ll be able to find a job, Miranda says that she’s worried he’s sacrificing his happiness for Chloe. Miranda asks Tim to “probe” a little and give Shane some fatherly advice. Tim worries that it’s not his place and says they should stay out of it.

On her way to meet Ellie & Brandon, Katie sees Lou at the dinner table brainstorming ideas  on how to “beef up” the Heartland brand. She tells her that Tim & Jack are lucky to have her taking the reins of the family business. Lou thanks her for helping to make things awkward at dinner the night before. She goes on to ask her if he ever misses dirt bike riding. Katie tells her mom that just watching her friends enjoy themselves is fun for her and heads out.

Jessica walks in and slumps down at the table next to Lou. Lou sees that she’s troubled and asks what’s up. Jessica shares that Jack is upset with her for taking that photo of him at the graveyard and she agreed to take it down. Lou assumes that the problem is settled, but it turns out that the photo has been sold! Jessica says that she has been taking candid photos of the family for years and just didn’t think that it was a big deal. She tells Lou that she hopes Jack understands that her hands are tied.

Outside, Amy is still working with Powder. Nate comes to check on them and observes that things are looking a bit better. Amy reports to him that she’s taken Powder all the way back to starting techniques to build his trust; she switched him into a snaffle bit & has been practicing doing some one rein stops. She lets Nate take a turn and tells him that her dad & grandpa are not happy with him right now, referring to the Garland drama. Nate innocently tells her that he has just been practicing sound business strategy: he hired a business manager to help get Pryce Beef into more stores. He asks her if she’s in trouble for working with his horse. Amy replies that their “beef wars” have nothing to do with her and Powder.

Jack checks on Lou, who reports she’s headed in the wright direction, moving from small one-off ideas to bigger, brand building strategies. Jack seems slightly intimidated by her business-y talk. She tells him not to worry because she still plans to stay true to who they are: family-run trustworthy, high-quality beef producers. She also lets Jack know that she’s been pressing Fred to set up a meeting as soon as possible.

Back outside, Nate seems to be able to get Powder to listen to his reining, but he can’t seem to get him to listen to his body. Amy tells him that’s because Nate needs to go easy and let Powder feel what he’s asking. It works and Nate remarks that he never thought training a horse would be like couple’s counseling. From a distance, Chloe exclaims that Powder is gorgeous and “right out of a fairytale.” After Nate introduces himself, Chloe, inspired, rushes off to call Shane.

Miranda comes to Tim to apologize for being “a little harsh.” She explains that it’s frustrating when, even though she pretty much raised Shane on her own, Tim is the one he has reverence for. She goes on to say that she thinks Shane will be more open to Shane’s feedback than hers, but Tim is too busy being buddy-buddy. Tim replies that she should be happy for him now that he’s “making up lost time.” Miranda says that of course she’s happy, but she could use his help as a co-parent to encourage Shane to think about what this move could mean for him in the bigger picture. Tim agrees to talk to Shane.

Chloe enthusiastically drags Shane out to meet Powder. He agrees that Powder is stunning and asks her why she called him over. Chloe announces that, if it’s ok with Shane & Powder is ready, she wants to ride him at their wedding. Amy says that they still have some work to do, but it might be possible. Chloe goes over to pet Powder. As they get better acquainted, Amy walks over to ask Nathan how he’s doing. He shares that he’s good and his mom is quietly judging Chloe as she builds her “dream country wedding.” He also perceptively observes that Tim is throwing himself into the gazebo, partly to avoid the awkwardness between him and his mom. Amy applauds him for taking it all instride, as she knows herself how stressful weddings can be. Shane expresses his grattitude to her and Lou for sugesting they have the wedding at Heartland. Amy admits that it wasn’t totally selfless – this way, they can see their little brother get married!

In the kitchen, Lou informs Jack that their meeting with Garland Foods is set for the following day and hurries off to let Tim know as well. Jessica walks in and asks to speak with Jack, he tells her that he’d actually been meaning to speak with her and apologizes for being so short with her before. He reveals the truth behind the moment she captured: it was a moment between him and his late wife, Lyndy. He explains to her that day, which actually their anniversary, is a day he takes to reflect on the life they had together. Jessica, now feeling even guiltier, says that she understands and, instead of telling him that the photo has been sold, tells him that she wanted to take a photo of the whole family & needs him to make sure no one strays too far. He agrees. After he leaves, Lou returns and observes that things seemed to go well. Jessica replies that it’s because she didn’t tell him that his photograph sold and now she really needs to get it back.

Back to Amy and Nate: it looks like Powder might be ready to be put to work! Nate says that now that he and Powder are getting along again, it’s time to try for another ride in the field. Amy agrees and goes off to fetch Shadow.

Tim and Shane have finished building the gazebo. Shane thanks his dad for his help and Tim remarks that it’s amazing what he’ll do to make Chloe happy. Shane defensively says that she deserves it. Tim agrees that she’s an amazing young woman who’s sweet, charming, and knows what she wants… but warns Shane he could potentially be sidetracking his dreams for his fiancée. Shane realizes that Miranda has been meddling & told Tim about London. Tim says that it’s an amazing opportunity (for Chloe), and advises him talk to Lou about the time she moved to Dubai for Peter’s job. He excuses himself to go to the Garland meeting.

In the pitch meeting with Fred, Lou shares that through her connections in publishing, they can create a beautiful cookbook that features photos of their family ranching traditions and has pages fillled with incredible recipes (using Heartland Beef, of course) and featuring Jack’s beef stew. The book will be sold at garland foods as well as their newly launched website and in bookstores. That way, they can crosspromote products and bring new customers to garland Goods. She also proposes that they start focusing on custumer education, “because these days, it’s not just enough to sell a high-quality product at a reasonable price.” Through online marketing and in-store promotion, Lou plans to share the health benefits and decreased environmental impact of their ranching process, all while continuing to build the Heartland brand around their traditional family-run business. Even Fred has to admit that Lou’s pitch was impressive. When they ask if it’s impressive enough to keep their exclusivity deal, Paul mumbles that he should take it “back to the shop” and “run it up the flagpole.” he reassures them that there’s a possible chance they can work something out. He thanks them for their time and leaves.

With Fred gone, Tim commends Lou on her pitch and says that Fred liked everything that she said. Jack says that something else is up and Fred was “acting shifty.” Tim think that Nathan Pryce could be the cause. Jack agrees that he “must have given him an offer he can’t refuse.”

Powder’s test ride seems to be going smoothly! Amy & Nate dismount to give Powder & Shadow a break and take a moment to admire their surroundings. Nate spots Amy as they climb a tree to get a better view. Once they’re safely on a branch, Nate tells Amy that he feels like a carefree kid. Amy agrees and shares that Lyndy has given her a second chance to see the world through a child’s eyes. When Nate asks her about Lyndy’s father, she shares that her father, Ty, passed a few years ago. She shares that despite the loss, her life is good. She also shares that she finds Shane and Chloe’s hope for the future inspiring. Nate laughs and says that he never pegged her as a hopeless romantic.

Jessica returns to tell Jack about his photo: she finally comes clean and informs him that someone bought it. She explains that she tried getting it back, but the customer really loves it and won’t give it up. To make him feel better, she tells him that she will destroy the negative. Jack thanks her for trying, and remarks that it’s just odd to think that some stranger owns that moment between him and his late wife.

Tim returns to the Dude Ranch to update Miranda on his conversation with Shane. When he tells her that he doesn’t feel great about the conversation, she says that sometimes parents have to give tough love, especially when their kid could be making a huge mistake. Shane seems disappointed as he observes their conversation from a distance.

Shane goes inside to ask Lou’s advice about his and Chloe’s upcoming move. Lou tells him that she and Peter are totally different couple in a totally different situation, so there’s really no way to compare. Lou goes on to say “that there will always be outside opinions and moments of insecurity,” but he and Chloe are a team now and that has to come first. She adds that Dubai didn’t work out, but London might be an exciting adventure that brings them closer together. Feeling reassured and confident again, Shane thanks Lou for her wise words.

Nate & Amy climb down from the tree. As Amy comes down, she falls, sending them both tumbling to the grass, laughing. As she gets up, Amy sees engraving on the tree that says “NP + TW” and jokes that it looks like she’s not the first girl he’s brought there. Nate, suddenly serious, isn’t sure what to say, but Amy takes the pressure off by telling him it’s none of her business.

In the barn, Lou surprises Katie with… a brand new dirt bike! Ecstatic, Katie rushes over to check it out. Jack walks over to talk a little business: he suspects that Heartland Beef is going to have some competition in Garland soon.

At the dude ranch, Shane confronts his parents. He tells them that he doesn’t like how they’ve been “colluding” and making him second-guess their move to London. Tim tells him they’re just trying to offer some perspective. Shane spits back that they have no right to judge the choices that he and Chloe make as a couple of adults. The only thing he and Chloe need from them is their trust and support as they make choices together about their future.

On their ride back, Nate thanks Amy for all of her work with Powder. She observes that he was really quiet on the ride back and wonders if it had anything to do with her “bugging” him about those initials. Nate shares that those initials belong to his ex-wife, Tristan, who ended up cheating on him. He goes on to say that he feels sorry for her brother, Shane, and his fiancee because “pretty much every relationship ends in heartbreak.” Amy says that isn’t true because she and Ty had a great relationship. When Nate replies that it also ended in heartbreak, Amy is visibly hurt.

Back at home, Lyndy asks Amy where she’s been. Amy tells her she went for a ride with Nathan and went to a cool spot he used to go to when he was a kid. Lyndy tells her that she has a favorite spot, too: where she and Amy go cloudgazing. Amy shares that she has a favorite spot as well, but hasn’t been there in a long time, the thought of it instantly making her pensive and somber.

Jessica was able to get Jack’s photo back! When he asks how she managed to get it, Jessica tells him that she paid double for it, but it was worth every penny if it makes things right  between them.

In the kitchen, Lou, Tim, and Jack finally hear back from Garland Foods: they have decided to drop Heartland Beef.

The epuside ends with both Nate & Amy returning back to their respective favorite places: Nate perched in his tree and Amy sat on the swing Ty built for her years ago. Does this mean that they are both still hung up on their great loves? Can they move forward together or are they just not meant to be?

Wow! It’s hard to believe that there is only one episode left this season. Just when we thought we knew everything about this cast of beloved characters, there is more to learn about their inner lives. This might be Heartland’s best season yet.

In the comments, let us know your predictions for the season finale & what you hope lies ahead for your favorite members of the Bartlett-Fleming Family!