Chapter Eleven
FROM: Pastor Charles Littleton
Sent: Monday, May 04 3:35 PM
To: Candi Canaberry
CC: Shade Blackledge
Subject: Music Festival
Candi and Shade:
Great job yesterday. I know you all were worried about Bill, but you sure did a good job of keeping the worship upbeat. I’m attaching the schedule and information I received about the music festival at the college on May 16th. The whole church is excited about this evangelistic opportunity.
Charles
Shade loved to work in empty houses. He could start early and stay late, he didn’t have to move his scaffold when he left, and he could think, sing, and pray all he wanted and no one would disturb him. On the flipside, the extended time without distraction was more time than he needed to beat himself up about his misstep with Candi and the total demise of their relationship before it got off the ground.
By early evening, his own footsteps on the bare concrete floor were too loud in his ears, and the taunting images of past failures and current difficulties were starting to outweigh his positive attitude and bright future with his daughter. These were the worst kind of days and the hardest to battle through. Somewhere there was peace—and it wasn’t in a dark and nasty bar, or at the bottom of a bottle.
He sealed a half empty bucket of builder’s grade white ceiling paint and set the rest of his supplies in the back of his truck. His grandfather’s watch gave him just over an hour to get home, clean up, eat, and get to his weekly AA meeting. After that, he might call Max or visit Wild Bill. Or maybe he’d just stick his face in his Bible and pray until he fell asleep.
Something didn’t look right as he approached his house. A black Ford Explorer was parked in his yard, and two people lounged on his deck as if at the beach. Neither face was visible. One rail thin guy was stretched out on his back and appeared to be blowing smoke rings in the air. The other was perched on the top step reading the neighborhood newspaper that came each Monday afternoon. They scrambled to their feet as he pulled in his driveway.
Spider Monkey? Tom?
Both men met him with broad smiles and the classic Dead Lizard Highway version of a handshake-chest-bump-guy-hug.
Spider Monkey flicked his cigarette into the grass. “Where ya been, man? We’ve been here for hours.”
They had no concept of the forty-hour work week.
“It’s called a job. Maybe you two have heard of it? You do work and collect a paycheck. Ring any bells?”
Tom swiped his hand across his bald head. “Nah...can’t say as it does. Do other people know about this?”
Shade laughed out loud. Tom was always funny. Kind of reminded him of Rocky.
“I almost didn’t recognize you,” he said to Spider Monkey. “What’s with the hair?”
“Yeah,” he answered and rubbed his fingers through the short black spikes on his head. “Long story. Involves a stint with a punk band. ‘Nuff said.”
“Ask him about the dog collar,” Tom teased. “And the chains.”
Shade hopped up the steps and unlocked the door. “That’s OK.” He turned on the floor lamp. “C’mon in.”
Tom dropped his well-worn leather jacket by the door and made himself at home on the couch.
Spider Monkey did the same and clasped his hands behind his head as he gave Shade the once-over. “You feeling OK? You look pretty good.”
“I’m good.”
“You still in physical therapy or anything?”
“Nope. All through with hospitals, doctors, and painful exercises.” He pulled the rocking chair closer to the couch. “What brings you around? You on your way to your cousin’s in Galveston?”
Tom scooted forward and cleared his throat. “We might head that way, but we really came to see you.”
“We’re not gonna lie,” Spider Monkey added. “We’re here on business. Music business. We have a proposition for you.”
His two visitors glanced at each other. They’d evidently practiced their pitch and had a lot riding on his response. He blew out a breath and flicked a speck of paint off the back of his hand. “Guys. You know I got out of the music business—”
“We know. Just hear us out. That’s all we’re asking.”
He sat back in the rocking chair and absently set it in motion. “I’ll listen.” He glanced at the clock. “But I’ve got to be at a meeting in a little bit. Might have to finish the discussion when I get back.”
They nodded.
“Where you stayin’?”
Tom gave the cushion a pat. “I was thinking right here looks good. You got an extra blanket? Spidey can sleep on the floor.”
He figured as much. “We’ll work it out, but right now I need to eat. You guys hungry?”
Dumb question.
“We could eat.”
Shade headed for the kitchen and flicked the switch for the light over the sink. He pulled three cans out of the pantry. “Ravioli OK?”
“Why not?” Spider Monkey followed him and found a place to lean against the counter near the refrigerator. “So does this baby stuff around here mean you worked it out with Jess? She pretty much fell off the face of the earth. No one knows anything.”
Shade took three mismatched cereal bowls from the dish rack and dug through a drawer for the can opener. “She got married. The baby, Rachel, was born in October.”
Tom joined them and found his own place to lean in the tiny kitchen. “She got married? But not to you I take it.”
“Nope. Not to me. But we’re working things out with the baby.” He slid a bowl of ravioli into the microwave.
“Don’t bother with mine,” Tom said. “Just give me the can and a spoon.”
Spider Monkey made a face. “I’ll wait my turn in the ‘wave.” He took his spoon off the counter. “What meeting do you have tonight? Can we crash?”
Shade offered each of them a paper towel. “It’s my AA meeting. You can crash if you want.”
Tom ignored the paper towel and wiped the sauce off his mouth with his sleeve. “No, really.” He chuckled against his arm. “What’s going on?”
“I’m serious. I gave it up.”
He took the paper towel after all. “I guess that’s your way of telling me there’s no beer in that fridge.”
“Sorry. No beer. But I have all the soda you want.”
Tom set his dinner down and stepped across the room. “Soda it is.” He grabbed the refrigerator door. “But I’m not going to any meeting so someone can make me talk about my feelings and sing Kum-Ba-Yah and moan about how my mother messed me up and my dad beat me with a belt. No way.”
Shade pulled one bowl out of the microwave and slipped in the other. “Fine.” He laughed. “But just for the record, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are nothing like that. You’re not even close.”
Spider Monkey took the bowl Shade offered. “Don’t look at me. I’m not going.”
“Fair enough.” The ding of the timer served as a symbolic closing bell to the AA discussion. Now they knew. “What news do you bring from Austin?” he asked in an effort to change the subject. “Do you hear anything from The Rodrunner?”
Tom’s spoon scraped the bottom of the can. “No. I heard he moved out of the state. Someone said he went to Colorado. I saw his sister a few months back. She talked like he wasn’t playing the bass anymore. But, you know, we all knew he was having a hard time about Pete. She was thinking he’d snap out of his funk with some time.”
Shade found it difficult to form words. Though nothing was ever said, he was sure the bass player blamed him completely for Pete’s death. He was the only one who never came to visit, the only one, besides himself, who didn’t attend Pete’s funeral. “Well,” he said with as much conviction as he could muster. “It hasn’t even been a year. We all need time.”
“On the subject of Pete,” Tom went on. “I saw our favorite ink man not too long ago and he said he put a sweet tat on your chest in honor of our late drummer.”
Shade instinctively placed his hand just above his heart and toward his left shoulder where his lasting tribute to Pete was emblazoned on his skin. “Yeah... It’s a drum kit with Pete’s name on it.” He tugged at the collar of his white v-neck tee and pointed at the leaves that crept toward his collarbone. He wasn’t going to take his shirt off during dinner—such as it was—but, more importantly, the tattoo was his private memorial to his friend. He wasn’t ready to share. “It’s surrounded by vines that trail upward and to the left. He did a nice job on it. Lots of great color.”
Tom tossed his can in the trash. “We’ll take a better look later.”
“I heard some interesting news the other day,” Spider Monkey announced as if he had a juicy secret. “You remember that country rock band from Wimberley, the, uh, Hill Country Ramblers or Rockers or something lame like that? And that other alternative band from Austin called the Venom Collectors. You remember them?”
Tom waved his hand as if urging him to continue. “Not really, Spidey, but get on with the story.”
“OK, they were victims of that manager, Don Canaberry, who extorted money from them, right?”
“Yeah, them and about fifteen other bands we knew.”
“Anyway, did you know that guy went to jail for that?”
“Well, yeah,” Tom said. “It’s fraud, plain and simple. He took money for services he didn’t provide and then pocketed the money himself and lied about it.”
“I heard he’s out now. And get this. He’s up to his old tricks.”
Shade dropped his bowl in the sink and turned on the water. His heart pounded in his ears as anger and concern bubbled inside him. No wonder Candi was frantic to keep her father a secret. Without trying to hide her bitterness, she’d called him a crook and a liar. Was that because she knew what he was up to now, or was that based on the past? Maybe she didn’t know about his newfound freedom and his latest scam. Maybe she did and it was killing her.
The fact he didn’t know anything was killing him.
He dried his hands and tried to appear unmoved by the conversation. “What do you mean up to his old tricks? I would think he’s on parole, or something, and someone is keeping tabs on him. You know, like if an accountant embezzles millions of dollars from a corporation, I don’t think he’s allowed to be an accountant anymore and have a chance to do it again.”
“Sounds logical,” Tom offered. “But I don’t know what the regulation and licensing is for music promoters. I don’t know if there is any.”
“I don’t get it,” Shade continued. “Why would he try that scam again? No one in Texas is going to give that guy the time of day. Why would he bother?”
“Because there’s a lot of gullible musicians out there with stars in their eyes, and they’ve never heard the name Don Canaberry.”
“He approached a friend of mine who was performing at a carnival in San Antonio,” Spider Monkey said. “He gave him a handful of business cards and said to call him. He’s working for some company called Southwest Promotions, or something like that. I told the guy to forget it.”
Shade considered the positive. “He might have gone legit. He had a lot of connections. He could have turned it around and found an agency that would take a chance on him.”
Neither man looked hopeful.
“I have one of the cards,” Spider Monkey added as if he were talking about the weather. “I think I have two. My friend gave them to me.”
Shade and Tom exchanged glances. Some things never changed.
“Here ya go.”
Shade turned the card in his hands. This would be so much easier if Candi would just talk to him.
Spider Monkey pulled a pack of cigarettes out of the pocket of his denim jacket. “Can I smoke in here?”
“No, but other than that, make yourselves at home. I gotta jump in the shower and get to my meeting. I’ll stop at the burger place on my way back. Stay as long as you like, but if you’re here tomorrow, I have worship team practice, and if you’re still here on Wednesday, we’re going to Bible study.”
Spider Monkey snickered as he headed outside to smoke.
“About our proposition,” Tom began. “I know you don’t have time now, but I do want to give you something to think about.”
Shade paused on the way to his bedroom and met his friend’s gaze. He would be polite, he would be hospitable, and he would listen to their spiel. But nothing they could say would make him consider returning to a secular band.
“Remy Charbonnet split with Red Rock Fever.”
Except, maybe that.
“When did this happen?”
“Last month. He’s working on a new project. He’s got the backing, and I don’t have to tell you how well connected he is. Joining forces with Remy could put us back on top.”
Shade felt a swell in his chest. The only drummer as talented and well respected as Pete was Remy Charbonnet.
“What does this have to do with me? What does Remy want?”
“Only one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Shade Blackledge on guitar.”
Candi rushed from class and headed for her car. The only good thing about the busy, mixed-up schedule for final exam week was that it left her little time to think of Shade and the horrible scene in the church’s kitchen.
Except it was all she thought about anyway.
And boy, was she angry. Angry she didn’t see it coming, angry it all played out in front of the band, angry she’d let her guard down, angry there was an innocent baby involved somehow, and really, really , angry she did the one thing she regularly avoided at all costs—trusting a man who had issues with the truth. A man like her father.
Practice was going to be a nightmare. She’d told him he was an asset to the team and that was true, but if God was still in this whole mess somewhere, she was hard pressed to see him.
She found her regular secret spot behind the church and rested her head on the steering wheel.
Focus, focus, focus... Business as usual....
“I’m sorry I messed up, Lord. Please help us to worship you and not get bogged down in the gossip and speculation of mine and Shade’s short-lived joke of a romance. It won’t happen again...” Her words trailed into a steady babbling request for help. Amidst her haze of anger and the simple truth that her heart was seriously bruised, if not outright broken, she had no idea what she truly needed. So the prayer ended as desperate pleas often do. “Lord, please fix it. Thank you. Amen.”
Mercifully, the sanctuary was dark and quiet when she went inside. She brought up the lights, turned on the sound board, and headed straight for her storage closet. It was the perfect place to look busy as she waited for the others to arrive, and oh, how she hoped anyone but Shade would get there first.
Then she heard his voice—and he wasn’t alone.
She stepped out of the closet. He approached the front flanked by two men she’d never seen. The skinny guy to his left was dressed all in black, with short spiky hair. The one on his right was a slightly older, bald guy in brown leather. More disturbing details became evident as they got closer. Skinny gothic guy’s fingernails were painted deep purple, while bald leather guy seemed to be in the process of gauging his earlobes. She’d seen the technique on students at school. Why anyone would want to stretch their tender skin to hold an earring the size of a tire rim was waaaay beyond her realm of comprehension.
“Lord, c’mon,” she whispered to herself. “I ask you for help and you send me two more rejects from the circus?”
Shade set down his case and met her on the platform. She steeled herself against his warm smile, sparkling eyes, and caring demeanor. She couldn’t trust any of those things.
“Hey,” he said and took a nervous step closer. “I had some unexpected visitors. Hope you don’t mind.”
Mind? Of course, she minded. Their appearance alone would set Kevin bouncing off the walls so fast she’d have to nail his feet to the floor to keep him on the ground. Since they were most likely musicians, Max would be so busy trying to prove he was an accomplished percussionist, there would be no slowing his tempo to any rational speed.
A nick of conviction pierced deep in her heart. This is church , it reminded her. Everyone is welcome at church .
“I don’t mind.” She forced a smile. “Introduce us.”
“Guys, I’d like you to meet Candi. She’s in charge of the worship team here. Candi, this is Spider Monkey and Tom.”
More Dead Lizards. She remembered the names from their conversation in the car.
“Hello.” She shook each outstretched hand. “What brings you to Spring?”
Tom hooked his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans. “Business, mostly.”
“Are you playing around here?”
“Nah,” Spider Monkey said. “Just checking up on Shade and exploring some opportunities in this area.”
“It’s good to have you. I need to finish setting up, but everyone else should be here shortly.”
“I’ll be right back,” Shade said to his friends and then turned his attention toward Candi. He lowered his voice. “I need to talk to you about Kelly.”
She hadn’t expected that. “Kelly? What is it? Is something wrong?” Panic took her breath.
“Relax.” He followed her to the closet door. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Then what is it?”
“You should ask her to sing tonight. She has a song ready. It’s not for congregational singing so you’ll have to slot her in to the offertory spot, or just let her sing it as a special song.”
“But Kelly doesn’t like to sing by herself. She’s shy.”
“Shy, yes, but no shrinking violet. Just ask her tonight and see how it goes.”
He picked up two music stands and turned to walk away.
She grabbed his sleeve. “Hold on a minute. How do you know this? I’ve been trying for a year to get her to sing by herself, and she doesn’t seem interested. I know she has the talent, but she shuts down every time I try to give her a lead on something.”
“It’s not that she doesn’t want to sing, she just doesn’t want to sing what you want her to sing. You want her to do what the rest of the band is doing, but the truth is, she’s much more comfortable singing her own stuff.”
“How did you find that out?”
He put the stands back down. “I overheard her singing one night before practice. She’d written this great song called Tell Jesus . I helped her tighten it up a bit and make a chord chart so the band could play along if she wanted us to. I’m telling you, she’s ready.”
She pushed a piece of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. “All right. I’ll ask her.”
He lifted the stands again. “Anything else?”
She nodded toward Spider Monkey and Tom who had discovered a pew Bible and a tithing envelope and seemed to be discussing the two items. “So, uh, when did your colorful visitors arrive?”
The muscle in his jaw twitched. She suspected he knew she was fishing for information. Probably didn’t appreciate the word colorful either.
“They were at my house when I got home from work yesterday.”
They both glanced at the two men who had opened the Bible and were now taking turns sniffing the inside.
Shade leaned in. “You and Pastor Charles keep telling me I’m an evangelist. Well, I’m evangelizing. This is as close to church as those two have been since Vacation Bible School when they were kids. Consider this my first attempt at soul winning. And you can either help me, or you can continue to be hung up on their colorful appearance.”
The sight of him turning away after his scathing remark was the worst thing she’d ever seen.
She limped to the closet and steadied herself against the file cabinet. More anger crept into her already saturated brain. Inside, she roared like a captured lion. How dare he read Kelly better in a few short weeks than she had in two years? How dare he slice her to ribbons and then walk away? How dare he be so right about her once again? Especially after he’d caused her such hurt and confusion with the whole secret baby fiasco.
“Are you all right, hon?” Carol Ann’s fragrant cloud of Youth Dew made it into the room before she did.
Candi tugged at the waistband of her charcoal gray pencil skirt. “I’m fine.”
The older woman narrowed her gaze. “You don’t look fine. Did you get everything worked out with Shade and that sweet little baby?”
Candi slumped to a folding chair that was wedged between the cabinet and the wall. “There’s nothing to work out. It’s over.”
Carol Ann pulled the closet door closed and rushed toward her in the tiny space. “What happened, darlin’? I thought you were going to settle all this yesterday.”
“I can’t trust him. I thought I could, but when I heard about that baby and realized how many times he could have told me... That’s not the kind of information you withhold from someone.”
“I don’t think he was trying to deceive you. I don’t know the whole story but, according to Rocky, everything happened pretty fast. It was no secret. Perhaps he was waiting until he had more information—”
“But it’s a baby.” Candi left the chair and snatched the list for the music festival off the top of the cabinet. “That changes everything. He’s a father. He has responsibilities.”
“Well, sure, but it’s not as if that changes how you feel about each other. Are you afraid he doesn’t have room in his heart for a daughter and a love life?”
“No, of course not. I know it’s not a competition.” She flung open the second drawer and dug through the music. “It doesn’t matter anyway. We’ve decided not to pursue a personal relationship. He needs to focus on his daughter, and I need to focus on my work. We both have a lot going on.”
Carol Ann’s glance was skeptical. “You know...” She stacked binders in the crook of her arm. “I’ve been married for a very long time to a man some would say is hard to live with. We had some pretty rough years in the beginning, but that man loves me. And we both had a lot to learn.”
Candi closed the drawer.
“My point is...” Carol Ann continued without slowing down. “There are a lot of bumps in the road in any relationship. Some big, some not so big. The one thing they have in common is most of them can be smoothed out with an honest conversation. It’s amazing how fast real communication can work out the kinks.”
“I hear you Carol Ann and I appreciate it. I do. But I don’t think it’ll make any difference this time. It’s just not meant to be.”
Carol Ann wrapped her arm around Candi’s shoulders. “You know who always says that?”
“Who?”
“The person who’s not willing to have the conversation.” Carol Ann sashayed toward the door. “I’ll keep praying about this. Now let’s get out there before someone comes looking for us.”
As they left the closet, Rocky landed at the top of the ramp and wheeled by.
His grin was laced with curiosity. “What’s going on? Are we holding auditions or something? I saw Shade and Max out in the lobby with a couple of guys who look familiar. Musicians?”
“Yes, but they’re not here to join us. They’re Dead Lizards who dropped in on Shade.”
Rocky spun around and headed back down the ramp. “That’s why they look familiar.”
Carol Ann rolled her eyes. “We’ll never get them back in here.”
As Candi approached her keyboard, Kelly and Kevin came in the side door.
Kelly dropped her things on the floor and tightened her ponytail. “What’s all the excitement out there?”
“Dead Lizards,” Candi answered.
Kevin took off like a shot.
She trained her gaze toward Kelly. “Do you want to go too? The skinny one in black is kinda cute.”
“I’ll pass.” She pulled her guitar out of its case. “What’s on the agenda for tonight?”
“I’ll share the latest on Bill. All good news, by the way, and we need to discuss the music festival which is just the week after next. Then we’ll talk about our new practice schedule for the youth service.”
Kelly made a face.
“Yeah, it’s about to get real busy around here.”
All three women stood on the platform together and studied the all male rock and roll bonding ritual that was happening out in the narthex.
“You know they get together almost every week to watch movies and eat pizza,” Kelly offered.
Carol Ann shrugged. “At least they’re not out doing something scandalous.”
“That we know of,” Candi added. “We should start our own night out.”
“I agree, but no pizza,” Kelly said.
“No pizza. Our version would be fine dining and decadent dessert. Maybe mani-pedis.”
“That’ll work,” Carol Ann declared. “In the meantime, do you want me to round them up?”
“In a minute, thanks. Right now I want Kelly to sing.”
Kelly did her best to look shocked.
“Don’t bother. Shade ratted you out.” Candi adjusted the microphone. “Go for it. I’m going to sit out there and listen. Don’t worry about anyone else. Just sing. I have a spot Sunday for a special song.”
Candi found a seat in the dim light near the back. A nervous Kelly took her time as she worked her way through several chords and settled into the rhythm of a soft ballad. Her voice was tender and clear as she sang her own soulful creation about a world of hurting people who each had their own painful story. By the time she got to the chorus, Candi could not hold her tears.
Everybody has a story to tell
And it hurts to share because you know the end so well
When your heart is broke in two
And your friends have done all they can do
Tell Jesus
When your friends have all gone home
And you’re in the dark there all alone
Tell Jesus, tell Jesus, tell Jesus
Shade scrolled through his text messages before he got out of the truck at church Sunday morning. One each from Spider Monkey and Tom in Austin, and two from Remy Charbonnet in Louisiana. Everyone wanted to know if he’d considered their proposal. He wanted to know why they were awake and texting at eight in the morning. Then he remembered. They’d never been to bed last night.
The money on the table would put a huge dent in his financial needs, but to what lengths would he have to go to make that money? There was no way he could straddle both worlds without ripping himself apart. He had no time to record anything and keep up with all the promotional responsibilities of a new release, and he’d already committed himself to a youth service and a worship conference for Cornerstone. He wasn’t ready to give up on that. He caught a glimpse of Candi as she hurried toward the side door of the sanctuary. He wasn’t ready to give up on her either.
Max and Rocky were already in the hospitality room when he arrived.
Max seemed distressed. “Get over here. You need to see this.”
He set his case along the wall and joined them. “What is it?”
“This,” Rocky said with despair.
Shade scanned the table. No wonder they were upset. “What do you think happened?”
“I say it’s that new couple from California. I was standing here by them last week and they made a comment about how there was nothing here for diabetics and the health conscious.”
Rocky rolled closer and wagged his finger toward the big basket in the center of the table. “And now we have this. Bananas, granola bars, raisins... I can’t do it, Shade. I can’t worship under these circumstances.”
“The doughnuts must be here somewhere,” Shade said. “They can’t cut us off cold turkey.”
Max shook like a Chihuahua. “I can’t go cold turkey, man. There’s not a twelve-step program strong enough to wean me off Sunday morning doughnuts. It’s been my way of life since I could sneak out of the nursery.”
As Kevin approached, his girlish scream magnified their terror. “Kelly said it, but I didn’t believe it.”
A member of the hospitality committee came toward them. “Calm down, boys. There will be pastries, just less of them. We’re trying to be sensitive to everyone’s needs. Some parents—not to mention the Sunday school teachers—don’t think the children need three sprinkle doughnuts first thing in the morning.” She placed two stacks of napkins further down the table. “Should be here any minute.”
They stepped as a group to the other end of the table to wait.
Kevin picked up a Styrofoam cup. “Did you hear the good news?”
“No.”
“Wild Bill’s here. He’s a little tired and all he can do is complain about how many pills he has to take, but he’s good.”
“That’s a relief,” Max said.
Candi walked up to join them. Other than a fleeting glance and polite hello, she had no warm welcome for him. Attempts to talk to her during the week had amounted to nothing more than church talk and stilted comments about the humid weather. Her interest seemed genuine when she’d asked about Rachel, but the discussion never made it beyond courteous chit-chat. It made his chest ache.
She planted her hands on her hips and surveyed the situation. “So the rumors are true. I can’t do this without my Sunday morning chocolate cake glazed doughnut. Max, I’ll buy if you fly. Want to make a quick run?”
“Not necessary, Candi Cane. We’ve been assured the provisions are on the way.”
“Watch it, Maxwell. I’m already on edge due to this unforeseen catastrophe.”
Carol Ann and Kelly rounded out the group.
“Carol Ann has news,” Kelly announced.
“Well, I think it’s news,” Carol Ann said and placed her pink breast cancer awareness mug under the spigot on the coffee urn. “Bud is coming to second service.”
Kevin’s eyes widened as he took a sip from his own cup. “The mysterious never-before-been-to-church-husband-Bud?”
“That’s the one.”
“Wow,” Rocky said. “We’re entering our third year of prayer for that. Any particular reason for the change of heart?”
“He said he wants to see Shade Blackledge play the guitar.”
Max dropped the box of raisins he’d picked up. “Bud’s a Dead Lizard Highway fan?”
“I guess so. He said he mentioned Shade’s presence here to some guys at work. Next thing you know he’d downloaded music to his phone. But here’s the best part.” She paused to laugh. “He told them he was going to check it out and would let them know for sure if it was him. If it is, he’s inviting them all to church. And he’s convinced they’ll come.”
“So wait,” Candi said. “Bud—who has never been to this church and has, in the past, shown no interest in furthering his relationship with Christ—is witnessing to his friends at work?”
“Yes. Isn’t that a riot?”
“Only God can do something like that.”
“God and a Dead Lizard,” Kevin added.
Rocky cuffed Shade on the arm. “You better be you, Shade. And you better be spectacular. The salvation of Bud’s co-workers may be at stake.”
“I’ll do my best.” He turned to Carol Ann. “We’ll meet up after service, OK?”
The group scrambled as the pastry boxes arrived. Candi took her breakfast and a napkin and retreated to the safety of the church office.
Shade followed. There was never going to be a good time to share what he knew about her father’s release.
“You were right about Kelly,” she said.
He set his coffee on the counter. “Yeah, she’s pretty talented.”
“The congregation is going to be blown away by her song today.”
He took the chair beside her in the small waiting area. “I know you don’t want to talk to me on personal issues,” he began softly. “But I need to ask you about your father.”
“This isn’t the time—”
“Did you know he’s out of jail?”
Panic moved in a wave across her face and banished all color from her cheeks. “How do you know that?”
He pulled the card from his pocket. “He approached some members of a band I know. Spider Monkey gave me this business card when he was here the other day.”
She took it and squeezed until it crumpled. “I got word he was to be released, but we don’t talk, so I didn’t know the details. Are you telling me he’s trying to work in Austin again?”
“I don’t know. But he was in San Antonio as recently as last weekend.”
She stood and gathered her things. “Thank you for telling me.”
“Wait. I know you’re upset about this. Let’s go somewhere after church and talk about it.”
Max burst into the room like a rainstorm at a picnic. “We better warm up. Kelly’s starting to think about her song and freak out.”
“Coming.” Candi slipped right out of the room without looking back.
“Nice,” Shade said and picked up his coffee. “Your timing could not be better.”
“No worries, buddy.” Max gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “She can’t stay mad at you forever.”
Right. Problem was, he thought maybe she could.