Unlikely Praise Read online

  “What’s wrong with Bill?” she asked.

  Shade looked over and did a double-take. Then he grinned. “Nothing, Captain. Wild Bill is fine and fit for duty.”

  Bill’s eyes twinkled and his ample belly jiggled as he tried to hold in what appeared to be gut-busting laughter. He shook from the top of his bushy gray head to the ends of his short, stubby fingers. It was like trying to talk to Santa Claus.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Right. Good to see you, Bill. I see you’ve met Shade.”

  “Aye, Captain. We’ve downloaded demos from the three leading suppliers of the software you need to run click tracks, sequences, loops, etc.”

  Shade held up his hand before she could speak. “Don’t worry, I told him this was all for practice later this week. I created a folder here on the desktop when you’re ready to take a look.”

  “Aye, Captain,” Bill added and pointed at the screen. “It’s here on the starboard side.” And with that, he lost all thread of control. He laughed so hard he had to bend over and hold the back of Shade’s chair for support.

  Shade kept his face conspicuously turned away, but she could tell he was laughing by the way his shoulders shook.

  She tugged at the necklace and dangling earrings that now seemed ten times bigger than they actually were. “Enough already. It’s not that bad.”

  Bill stood tall and wiped away a tear. “Sorry, Candi, but when you walked toward me I had a Navy flashback.” He waved his hand around in front of her. “All those ships wheels...all that navy blue...”

  “Yeah, I get it. It’s nautical.” She handed him a list of songs. “Here’s what’s up for this morning. There are no surprises. All the slides should be ready and up to date. I’ve got to get up front, OK?”

  “Sure thing.”

  Carol Ann met her as she stepped onto the platform. “Bill givin’ you a hard time?”

  “The usual. But I have to admit I made it easy today. I look like I should be on my way to the yacht club.”

  “Oh, stop. You do not.” She took the set lists Candi offered and put one on each music stand. “I see Shade made it.”

  Candi flipped the power switch on her keyboard and pulled a pencil out of her notebook. “Yeah, he made it.”

  Carol Ann cozied up beside her. “Word on the street is you two had coffee Friday morning. How’d it go?”

  Candi nearly snapped the pencil in half. “Are you serious? Have we already become the subject of gossip?”

  “Oh, no, it’s not like that. He and Max were doing some work at the church Friday afternoon and I guess Shade mentioned it.”

  “Max and Shade? Working at the church together? When did all that come about? They just met.”

  “I don’t know, darlin’, but you’re gonna have to calm down. Look at me.” The older woman pulled her away from the keyboard and patted the side of her face. The familiar scent of Estee Lauder’s Youth Dew floated to Candi’s nose. “You’re much too young and beautiful for any premature wrinkles, so stop frowning. Why are you all tied up in knots?”

  “I don’t know. Two weeks ago, I didn’t know Shade and now he’s everywhere. This whole situation is running off without me.”

  Carol Ann stepped back with an exaggerated gasp. “Candace Camille Canaberry! You mean that little inner control freak of yours got loose and is out running wild again?”

  “Got loose? I don’t think I ever had her constrained.”

  Carol Ann laughed. “At least you know about her, and that’s half the battle.” Her smile faded. “Seriously, Candi, there’s no use worrying about what God has already set in motion. He’s got it under control and doesn’t need your help. You just have to go with it and do the right thing. It’s God’s business and you know He always has the best set aside for those who believe and are obedient.”

  “Then you better keep praying for me,” she groaned.

  “Always. Now, I’m going to go get Kevin and Max out of the doughnuts in the hospitality room so you can prepare us for worship and give us final notes and all that.”

  “Thanks. Make a pass through the foyer if you don’t mind. I saw Kelly and Rocky out there.”

  Candi returned to her keyboard and continued to sort her music. From the corner of her eye, she saw Shade leave the sound booth and make his way to the front left pew where the band sat after worship.

  He sat and stretched out his long legs. There was not one hole in his jeans. He pulled a thin black Bible from under his arm and leafed through it. The shiny silver edge of each page told her it was new, and the way he thumbed through several chapters at a time told her he was looking for something but had no idea where to find it.

  Her heart warmed.

  At least he was in the right place for the answers she hoped would help with the secrets she was sure he held.

  One by one, her team assembled. Like soldiers reporting for duty, they arranged their music, fine-tuned their instruments, and quietly prepared their hearts to worship God. Even Kevin seemed to have focused his energy on the task at hand and managed to not mention Shade or Dead Lizard Highway once.

  They gathered for prayer. Though he wasn’t playing, she motioned for Shade to join them. In the intimacy of their circle, Candi sensed it was going to be a great morning.

  And it was.

  Max stayed in tempo most of the time, Rocky added some licks she was sure surprised even him, and Kelly actually sang into her microphone and didn’t try to avoid it.

  By the time they left the platform, Candi knew they had achieved true worship. It was one of their finest offerings, and she was sure God was blessed by their efforts.

  She took a seat beside Shade with a satisfied smile. Kevin rushed Rocky down the ramp and rolled him to the end of their pew while the rest of the band dutifully filed down the row beside her.

  Pastor Charles approached the pulpit. “Bill, if you’ll go ahead and put up today’s scripture reading.”

  The congregation looked up at the large projection screen as the last of the worship lyrics faded away and the fourth chapter of Ephesians took its place. Amidst the rustling Bible pages, another distinct sound filled the sanctuary.

  It started with four drum clicks.

  A rollicking bass line soon followed.

  The squeal of a lone guitar string entered the fray and pierced the air.

  And the thump of techno sound effects screeched above it all.

  Pastor Charles looked her way and smiled. It was his fake “I’m not really smiling at you” smile. She, in turn, glared at Shade.

  His eyes widened. “I put that folder in a place Bill couldn’t accidentally open it.”

  “Obviously you didn’t,” she snapped. “Fix it.”

  He jumped from his seat. “Aye, Captain.”

  3

  From: Pastor Charles Littleton

  [mailto:[email protected]]

  Sent: Monday, April 20 4:06 PM

  To: Candi Canaberry

  CC: Shade Blackledge

  Subject: Meeting tomorrow

  Candi:

  I’d like to meet with you and Shade this week. How about tomorrow before practice? Is 5:00 too early for you? Touch base with Shade and let me know.

  By the way, I’m also curious as to what that was yesterday.

  Charles

  Candi claimed her secret spot in the church parking lot. She got out, tugged her pink blouse into place, and made sure the hem of her favorite jeans had uncurled from their extended romp in the clothes dryer. At least this week she had a chance to go home and change before practice. Her strappy spring sandals were much more comfortable than the spike-heeled torture devices she had on last Tuesday.

  She went through the back entrance with plenty of time to set up for practice before her meeting. But someone had beat her to it.

  The lights were up and guitar, music, and microphone stands stood ready on the platform. The control booth computer was turned on, and the buz
z of the sound system hummed in the air. She dropped her music in a pew. So much for her quiet alone time.

  The low rumble of male voices came from outside the sanctuary. She crossed the foyer and stopped short at the glass doors to the church office. Pastor Charles, Shade and Max stood with their backs to the entrance. The three of them stared and pointed at the walls as though admiring them. The smell of fresh paint hung in the air, but that barely registered in her brain. All her mind could focus on was that Shade wore a kiwi-green polo shirt. Which meant his arms weren’t covered. Which meant that nasty lizard and whatever was on his other arm had come to their meeting with the pastor, and worse, had come to worship practice. He stood with those uncovered arms crossed, rocking back and forth in his paint-splattered boots as though nothing was wrong.

  She grabbed the door with such force the clanging bangle bracelets at her wrist alerted the men to her presence.

  Max rushed to push the large panel open for her. She hesitated.

  “C’mon in. Everything’s dry,” he assured her and then proceeded to get the huge wad of used painter’s tape he held stuck to his yellow shirt. “We’re finishing up.”

  “Oh, hey, Candi,” Pastor Charles said. “We’re checking out Shade and Max’s handiwork.”

  Shade added his greeting. “How ya doin’?”

  She wanted to politely respond. Don’t look at his arms…don’t look at his arms...don’t look at his arms...

  She looked at his arms. The hollow empty eye sockets of a haunting skull looked back at her. She forced her gaze upward to meet his and choked out a response. “I’m fine, Shade, how are you?”

  His relaxed half-grin half-smirk let her know she was caught. “I’m great,” he answered as his smile broadened and his left eyebrow arched. “Just great.”

  “Great,” she mimicked like a stunned parrot, profoundly aware of how stupid she looked and sounded as she gave away her private thoughts about his tattoos. What irked her more? He didn’t seem the least bit concerned about her reservations. He seemed to be enjoying them.

  She turned her attention to the freshly painted walls while Pastor Charles and Max made sure all the office chairs were in the right place. The dingy eggshell color was gone. In its place was an updated shade of light mocha. As a contrast, Ms. Mattie’s picture wall was now a warm chocolate brown. All seven paintings of Jesus in various Bible story scenes were arranged in an absorbing cluster that made her want to step forward and study each depiction as if for the first time.

  “It’s perfect,” she said softly. “When did you do all this?”

  Shade moved to her side. “We did the prep work Friday and came back yesterday to paint. Today was a final check and clean up and we re-hung the pictures.”

  The paintings captured her gaze again. “I’ve always loved these. And now the brown wall behind the gold frames and rich colors just seems to make them come more alive.” She looked up at him. “Ya did good.”

  “Thank you.” He paused. “Which one is your favorite?”

  “Hard to say. I’ve always liked the one of Jesus praying in the garden, but this one of Him with the children gets me, too. What about you?”

  Max bounded to her side like a happy Labrador puppy. “I gotta go. Running to Taco Bell before practice. Want anything?”

  “No thanks,” she answered. “Hey, you did an awesome job here, Max. You guys make a great team, and I think somebody must have a talent for design and color.”

  Max pointed to the brown swatch of paint that still decorated his forehead a day later. “It’s not me. I could barely keep the paint off myself and on the wall. Shade’s the expert.”

  Pastor Charles extended his hand to Max. “We’ll talk more tomorrow. Thanks for coming.”

  “Sure thing, Pastor. Thanks for the opportunity.”

  The older man patted his shirt pocket. “Wait a sec. I’ll walk out with you. I think I left my cell phone in the car.” He turned to Candi and Shade. “You two go on in my office, I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Shade rubbed the back of his neck. “I feel like I’ve been sent to the principal’s office. Know what I mean?”

  Candi laughed. “Uh, hello? I’m in education. My whole life has been one principal’s office after another. And it’s not bad enough to be summoned, but here, you feel the additional pressure that God wants to see you for some reason.”

  “Do you think he wants to talk about what happened Sunday?”

  “Who? Pastor Charles, or God?”

  “Funny.”

  “Nah, I’m sure he wants to know, but that’s not why he e-mailed us an invitation to meet. He’s got something else on his mind.” Candi dropped into her usual chair. “Speaking of e-mails, I saw your e-mail address. What does the BPS stand for?”

  He took the chair next to her in front of the pastor’s messy desk. “Blackledge Painting Services,” he said and tugged at the logo on the left side of his shirt. “It’s not that creative, but it gets the job done. That e-mail is through my website.”

  Candi leaned in to study the embroidered paintbrush with the initials worked through the handle. “Did you design that logo?”

  “Uh...no. My mom did it. She has an embroidery business and made me a dozen of these shirts when I moved back here and started the business. I asked for black. What I got was whatever shirt in my size she had left over from a custom order.”

  “Cheap and easy advertisement,” Candi observed as she kicked off her left sandal and tucked her foot under her.

  He glanced down at his shirt again. “Yeah, well, this one’s a little bright for me.”

  She froze as she pulled her planner from her bag. Rock and roll had surely fried his brain. The shirt was too bright? Ironic he would think so considering he had an electric orange flaming skull on one arm and a gigantic, multi-hued green lizard on the other.

  She settled back in her chair. He’d set it up, she might as well knock it down. “I would’ve thought you were a big fan of bright colors,” she said and tilted her head toward his forearms to make her point without, well, pointing.

  He stretched his arms out in front of him. “That’s a whole different story.” He looked at each image before he crossed them again. “Ancient history.”

  She dropped her gaze to the floor. It might be his ancient history, but it was her ever-present nightmare. She could only imagine what those tattoos would look like from the back of the sanctuary during worship. Distracting, to say the least.

  For that reason, and because of the shadows that darkened his face from time to time, she wanted to know. “Tell me about it.”

  Pastor Charles entered the room waving his cell phone. “Got it. And Shade,” he added. “I got a couple keys for you out of the key box.”

  Shade hesitated to take them. “That’s not necessary.”

  “No, take them. If you’re gonna help out around here you should be able to get in.”

  Shade pulled his key ring out of his pocket and started to twist them onto the loop.

  Candi had to know. “Keys?”

  “Shade and Max were trying to set up for practice earlier, but they couldn’t get into the closet.”

  “My music closet?” she squeaked. It was the only sacred place she had in the whole church. She squeezed the arms of the chair until her fingers turned white. Was she allowed no privacy? No safe place to keep her music and their expensive equipment?

  Shade caught her gaze and started to twist the keys back off the ring. He looked terrified. “It’s all right. I don’t need them.”

  Her shoulders sagged. Was she really that scary? No wonder she didn’t get asked out more often. “No, Shade, keep them. Just please make sure you watch who goes in there and, if you’re the last one out, make sure all the doors are locked behind you, OK? It’s not the team I’m worried about, but lots of people use the church, and I don’t want us to get blamed for leaving a door open if something gets taken.”

  “Sure.”

  “Let’s get started,�
� Pastor Charles said.

  Candi pulled the pen out of her planner. What could they possibly talk about now that he’d given a total stranger the keys to everything? There were apparently no more rules or regulations and her opinion meant nothing. Perhaps she should just go home.

  Pastor Charles shoved a tall stack of papers to the side. “What happened yesterday?”

  Candi prepared to fall on her sword. “It’s my fault. Shade and I have been discussing the use of computer software to enhance our worship. There was a folder on the computer desktop. Bill opened it by accident and it started to run a demo.”

  “That’s my fault,” Shade interjected. “I thought I had the folder in a safe place. From now on we can load those programs on an external drive with a password where we can better control access.”

  “That sounds like a lot of trouble. Especially if you decide to purchase the software and use it often.”

  Candi and Shade exchanged glances. Neither seemed anxious to drag the subject further than it needed to go.

  Apparently, the pastor didn’t either. “It doesn’t matter. Wasn’t that big a deal. Bill apologized that morning and said he’d misplaced his glasses. Couldn’t see a thing.”

  Candi squirmed in her chair. If it was no big deal why had he brought it up?

  Pastor Charles scooted his coffee mug out of the way and lifted the pages of his large desk calendar one at a time. “When are finals, Candi?”

  She opened her planner. “First full week in May.”

  “You teaching summer session?”

  “I think I’ve been approved to do a couple online Music Appreciation courses in June and July. I have to put in some office time and attend some workshops, but frankly, I’m trying to stay away from the college as much as possible this summer since my fall schedule will be so full.”

  “What about you, Shade? How’s business?”

  “Steady. Growing. I’m close to being busy full time, and I have a couple guys I can count on if I need to be somewhere.”

  Pastor Charles let the calendar pages drop and sat back in his chair. “Here’s what I’d like to see happen. Candi, I’ve got parents clamoring for a children’s choir. They know you have the expertise, and we sure have a church full of kids. I’d like to brainstorm some ideas, and then have a meeting to see who’s interested. Thought you could have a children’s choir camp over the summer. We could do that after Vacation Bible School so we could use that time to advertise if you like the idea.”