Unlikely Praise (28 page)

“All Rachel needs is love and attention.”

“Exactly. But apparently, I’m just one big ball of bitterness and anger. I don’t know if I’m through this, yet. I’m still trying to make peace with my father.”

“And I’m still trying to tell you you’re further along than you think. You can choose to keep wallowing in this, or you can choose to declare your freedom from whatever it is that had you so tied up in knots and move on.”

“I’m trying, Shade. It’s not that I don’t have feelings for you, I’m just worried I’m too damaged to give you everything you need.”

“Or maybe you’re reacting out of that same fear you’ve been clinging to for years.” He stood up brushed several long blond hairs off his shoulder. “I’ll make it easy for you. You do your thing, and I’ll do mine. I need to make some changes myself. Money’s tight, and I’ve been offered an opportunity that will help with that so I’m going to take it. I’ll fulfill my obligation to Cornerstone to get this youth service off the ground because I promised Pastor Charles I would. But after that, I’ll be out of your way.”

“Shade, please...”

“No, we’re done here. I’m not going to keep trying to convince you you’re grown up and worthy enough to love and be loved. I’ve been down that road, and you’re gonna have to figure it out for yourself.”

****

Candi stood guard at the door between the lobby and the pool. Shade had yet to make an appearance at the welcome reception. Max hadn’t either and they weren’t answering their phones. She passed back through the long hallway and left the hotel through the front entrance. She settled in a wrought iron chair under the portico as hotel guests came and went, and valets maneuvered cars in and out of the circular drive with deft precision.

She didn’t see Shade.

“Keep him safe, Lord,” she whispered. “Keep him strong and comfort him until I can get my hands on him. And please show me what to do. I was just trying to be honest. Why can’t I get
anything
right?”

She headed back inside. Her heart leaped as someone waved their arms to get her attention. She rushed forward and then stopped.
Brett
.

Not today, Lord...I need to find Shade.

She approached his table. “Hey, Brett.”

He pulled out a chair. “Have a seat.”

She glanced around the room again. “Uh...all right.”

“Looking for someone?”

“Yes. I can’t find Shade and Max.”

“I don’t know about Max,” he said and scooted his clear plastic plate to the edge of the table. “But I saw Shade a couple hours ago.”

“Where?”

“He was leaving as I was coming in. He tore out of here like he was in a hurry. Didn’t say much, just jumped in a cab and left.”

“I don’t suppose he said where he was going.”

“Sorry.”

She snatched a napkin off the table and twisted it into a pointy spike and then pulled her cell phone out of her skirt pocket. Nothing. She fired off a quick text.
Where are you?

Brett sat back and took another drink of coffee. “Is there something I can do for you, Candi?”

“What do you mean?”

He gestured around the room. “This conference here is kinda like the Super Bowl of Worship for people like us. There are a couple legendary songwriters and worship leaders right over there at that table. You should be smiling and networking and firmly planted right in the middle of that crowd. And yet you’re over here with me looking like you want to cry.” He leaned forward. “What’s up with that?”

This would be one of those times when, in the past, she’d clam up. She’d lock herself in her room and wait for the storm to pass. If Shade wanted to stay out of her way, she’d let him. If Brett wanted to get personal, she’d say thanks, but no thanks.

She couldn’t do that anymore.

“Oh, Brett. You have no idea what a mess I’ve made.”

“Does this have anything to do with your father?”

“You know about that?”

“I caught the end of the show at the festival. People talk, but we don’t know the whole story. No one’s judging.”

“Well, that’s only part of the side show I’ve been performing in the last couple months.” She hesitated, and then went on. “Right now it’s a problem with Shade I need to fix, but I can’t find him and I’m worried.”

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

Brett was nothing if not helpful. She had to start opening up to more of her friends, sometime. Might as well be today.

“We had a misunderstanding. He was trying to tell me how he felt about me, and I was trying to tell him why it wouldn’t work. And it’s not because of him. It’s because of me.”

“So you rejected him?”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“But you used the words it’s not you, it’s me?”

“Something like that.”

“Uh-oh.”

“What uh-oh?”

“That’s the kiss of death for a guy. I hope you didn’t follow that with how you
just want to be friends
.”

“Of course not. I love him.”

“Did you tell him that?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Gee, Brett, I don’t know, because I’m
brain-dead
? This is not helping. What do I do?”

He crossed his arms on the table. “Guys are not all that complicated. We see a woman we like, and we go after her. If we’re in love, all we want to know is that you love us, too. We don’t nit-pick it to death, or look for problems under every stone. There’s no analyzing of motives or taking a magazine quiz about feelings to see if it’s gonna stick. It’s I love you, do you love me, check yes, or no.”

“What if I accidentally checked no?”

“Then you better be sharpening your pencil and making it right because the thing that scares us most is rejection.”

She sprang from her chair. “Thanks, Brett. That’s what I needed to know.”

“You’re welcome. Let’s just say I’ve had a lot of practice with the rejection thing.”

Harsh realization smacked her upside the head. “Oh. I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt your feelings.”

“It’s OK. You and I look good on paper, but I knew it was a long shot. Especially after I saw the way you and Shade interact with each other. You’re off the market, anyway.”

Candi rushed to the elevator. Too slow. She hit the stairs. Completely out of breath, she pounded on Max and Shade’s door. Hopefully, he was back.

Max opened it. His eyes were glazed over with sleep and his hair was crazy. “What time is it?”

She brushed past him. “It’s eight o’clock. You missed the reception.”

“Wow...I fell asleep.”

“Where’s Shade?”

“I don’t know. I thought he was with you.” He scratched his head. “Uh-oh.”

“Again with the uh-oh. What now?”

“I thought he was with you and that you two would be celebrating or something. Do you want a soda? ‘Cause I could use a soda.”

She yanked him by the lapels of his scraggly denim jacket. “We are not having soda, you understand me? We’re going to find Shade because we are not celebrating right now, and it’s my fault. Now
think
. Do you have any idea where he might have gone? Brett said he saw him get in a cab.”

Max checked his phone. “All I have is a lot of missed calls and texts from you. I must’ve really passed out.”

“
Think
, Max.”

“OK, he mentioned Spider Monkey and Tom, but I don’t have any idea where to find them. He also recently talked about Remy Charbonnet.”

“Who is that? I keep hearing that name.”

“He’s a drummer friend of Shade’s. He wants him join his band. Big money. Recording contract. I don’t think Shade’s interested. I think Shade wants to stay in Spring and play house with you.”

“Well, I messed that up. We’ve got to find him, and fast, so I can un-mess it up.”

“You don’t think he’d hook up with his friends and do something stupid, do you? I mean he’s been sober for almost a year.”

“I don’t think so. He’s hurt and upset with me right now, but he has a strong faith and I don’t think he’d do anything to endanger what he has with Rachel. I’ve been praying, just in case. You pray, too.”

“Austin’s a good size city. We could start at Sixth Street, but that’s where all the students go. You lived here. Where do people go to listen to bands? Where might people like Spider Monkey, Tom, and Remy hang out on a Friday night?”

Candi sat on the edge of the bed and rocked back and forth as she scoured her brain. Everything hurt, and not one logical plan of attack panned out in her mind.

Save for one.

She rummaged through her wallet until she came up with what she hoped was the golden ticket. There was only one man who could turn the city of Austin upside down in record time and come up with an ex-Dead Lizard. She picked up her phone.

“Daddy? I need your help!”

****

Shade sat at a table in the corner of the club he and the band once called The Clover. He wasn’t sure what it was called now. He’d done the right thing and called his sponsor to let him know him know he was walking into a bar for the first time since the accident. He explained his reasons, and they discussed his game plan.

No, he wasn’t in a great frame of mind for the challenge.

No, he wasn’t going there for a party or a gig. He needed to connect with his friends about a job then he’d be gone.

Yes, he was spiritually fit.

Yes, he’d call him later.

He checked his phone. More texts from Candi, a few from Max, and only one from Spider Monkey, who said he and Tom would be there any minute. That was an hour ago. The longer he sat there, the more he realized that was fifty-nine and a half minutes more than he needed to be in the place. Everything there reminded him of Pete—and it wasn’t the good times he thought about.

Patrons came and went and ordered drinks. Some looked at him as if he was familiar, but it was a little early for the people who would recognize him instantly. Did he really want to reconnect with them, anyway?

Lord... what am I doing here?

His phone chimed with a text from Tom.
Are you here?

Yes, where are you?

Outside talking. Be there in a minute.

Shade closed his phone. If they were outside, he’d go outside.

Spider Monkey and Tom stood at the far end of the building with a couple other guys. He headed their way. As he reached them, in the dim light from the street lamp and the glow of a neon sign, he spotted someone else. Don Canaberry jogged toward them from across the street. He paused at the curb and shoved his glasses up on his nose as he wildly punched buttons on his phone. He dropped it in his pocket and joined the group. “I’m too old for this,” he said with a wide smile. Beads of sweat dotted his upper lip. He extended his hand. “Shade. Good to see you. Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Don. What are you doing here?”

As Canaberry exchanged hellos with the others, three men came down the sidewalk. They paused and flashed a badge. The scrape of the brick wall seared the side of Shade’s face.

“You’re under arrest.”

****

Candi jumped out of the chair in the lobby and yanked Max from the complimentary coffee urn and plate of cookies. “We have to get the car.”

“Why?”

“My dad texted me. He found him, he’s fine, they’re on the south side of town.”

“Why do we need the car? Your dad will bring him back here.”

“No. We need to go there. Shade wouldn’t answer my calls. He may not come back. At least I can pick up his trail and track him down if my father loses him.”

Max stumbled as she pushed him toward the door. “Do you
hear
the words coming out of your mouth? Shade’s mad but he’s not unreasonable. He’ll be back. Besides, we don’t know where he is.”

“We can figure it out on your fancy phone. GPS, Yellow Pages, whatever. My dad mentioned the street.”

“It’s a needle in a haystack situation.”

“Don’t you have an app for that? Get in the car.”

Candi maneuvered each busy road as Max yelled out directions. She cut it close with a couple yellow lights and there was a distinct possibility they’d taken a short trip the wrong way down a one-way street.

“Hang a left, hang a left,” Max shouted. “It’s gotta be right here on this block somewhere.”

“I don’t see anything. Wait! I’m not going down that street. There are police lights flashing.

Max waved his phone in her face. “But that’s the location.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Drive on by. It’s probably disorderly conduct or public intoxication or something. What does your dad drive?”

“I don’t know. Before he went to jail, he had a white Toyota. Camry or Corolla or something like that. Who knows what he’s driving now? My phone’s in the cup holder. Try to call him.”

“Slow down.” He dropped her phone. “I think I see them.”

“Where?”

“Uh...right there.”

Candi glanced at the front of the club as she drove. Her father and Shade sat together on the curb. They were handcuffed. A man stood above them. They both stared up at him with their eyes wide. Spider Monkey, Tom, and one other man stood handcuffed along the wall.

Her gasp was so violent she choked on her own saliva. She slammed on her brakes.

Max flew forward and jerked back. “
Whoa
, woman! Did you even look behind you?”

“I’m getting out.”

He yanked on her arm. “
No
! We’re in the middle of the street and you can’t walk up to a bunch of cops during an arrest, or
you’ll
be wearing fancy bracelets too.”

“What do I do?”

“Go around again. Go around again!”

“Are you kidding me? They’ve been
arrested
. I need to see what’s going on.”

“No. We can’t get out. Just go around again and we’ll park and watch what happens.”

“We’re going to have a stake out and watch the police?”

“What else are we gonna do?”

She crept around the police car and circled the block. Her heart thumped hard and fast in her chest. It hurt like the night at the music festival, and the one person who could calm her down had been arrested.
Arrested!