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know the first thing about it. Besides, you’re the leader.”
    His last remark hit the raw nerve she’d been nursing for two weeks. She didn’t feel much like the leader after all she’d been left out of, but it was nice of him to acknowledge that fact. In the same breath, he’d confirmed her worst fears. He was a total stranger to praise and worship.
    She turned her cup in her fingers. Round and round it scooted on the table. “I understand that, and no one’s asking you to jump in and do anything you’re not comfortable with. But Pastor Charles thinks a lot of you and your talent, and he’d like for us to work together and see what happens.”
    He nodded and took another swig from his extra-large cup.
    “Besides,” she added, while trying to quash her own doubts. “It’s not about us. It’s about God’s will for our team. All we can do is have faith and pray about it.”
    He pulled his chair closer to the table and flashed that smile again. “I can do that.”
    “Good. So tell me, did Pastor Charles give you any idea as to what he specifically wanted you to do?”
    “Not exactly. He implied you were going to be real busy and could use some help. He said something about you starting a children’s choir. He also mentioned a mid-week youth service, but that’s all he said.”
    Candi rubbed her forehead. This was the first she’d heard about the children’s choir. Wonder when Pastor planned to tell her about that? “Yeah, he’s wanted to start that youth service for a while now. I thought Kevin and Kelly could develop their leadership skills there, but they need guidance, as I’m sure you gathered the other night.”
    “I was meaning to ask you about that. Are you sure they’re in college?”
    She laughed. “I’m sure. They’re academically and musically gifted, but what they have in brains, they lack in social skills.” She paused to toy with her napkin. “You’ll love the band. They’re very talented, but diverse. Max has been a Christian since he accepted Christ as a little guy in his grandmother’s church, and I’m convinced he’ll go to seminary and have his own church. Carol Ann has more faith than anyone I’ve ever met, even though she has it rough at home. Rocky is the epitome of the power of positive thinking and overcoming obstacles. He hasn’t been a Christian very long. You’ll meet the others soon.”
    “I’m looking forward to it.” He leafed through the stack of music and held up a page. “This is just lyrics. Is there a chord chart?”
    She leaned in to take a look. “Uh...no. Kevin and I are trying to decide who’s going to sing it so it’ll either be in E or A. I’ll get a chart when we know for sure. I put that there because we’ll be working on it soon. You can look up the video.”
    He worked his pencil out of the spiral binding on his notebook and started to write across the top with his left hand.
    Candi paused with the cup at her lips. “You’re left-handed.”
    He met her gaze but didn’t say a word.
    “But you don’t play a left-handed guitar.”
    “That’s because I’m not truly left-handed, I guess.”
    She snatched the paper off the table and looked at the perfectly formed letters in the note he wrote for himself. “This is great penmanship for a guy. C’mon, what gives? Are you ambidextrous?”
    “I don’t think so, but when I used to work with my dad in construction he would say I could hit my thumbs with a hammer equally well with both hands.”
    Her sudden bark of laughter just missed being a snort.
    “I’m glad you think it’s funny. Do you know how hard it is to play guitar with busted thumbs?”
    “Sorry. But, tell me. I’m only interested because I’m a teacher and have to decode most handwritten assignments.”
    He fidgeted in his seat and curled his coffee stirrer until it resembled a coiled snake. Candi recognized the look. It was the same shadow that crossed his face at least twice the other night in practice.
    “Never