“The Waterwheel is a pub.Families eat there.”
Fred’s head bobbed from side to side as he considered it.His objections had all been overcome.So really it just came down to whether he wanted to do it or not.Whether he should or not.And he sort of felt a stirring inside him that he was supposed to do this.Weird as that sounded.
Parker huffed and rolled his eyes.“Forget it.You’re too good to help a guy out.”
“Hold up,” Fred said before Parker could strut away – because that’s how Parker moved from one place to another.He strutted, with a little left leg limp, in a very retro fashion.“So it’s not a bar, and you’ll give me a set list to approve?”
There always had to be a bit of insurance when it came to making deals with Parker.He was known for fudging things now and then to make his life a little easier.He wasn’t an out and out con artist or anything, but he wasn’t always one hundred percent up front either.
Parker’s eyebrows rose in surprise.“Yeah, I can make that happen.And for what it’s worth, I never play bars.Too much drama at those places, and Aunt Patty would refuse to come listen.”
Well, that was interesting.Aunt Patty had raised Parker, and as far as Fred knew, Parker still lived with her.“So will your aunt be there tomorrow?”
Parker nodded.“She’s the reason we do this.”
Fred’s head tipped.“Yeah?That’s cool.”
This was met with a very nonchalant shrug – too nonchalant.That meant that his aunt being there was of great importance to him.
“So, you’ll do it?”
Fred nodded.“What time?”
“Eight.”He rubbed the back of his neck uneasily.“And we’re done by nine.Aunt Patty isn’t a night owl.”
“I’m done here tomorrow at four, so that works for me.Just send me that set list as soon as possible so I can practice a bit.”Hopefully, there wouldn’t be anything too tricky on it or anything that he’d have to refuse to play.
“You’re seriously going to do it?”
“Yeah, if you want me to.”
“I need you to,” Parker admitted.
“Is there a dress code for this?”
Parker’s lips curled into a taunting smile.“It ain’t church, so no suits.Just come casual.”
Fred laughed.“I don’t wear suits unless forced to do so.”
Parker’s brow furrowed.“You don’t?Isn’t it, like, a requirement that you wear the whole suit and tie for church, or God’ll be unimpressed and strike you down?”
“Nope.”
“Not even when you’re up front singin’?”
“Not even then.Though to make my mom happy, I usually don’t wear jeans and tend to wear a collared shirt.But it’s not a requirement.”
“Huh.You don’t say.Well.That’s interesting.”Parker looked completely flummoxed by this information.
“My dad doesn’t even wear a suit most times, and he’s the preacher.”
Parker blinked and shook his head.“You sure that’s church you’re going to?Doesn’t sound like it to me.”
“You should come check it out.I think you’d see it’s definitely church.”Fred moved to start the rear passenger side shock absorber repair.
“That’s not going to happen, but I’ll admit I’m curious.”He started to walk away and then came back.“So the music you play at church.Is it more than those songs from the books in the pews?”
“We don’t have pews or hymn books.”
