placed the glass on the corner of the desk. “I can even do it for free, but I will have to insist on one condition.”
Randy grinned. “I got to hear this. What is it?”
“I will not sing Empty Rooms .”
Randy slapped the desk. “Damn it, boy. All the awards that song won, and you won’t sing it? How are people supposed to go for that?”
“They’ll be too busy having a good time to want to hear that one.”
Randy made a pained, disbelieving face.
“That’s the deal,” Wade said. “I play for you for free all summer, every weekend. You give Daisy her job back. I won’t sing Empty Rooms and your grandson stays out of my way and out of Daisy’s way.”
“That’s more than one condition.”
“Somebody once taught me how to drive a hard bargain. I haven’t forgotten.”
Randy’s big booming laughter filled the small space. “No, you sure hadn’t.” He offered his hand. “You got yourself a deal, Wade.”
Wade shook his hand.
“Welcome back to Rocky Top,” Randy said.
Wade did his best to smile. Now he was stuck in Brittain all summer long, and he couldn’t even get drunk to ease the pain. That damn waitress had better be grateful.
He wasted as much time as he could with Randy before the old man got wise and kicked him out with strict orders to go see his mother. Bright mid-afternoon sunshine greeted him as he walked out of Rocky Top and headed two blocks over to Tennessee Valley Bank and Trust. The air conditioning in the bank chilled the sweat that had glued his t-shirt to the small of his back. He’d left his hat at the house but wore his aviator sunglasses like a shield. Reluctant to lower that shield, he took them off slowly and hooked them on the front of his shirt.
A teller who’d worked here part time for years called out a greeting. Wade turned on his automatic smile and returned the greeting. “Mom in her office?”
Miss Janine said, “She’s free too, a couple just left. Go on in, she’ll be so excited to see you!” The grandmotherly woman gave him an encouraging smile.
Wade wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d offered him a lollipop. He’d been coming in this bank since he was a little boy and his mother was a teller. Now she was a loan officer with a sizable office. He knocked lightly on the door then pushed it open. “I need to get my truck fixed. Who do I talk to for a loan?”
Marlene Sheppard hopped up from behind her desk and rushed at her eldest son. “Wade!” She enveloped him in a hug that warmed him all the way through. “I’ve been waiting for you to come see me. What took you so long?” There was no accusation in her voice, only love and a hint of exasperation.
“I’m sorry, Momma. You know I get sidetracked easy.”
She broke the hug, took his face in her hands, and gave him a good hard look. He tried not to squirm beneath her probing gaze but failed. His mother didn’t miss much and wasn’t afraid to tell him what she saw.
Today was no exception. “You look awful. Are you sleeping?”
Wade shrugged. “Not always well.”
“You look puffy too, like you’re drinking too much again. Do we need to get you into rehab again?”
“Do you and Becky coordinate your attacks or are you two just sharing some freaky telepathic wavelength or something?”
Marlene swatted his shoulders and stepped away to return to her seat. She waved him into one of the wing chairs in front of her desk. “Becky’s a smart woman. If she’s worried about you, she’s right to be. You’ve been avoiding my calls and emails.”
Wade swallowed a protest. “You’re looking lovely as ever, Momma.”
“Thank you, dear. That’s nice of you to notice. Why have you been avoiding me?”
“I’ve just been busy, that’s all.”
“Busy getting fired? Or getting other people fired?”
“Shit, Momma.”
“Watch your language, boy,” she said good-naturedly. “Chris said he asked you to talk to Randy Tucker. Did you?”
“Yes, ma’am. Right before I
Randy grinned. “I got to hear this. What is it?”
“I will not sing Empty Rooms .”
Randy slapped the desk. “Damn it, boy. All the awards that song won, and you won’t sing it? How are people supposed to go for that?”
“They’ll be too busy having a good time to want to hear that one.”
Randy made a pained, disbelieving face.
“That’s the deal,” Wade said. “I play for you for free all summer, every weekend. You give Daisy her job back. I won’t sing Empty Rooms and your grandson stays out of my way and out of Daisy’s way.”
“That’s more than one condition.”
“Somebody once taught me how to drive a hard bargain. I haven’t forgotten.”
Randy’s big booming laughter filled the small space. “No, you sure hadn’t.” He offered his hand. “You got yourself a deal, Wade.”
Wade shook his hand.
“Welcome back to Rocky Top,” Randy said.
Wade did his best to smile. Now he was stuck in Brittain all summer long, and he couldn’t even get drunk to ease the pain. That damn waitress had better be grateful.
He wasted as much time as he could with Randy before the old man got wise and kicked him out with strict orders to go see his mother. Bright mid-afternoon sunshine greeted him as he walked out of Rocky Top and headed two blocks over to Tennessee Valley Bank and Trust. The air conditioning in the bank chilled the sweat that had glued his t-shirt to the small of his back. He’d left his hat at the house but wore his aviator sunglasses like a shield. Reluctant to lower that shield, he took them off slowly and hooked them on the front of his shirt.
A teller who’d worked here part time for years called out a greeting. Wade turned on his automatic smile and returned the greeting. “Mom in her office?”
Miss Janine said, “She’s free too, a couple just left. Go on in, she’ll be so excited to see you!” The grandmotherly woman gave him an encouraging smile.
Wade wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d offered him a lollipop. He’d been coming in this bank since he was a little boy and his mother was a teller. Now she was a loan officer with a sizable office. He knocked lightly on the door then pushed it open. “I need to get my truck fixed. Who do I talk to for a loan?”
Marlene Sheppard hopped up from behind her desk and rushed at her eldest son. “Wade!” She enveloped him in a hug that warmed him all the way through. “I’ve been waiting for you to come see me. What took you so long?” There was no accusation in her voice, only love and a hint of exasperation.
“I’m sorry, Momma. You know I get sidetracked easy.”
She broke the hug, took his face in her hands, and gave him a good hard look. He tried not to squirm beneath her probing gaze but failed. His mother didn’t miss much and wasn’t afraid to tell him what she saw.
Today was no exception. “You look awful. Are you sleeping?”
Wade shrugged. “Not always well.”
“You look puffy too, like you’re drinking too much again. Do we need to get you into rehab again?”
“Do you and Becky coordinate your attacks or are you two just sharing some freaky telepathic wavelength or something?”
Marlene swatted his shoulders and stepped away to return to her seat. She waved him into one of the wing chairs in front of her desk. “Becky’s a smart woman. If she’s worried about you, she’s right to be. You’ve been avoiding my calls and emails.”
Wade swallowed a protest. “You’re looking lovely as ever, Momma.”
“Thank you, dear. That’s nice of you to notice. Why have you been avoiding me?”
“I’ve just been busy, that’s all.”
“Busy getting fired? Or getting other people fired?”
“Shit, Momma.”
“Watch your language, boy,” she said good-naturedly. “Chris said he asked you to talk to Randy Tucker. Did you?”
“Yes, ma’am. Right before I
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