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appear.
    When he didn’t, they turned back to Paul.
    Paul turned to Celeste. “Are you ready for our first practice together?”
    Celeste nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it all day. I’m really looking forward to it, but Adrian might not be. This will be his third time practicing the same selection of songs in as many days. I hope he doesn’t find it too boring.”
    Randy snickered. “We’re talking about Adrian, aren’t we?”
    The other two snickered as well. Celeste didn’t know what was so funny.
    Paul’s grin straightened. “We should probably explain. Because he’s an accountant, we tease Adrian constantly about his boring job. Repetition doesn’t bother him. It’s just the way he is. But I guess you already know that.”
    â€œActually, I haven’t known Adrian very long.” Yet, in that short time, she couldn’t help but like him. She wanted to get to know him better, but at the same time, the thought scared her to death.
    Paul set his burger down and began to nibble on his fries. “I wonder if seeing you playing the piano reminds Adrian of when he was a kid. He took lessons for a while when we were in elementary school. That was one thing he could never master. Usually kids quit on their own, but Adrian wouldn’t give up. He just kept plugging along until finally his mother couldn’t stand it anymore and suggested that he try something else.”
    â€œAdrian told me that you all grew up together, right here in this neighborhood.”
    Randy nodded. “Yeah. We’ve been friends since we were kids. Through thick and thin. We watch out for each other, but especially for Adrian.” Randy paused, and his voice lowered. “Sometimes people tend to take advantage of him.”
    Celeste swirled a fry in a blob of ketchup. She could certainly understand how that could happen. He’d been helpful to her in so many ways. Everything his friends said about Adrian confirmed that he was as good a man as her heart told her he was. She also had no doubt that he really did call his mother as often as his phone bill indicated.
    He’d even arranged an extra practice, just for her on Friday night, when everyone else should have had other, more interesting things to do. “I know what you mean. I feel like I’m taking advantage of him already.”
    All movement at their table stopped. Without looking, she knew they were all watching her. She refused to make eye contact. Instead, she began concentrating intently on the blob of ketchup, not raising her head as she spoke. “I mean with the worship team, and the extra practice. He’s also offered to help me get acquainted with the neighborhood.”
    A silence hung in the air. Bob was the first to speak. “That’s right. I remember now. That’s why he was late on Wednesday. You’d been shopping together. Adrian said he forgot we moved the practice to an earlier time than usual, which was really strange. It’s a good thing Paul has a key.”
    A wave of guilt passed through her. She’d felt bad enough about making Adrian late, but Bob’s reminder made her feel even worse. “I’m really sorry about that. He never said he had plans.”
    Bob smiled gently. “Don’t worry about it. If he hadn’t forgotten his stuff, then you wouldn’t have come over, and we never would have known that you play piano. And quite well, too. I’ve always believed in God’s timing.”
    She still wasn’t so sure of the timing being from God. Being able to play well didn’t seem to be the major criterion for being on their team. Still, the timing was good because she now had the opportunity to use her talents to serve God, which was infinitely better than what she was doing with them before.
    Bob clasped his hands, rested them on the table, and leaned forward. “After you left the other night we