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  I glance up at him. “She likes serious guys.”

  “I’m serious,” he argues.

  Cam obviously isn’t one for subtleties. “What I mean is she likes men who are deep thinkers.” I picture Alfred, Candace’s History-major ex, who cared more about the fall of the Berlin Wall than falling into bed with his hot girlfriend. A slight smile touches my lips. “Guys who read and are educated are her ultimate weakness.”

  He holds his hands out in front of him. “Whoa. Hold on a minute. You’re telling me a chick as fine as her is into nerds—no-fun-having stiffs?”

  I laugh at his interpretation. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  “Huh …” He pauses for a moment and then shrugs. “Well, that sucks. I might not be a genius, but I’m fun, and most girls love that.”

  “Candace isn’t like most girls. Honestly, if I were you, I would save myself the heartache and give up now.”

  Cam squares his shoulders. “Hell, no. I love a challenge.”

  I roll my eyes. Poor schmuck. He doesn’t have a shot in hell, but men who usually get their way with women tend to always have this reaction when rejected by Candace. It’s like they must prove themselves by somehow getting a girl who’s unattainable. My unknowing sis has just become this man’s grand prize.

  The hum of several voices grows louder as I step into the room at the end of the hall. It’s painted a bright white with mirrors covering most of the walls, making it appear to be a legit dance studio, after all.

  A small crowd of women gathers near the back of the room, and instantly, I know they are our competition. Twelve in all is what I count, not including Candace and myself.

  My chances have just dropped from slim to not-a-shot-in-hell because I’m sure all these ladies can dance and sing just like my sister. Having zero dancing ability is going to be a problem for me tonight.

  Three metal folding chairs line up in the front of the room—one of them occupied by a beautiful dark-complected woman wearing workout clothes.

  She busies herself with making notes on the legal pad in her lap, not giving me or any of the other women a second glance.

  I flank Candace’s side. “I didn’t expect so many people to be here.”

  She nudges my shoulder with hers. “Don’t sweat it. We’ve got this. We just need to make sure we stand out.”

  I check out the girls next to us. All their bodies are perfect, and their faces could rival most supermodels, like Candace.

  I sigh. “How am I supposed to do that?”

  She chews her bottom lip for a moment and then grabs my arm. “Come with me. I have an idea.”

  There’s no time to question her because she quickly pulls me back into the hallway and to the restroom.

  She locks us inside and whips back around. “Take off your jacket. We need to do something with that sweatshirt you’re wearing.”

  I protectively cover my shirt. “What are you going to do to it? I love this one.”

  Candace pulls a small pair of scissors from her purse.

  “Why do you have those?”

  She gives me an exacerbated look. “Drea, this is an emergency, and it calls for a little creativity. You’re lucky I’m smart enough to come prepared. Hold your hair up out of the way.”

  I could spend time protesting the annihilation of my favorite top, but I must admit, a simple sweatshirt with the initial of my first name on it isn’t exactly sexy. So, for the cause, I’m willing to sacrifice it.

  Candace goes to work, cutting the neck out of the shirt, and then she discards the extra pieces of material along with the hood into the trashcan. Once she’s finished, she steps back to admire her work and tugs the now-open neckline over one of my shoulders. “Much better. Now, let’s go out there, show up the rest of these girls, and knock Laz’s socks off.”

  The mention of his name sends a shiver down my spine. He’s so damn sexy, and the thought of his eyes trained on me makes my body feel strange things.

  Laz Rawlings has the power to change my life. I need to do everything I can to impress him and make him choose me.

  4

  So Much Damn Trouble

  Lazarus

  I stroll into the building with a cup of coffee in hand. As soon as I step into the rehearsal space, Cam pops up from his chair to greet me. We clasp hands and then bump chests in a quick hug.

  “What’s in the cup?”

  I stare down at the dark liquid, knowing my best friend is simply making sure I’m behaving myself and sticking to my sobriety. He knows how stressed I’ve been lately with trying to pull this group together.

  “Coffee.”

  Cam nods in approval. “Just checking.”

  We both turn and openly watch as all the women we’ve handpicked warm up in preparation to showcase their vocal abilities. Cam has been a huge help to me this week. I don’t think I would’ve been able to wrangle so many talented ladies on my own in such a short amount of time. We’ve searched the entire city of Atlanta high and low—every coffee house, college campus, and bar—looking for girls who might have what it takes to make this girl group work.

  “Have you made up your mind on how many girls you’re going to pick?” Cam asks.

  “Still not sure yet.” My eyes roam over each of the faces in the room, and I find myself a little disappointed that the two sisters didn’t show up for the audition.

  The blonde I saw back at the Hellcat Saloon was talented, but I found something darkly intriguing about the sassy sister who wasn’t amused by my shit. She was fucking gorgeous with her thick, dark hair and mysterious brown eyes. It was hard to peel my stare off her even though she wasn’t the one I was supposed to be watching.

  “Ah, shit. That’s the one I’m calling dibs on,” Cam voices next to me, clearly staking a claim on some unsuspecting lady. “The one coming in from the hall—she’s my dream girl.”

  I zero in on the two women I was looking forward to seeing again, and a wave of relief washes over me, but then I suddenly feel a little nervous, thinking back on Cam’s last statement. “Which one?”

  “The blonde, Candace. She’s fucking smokin’. You told me she was just okay when I asked you how she looked. That chick is like a supermodel.”

  Inwardly, I breathe a little sigh. Even if Cam had had the hots for the other one, I couldn’t have done anything about it. She’s off-limits to me if she makes this group. No matter how badly I would love to push her back up against the wall and make her scream my name while I bury myself deep inside her, it can never happen.

  Candace catches me staring in their direction and nudges her sister to look our way.

  Cam’s face lights up when he notices them. “I knew she couldn’t resist me for long. Look at her. She can’t keep her eyes off me.”

  I chuckle. Poor bastard never takes the hint from a disinterested woman. He’s not one to give up easily.

  I take a sip of my coffee and do my best to appear indifferent to the fact that one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen is now in my presence. It’s going to be difficult to tear my attention away from her to watch the other girls.

  “You two ready for this?” a voice from behind me asks.

  I turn to find my longtime friend, Laurie busy making notes on a pad of paper she’s holding on her lap. She’s one of the most respected choreographers in the business, and I’m blessed that, when I called her to come help me find some talent in this bunch, she didn’t hang up on me. She put together every move the Romeos ever performed, so we go way back.

  “Thanks for doing this,” I tell her.

  She glances up at me. “I’m excited to see what you’ve brought me. It’s been a long time since I’ve worked with fresh faces. This should be interesting.”

  I sit down next to her. “I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Cam and I went out and found the best Atlanta has to offer.”

  Laurie’s eyes scan the women. “Let’s see what they’ve got and put them to work.”

  I swe
ep my hand in front of me. “They’re all yours. Cam is here to DJ for you while you work them out, so just say the word.”

  She stands up and lays her paper down. She squares her shoulders and drops all the emotion from her face. I’ve seen that expression many times before. It’s the one she gets right before she turns into a dance drill sergeant. It took a long time for me to figure out Laurie is one thousand percent serious when it comes to work, which is why she seems so mean, but it’s what makes her damn good at her job. People learn quickly that she doesn’t fuck around.

  The girls who think this ride is going to be a cakewalk have another thing coming. Shit’s about to get serious.

  This is when we’ll find out who’s strong enough to make it in this business.

  “All right, ladies. My name is Laurie. Cam and I are a part of Laz’s artist development team. We’re here to see who has what it takes to be a member of this group, to see who can sing and dance. Consider this your one shot to impress us. Show us everything you’ve got. Do not hold anything back. Understand?” She pauses and allows everything she just said to sink in. “Here we go.” She spins around, facing the mirror, to watch herself along with the girls behind her. “Line up. I’m going to show you a few steps. Try to keep up. Play track one, Cam.”

  He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone, hitting the button to blast music through the speakers in the room.

  The bass thumps, and I instantly recognize it because I created it. Dubbed “Song of the Summer” six years ago, it remained a number one hit for J-Nice for five weeks. It was his biggest hit, all thanks to me.

  “Follow my steps!” Laurie shouts over the music.

  I study the footwork of all the women. Laurie’s showing them a simple one-two step and most seem to be catching on, but one pair of feet wearing Chucks seems to be stumbling a bit.

  My eyes rake up the black leggings and then find their way to the bare shoulder of the girl I met at the club. She’s focused on Laurie’s feet, so she doesn’t know that I’m openly watching her. Her pouty mouth parts slightly, and then she bites her lip while her brown brows draw inward like this is extremely confusing for her.

  I blow a rush of air out of my nose. It doesn’t matter how fucking attractive I think she is; if she can’t do these simple steps, there’s no way I can have her in this group.

  “Keep it moving!” Laurie barks out as she begins to walk around the room to inspect the group.

  She weaves in and out of the crowd, studying each girl and pointing out the ones she likes. When she makes it over to the dark-haired girl I have my eye on, she steps back and folds her arms. “Honey, I don’t have the time or patience to pretend like you’re good at this. You’ll have to do better than that, or you’re not going to make it. It only gets harder from here.”

  The girl’s face instantly falls, but she doesn’t give up. She keeps going, which impresses me.

  I’ve witnessed Laurie break down some of the biggest stars in the world and make them cry over less. This girl might not be the best dancer, but she has heart. I knew that from our brief interaction at the bar.

  Laurie steps back and addresses the room. “This is the music industry, ladies, and it will eat you alive if you aren’t ready for it. You can’t half-ass this. The world doesn’t care if you have potential or about what you could be; it only sees what you are in the present. Some of you aren’t going to make it. Some of you need to find a new dream if you think this little test right here is tough. This business is hard work.”

  I can’t argue with her on that, and I’m glad she and Cam are here with me to help weed out the ones who don’t have talent.

  One positive thing though, the girl I want isn’t going to make the cut, so it looks like I’ll have another shot at asking her out.

  Laurie adds a few more dance steps to the routine, and half of the group can’t keep up. It becomes obvious which ones have dancing talent, like Candace from the Hellcat bar. She’s picked up the steps with ease.

  “Everybody, stop!” Laurie shouts. Cam cuts the music. “I’ve seen enough. Everyone, take five.”

  Relief floods most of the faces of the ones who were struggling.

  Laurie walks over to me with her eyebrows raised. “I think we’ve just found some obvious cuts.”

  “Agreed. Dancing is a huge part of being in a musical group like this. Fans that go to those shows expect to be entertained,” I reply.

  “I wouldn’t make cuts yet,” Cam interjects. “You can teach a great singer to dance. It would be a shame to let go of an amazing singer because she can’t dance.”

  I lean in closer. “She would have to be exceptional. I don’t have the time to spend working with these girls before I have to present them to Peter. I want him to see how serious I’m taking this and that this is going to work.”

  Cam nods. “Fair enough.”

  I drink the last of my coffee and then turn to Laurie. “Line them up. Let’s have them sing a cappella one at a time.”

  Somewhere in this sea of faces are the tickets to my future. I’ve got a lot riding on this, and I need greatness, or they’re gone.

  5

  Rollin’ Solo

  Drea

  I drop my head and squeeze my eyes shut. “That was excruciating.”

  “It wasn’t that bad,” Candace says.

  “Did you not hear how Laurie singled me out? She didn’t do that to any other person—only me. Face it, Candace; I’m not going to make it.”

  “You will make it.” Candace pops a cough drop into her mouth and then chews it up, unfazed by what I just said. “They haven’t heard you sing yet.”

  My sister has so much faith in me that, sometimes, I honestly believe she’s certifiable.

  “Okay, ladies. Who would like to go first?” Laurie asks.

  “I will,” Candace says as she pushes forward.

  This brings a slight smile to Laurie’s face. “Step on up here, kitten. State your name and the song you’ll be singing.”

  Candace lifts her chin, and I find myself more jealous of her confidence than I ever have been in my life. She moves into the center of the room, and Laurie takes a seat next to Laz. I don’t know how Candace is so calm, but just knowing I’m going to have to get up there and sing in front of Laz has my legs trembling.

  It was one thing for me to tell him off at the bar because I wasn’t taking him seriously, but now, the thought of even speaking to him makes me a nervous wreck.

  I don’t know how I’ll find the courage to sing in front of this man.

  “My name is Candace Montag, and I’ll be singing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’”

  Laurie makes a few notes on the pad of paper resting on her lap. “Let’s hear it.”

  Candace opens her mouth, allowing the flawless notes to pour from her lips. Every eye in the room is trained on her. Laz nods along as she sings, hitting every high note with ease in his presence, while Cam stares at my sister like a lovesick puppy.

  She’ll definitely make the cut, and I couldn’t be prouder.

  When she finishes, the room is silent until Cam begins to clap enthusiastically. Laz shoots him a sideways glance, and Cam instantly stops, mid clap.

  “Nice work, Candace. Can you wait in the first room on the right down the hall?” Laz instructs her. Then he calls for whoever is brave enough sing next

  Candace heads over in my direction to grab her bag.

  I give her a thumbs-up. “You did amazing.”

  “Thanks.” She kisses my cheek. “Good luck.”

  I nod as she slips out of the room just as the next girl begins to sing. The woman standing up there now has a flawless voice, too, and there’s no denying that she’s beautiful with her smooth caramel skin and her long, dark braids. I have no doubt this girl will make it, too.

  I am so screwed.

  The next few ladies sing, and each one is more impressive than the last, but not all them are being sent into the same room as my sister. Some are excused
without much of an explanation other than a thanks for coming.

  The outlook for me isn’t good, so I’m in no hurry to go next. Every time they call for another girl, I slink further into the background.

  Laz’s gaze slips over to me. He’s sexy, and he makes a black T-shirt and jeans look damn good, but I have sworn off his type forever. No more bad boys.

  His long legs stretch out from his chair as he openly watches me with his mesmerizing blue eyes. It’s almost as if he’s wondering why I’m holding back.

  His eyes dip down, and they slowly drag up my body. My heart pounds inside my chest as the weight of his stare presses down on me. This room is full of people, but the way he’s looking at me makes me feel like we’re alone, and he’s slowly peeling back the layers of my clothes.

  “Laz?” Laurie calls his attention away from me. “What did you think?”

  Laz turns his attention to the only other girl in the room besides me. The dark-haired girl fidgets with the cuff of her shirtsleeve as she waits for his answer.

  “I’m sorry. You’re not exactly what I’m looking for. Thank you for coming.” His answer is short and to the point, much like what he told all the girls whom he didn’t send to the room down the hall.

  She bursts into tears as she turns around, grabs her bag, and then flees from the room, her dream clearly crushed.

  I swallow hard, knowing that I’ll likely have a similar fate after I finish singing. No one ever wants to hear someone tell them that they aren’t good enough.

  Every part of me shakes as I realize no one else is left to sing in the room but me.

  I have no choice now but to be next.

  “Well, come on, honey. You know the drill by now,” Laurie says. “Get up here and sing.”

  I lick my suddenly dry lips as I will my legs to move, but they don’t budge.

  My eyes widen as panic sets in. I can’t do this.

  “Honey, if you—”

  The rise of Laz’s hand cuts off Laurie’s words. “Hold on.” He rubs his tattooed hand along the scruff on his jaw. “If she doesn’t want to audition, don’t make her. She’s only here out of obligation to her sister.”