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.”

Fear flashes through my brain as I think back on my father and his one lost opportunity. I don’t want that to be me twenty years from now. No matter how much the idea of exposing myself to these people scares the shit out of me, I have to sing like my life depends on it.

“I’m ready,” I say firmly, wanting him to know that I do in fact want to do this.

Laz’s blue eyes lock with mine, and he motions for me to come forward. “All right then. Let’s get this shit on the road.”

I nod as I roll back my shoulders.

Here goes nothing. I just pray they won’t laugh me out of the room.

“My name is Aundrea Newton, but I like to go by Drea, and I’m going to sing ‘At Last’ by Etta James.”

Laz raises his brow. “Nice choice. Let’s hear what you’ve got.”

With my thumb, I tap out the beat on my thigh and then open my mouth to sing. Fear has me so paralyzed that I can’t look anywhere but at Laz’s face. I can’t bear to see the judging expressions of the other two people in the room. Like an out-of-body experience, I know I’m singing, but it doesn’t feel like I’m actually doing it. My head feels a bit swimmy, and my heart is about to explode from beating so hard.

Dancing wasn’t anywhere near as nerve-racking as this experience, but I’m doing better than I thought I would. Not one note is off-key or flat. Hopefully, it’s good enough to impress these people, showing that I do have talent, even though I know my nonexistent dance skills have diminished any shot I have of getting picked to be in this group.

Laz holds his hand up as I come out of the last chorus. “Stop right there. Thank you. I’ve heard enough.”

Cam’s head whips in Laz’s direction. “What the hell are you doing, man? She’s awesome, maybe even the best one we’ve heard all night.”

“You saw her dance. She was the worst one.”

“So? I couldn’t dance either, but that didn’t stop me from making it into the Romeos. Laurie is the most respected in the business, and if she can teach me to dance, she can teach anyone.” He turns to Laurie. “You think she’s coachable?”

Her gaze flicks over to me and then back at Laz. “With time, I can make anyone an amazing dancer.”

“Time is something I don’t have,” Laz responds.

Cam nods. “True. But I doubt she needs as much vocal coaching as the others, and she could use that extra time to nail these dance steps. Her vocals are on point. That voice is a unicorn.”

“You’ll teach her?” Laz questions Laurie.

They’re completely ignoring the fact that they have been carrying a full-on conversation about me while I’m still in the room.

“Oh, honey, no. I don’t have room for that on my schedule. It’s your group. You want her? You coach her one-on-one until she gets it right.”

Laz rolls his head in my direction and takes a deep breath. There’s no mistaking the conflict in his eyes as he decides my fate. He doesn’t think I have what it takes. He wants to cut me, but the people around him have said that he’s got it wrong and that I have enough talent to make it.

“You can stay. I’ll work with you. But if you don’t get the dance routines, you’re out. I don’t have the luxury of fucking around. I have everything riding on this.”

I lock eyes with him. “I won’t let you down.”

“You’d better not,” he says as he pushes himself up off the chair and heads out of the room.

I stare after him; I can’t believe I’m getting a second chance.

Laz doesn’t want me here, so I’m going to work hard to prove that I’m worth keeping around. Now that my dream has been laid at my feet, I’m going to fight like hell to be a part of this group.