He heard the main bathroom door open. His heart pounded as he slipped in the last stall and eased the door closed.
“I’ll check in here,” Laz heard a voice say from the door.
Apparently, the guards had the task of sweeping the office at the end of the day. Laz braced to be caught when he heard the opening of a popular rap song coming through a cell phone.
“Hey, babe.” The gruff voice softened a bit. “Yeah, I’m on my way home now.”
Laz heard the door opening again before silence filled the spacious bathroom. He exhaled but didn’t bother leaving the sanctuary of the stall just yet. If nothing else, maybe he could leave a handwritten note for Chantel and Truman.
A note? No, he had to do more than that. He had to find talent. He wouldn’t be able to do that from the bathroom, even one at Charisma Music.
Still in the bathroom stall, Laz pressed his back against the tile wall again and leaned his head back. “Come on. You’ve been in tighter spots than this before. You can turn this around.”
Laz’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He retrieved it and started to ignore the call when he noticed his sister’s name across the screen.
“Hey, Stinky.” Laz smirked.
“You know I hate it when you call me that.”
He could almost see his baby sister with her septum piercing and lip ring sneering. “Why do you think I do it?” He kept his voice low while he spoke to Marissa.
“Okay. Either you’re in a meeting or you’re with a bad date and trying to get out of it.” Marissa chuckled. “Why are you whispering?”
“It’s a little of both of what you said. I’m somewhere where I’m trying to get a meeting, but it’s turning out like a bad date.” Laz had to face facts. He would need to leave soon and try to get through to Chantel the proper way.
“Speaking of bad dates, hold on.”
“Wait. You’re not on one right now, are you?”
“It’s cool. It’s a first date. We just met and she’s really ditzy.” Marissa laughed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she had one of those fidget things spinning around on her finger when I get back out there.”
“Only the best and the brightest for you, right?” Laz chuckled, but tried keeping his voice down.
“Of course. Now, back on you. Did I hear that you’re coming down the east coast?”
Laz never suspected that Marissa would have talked to their father. “For work.”
“Coming to D.C.? I would love to see you. Plus you’re chick bait.” This time Marissa laughed.
“You are definitely Dad’s kid.” He shook his head.
“Ooh, low blow.”
“Truth hurts.” He loosened his necktie. No use looking neat and presentable when he had no one to appreciate it. “I’m actually in Virginia.”
“Northern Virginia?”
Laz hesitated before he answered. “Virginia Beach.” Before she could complain, because he had already heard her huffing, Laz explained himself just like he had to with their father. “I’m looking for a singer or group or, hell, both.”
“Have you tried looking in a mirror?” Marissa asked.
“Now you really sound like Dad.” Laz rubbed his hand across the back of his neck.
“And now I think I really hate you.”
Before Laz could make a witty response, she placed him on hold. One thing he and his sister had in common had to be their love of music. While she had him on hold, a cool jazzy song played through his earpiece. He could listen to this for a while.
When it seemed like he had heard the full song and another one, he realized that his sister might have forgotten about him.
“Look at who needs the fidget spinner.” He snickered and disconnected the call, at least, he thought he did.
Laz continued hearing music and singing. He looked at his phone’s screen to make sure he had properly disconnected the call. When he found it blank, he pressed the phone against his ear again.
When he heard an echo, he realized that the beautiful music came from inside the bathroom, but it didn’t sound like it had been pumped through a sound system. No, someone with an amazing voice sang, and damn if it didn’t sound like Destiny Starr.
He stepped closer to the corner to get a better listen. The person, who he hoped had been female, sang an old-school Gladys Knight song like she had written it herself. He crept closer to the sound but made sure to keep his identity hidden.
As he listened to how she caressed and massaged each lyric, each note, Laz got swept away. The singer managed to make each note an actual being with limbs, eyes, a soul. He felt surrounded, but he enjoyed the sensation. He liked being captured this way.
The magnetism he felt from listening to Destiny Starr sing came through like a lover in person. At one point, he even closed his eyes and leaned his head back to take in the melodic sounds.
Talent like this, a voice like hers, needed to be heard by more than just him in a men’s room. Wait. What would a woman be doing in the men’s bathroom?
When that thought hit him, Laz needed to find out the reason. Even if the voice belonged to a man, it still sounded wonderful.
As he rounded the corner, he got face-to-face with a woman. Even in her gray, oversized coveralls, she looked amazing…and familiar. Her almond-shaped brown eyes sucked him in, and her plump bottom lip had him imagining things he shouldn’t have with a stranger.
It hit him right away why she seemed familiar. He stared into those same eyes last night when he went into that karaoke dive bar. Laz spotted this beauty across the room. As soon as their gazes connected, he couldn’t stop staring. He had that same feeling now.
After a beat, she screamed, which snapped him out of his fantasy.
Laz held up his hand to calm her down. He didn’t need someone else claiming he did something inappropriate. “Easy. I was just using the bathroom.”
“The guards said no one was in here.” She clutched the handle of the mop she carried in both hands like she would use it as a weapon if needed.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.” He took a step forward, which made her take three steps back. “Was that you singing just a second ago?”
She dropped her gaze to the floor and shook her head. “Nope. I was playing music on my phone.” She pulled a phone from her pocket to show him. “Sorry for the noise.”
“I don’t believe that. There were changes to the song that really showed some great artistry. That definitely wasn’t a song recording. That was you.” He pointed to her. “Are you Destiny Starr?”
When he asked the question, her eyes widened and she made a hasty retreat. “I’ll come back here later.”
No way could Laz let this woman go. “Wait.” He went after her, but made sure not to touch her. “You are her, right? You sent a demo to Universe.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking—”
Laz managed to block her from leaving. “I heard it. I’ve been listening to it every day since I was able to get my hands on it. You have an incredible voice.”
“Please step aside.” She wrung her hands around the handle.
Laz placed his hand to his chest. “My name is Laz. Laz Kyson.” He extended his hand to her. When she didn’t move but kept her stare on his eyes, he lowered it and continued. “I’m