Love Like Crazy. Crystal B. Bright

not like those guys. I’m only interested in representing artists who—”

      “I’m at work.” She held her hand up. “I clean toilets and scrub floors.”

      Laz peered down to the floor but stopped when he noticed an open textbook on the counter. Between the multiple lines of text, he noticed the graphs and mathematical equations. He hadn’t been so far removed from his college experience to forget about this course.

      “And you’re in college.” He plucked his finger against the pages. “Statistics, right?”

      She said nothing.

      “I did really well in that class.” He nodded. “If you want, I can—”

      “I don’t need to—”

      This time he stopped her. “Dream? You don’t think you deserve to dream?”

      That same bottom lip he admired before now trembled like she wanted to say something, maybe agree with him.

      “What’s your name?” He wanted to know so much about this mysterious woman. “Please tell me it’s not really Destiny Starr.”

      What did she look like under that bulky garment?

      Damn, he couldn’t think about things like that. For one, it would show on his face. He didn’t want this woman thinking he wanted her for something lascivious. Laz had to show her he could be a professional, even in the middle of the men’s room.

      “Avery, are you done in there already?” The men’s bathroom door swung open and an older African-American man stepped inside.

      He did a stutter step when he spotted Laz with the woman he now knew to be Avery. Good name. Better than Destiny.

      The man glared at Laz before looking at Avery and standing in front of her like a protective bulldog. “Who are you?”

      “I was in a stall down there when I heard the most beautiful—”

      “I forgot to make sure no one was in here first before I started.” Avery took the man’s hand and dragged him to the door. “We’ll get out of your way.”

      “And I’ll take care of cleaning this room.” The older gentleman shrugged out of Avery’s grasp and kept his glare on Laz before turning to Avery. “You can go down to the offices on the other end of the floor. I’ll get up with you later.”

      “Yes, sir.” Avery didn’t even look at Laz as she started to leave the bathroom.

      “Wait.” Laz closed her hefty book and picked it up. “You forgot this.” He held it up to her, but the man standing in between the two of them snatched it from Laz’s hand.

      Instead of handing Avery the book, he clasped it close to his barrel-size chest. “I’ll make sure she gets this.”

      Avery scurried out of the bathroom.

      The man, who had stood protectively in front of her, continued studying Laz even as he backed out of the room. “I’ll stand outside and wait until you leave before I come back in here.”

      This other janitor made it obvious that he wouldn’t be leaving Laz alone with Avery. Laz released a long sigh. He had finally encountered a beautiful, magical voice, but he couldn’t get near the woman to ask her anything, and she seemed too scared to even acknowledge her magnificent gift.

      “Don’t bother. I’m just finishing up.” Laz washed his hands, but kept his stare on the gentleman behind him.

      After Laz dried his hands, he walked out of the bathroom and headed toward the front doors. He didn’t even know the janitor had followed him until he turned around to see if he could spot the young woman again.

      “You have a good evening.” The man pulled the door closed and made sure it had been locked in every way possible.

      Then he turned and went back to work.

      “Damn.” Laz could wait in his rental car all night until the woman came out to go home.

      His luck, the other janitor would be there with her. He would keep her away from him. Plus he didn’t want to come off as creepy or worse, a stalker. Searching for talent had been his primary focus.

      Sleep. He needed rest to recharge his mind. He would go back to the hotel and get something to eat. Then he would start fresh again in the morning. This woman could be his ticket to getting back in the music business. If Chantel wouldn’t take a meeting with him, Laz could always take her to Section Eight.

      Now he had to meet Miss Avery and figure out how to get her alone…for work, of course.