“Something about Christians?” Chandra didn’t want to create tension, but she needed to know. She had her reasons.
“Just that after the first few weeks, the candidates with the more outspoken faith are asked to tone it down.” His smile grew bigger. “So we can get to know other sides of their life and personality.”
“Hmm.” She paused. “Got it.” Chandra nodded and hid the fact that her world had just tilted off its axis. Of course there was a strategy. Now it all made sense. Six years ago she had been asked by the contestant coordinator to limit her comments about God, find other ways to make a name for herself. At the time Chandra had been more than willing to cooperate.
It creeped her out to think of Meier himself making a strategy to quiet people of faith. Was there a strategy to keep people from talking about their sports obsession or city or whatever else defined them? Of course not. Meier left the judges and busied himself near the cameramen. She studied the document in front of her, the same one Cullen and Kelly had. It gave the names of the contestants and a few lines about them. Cullen was right—at least two were known for their strong faith.
Chandra breathed deep. Were the walls closing in or was it just her imagination? The sense of meaninglessness came over her again. What was the point of any of this?
“Ready on the set?” one of the grips shouted from the side stage. The makeup artists finished in a hurry and disappeared to the wings. Someone snapped a slate. “Camera up. Roll sound.”
“How do I look?” Kelly turned to Chandra, the compact hidden away.
Chandra wanted to laugh. But Kelly was serious, her insecurities as much a part of her as her voice and her beauty. “Perfect.”
“Really? Not shiny?” Kelly smacked her lips again.
“Not at all.”
Kelly found her red-carpet smile and turned toward the door at the back of the room. Auditions were taped in their entirety, though only the strongest clips would be used when the show aired. Even so, Kelly never allowed a less than perfect moment.
Back when Chandra was more of a praying person, she would’ve felt compelled to talk to God about Kelly. But the cameras were rolling and the next contestant was entering the room. A waitress from Mississippi, early twenties, Harvard dropout. Chandra forced herself to listen to the girl’s introduction.
She was still trying to remember why she’d agreed to this gig in the first place.
KELLY MORGAN LEANED forward, elbows on the table, and watched the waitress begin to sing. Like so many of the girls, this one sang an Adele song, which created two problems. First, no one could sing exactly like Adele. Second, Adele’s style was so distinct that if contestants covered Adele correctly it became impossible to hear their own style. But the girls sang Adele anyway.
The waitress wasn’t bad. Her tone was nice, but halfway through her song a fly buzzed up near the girl’s mouth and she freaked. She screamed an obscenity and waved at the insect, spitting a little and shaking her head. “He . . . he flew in my mouth!”
With the cameras rolling, Kelly was certain the segment would make the show. Cullen was the first to comment. “Didn’t we pay that little bugger to come on earlier?”
Kelly laughed out loud and then—in a mock show of kindness for the struggling contestant—she covered her mouth with the papers in front of her. On her other side, Chandra stared helplessly at the table.
After an awkward few seconds, Kelly giggled again and gave her fellow judge a light rap with the papers. “Cullen! That’s terrible!” She motioned to one of the grips. “Can we kill that fly? Please? Somebody?” Kelly looked at the waitress. “Is the fly gone, dear?”
“Yes.” The girl gulped. “I think so.” She stood perfectly still, terrified and blank-faced. “Do . . . you want me to start again?”
“Let’s not.” Cullen held up his hand. “Tell me, dear, why’d you leave Harvard?”
“I wanted to sing.” She shifted to her other foot. “You know, full-time. Like a professional.”
“Okay,” Kelly chimed in. If she wasn’t careful Cullen would steal the show. She had to make her mark to be asked back next year. “What were you studying at Harvard?”
“Law.” The waitress’s cheeks were red. She would no doubt remember this horrifying moment the rest of her life. She cleared her throat. “Medical law, actually.”
“Is it too late to get back in?” Cullen adjusted his red headband. “Because something tells me you’d make an excellent medical attorney.” He shifted his gaze. “Chandra? What do you think? Is she through to New York?”
Chandra clearly felt for the girl. “Hi, honey, you doing okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.” The waitress relaxed a little. “Sorry about the fly.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” She hesitated, struggling to find the kindest words. “As for your voice . . . I think Cullen’s right. You have a nice sound, but maybe not original enough for
“It’s a no for me.” Kelly sat back in her chair, ready for the next contestant.
“Yes, sorry. I’ll have to say no this time.” Chandra hesitated. “Maybe Harvard again, or voice lessons. Something.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The waitress was already taking a few steps backward. “Thank you.”
“Next!” Kelly straightened her papers and folded her arms, ready to move on. The middle seat at the table suited her. She felt in charge, sort of like the head judge. She looked at the next name on the list.
Kelly rolled her eyes.
Kelly could only hope.
chapter
7
Zack hadn’t stopped praying since he entered the holding area. He and nine other contestants sat in a small room not far where Kit Barker stood conducting interviews with contestants before and after their time with the judges.
Zoey sat next to him, one of the ten. Something Zack was beginning to see as less of a coincidence. He’d texted Reese while he was waiting, but no response. Did she even know that he’d made it through the morning round?
“Texting your girlfriend?” Zoey leaned over his shoulder.
Part of him liked the girl’s attention, if he was honest with himself. Which couldn’t be right. But his patience with her was waning. “Yeah.”
“Is she excited for you?”
Zack held his breath. “She’s praying. I know that.”
“That’s cool.” Zoey smiled at him, her eyes more guarded than before. “You and her, your faith being so strong and all.”
