“And you did those arrangements?”
She nodded.
“Pretty impressive,” he said. “Those arrangements showcased the talents of you and your sisters in a unique and provocative way. They show that you know what the heart and soul of the group is. It takes some groups years to find their heart and soul. Some never find it. You’ve found yours, and that’s what sets you apart.”
“Thank you,” Alisha said, because she couldn’t think of anything else. Morgan Sampson had complimented her on her arrangements. She felt lightheaded. She hoped she didn’t pass out and embarrass herself and him.
“Now, do you have any questions for me?” Mr. Sampson asked.
Alisha had a zillion questions, but she couldn’t think of one right now. Before she could make one up, Mr. Sampson reached in his jacket pocket, pulled out a gold case, opened it, and slid a business card across the table to her. “That card has all my numbers on it. If you think of a question, give me a call. If I don’t answer, leave a message and I’ll get back to you.”
Alisha studied the card. She really couldn’t see herself calling Mr. Sampson up out of the blue. “Thank you,” she said. That was all she could come up with right then.
“I’m serious,” he said, as if sensing her uncertainty. “I want to see and hear great things from you and your sisters. Are you working on a demo?”
“As soon as I get back we get started,” she said.
“You’re working with Magic City Studios?”
She nodded. “Mr. Johns offered Delilah’s Daughters a contract, but he had to withdraw it when Veronica left. So right now we’re trying to put a new Delilah’s Daughters in front of him and see what he thinks. We’re hoping he offers the new group a contract.”
“Tommy is a good man. He’ll give you good advice, I’m sure. But I’m serious about you contacting me if you have any questions or if you want to bounce something off me. And I want to hear that demo, so make sure I get a copy.”
Mr. Sampson’s graciousness overwhelmed Alisha. “I don’t know what to say,” she said. “ ‘Thank you’ isn’t enough. I can’t believe you’re extending yourself this way to me and Delilah’s Daughters.”
“Don’t think about it. Somebody helped me when I got started. It’s the least I can do.”
Alisha thought it was much more than that. “My mom and sisters are going to lose their minds when I tell them about this session.”
Mr. Sampson laughed. “Let’s hope they don’t go that far.”
Chapter 28
Veronica sat with Tia on a leather couch in one of Club Dance Atlanta’s VIP rooms on Friday evening. She rocked her shoulders to the beat that thumped in the celebrated midtown club.
“You look like you’re having fun,” Tia said to her.
“I’m itching to get out on the floor,” Veronica said, now popping her fingers. “I hope Dexter gets here soon.”
“You know you don’t have to wait for Dexter to hit the dance floor,” Tia said. “There are plenty of men here who’d gladly be your partner.”
“Not an option, and neither is dancing solo,” Veronica said. If she were at one of her hangouts in Birmingham or Tuscaloosa, she’d be on the floor by herself in a minute. It wouldn’t matter there because everybody knew her and knew she loved to dance. In this new city, she wasn’t sure what message a woman dancing alone would send, especially in the hot pink Victor Meggan mini she was sporting.
Max, their waiter, walked over to them. “You ladies are popular tonight,” he said. “Two more drinks for you.”
Tia took one and smiled in the direction of the man who had sent it. Veronica smiled as well, but she passed on the drink. “Do yourself and me a favor, Max,” Veronica said. “If I get any more drink offers, please turn them down for me.”
“Will do,” Max said. “How about you, Tia?”
Tia shook her head. “No way. I don’t want to miss out on my Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now.” She tipped her glass toward Veronica. “She already has hers.”
Veronica chuckled. “If my Mr. Right doesn’t hurry and get here, I may have to go with a Mr. Right Now myself.”
Tia leaned close to her. “That 50 Cent wannabe over there looks like he wants to be your Mr. Right Now. He’s been staring at you all evening. All it would take is a signal from you.”
“No way,” Veronica said. “Besides, it’s not me these guys are interested in. It’s this dress.”
Tia fingered the lace of the bodice of the black bustier. “I can’t believe Victor sent one of his designs over for you to wear tonight. You definitely made a strong impression on him.”
“I couldn’t believe it either,” Veronica said. “But his generosity made for a great ending to a not so great day.”
Tia took a handful of nuts from the bowl on the table in front of them and tossed them in her mouth. “What was wrong with your day? I thought everything went well.”
Veronica searched Tia’s face for any trace of sarcasm. When she found none, she said, “The producers seemed to think my voice lacks personality. I have no signature style. I translated that to mean my voice is boring.”
Tia rolled her eyes. “Oh, please,” she said. “Don’t get it twisted, Ms. Diva. They did say your voice lacked definition, but they also said definition can be learned. Producers would much rather work with someone who has voice training but no defined style over someone who has defined their vocal style and is unwilling to change it. Believe me, they’re licking their lips thinking about what they can do with you. They’re like painters before a blank canvas.”
Veronica rubbed her finger down her glass of iced tea. “Thank you,” she said. “I think—”
Before she could finish, Max returned to the table. “There are three guys over there who are dying to meet you and take a photo,” he said to Veronica, pointing to three buppie-looking guys at the bar. They looked fresh from the nine-to-five in some downtown office. She’d guess they were lawyers or bankers. “Apparently, they saw you on Sing for America. Is it okay for them to come over?”
“Definitely,” Tia said to Max. Then she said to Veronica, “This is now business, and those are fans. You always meet fans, so get your best smile on.”
After getting the go-ahead from Max, the three men headed toward the table. They quickly introduced themselves as the Thompson brothers—Calvin, Edward, and Judd. When they finished, Tia excused herself, suggesting that the brothers keep Veronica company until she got back.
After the men were seated, Judd said, “I have to tell you that we fell in love with Delilah’s Daughters when you were on Sing for America.”
“We never missed a show,” Calvin said.
“And we think you were robbed,” Edward said. “No way that country girl should have beat you.”
Veronica gave the three men a genuine smile. “Thank you for your support. We had a great time on the show. I’ll have to tell my sisters about you.”
“Give a special hello to Roxanne for me,” Judd said. “I loved you all, but there was something about her that got to me.” He pressed his hand across his heart. “She sang herself straight into my heart.”
His brothers laughed. “And then he was sad all week until he got a chance to see her again the next week,” Edward said. “He did everything in his power to get tickets to that finals show, hoping he’d meet her, but he couldn’t make it happen.”
“I don’t deny it,” Judd said. “But I wasn’t the only brother with a crush. Let’s just say you and Alisha had your admirers as well.”
“Alisha was my girl,” Calvin said. Then Calvin and Judd both looked at Edward.
“Now I’m embarrassed,” Edward said. “It’s okay for them to talk about their crushes since your sisters aren’t here. I’m beginning to wish I wasn’t here.”
Veronica reached out and covered one of Edward’s hands with one of hers. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. As an artist, it’s always nice to know you’ve made a connection with the audience.”
Veronica couldn’t help but laugh at the glare Edward shot his brothers. “Stop teasing him,” she said to Calvin and Judd. “You three remind me of me and my sisters. We give each other a hard time just like you do, but it’s all done in love.”
“Well, don’t be surprised if you read an article in tomorrow’s paper about a man giving his two brothers a beat-down for embarrassing him in front of a beautiful woman,” Edward said.
“Thank you,” Veronica said. “You’re too kind.”
“Can we get a picture or two with you, Veronica?” Judd asked.
“Of course,” she said.
“What if you take one with each of us? Will that be okay?”
“Great,” she said. Then she patted the space next to her. “Who’s going to be first?”
Edward stepped up. He settled next to her on the couch. “Is it okay if I put my arm on the couch behind you? I promise not to touch you.”
Veronica chuckled. “You’re too sweet,” she said, cuddling close to him.
Judd took the picture with his camera phone. Then they rotated until pictures of all three had been taken with her.
Just as they finished, Tia returned with a camera guy in tow. “I’m Veronica’s personal assistant,” she told the men. “Would you be willing to take a few promo pictures with Veronica? She’s a new artist at Legends, and we need pictures for her press portfolio. You’ll have to sign releases for us to use the pictures.”
The men quickly agreed. As Tia directed them from one shot to the next, Veronica found herself enjoying the company of the brothers and their quirky sense of humor. They had her laughing the whole time. After they shot the last staged photo, Veronica gave each brother a hug, which was also captured on film. “Thank you so much,” she told them.
“No need to thank us,” Edward said. “It was our pleasure. We’ll never forget this night. Thanks for putting up with us.”
As the men shuffled off, Tia said, “Good job. You even looked like you enjoyed it.”
“I did enjoy it,” Veronica said, tapping her feet to the music. Her time with the brothers had only made her more eager to dance. “They’re nice men.”
“Whatever,” Tia said. “Why didn’t you ask one of them to dance? I don’t know what’s holding Dexter up.”
“Neither do I,” Veronica said, getting up. “I do want to dance before the evening is over. Let me go make Edward’s night.” She winked at Tia and walked to the bar where the men had gathered and tapped Edward on the shoulder. When he turned, she said, “Dance with me? It seems my husband has stood me up.”
His two brothers laughed. “He doesn’t dance.”
Edward stood and took her hand. “I do now.”
Veronica laughed her way to the dance floor. Edward didn’t talk much as he seemed to be concentrating on his moves. “Your brothers were wrong,” she said to him. “You can dance.”
He laughed. “It doesn’t come natural. I can tell you that.”
She threw back her head and laughed again. And that’s when she saw Dexter. He stood at the corner of the bar staring at her. And he didn’t look happy.
Chapter 29
Dexter nursed his drink and watched his wife. She’d finally seen him after he’d watched her flirt with three men, follow them back to the bar, and then end up on the dance floor laughing her head off with one of them.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Dexter looked back and saw Tia standing behind him. “What are you talking about?”
She took the stool next to his and waved to the bartender for another drink. “You’d better get your mind in the game, Dexter. This is the life you and Veronica have chosen. She’s no longer yours. She belongs to Legends now, and if things go according to plan, she’ll belong to the world. There’s a cost to fame, no matter what you’ve been led to believe.”
“You don’t have to preach to me,” Dexter told her. “I know the deal.”
“Then act like it,” she said, picking up her glass. “Lift your drink to your wife and smile at her so she doesn’t feel compelled to end the dance early to come soothe your bruised ego. This is business, not some high school boyfriend-girlfriend stuff. Grow up.”
Though Dexter wanted to throw a few of the juicy tidbits Alex had given him about Tia in her face, he restrained himself, deciding to save his knowledge for another day. He pursed his lips and lifted his glass to his wife as he’d been told.
“Now that’s a good boy,” Tia said. “You keep doing that and your marriage may survive her career.”
“What are you talking about, Tia? What would you know about marriage or surviving a career?”
Tia put down her glass. “I figured Veronica would tell you about me,” she said. “Look, I’m not ashamed of my past. I went for the gold ring. I didn’t get it, but I went for it. And if I get another shot, I’m going to go for it again.”
He wanted to ask if that was why she was sleeping with Charles Washington, but again, he decided to save that chip for later. He’d let Tia keep thinking she had the upper hand for now. When the time came, he’d use all the information Alex had given him. Until then, he would play things her way. “I’m not hating on you,” he said.
“Good. Then maybe I won’t have to tell Mr. Washington about your jealousy issues.”
He studied his drink. “Is that a threat?”
She sipped her drink. “It’s a promise. Legends won’t allow anybody to stand in the way of their plans for Veronica. Not me. And definitely not you. You’re either with the program totally or you’re out. There’s no middle ground. You’d best remember that.”
So this is the way it’s going to be, Dexter thought. No more pretenses about concern for me and my career. This was all about Veronica. “I’m 100 percent behind my wife,” he said. “Her success is my success.”
“Just don’t forget that fact,” Tia said. “Look, I don’t mean to come down hard on you. In fact, I’d like for us to work together in the best interest of Veronica’s career.”
He eyed her. “What do you mean?”
Leaning close to him, Tia said, “I know you have a lot of influence with her. If she’s skeptical about an approach Legends wants to take with her, it’d be good to know that you’ll be on our side working to get her to see it our way. If you would agree to do that, it would make everybody’s life easier.”
“I’ll always look out for my wife’s interests,” he said, pretending not to have understood her request for him to sell out Veronica.
“I want you to think in terms of Legends’ interests,” she clarified.
He stirred his drink with a straw. “Aren’t they the same?”
She nodded. “But sometimes your wife is not going to see it that way. Take the ‘boob job’ issue. It’s in her best interest to get one, but she doesn’t see it that way. We need her on board with it. You can help get her on board.”
“And why would I push her to do something she’s dead set against? What’s in it for me?”
Tia smiled at him. “Ah,” she said. “Now we get to the bottom line. What do you want?”
He returned her smile. “Let me think about it.”
Chapter 30
When Veronica left Sunday morning service at Victory Center Community Church, a megachurch that catered to Atlanta’s elite, she wanted to pull away and spend some time in prayer and meditation. Unfortunately, her schedule didn’t include any such downtime. Tia had hired a car service to take them directly from church to Charles Washington’s summer house on Myrtle Beach for a luncheon meeting.
Veronica spotted their car and driver as soon as she exited the church. The driver opened the back door of the black sedan as she and Dexter reached the car. She slid in first, with her husband following. Tia joined them a couple of minutes later.
“How’d you like Victory Center and
Pastor Finley?” Tia asked as the car pulled away from the church and started on the five-hour drive.
“I liked it,” Dexter said. He nudged Veronica’s shoulder. “Pastor Finley had Veronica tearing up a couple of times.”
Veronica beat back the groan that bubbled up in her at Dexter’s insensitivity. “The sermon touched me. What can I say?”
Dexter hugged her. “I was teasing, babe. It was a good sermon. The pastor confirmed what I’ve been saying all along: now is our time.”
“Pastor Finley is like that,” Tia said. “His messages are always relevant.”
Veronica sank back in the corner of her seat and let Tia and Dexter’s conversation swirl around her. She agreed with both of them on the day’s message. The sermon, “Everything in Its Time,” had been timely for where she was in her life. She couldn’t help but feel God had planned the message just for her.
Everything in its time. The sermon confirmed for her that leaving Delilah’s Daughters had been the right thing to do—for her, for her mom, and for her sisters. They’d been so close and relied on each other for so long that they needed to trust God and step out into the unfamiliar. Her mom and sisters might not see it that way yet, but the sermon confirmed that they would. She hoped it would be soon because she missed them terribly. In the meantime, she’d have to move forward in faith along this new path God had put before her.
Everything in its time. She knew she was on the right path, but she didn’t know quite how to navigate the path. If she listened to Tia and Dexter, she’d do everything anybody at Legends asked her to do without raising a question or offering any resistance. Was that what God wanted for her? She didn’t think so. But she didn’t know where to draw the line. Should she agree to the weave and nix the boob job? Or should she nix both? Or agree to both? Should she agree to being branded a pop-gospel artist rather than a gospel-pop artist, or did it really even matter?
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