James struck a pose. "My hair has been waiting for this moment."
Gustavo squinted. "They look like they just fell off a tractor."
Carlos nodded. "But we’ll fail together!"
"We actually did it," Logan whispered.
Gustavo had been abandoned by his latest boy band and needed fresh talent. Now . His assistant, the long-suffering Kelly, pointed to the rink. "What about them?"
"Okay, boys. You have one minute to impress me. Sing, dance, juggle—I don’t care. Just don’t bore me."
Kendall laughed. "Exactly. Together."
He grinned. "Guys, this is insane. We don’t know what we’re doing. We might fail."
The next morning, the boys huddled in Kendall’s mom’s minivan. Mrs. Knight, a practical nurse who’d raised Kendall on tough love and frozen burritos, was less than thrilled.
Cue theme song. 🎶
"Background? They’re from Minnesota! The only crime there is bad manners. Get them a contract. And a choreographer. Several choreographers." That night, back at the Palm Woods, the four boys sat on the edge of the fountain in the courtyard. They were exhausted, terrified, and buzzing with excitement.
"Those were tears of confidence ."
"Mom," Kendall pleaded. "This is our shot."