A Single Sparky (The Spark Brothers Book 1)

by Liwen Y. Ho

  In between licks of his ice cream, he learned which bands were on the charts and which artists were now guest judges on a reality singing show. He intentionally scrolled past the celebrity news, but stopped when a familiar face popped up on his screen. One week of not checking their family’s group chat room and he’d missed some important news. He looked up and caught Colin’s attention. “Did you know about this?”

  Colin squinted at Aiden’s phone as he neared. “Oh yeah, Evan met a girl on set this week. Gorgeous redhead. She’s from the Bay Area, too, and a believer. She might be playing his girlfriend on the show.”

  “Is that all?” Their youngest brother was a responsible kid, which made news about him so much more infuriating to read. The rumors swirling about him on the internet changed from day to day, making him sound fickle and immature. Today’s headline said it all: Evan Spark dumps girlfriend; spotted with new love! “Why can’t they get the facts straight? He never even went out with that actress. They were spotted in the same restaurant one night, and everyone started making assumptions. And now this? They make it sound like he’s in love.”

  “Oh, it’s not too far off. He really likes this girl. I’ve never heard him talk about anyone like this before.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Aiden scoffed. “Nothing’s real in Hollywood. Who knows, she’s probably using him to get her name out there.”

  Colin winced. “You should eat more of that ice cream.”

  Aiden smirked as he noticed a puddle forming on the table. Great. The cone had a leak. Even his ice cream reminded him of how messy life was. He tossed it into a nearby trash can and wiped his hands. His phone vibrated on the table with an incoming call, displaying Evan’s face on the screen. What great timing. At least he could talk some sense into his brother.

  “Hey, Evan. I’m glad you called.”

  “Aiden, I need your help! Emma’s sister’s been in a car accident. She can’t reach her, but she said you’d know how to. Can you help? She’s worried sick—”

  “What? What are you talking about? Who’s Emma?” Aiden mouthed the last question again to Colin who was eyeing him curiously.

  “The girl he likes!” Colin murmured before reaching into the back pocket of his jeans. His phone was ringing as well. “Hello?”

  “Aiden, are you listening?” The urgency in Evan’s voice brought his focus back to the phone call. “Can you get in touch with Abby Dearan and see if she’s okay?”

  Abby? The only Abby he knew was that insufferable deejay, the woman who demanded he pay for the meal she ate. Why was Evan asking him about her? “I have no idea where Abby is. I only have her phone number.”

  “Yo, Aiden, can you man the shop for me?” Colin’s voice boomed in his other ear. “Candy got rear-ended on 101 South. She needs me to pick her up.”

  When had Colin become Candy’s personal driver? Aiden blinked and saw his brother waving impatiently at him. He nodded. “Sure, I’ll stay here. You go.”

  “Come on, Aiden,” Evan urged in his other ear. “Emma’s frantic. She was on the phone with her sister when the airbag went off. She was driving home on 101 South. Can you call around to the nearby hospitals? Anything you can do will help.”

  Aiden shook his head, his thoughts clashing together like a dissonant chord. How was it possible Evan was interested in Abby’s sister? And what were the chances both Abby and Candy got into car accidents around the same time, on the same highway? An airbag might as well have punched him in the face. His sensed his worlds colliding, and he was in the middle of it all.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Abby

  Abby woke up to the wail of a siren in the distance. Eyes closed, she heard it grow louder and louder, signaling a fast approach. The sound blared in her ears until it suddenly stopped. After a minute, she heard frantic knocking on her driver’s side window. The knocking competed with the throbbing in her head, making her groan. Who was making all that racket and why wouldn’t they leave her alone? She just wanted to go back to sleep.

  “Miss, can you hear me?” A male voice called out to her. “Can you open the door?”

  Huh? What door? And why did her lips feel like they were coated with powdered sugar from a donut? She opened her mouth to ask the man what was going on but gagged at the bitter taste on her tongue. Grimacing, she lifted her lashes and spotted a puffy white cushion against her torso. That’s when she remembered—she’d rammed into the car in front of her. Oh, could her day get any worse? But, she reasoned with herself, she was still alive and well, even if her car wasn’t. That was reason enough to thank God … before she asked for His help. She most certainly needed some divine intervention.

  Abby turned to her left and spotted a man dressed in a dark uniform. She assumed from the bright yellow helmet on his head he was a firefighter. At his urging, she unlocked the door and pushed it open. Her lungs welcomed the air outside even though it was laced with exhaust fumes. She squeezed past the airbag and practically fell into his arms. The shock of what had happened suddenly hit her. Hot tears welled in her eyes as she clung onto him.

  “You’re safe now, Miss. Let’s get you checked out.”

  She squinted, suddenly realizing how blurry the scene appeared. She must’ve lost her glasses when the airbag exploded. Leaning on the firefighter for support, Abby let him lead her to the side of the highway where two ambulances, along with a fire truck, were parked. Several police officers were on hand, placing flares on the ground and directing traffic. She noticed a couple of vehicles lined up in front of and behind her car, their bumpers all damaged. Obviously, there had been a domino effect at play, which meant she likely wasn’t the one to blame for the accident. The thought gave her some comfort. At least her insurance premium wouldn’t increase.

  Near the side of the fire truck, the firefighter handed Abby off to his colleague in a similar-looking uniform. “This is Lieutenant Spark. You’ll be in good hands with him.”

  “Hello, Miss.” The tall young man greeted her with a smile, then gasped. “I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?”

  Abby grimaced. Maybe she looked as horrible as she felt. “What is it? Do I look bad?”

  “No, not at all. Please have a seat.” He stared at her for an extra beat before helping her onto the stretcher which extended from the side of the truck. “Your name, please?”

  “It’s Abby. Abby Dearan.”

  “If you don’t mind, Abby, I’m going to check your vitals.”

  After a thorough assessment, he determined she should be taken to the emergency room as a precaution since her airbag had deployed. Despite her protests, Abby soon found herself inside an ambulance wearing a neck brace while strapped to a backboard. Talk about unpleasant. What she wouldn’t give to have a soft mattress to lie on, anything besides this hard, cold plastic.

  “Is there someone I can call for you?” The firefighter eyed her with concern. “A family member or friend?”

  “Emma!” Abby couldn’t believe she’d forgotten about her sister. She must have freaked out when their call was cut short. “My phone’s in the car. Can you get it for me? I need to call my sister and let her know I’m okay.”

  “Sure. You stay put. I’ll be right back.”

  Abby moved the only part of herself that was still mobile—her eyes—and rolled them. Like she could go anywhere even if she wanted to. She watched the man walk away, then stared up at the ceiling of the ambulance.

  She got to wondering how the other drivers had fared. Were any of them seriously hurt? If she needed this much attention for some non-existent injuries, she hoped no one else did, too. She said a quick prayer for the other folks, just as she heard someone approaching. A police officer hopped inside the ambulance and flashed a badge at her.

  The officer proceeded to ask some routine questions about what had happened, as well as the extent of her injuries. Abby answered her to the best of her abilities, but she honestly didn’t remember much of the accident. She hoped the other drivers ha
d a better recollection.

  Soon after, the firefighter returned with her phone. He held it up for her to see. Darn. The screen was cracked, and she had a hard time deciphering the new texts on the screen. As she debated what to do, she heard a young woman’s voice echo inside the ambulance.

  “Darren! Fancy meeting you here.”

  “Candy? Was that your car near the back? No wonder it looked familiar. Are you hurt?”

  “Some minor bruising, but I’m fine. I wanted to see how this driver’s doing. I was in the car behind theirs. Is he or she going to be okay?”

  “Funny you should ask about her.” The firefighter’s face hovered above Abby’s as he asked, “Do you feel well enough to see someone?”

  “I guess so.”

  “Go ahead, Candy. But you might need to sit down afterwards,” he cautioned her before stepping away.

  A woman in her early thirties appeared at Abby’s side. Her face was perfectly made up and she wore small gold hoop earrings to complement a bold statement necklace. Not a strand of hair was out of place. For someone who’d been in a car accident, she looked way too gorgeous and put-together. Abby bet she’d make even a neck brace look chic.

  The woman took one look at Abby, and her jaw went slack. She reached out to touch her face. Her voice wavered as she whispered, “Mandy?”

  “You have the wrong person. My name’s Abby.”

  The woman blinked quickly, her eyes moist with unshed tears. She shook her head and released a heavy breath. “I-I’m sorry. You look so much like my sister. Or how I think she would look if—never mind.” She paused. “How are you feeling? I think you got the brunt of the impact from being in the middle of all the cars.”

  “I didn’t even know I got hit from the back. I blacked out when the airbag went off. I’m sure I’ll be fine. This getup is all a precaution.”

  “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She gestured over her shoulder. “None of the other drivers were seriously hurt either. They complained about some bruising and soreness, but no broken bones. God had His angels working overtime today. It could’ve been a lot worse.”

  Abby grunted in agreement.

  “Is there anything I can do for you? Does your family know you’re okay?”

  “Actually, would you call my sister? My phone’s out of commission.”

  “Sure thing.” She took a phone out of her jacket pocket and swiped it open. “What’s her number?”

  Abby relayed the information to her. “Thank you. It’s Candy, right?”

  “Yes, and you’re very welcome.” She dialed Emma’s number and waited. “Hi Emma? I have you sister, Abby, here. She wants to talk to you.”

  Candy positioned the phone next to Abby’s ear. She winced when the sound of her sister’s high-pitched cry came over the line. “Em, calm down. I’m okay, more than okay.”

  “I was so worried, Abby. When the call dropped, I started freaking out. I didn’t know what to do, so I asked Evan to call his brother. I thought maybe he’d know where you were.”

  Abby couldn’t believe her ears. “Emma, you did what? Why would you reach out to Aiden Spark after I specifically told you I didn’t like the guy?” How strange. She thought she felt Candy’s hand flinch at the mention of Aiden, or perhaps the phone had slipped from her hand.

  “I know, I know,” Emma answered in a regretful tone. “I wasn’t thinking straight. I thought since Aiden lives near you, he could find you for me. He said he’d call around to the local hospitals and check.”

  “He did? That’s surprising.” The thought that Aiden still cared enough to help her sister tugged at her heart. Then again, he was more than likely doing the favor for his brother.

  Emma mumbled something to someone on her end. After a moment, she returned to speak with Abby. “Evan’s going to let his brother know you’re okay.”

  The firefighter returned to Abby’s left side with a clipboard in his hands. He gestured for her to finish the call. “I gotta go, Em. They’re taking me to the hospital to have me checked out.”

  “Which hospital, Abby? I can have Evan tell his brother to meet you there.”

  “Emma! How many times do I have to tell you.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t want to see or hear from him again. I’ll be fine. I need to go. I’ll call you when I’m done. Love you.”

  “Love you, too, sis!”

  Abby acknowledged Candy’s questioning glance with a tight smile. “I’m done, thanks.”

  “Is everything okay?” Candy raised one perfectly groomed brow. She slipped her phone into her pocket and remarked, “You sounded upset. Something to do with a guy?”

  “Uh …”

  “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you say the name Aiden Spark.” Candy glanced at the firefighter before returning her attention to Abby. “We happen to know someone by that name. I was wondering if it might be the same person.”

  Abby eyed the woman for a good five seconds. She didn’t know anything about Candy other than her name and the fact that she was nosy, but she preferred it this way. Anyone with a connection to a man named Aiden was not a friend of hers. It didn’t matter if Candy was referring to her Aiden or not—not that he would ever be her Aiden. She had more important matters to take care of, namely her health and her car. She’d need a different mode of transportation tomorrow, assuming the doctor would allow her to go in to the office. All these factors were more important than a certain professor.

  She was about to tell Candy this, though not in so many words, when someone approached the ambulance.

  “Candy?” a man called out. “Are you in there?”

  The firefighter gestured for him to climb inside. “Colin, what are you doing here?”

  “Darren, hey! Candy called me. If I’d known you were here, I wouldn’t have worried so much.”

  Abby’s eyes flitted around the small space as she took in the conversation around her. It sounded like these three were all connected in some way.

  Colin rushed over and greeted Candy with a tight embrace. “There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine.” Candy extracted herself from his arms and smoothed her hair back into place. “You didn’t have to come. I only called to tell you I was running late. Who’s manning the shop?”

  “Of course I came. You’re more important to me than work. Don’t sweat it, Aiden’s there.”

  Candy seemed to soften at Colin’s words. Abby admitted, even she melted a little. Now, this was the way to treat a woman. Candy was one lucky girl. Abby diverted her gaze so as not to intrude on the couple’s intimate moment. The act was pointless, however, because Candy brought her right into the conversation with her next remark.

  “Colin, this is Abby. She was in the car in front of me. I’m really glad I bumped into her today.” One side of her mouth lifted in a half-smile. “Not literally, of course.”

  “Hi Abby, I’m sorry to meet you under these circumstances.” The man’s voice boomed loudly within the ambulance. “I hope you have a fast recovery.”

  Abby tried her best to look to the right without turning her head. She locked gazes with Colin out of the corner of her eye. She was speechless. Not only was he good-looking, he was considerate, too. Why couldn’t she meet a guy like him?

  Colin seemed speechless as well. He stared at her as if she were a ghost. He looked from Abby to Candy, then back again, still in disbelief.

  What was it with everyone today? Abby wrinkled her nose. She must have a doppelganger out there, someone very loved by these three people. “If you were wondering, I’m not Mandy.”

  Colin released a deep breath and shook his head. “How is this possible?”

  “That was my reaction, too, when I first saw her,” Darren piped up. “I apologize if I stared earlier,” he confessed to Abby. “I was caught off guard. I never expected to see her—I mean, you.”

  “No worries,” she replied, still unsure of what was going on. “I must really look like this Man
dy person.”

  “You’re a spitting image of her,” Colin agreed, “of what she’d look like if she were still alive.”

  Still alive? Abby swallowed. This Mandy wasn’t around anymore. No wonder they were so fascinated with her. “I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope it’s not weird seeing me like this.”

  “Not weird at all.” Candy’s smile was bittersweet. “Seeing you makes me feel closer to my sister, closer than I’ve felt in a long time.”

  “You know who else needs to see her?” Colin murmured to Candy.

  She nodded knowingly. “It might help. Maybe he’ll get the closure he needs, once and for all.”

  Okay, now Abby was the nosy one. Who were they talking about? Was it possible she could help someone by being her plain ‘ol self? She had to find out. “If there’s something I can do to help, just let me know.”

  Candy exchanged hopeful glances with the two men. “Really? That would be awesome. What do you think, guys?”

  “It’s worth a try,” Darren answered.

  “Definitely.” Colin grinned at Abby and asked, “Would it be okay if we arranged for our brother to meet you? Mandy was his girlfriend. He’s had a rough time since she passed away.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Of course, if you think it would help him.” Abby chewed on her lower lip as she thought. She’d heard that God works in mysterious ways, but this was unlike anything she’d ever imagined. “Maybe some good will come out of this accident. I’d be happy to meet him.”

  “Thank you. I’m sure Aiden will appreciate it.”

  Wait, what was it about that name? Why did she keep hearing it today? “Aiden?”

  “Yeah, our brother’s name is Aiden. Aiden Spark.”

  No. Freaking. Way. Why couldn’t she get away from that man? She had no idea what God was up to, but she had a feeling it was something big.