by Liwen Y. Ho
Bria understood the consequences of disappointment. She’d let so many people down. Most of all, she’d let God down. But she’d been doing her best to make up for her sins. She volunteered in the children’s ministry program on Sunday mornings, she offered free haircuts to homeless folks once a month at the salon where she worked, and she did little things for her friends whenever possible. Most recently, she’d been recording herself reading books out loud then uploading the videos online for Amy to enjoy. Today’s good deed was playing chauffeur for her friend so she didn’t have to take the bus to see her new favorite author.
“I’ll be sure to give you a detailed description of what this guy looks like. I can’t wait to get a good look at him myself.”
Amy pursed her lips. “I thought you wrote off guys a long time ago? Something to do with being independent and not needing a man?”
“I did. I’m only looking at this one for your sake,” Bria quipped. “And to see what kind of man would be brave enough to write such sentimental mush.”
“You know you like that stuff. You read romance with so much emotion. I much prefer listening to you narrate them than a professional, although I do appreciate the fact that Mr. Spark has his whole backlist available in audio versions. It makes things easier for you. I know how much time it takes you to record a whole novel.”
Bria’s ears perked up. Why did that name sound familiar? “Did you say Spark? Any relation to that other romance author whose books got made into movies?”
“No way.” Amy wrinkled her pert nose. “That author writes love stories. Romance stories guarantee a happy ending; love stories don’t. Brandon Spark is all about happily-ever-afters. He writes the best kissing scenes, too.”
“I see,” she remarked hesitantly. She snuck a peek at Seth in the mirror and was relieved to see his eyes glued to his fantasy book. Whenever he got into a story, he tended to tune the rest of the world out. It was safe to say he wasn’t paying attention to her and Amy’s conversation. She doubted if he even noticed girls yet, but she didn’t want to risk piquing his interest. She prayed it would be many, many years before she’d need to bring up the topic of dating, marriage, and—gulp!—babies.
“Do you want to read his latest book?” Amy handed her the copy she’d been clutching to her chest. “I only bought it for this signing. I have the audio version already. If you want to borrow it, go right ahead. Just promise you’ll keep it safe. No earmarking pages, please.”
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to skim through it.” Bria took the hardcover book and dropped it in her lap. She switched lanes to the right as she prepared to turn into the back entrance of a small strip mall. A minute later, she found a parking space right in front of a brick building with a sign that read Between the Lines. She exhaled in relief and announced, “We made it! Come on, Seth, you can bring your book inside to read. It’s time to make Ms. Amy’s dream come true.”
Amy was already standing outside the car, white cane in hand. “Come on, guys,” she urged before she closed the door. “Bring the book for me, Bria!”
Bria rolled her eyes. She’d never seen her friend move so fast. It appeared there was something magical about this store because her son was also moving at warp speed. He stood next to Amy, motioning for her to join them. With one hand on the door handle, she picked up the book in her lap and proceeded to exit.
Her heart just about stopped when her gaze fell on the photo on the jacket’s back. Could it be? She leaned closer for a better look. A familiar face from her past stared back at her. She recognized the shy, closed-mouth smile and vivid blue eyes that used to greet her every morning in the dorm cafeteria. The angled jaw and broader shoulders, however, were new. Still, there was no doubt in her mind who he was.
Bria swallowed hard. She was wrong. This man was the last person she wanted to think about, much less see. He reminded her of everything she’d tried to leave behind. There was no escaping now though. Not when one step inside the store would immerse her in the shame and guilt of her past again.
Chapter Three
Brandon
Brandon’s jaw dropped as he took in the crowd gathering before him. Women of various ages and backgrounds were staking claim on the plastic folding chairs, especially the row closest to him. They all stared starry-eyed as they clutched copies of his latest book to their chests. He gulped. T-minus one minute until everyone would be vying for his undivided attention. His heart rate picked up speed just thinking about it.
It was moments like this that he wished he could be any one of his four brothers. Even from a young age, he’d realized how different he was from them. A framed photo hanging in his parents’ house proved it. The picture was his mom’s favorite, one she’d taken in the backyard of their Silicon Valley home on a hot and sticky summer day, much like today. Aiden, the oldest, sat with his prized possession, a guitar, in his hands. Colin, the third brother, made silly faces at the camera. Darren, the fourth brother, had his legs straight up in the air as he did a handstand. The youngest Spark, Evan, wore his Halloween costume from the year before even though the cape was two sizes too small and looked like a bib flying on his back. Then there was himself, the only golden child of the bunch, blond and blue-eyed, sitting cross-legged on the grass with his nose stuck in a book.
Brandon remembered that thirteen-year-old version of himself well. After the discovery of growth on his upper lip, he started noticing the opposite sex. The sweet lilt of a girl’s voice, the way she giggled when talking to a boy, and how awesome she smelled when she passed by and swung her hair in his direction. The emotions his female classmates evoked in him made them the most fascinating creatures God had ever created. He began observing and admiring them, from a distance, of course. That’s also when he started watching movies with his mom, specifically chick flicks that taught him all about the ways boys meet girls and fall in love. Soon after, he began writing his own fictional takes on love.
Sure, it was his dream to find love someday. But that would mean venturing beyond the comfort of his home and talking to a woman face-to-face. If he had Aiden’s stage presence, Colin’s humor, Darren’s confidence, or Evan’s charm, he’d have no problems getting a date. But alas, God had gifted him with sweaty palms and an annoying stutter that appeared at the least opportune times, especially at book signings. There was nothing remotely cool about him except for a little tattoo on his back that he’d gotten on a whim in college.
Suddenly, applause, along with hoots and hollers, filled the room as Danica introduced him.
Swallowing hard, Brandon lifted his head to greet the audience. His face on fire, he gave a tentative wave. “Th-thank you all for coming today. I’m very fortunate to have so many wonderful and supportive readers.” With shaky hands, he picked up his book from the table and turned to the bookmarked page. “I’ll start by reading an excerpt from my latest story. I’m on page twenty-three if you’d like to follow along.”
Pages ruffled as everyone opened their books. Brandon blew out a long breath. The fewer eyes on him, the better. He almost preferred this part of the event to the individual interactions he would have with the women later. That’s when he’d have to field all their questions, many of them personal. Did he base any of the characters on people he knew? How did he understand women so well? Did he have a girlfriend? Why didn’t he have a girlfriend? His readers were wonderful but also way too curious.
Clearing his throat, he focused on the black text. He began reading, stumbling over the words as his throat constricted. His heart pounded so loudly, he could barely hear himself over the thumps. He snuck a look at the audience and felt a little better to see them following along in their books, with pleased smiles on their faces. They were here to support him, he reminded himself, not to tease or bully him. Drawing upon their support, as well as the pure joy of doing something he loved, Brandon pressed on. It got easier because he truly was grateful for this gift of the written word that God had given him.
After two pages, he
began finding a groove as he immersed himself in the story. He found purpose with each word he read. The intentions and emotions behind the dialogues he’d written came to life. Sure, these were places and people he’d created in his mind, but they felt as real to him as the people sitting before him. It was during these times that he understood the rush his youngest brother talked about experiencing whenever he was in front of a camera. It was fun and exciting to embody a character totally unlike yourself. Brandon imagined if he wasn’t so introverted, he might’ve become an actor like Evan.
Oohs and ahhs filled the pauses between his sentences. They were getting to the meet-cute where the main characters would cross paths for the first time. Brandon loved this scene with all its anticipation. There was nothing like the tender moment when a woman and a man experienced the sudden spark that made it hard to tear their eyes away from each other. He paused dramatically as he reached the pivotal moment then delivered the most swoon-worthy line.
“This might sound crazy, but I plan on marrying you. I know we just met, but I’m going to woo you until you say yes.”
A collective gasp filled the room and a woman exclaimed, “That is so sweet!”, then promptly fell to the ground.
The younger woman next to her waved her arms about frantically. “My mama—she fainted! Someone, help! She has a weak heart.”
Brandon rushed to his feet, fresh beads of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. This was a first. No one had ever lost consciousness at one of his events before. And to think he was the cause of it? He’d never forgive himself if this reader was hurt. He needed to get help—fast. Pulling his phone out of his jean pocket, he hit the speed dial set for Darren’s cell phone.
His brother answered on the second ring. “Hey, Bran, everything okay?”
“I need you at the bookstore on the corner of Castro and Villa. There’s a woman here in need of medical help.”
With no further explanation needed, Darren answered, “We’ll be right there.”
Moments passed as Brandon stood helplessly on the sidelines. He ran his hands through his hair, unsure of how to help. Soon, the wail of a fire truck sounded in the distance. The siren grew louder and louder, adding to the frantic energy in the room. When it was at its loudest volume right outside the store, it stopped. Several uniformed firefighters pushed through the front doors with their gear in tow.
Relief washed over Brandon as he saw the tallest man, his brother Darren, take quick, long strides toward the crowd gathered on the floor. The women all gasped as he neared and cleared a path for him. He dropped to his knees and began assessing the situation. The woman who had fainted suddenly came to when Darren lifted her hand to take her pulse. She clutched his arm and almost passed out again at the sight of him.
Brandon shook his head in awe. In the eight years since his brother had been working as a first responder, he’d never actually seen him in action. But now that he was observing Darren, he understood why his readers loved the male characters he wrote. They were bigger-than-life men, the kind who rescued damsels in distress. And here was one in the flesh, his kid brother who used to drive their mom crazy when he belched at the dinner table.
Except now, Darren was all grown up in stature and maturity. Even though he was the second youngest Spark brother, he towered over the rest of them. He was now an alpha male in every sense of the word—strong and in charge. While Brandon couldn’t even handle public speaking without the fear of a panic attack, his brother faced life-and-death situations with ease. No wonder women couldn’t take their eyes off him, especially one in particular.
Danica was staring at Darren like he was the rare first edition of Pride and Prejudice she’d been searching for all her life. For the first time since he’d entered the bookstore, Brandon felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps something good would come out of this event after all.
Make that something incredibly good. His gaze shifted from Danica to the woman standing behind her. His mouth fell open to see the beautiful face of his old crush.
Bria Montgomery! What was she doing here?
Maybe God was already answering Aiden’s prayers. Why else would the one woman he’d been longing to see for the past decade be standing fifteen feet away?
Brandon’s feet began moving with a mind of their own, closing the gap between him and Bria. She was still as beautiful as the last time he saw her, except her hair was back to its natural honey blonde color. Gone were the purple highlights and the hummingbird nose ring she used to wear. With a light blue tank top and jeans on, she looked every bit like the girl who asked to borrow his English lecture notes one day during sophomore year.
She’d been the first female he’d ever had a real conversation with, and she would become his closest friend for the next year and a half. That’s why it had been such a shock when she left school suddenly and never returned. One day, she had kissed him; the next day, she was gone.
Bria had left him with so many questions, questions he thought he’d never find answers to. But here she was, and here he was—the two of them meeting again in the most surprising, amazing way. Brandon was sure the dopey smile on his face revealed all the emotions in his heart. But how did she feel about him? He desperately needed to know. He walked up to her, surprising himself with his determination to not let her go until he found out.
Chapter Four
Bria
Bria and Amy entered through the store’s back entrance and stopped by the children’s section where Seth happily plopped down on a beanbag to resume reading. The two women then weaved their way around and through dozens of bookcases until they reached the front of the store. Bria stopped in her tracks. It appeared there was a medical emergency going on.
Amy paused and turned around. “Isn’t this the way to the book signing?”
“It is, but something’s not right.” As soon as Bria said those words, her mouth ran dry. “What do you mean?” Amy retraced her steps and returned to Bria’s side. “What’s wrong?”
What’s wrong was that the last person Bria expected to see again was heading straight toward her. It was her college friend, all right. Except this Brandon Spark was a little taller but still lanky. Some other things about him also hadn’t changed. He had the same longing in his deep blue eyes when she used to catch him staring at her in class. And the same adoring grin he’d had after she’d cut him off mid-sentence with a kiss.
Speaking of wrong, everything about that day of the kiss had been wrong. From the super revealing outfit she’d worn to the emotions raging through her body. She’d been furious after finding out her boyfriend had cheated on her with a girl from his study group. All she wanted to do was make him as jealous and hurt as he’d made her. So when Richard happened to pass by her and Brandon as they walked out of a lecture hall, she decided to get revenge. She’d grabbed her friend by the shoulders and thrown herself at his unsuspecting mouth. She always regretted kissing Brandon, and even more so today, as they stood face-to-face. He was the kindest guy she’d ever known—and hurt.
There were no words to express how much shame and remorse she felt. She stood there, mute and frozen in place, as Brandon greeted them.
“Is that who I think it is?” Amy squealed in delight and stuck out her hand in Brandon’s direction. “I’m your biggest fan, Mr. Spark!”
“Thank you so much.” Brandon shook Amy’s hand. “I appreciate you coming today. My meet and greets aren’t usually this exciting, but it looks like things are settling down now.”
“Is everything okay? I hear a lot of commotion.” Amy tilted her head to one side as she listened. “A lot of deep voices and the sound of work boots, I think?”
A line appeared between Brandon’s brows. “Someone fainted earlier. My brother and his crew are here helping her out. They’re firefighters, hence the boots,” he added for Amy’s sake. He paused then turned to Bria with a curious look. “It’s so good to see you, Bria. I can’t believe you’re here.”
Amy gasped. “Wait a minute
! You know Mr. Spark?”
Bria felt a jab in her side. The sharp pain from Amy’s elbow worked to pull her out of her trance. She squeezed out a smile as she held up his book. “I brought my friend Amy to get your autograph.”
Still hyperventilating, Amy exclaimed, “Bria! You know a famous author, and you didn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t know either. He wasn’t an author when we were friends.” She winced at her word choice. A real friend wouldn’t have used another person for such selfish motives. She’d been well aware of Brandon’s crush on her, yet she hadn’t thought twice about misleading him with a kiss. Until afterward, of course. But by then, it was easier to disappear from his life than to tell him the truth. He was a great friend but nothing more. Their chaste kiss had confirmed it.
“I wouldn’t call myself famous,” Brandon interjected. “But I really appreciate you coming out to support me.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Amy gushed. “Well, I kind of dragged Bria here. Romance novels aren’t really her thing, but she’s such a good friend, she offered to drive me. I still can’t believe you two know each other. How’d you guys meet?”
Bria jumped in before Brandon could answer. “I’ll fill you in later, Ames. I’m sure Brandon—Mr. Spark—has a lot of people waiting to meet him. We shouldn’t keep him from his job.”
Brandon glanced over his shoulder, seeming to assess the situation. One firefighter was talking to an older woman, while the other three were milling around, chatting with some readers. A few women who were lined up at a table waved when Brandon looked over. He returned their wave and held up an index finger to let them know he’d be with them soon.
